NorCal Issue 188 December 2020 by Sport Stars Magazine

DECEMBER 2020 NORCAL EDITION VOL. 11 ISSUE 188

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Jordan Ford is pictured in front of a Folsom sunset during a photo shoot for our 2014-15 NorCal Basketball Preview. Ford graduated from Folsom High in 2016 and went on to a decorated four-year career at Saint Mary’s College. On Wednesday, Nov. 18, he signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers as an undrafted free agent. Photo by James K. Leash

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n a normal year, this issue would’ve served as our annual NorCal Hoops Preview. That’s why we thought it only fitting to get some basketball on our cover. And to be honest, in light of COVID-19’s new infection spike and the seemingly inevitable further delay to traditional “fall sports”, writing about a sport that doesn’t feel in immediate peril felt rather nice. What else felt nice? Taking the advantage to highlight a program that may not have been on the cover of a hoops preview issue. In fact, Mezziah Oakman became the first Mt. Diablo High athlete to be featured on our cover. Oakman and the rest of the Red Devils’ senior core should get a chance at ending a number of other program and school droughts in 2021. Having met Oakman and fellow Mt. Diablo seniors Devin Foo and Shawn Gutierrez during the cover photo shoot, I’ll be rooting for them to at least have that chance. There’s been a lot written in recent weeks about student athletes’ mental health during the pandemic. Many coaches and educators have been extremely vocal over how detached students are becoming in the distance learning environment. “One of the things that really gets lost in this argument is how academics and athletics are related,” James LoganUnion City Ricky Rodriguez said in an SportStarsMag.com exclusive story about coaches across the West Coast uniting to lobby state officials for guidelines to restarting sports. “We need to stress the benefits for a return to practice and competition and how those two correlate with attendance, grade status and student-athletes’ mental health.” It’s one thing to hear Rodriguez and other coaches say this. It’s another thing to physically see the positive effect that returning to a sports environment has on kids. The effect was evident on Nov. 18 when I showed up at Mt. Diablo High to photograph Oakman and his teammates. The original plan was to use the outdoor courts for the shoot, but scattered showers forced a Plan B. Red Devils coach Ejon Felder agreed to open up the gym. We kept the doors open for airflow and everyone behind the camera wore masks. It was clear almost immediately how much being back in their home gym meant to the three seniors. There was friendly ribbing and constant smiles. If we as a state can finally get past this pandemic in time for high school sports to be played this school year, I have no doubt we will see some of the most inspired efforts from athletes throughout the state. To some of these kids, it will be like breathing again after 10 to 12 months under water. After witnessing the bubbling joy of a minor photo shoot, I can’t wait to see what real competition brings out of these athletes. Here’s hoping it happens sooner than later. ✪

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Behind the Clipboard by Clay Kallam

Timely Questions I just don’t get it. I do better in practice than the starter, and the coach always talks about how important practice is. But then I only get a couple minutes at a time in the game, and just when I start to feel comfortable, the starter comes back in. He’s a good player, sure, but doesn’t practice count? If I play better in practice, but can’t get more minutes, what else am I supposed to do? —D.Y., El Cerrito There’s a lot to talk about here, but let’s start with this fact of life: We all tend to think we’re better than we actually are. I always thought I was as good a reporter as the writers for the New York Times, but I’m pretty sure my self-assessment back in the day might not have been as spot-on as I hoped. So it’s possible that you think you’re clearly doing better in practice than the starter, but really, you might only be even with him, or conceivably not as good. And of course that all depends on what you mean by “good” — and the coach may be using criteria that you haven’t considered. Maybe he’s more concerned with being in the right place than making shots; or more focused on precise execution than pure skill. So, as is almost always the best course of action in these situations, you need to talk to the coach. And don’t start the conversation with “I deserve to play more,” or “I beat him in practice every day so why don’t I get more minutes?” The first question always should be “What do I need to do to get more playing time?,” and the tone should not be aggressive or demanding. It should come across as a legitimate question, with you looking for answers from the coach’s perspective (which after all, is the only one that matters). If the conversation goes reasonably well, you can consider asking the coach why he feels the starter is the starter. A question framed something like this might work: “Jason is obviously a good player, which is why he starts. What things that he does should I be doing more of?” The combination of these two questions gives the coach an avenue to answer as honestly as he feels he can — and of course, some coaches don’t want to talk about these kinds of things at all, so you may not get any really satisfying answers. But you have to try this first, as that’s how any worker in any situation needs to proceed. Most of the time, though, you’re going to get some answers that will help you figure things out. Maybe you’ll find out that the coach doesn’t feel you know the plays, which means you can work on demonstrating that you do; or maybe he’ll say he likes the way Jason gets to the basket, which again points out what direction you should go in. And as for playing better when you get more time, that’s basically true for everyone, and that’s a big advantage for starters. Coming off the bench is difficult because your margin for error is less, and it is harder to get in the flow of the game. Yes, it’s unfair, but as some annoying adults are fond of mentioning, life isn’t fair — so all you can do is the best you can do, and hope that gets you more time on the court. ✪ Clay Kallam has been an assistant athletic director and has coached numerous sports at a handful of high schools throughout the Bay Area. This particular column first appeared in our December 2018 issue. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email Clay at claykallam@gmail.com. Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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omething big is brewing in the basketball gym at Mt. Diablo High School in Concord. Big comes in the form of 7-foot-1 Mezziah Oakman, eagerly awaiting his senior season after transferring a year ago from the East Coast. There’s also an inspirational facet, provided by a hearty band of seniors who honed grit and determination during a winless freshman season. Optimism and lofty goals suddenly abound at Mt. Diablo, one of the oldest high schools in the East Bay, with a treasure trove of sports history since opening in 1901. But recent years have been tough. Constant coaching turnover and promising athletes transferring away have both contributed to a perpetual struggle to stay out of the loss column. “Everybody’s spirits are pretty high; they can’t wait,” fourth-year coach Ejon Felder said. “They are hoping this is going to be one of the best years in the history of Mt. Diablo. If they can think they can do it, and do it, they’re going to be in some good company at a school that has had a lot of history.” Oakman transferred in for his junior season, and was cleared to play after the Red Devils had logged 10 games, helping inspire a spirited run and a burst of confidence. Paired with the

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hard-working senior trio of shooting guard Devin Foo, combo guard Shawn Gutierrez and wing Jeramyah Johnson-Hodrick, the Red Devils have high hopes for whatever materializes with the coming season. “I take pride in trying to build what we have now,” Foo said. “Hopefully we’ll have a breakout season this year. We’ve worked really hard to build what we have and this family that we have. I’m very confident that we’re going to do something big this year.” Oakman’s debut for Mt. Diablo wasn’t dazzling, as he was lacking proper size-16 footwear. “I was still in the process of getting my stuff mailed to me, and so I played in my Jordans and I was slipping and sliding all over the court,” Oakman recalled with a chuckle. “He had these shoes and they were sliding all over the floor … the bottoms were rubbed out,” Felder said. “We wear nearly the same shoe size, so I let him wear some of the shoes I’d just bought. ‘Take ‘em, you need ‘em in the game.’” His presence soon became no laughing matter for opponents. The Red Devils went 5-5 in Diablo Athletic League-Valley games, including an 83-49 win over Concord that was the program’s first win over the crosstown rival in 15 years. The win Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

began a rare three-game win streak as they finished 9-17 for a second straight season. That’s uplifting for a program that hasn’t had a winning season since 2004-05. In fact they have gone winless three times in that span, including Felder’s first season of 2017-18. The program was a combined 23-168 in the eight seasons prior to Felder’s arrival. All considered, last season was a promising finish after Mt. Diablo lost 11 of its first 12 games due to a slew of injuries and the wait to get Oakman on the court. “Last year was bizarre, because we had won those nine games (the year before), and I am thinking we are going to double that,” Felder said. “We had three starters hurt for half the year. (Oakman) didn’t get here until game 11 or 12. By the time we got to midseason, everybody started coming back and we made a real push at the end. We came in third in league but I think had everybody been healthy going into that, we probably could have got first or second.” Oakman is introspective in his manner, befitting someone interested in psychology as he nears college. “I really like psychology, dealing with the mind and understanding what other people think,” he said.

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Devin Foo On the court he has substantial talent and is working to develop into an impactful 21st-century big man who can shoot from the perimeter. “Sometimes something falls into your lap a bit,” Felder said of getting a 7-footer to work with. “He still has a lot of work, still working on the mental and physical parts of the game.” Felder is teaching him old-school history, showing him videos of Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. What sticks out to Oakman about these innovative big men? “It’s really about manpower, outplaying everyone, dominating at all levels,” he said. “They were really unstoppable for that era,” marveling at Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962. History is a theme for Felder. The Red Devils have also learned from one of Mt. Diablo’s most successful athletic alums, Todd Lichti, who set the school career scoring record while at Stanford. Lichti visited last year from Australia and was exceedingly generous in spending time with the team, Felder said. Oakman would like to make it to the NBA. His role model is a more modern one, Anthony Davis of the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. “He can shoot outside the key, that style he plays,” Oakman said. “He’s the perfect big man.” To reach the biggest level, Oakman has one major inspiration and goal: “To provide for my loved ones, that’s the most important thing.” He has a great deal of mobility for a big man. “He’s very good on his feet, and he’s a natural shot blocker,” Felder said. “He has a real nose for the ball, and shoots great from distance now.” Oakman immediately felt comfortable with the Bay Area atmosphere, much preferring California’s climate to snowy winters he experienced in places like Queens, New York. “He’s a very astute kid, and since he’s come to the West Coast and focused on his game and homework, he’s getting A’s and B’s,” Felder said. “He’s never had that platform before he came out here.” “I’ve grown a lot since I moved out here,” Oakman said. “My whole mindset changed, on everything.” Felder beams with pride that his group has maintained a team GPA of 3.3-3.4 over the years. “They are maintaining their scholastic duties while they are playing, and that has been huge for us. They are not going to let each other fail.” 14

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Shawn Gutierrez “We hold each other accountable and that’s the one thing we didn’t have when we first came here,” Gutierrez said. “It started with me and Devin.” Felder came to Mt. Diablo after stints at Oakland High, Alameda, El Cerrito and Ribet Academy-Los Angeles, among other stops. He inherited a team that won just one game the previous season. His first team was mainly freshmen, with a few senior holdovers from a culture too accustomed to losing. “The silver lining in that year was a lot of young guys,” Felder said. “We spent a lot of time in the gym learning and playing, and reinforcing things, so it galvanized the guys in a way that wasn’t normal, but it was good.” Even in a 0-25 season, there was progress that at the time wasn’t easy to see. “I wouldn’t say it was a fun experience,” Foo said. “I made some good memories. It was good getting to know everyone and feeling what high school basketball was like and really finding out who I was. I matured a lot that year.” The next year, Mt. Diablo improved to 9-17, as players like Foo began to show leadership skills as sophomores. “He has a 4.0 and never misses a workout,” he said. “He’s a pure leader. I have some younger guards I really like, and I tell them, this is the guy you have to watch and learn from.” Gutierrez missed much of his junior year with a back injury, and Felder is enthused that he’s healthy. “Shawn has a lot of leadership qualities whether it is very verbal or just by his play,” Felder said. “A hard-nosed defender, never stops playing hard up and down the floor. Never misses practice or a game. He’s always there pushing the other guys to go hard.” Gutierrez landed at Mt. Diablo, which he said wasn’t his first choice of school. It took awhile to reach a comfort level. “Coming here was kind of a culture shock. Everyone was used to losing,” he said, crediting Felder for bringing a new confidence and accountability. “He’s never gone back on his word,” he said. “Everything he’s told me since I was a freshman, he’s always held up to it.” Johnson-Hodrick exemplifies the work ethic. “Jeramyah is a ball of energy,” Felder said. “He is not the most skilled guy out there but has all the heart in the world. He’s a workhorse, and he’s out there getting rebounds on guys he’s half the size of. He’s our cornerstone.” Oakman is quick to point out the impact of those four-year varsity veterans. “Jeramyah, Shawn and Devin are like the motors for the team, making sure stuff was going in the right direction,” Oakman said. “Without those guys, there would be no passion, It doesn’t just take me.”

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Even in a family that’s on the taller side, Oakman looms large. He grew up playing basketball with his brother, Shane, and sister Shyianne, who are twins. They are eight years older than him, but he stands a half-foot taller than either of them. He reached 6-foot-6 in the eighth grade and 6-10 the next year. “My sister is really good at basketball,” he said. “My sister is really proud of me.” It’s a little more competitive with Shane. “He still thinks he can handle me on the court. But he can’t handle me,” Oakman laughed. The Red Devils veterans adjusted to having a big man of that size. “I’m 5-7, 5-8 on a good day,” Foo laughed. “It took some getting used to. I wouldn’t say I changed my game a lot, but I definitely tried to mesh with him more and tried to get more chemistry. I think we’re pretty good teammates now.” Added Gutierrez: “He and I have been close ever since he got here. We’ve been tight the whole time. Competitive, funny, open … he’s crazy, wild.” The Red Devils anxiously await a season currently slated to start in March, amid a COVID pandemic that’s already led to the season being delayed and students having to distance-learn. “I told the coach, if we can’t finish out the senior season, I’ll be bummed, after having come all this way,” Gutierrez said. “I always tell them to be prepared, stay prepared for whatever happens,” Felder said. “Whether it’s half a season, a whole season. We just prepare them the best we can for whatever the outcome is.” “This is going to be a historical year,” Oakman said. ✪ — Story by Mike Wood | Photos by Chace Bryson Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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a club f

or a couple years in the late 90s, one of the best kept secrets in club volleyball resided at a single high school in San Diego. Its co-founders were Byron Shewman, a former Men’s National Team player, and Kim Oden, a former Olympian. But the goal of the small club wasn’t to attract the region’s top talent. Experience wasn’t even among the requirements to join. Today, Starlings Volleyball has chapters in 21 states, Washington D.C. and even one in Tijuana, Mexico. And through the continued support of the Northern California Volleyball Association and Bay Area universities, Starlings continues to expand its NorCal footprint. The mission of Starlings Volleyball is to provide athletic opportunities along with a place of safety and guidance to young girls from low-income homes and at-risk environments. Shewman was inspired to create the program, which started with just 11 girls at Lincoln High-San Diego in 1996, after volleyball helped him find his own way out of a disadvantaged childhood. “The vision behind Starlings is to positively impact the lives of at-risk girls through the sport of volleyball,” Starlings Executive Director Lucy Jones said. “We aim to provide quality skills training and competitive opportunity, and we use that platform to support them academically and

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that Cares provide college and career counseling.” Among the statistics Starlings lists on its website include: ›› Girls who participate in sports are 92 percent less likely to use drugs, 80 percent less likely to become pregnant and three times more likely to graduate high school. ›› Just 15 percent of youth sports participants come from low-income homes due to the rising costs of participation. “The average cost per player in a regular USA Volleyball club will be about $1,500 for a full season,” Jones said. “We’re able to reduce that to as low as $500 per kid through a number of corporate partnerships that significantly reduce the overhead costs enough that families can get close to handling it. We also have various funds that allow club directors and players to apply for assistance in fees, gym costs, or whatever.” Clubs also receive help from sister college and sister clubs. All three Bay Area universities, Stanford, Cal and Saint Mary’s, work as sister colleges to provide skills clinics and other assistance. There are currently four NorCal Starlings chapters up and running. There is Starlings-Oakland, Starlings-Berkeley, Starlings-Marin (within Marin Juniors VBC) and Starlings-Vision (within Vision Volleyball in Redwood City). Jones said they are currently looking at directors to help start Starlings-San Francisco and Starlings-San Mateo. Starlings’ outreach in the area is currently stifled by the state’s strict COVID-19 protocols. Typically, communities will learn about the opportunity through school outreach as well as free skills clinics. “As soon as we can do that, we’ll be doing that in the Bay Area,” Jones said. “Either through the sister colleges, sister clubs, high schools or wherever.” In the meantime, those who want to learn more about Starlings can visit their website at Starlings.org, or call Jones directly at 760-6816813. If one is interested in donating to the program, there’s a place on the website for that as well. ✪

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Iris O’Connor knows how to make a good impression. Even when she’s not aware that she’s making one. O’Connor, a skilled athlete with several club soccer and lacrosse seasons under her belt, decided to begin her athletic career at Sacred Heart Prep High in Atherton by showing up to the 2019 girls volleyball tryouts. “I was aiming to be on the freshman team,” she said. “I was just planning to play for fun and make friends.” But then she began tryouts. “She was playing middle back row,” recalled Sacred Heart Prep varsity volleyball coach Ali Magner. “She read a ball and reacted to it so quickly that Ali (Taufoou) my assistant and I immediately turned to each other and shared a look. “We literally knew in that moment that that sort of athleticism would be a must-have for our team. It was a moment that I won’t forget and it led to one of the best decisions we ever made.” That moment would lead to O’Connor’s remarkable — and extremely rare — freshman year of competing in three varsity sports. At an extremely high level. O’Connor played a key role for a volleyball team that played in both Central Coast Section and CIF NorCal finals matches. She starred on a CCS-champion soccer team and was just getting warmed up on a 2-0 lacrosse team when the coronavirus outbreak brought everything to a halt. Now, like so many other NorCal athletes, she waits and wonders when the next time she’ll get to play any sport in her home state. The screeching halt of her daily life of athletic competition wasn’t easy. “During the first part of the shutdown last spring, I think she struggled with (distance learning) in a way that surprised me,” Iris’s dad Michael O’Connor said in a phone call from New York City where he and Iris have spent several weeks visiting his two other daughters. With it clear that on-campus learning and sports weren’t returning to California anytime soon, Michael O’Connor looked at other alternatives for Iris. He enrolled her in the Laurel Springs online school for a little more structure. The intent, however, is to re-enroll at Sacred Heart Prep once campus learning and sports are set to return. “I thought it might be a good idea to do something different,” Michael O’Connor explained. “Someone recommended Laurel Springs and we’ve since learned that a lot of student athletes have enrolled in it. The main difference is that, instead of a traditional school trying to adapt to distance learning, (Laurel Springs) is already a wellestablished online learning program. I think it’s helped, and I’ve really appreciated how flexible Sacred Heart has been about it too.” Iris O’Connor has been able to get in a little bit of training and out-of-state competition with her Steps Lacrosse Club team. However, if sports do get the green light in California, she’s more than willing to try suiting up for all three of her Gators teams during the five- or six-month crunch of CIF sports. “I definitely want to try,” she said. “Even if it means playing soccer and lacrosse during the same season. There’s a high chance I could have a game every day of the week — but I’m OK with that.” This idea and attitude won’t shock any who know her. Iris grew up as the youngest of three daughters, and sports were a big part of family life. The oldest, Micaela, played on a nationally-ranked AAU basketball team and became a collegiate rower at Columbia University. Middle child, Pilar, was a high-level club soccer player. Iris grew up trying just about everything. She eventually settled on both soccer, and the sport her dad played at both St. Ignatius High and Cal — lacrosse. When Iris O’Connor wound up on the Gators varsity volleyball roster, it wasn’t as a token development project. She quickly found her way into the rotation as a defensive specialist. Iris would go on to post more than 150 digs on the season to help Sacred Heart Prep go 26-12 and reach the CIF Division IV Northern Regional final. They fell just one set short of a state championship berth. “An athlete is an athlete, and she’s a rare breed,” Magner said. “She’s confident and brave and a relentless competitor. She didn’t know the complexities of the game, but you would never know that she was perhaps lost in the rotation or whatever. Her athletic ability and mindset just kicks in.” It’s safe to say Sacred Heart Prep lacrosse coach Wendy Kridel was not surprised to see O’Connor’s success on the volleyball court. Iris was already a staple on Kridel’s Steps Lacrosse Club team. “Iris has a real innate talent to her,” Kridel said. “It’s a very high level of understanding of the sports that she plays. Coaches often call it an athletic IQ. I think she brings that along with her natural athletic abilities to whatever sport she’s playing. That gives her sort of a leg up.” O’Connor transitioned right from Sacred Heart volleyball to varsity soccer — the sport that may have actually been her first love. She started early with Mountain View Los Altos Soccer Club and then moved on to SF Elite in San Francisco where she was the club’s top scorer in her age group. After a season in the San Jose Earthquakes Development Academy, O’Connor needed a break. “I got a little burnt out of soccer,” she said. “Id’ been playing both soccer and lacrosse for a while. I knew I wanted to play school sports, so I quit club soccer in eighth grade.” She hit the pitch running for the Gators, and found an even higher gear in the postseason. Iris finished second on Sacred Heart with 11 goals as a freshman. She may have shined brightest in the CCS playoffs, combining for three 20

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goals and one assist across three games. “Iris is tough and she’s rarely in the wrong place,” Kridel said. “She wants the ball late in the game. She’s not afraid of it.” Did we mention she scored the championship-clinching goal in the waning moments of a 1-0 Div. IV soccer finals victory over Salinas? The Gators lost their opening round match in the CIF regional soccer tournament, and Iris was in her lacrosse uniform just two days later. That team dominated its first two matches before being shut down. With California tightening its re-opening restrictions as the state’s COVID-19 infections began rising once again, the governor and state health department announced Nov. 16 that a rollout of new guidelines for a return to youth sports would be delayed. That decision places O’Connor’s shot at a volleyball season in jeopardy, certainly the start of it anyway. However, soccer and lacrosse may have a better shot at happening by March. Kridel would have no issues with Iris attempting to play both simultaneously. “She’s good enough to do it, so why would the soccer coach or me want to take her from the other program? I’ve got a bunch of soccer players and some basketball players and some cross country runners as well. It’s gonna make for some very weird practices.” Meanwhile, the shutdown forced Iris to filter her creative energy into other passions. That led to Sucka Free Certified — a sweatshirt company she started with sister Pilar, a graphics arts graduate of Boston University. The sweatshirts, which the sisters create themselves by recycling thrift store purchases, are designed to honor various professional athletes. The theme is typically a combination of the player, the city he or she represents, and the sports brand they are most known for representing. The easy example: Michael Jordan, Chicago and Nike. “After Kobe (Bryant) died, we wanted to make something as a tribute,” Iris O’Connor said. “We love to go thrifting, so we made this tribute sweatshirt and realized, ‘Hey, we’re pretty good at this.’” They built a website and sold out of the first batch they made. Part of the time spent in New York has been devoted to making more. It’s a good distraction, and hopefully a bridge that eventually gets her back on a West Coast field or court sooner rather than later. “No one really knows, so I’m kind of just hoping for the best,” Iris said. Iris O’Connor doesn’t need to make impressions anymore. She just needs a competition. ✪ — Story by Chace Bryson Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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Consumnes Oaks coach Adam Bettencourt

wo words sum up the Cosumnes Oaks football program this year: attitude and effort. You might also add crazy. Led by fiery young coach Adam Bettencourt, the Elk Grove high school has one of the top up-and-coming teams in 2020. Behind talented, dual-threat quarterback Anthony Grigsby Jr., a slew of dangerous pass-catchers, and a defense loaded with playmakers, Cosumnes Oaks is primed for interesting preseason matchups and a possible run at the Delta League title. The team has scheduled one of the toughest preseason slates in the section and it’s led by a young coach who’s not afraid of a challenge. “If we want to be the best, there’s only one way to do that and that’s to take them on,” Bettencourt said. Last season, Bettencourt and his new staff replaced Derick Milgrim, who went 33-24 in five years with the program. The last Capital Valley Conference championship came in 2014. Bettencourt and Co. led the program to the playoffs in their first season with an 8-4 overall record and a 4-2 mark in league play. The Wolfpack beat Granite Bay in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs before losing to eventual Div. II-champion Elk Grove — a team it beat earlier in the season. Bettencourt says prior to his arrival, the Cosumnes Oaks program consistently lost five or six of their best players every year to other, higher-rated programs. “All of sudden, we came in and turned the program upside down and it became fun for kids,” Bettencourt explained. “You watch our film, you watch our practices and it’s a party, but it’s also respectful. We live by the term civilized savages.” After his playing career, Bettencourt returned to his alma mater Christian Brothers-Sacramento and spent two seasons under head coach Dan Carmazzi, who ended his career in 2017 with the third-most victories in the region with 258. Born and raised in Elk Grove, Bettencourt constantly heard the rumors surrounding Co-

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sumnes Oaks’ program and its deficiencies. So he decided to take the head coaching role, making it his goal to give his student-athletes more chances to be successful. “If you want to turn the program around, you do it in three categories: Your energy, your effort and your execution,” Bettencourt said. “To me, culture is a cliché term. I was tired of seeing kids not getting their chance in other programs. I wanted to create a program that was all about them. We’re here to put them in a position to succeed.”

FAST TRACK FOR QUARTERBACKS Bettencourt, 32, became the Wolfpack head coach with only three years of high school football coaching experience. But at the time of his hire, his conversations with Cosumnes Oaks’ athletic director George Smith revolved around his training of the area’s top young quarterbacks at Valor Passing Academy. “Honestly, I wasn’t interested in becoming a head coach,” Bettencourt admitted. “I was always looking at options in the area and athletic directors reached out to me because I was the guy who trained all of their athletes. “Many will say that I’m not qualified, but I also coached in Europe. I helped develop youth programs and developed athletes out there. When I look at coaching, ultimately you’re a developer.” Bettencourt excelled as the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Christian Brothers. And he’s trained some big-armed QBs over the years. Bettencourt worked with the likes of Tyler Vander Waal, who graduated from Christian Brothers in 2016 with a scholarship to play at the University of Wyoming (now at Idaho State). He also worked with current University of Nevada quarterback Carson Strong, Old Dominion’s Stone Smartt, UC Davis’ Gunner Faulk, UTEP quarterback Calvin Brownholtz, Christian Brothers’ Jacob Stewart, who went to Tennessee, and last year’s starting quarterback at Folsom High, Jake Reithmeier. Reithmeier is now at the University of San Diego. Bettencourt’s experience playing the position at the collegiate and professional level has

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Senior tailback Christian Ridgway translated to eye-popping numbers for his pupils. “When you look at the top guys in the section every year, we’re sitting with two or three in that top five,” Bettencourt said. “And that’s not necessarily me. That’s the coaches at school, the program, their previous quarterback coaches and ultimately the kids being dedicated to their craft.”

LUCKY NO. 7 Throw Anthony Grigsby Jr. on that list also. Bettencourt worked with the junior signal caller last season and he threw for 2,713 yards and 30 touchdowns. Grigsby will be back under center for Cosumnes Oaks in 2021. “He’s an incredible young man. He’s very expressive and knows how to communicate, and those are good traits,” Bettencourt said. “The best part about it, he’s young and he’s willing to learn. The biggest jump I’ve seen from last year to this year is he’s asking good questions… He learned how to challenge himself and be a worker.” Bettencourt says to be a good quarterback, there’s more than meets the eye. It’s not just about what happens under the lights on Friday nights. Rather, good quarterbacks have to include a variety of workouts including speed training, positional training, weight lifting and timing with receivers. Then they have to recover, eat well and study the game through film review or meetings with coaches. Grigsby starts training at 5 a.m. some mornings, and has added extra throwing sessions with receivers. He really wants to improve his speed, athleticism and accuracy. “He’s got an incredible arm, and sometimes with that, people will rely on it, but he’s done a great job of adapting,” Bettencourt said. “Last year, we came in and told him we didn’t want to change his throwing, but to tighten up his mechanics to make him more efficient. And he took to it.” This season will be the first time Grigsby has had the same offensive coordinator and playbook for a second-straight year. In his first few seasons, he had three different systems to run, and at times that resulted in more “backyard football,” as coach Bettencourt termed it. “A lot of people don’t realize that he can run, but he’s incredibly fast,” Bettencourt said of Grigsby. “We just controlled him Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

because that’s the magic potion. You have to know when to run him and he has to learn to trust his eyes.” Grigsby says he has a better handle on the Wolfpack’s run and shoot offense now, and he can read defenses better and faster. That should lead to more efficiency in the pocket this season. “Coach (Bettencourt) has helped prepare me. He’s a real quarterback coach and knows what he’s talking about,” Grigsby said. “He finds things that I can work on and improve and gives me examples, and he’s helped my mental game too. I can read defenses a lot better and make my reads faster.” Bettencourt says the run-and-shoot offense takes advantage of high-to-low reads, and allows the quarterback to attack defenses with vertical routes. “You know, we’re different,” he added. “I don’t teach low-tohigh—that’s elementary school to me. We’re progressive and read high-to-low because we’ll never be late on a deep ball. That’s why it’s called a check-down.” Grigsby says he has weapons all over the field this season, from the running backs, to receivers and tight ends. He says the team will be able to make substitutions every play this year if they wanted to, and he would be confident in their ability to make a big play. “We have the guys to complement his ability to throw the ball,” Bettencourt said.

FULL CUPBOARD Out wide, Austin Taylor is the only senior, but could be on the verge of a big season thanks to his chemistry with Grigsby. Julius Jordan adds a big, physical element to the group and doubles as a safety, while Damon Carter got a lot of praise from his coach as another big target. “He’s (Carter) an incredible receiver, and in terms of his moves and similarities, he reminds me of an AJ Green,” Bettencourt said. “He’s long, athletic, plays above the rim, and he makes catches with his hands instead of letting the ball get into his body.” Returning running back Christian Ridgway, a powerful runner with great speed, will make sure it’s not just on Grigsby’s shoulders. Last year, he perfected the sweep on his way to 1,454 rushing yards and nine scores. Bettencourt is also exSupport Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

December 2020

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cited about Bradshaw Christian transfer Elijah Christian who will see time at wingback. “I’ve got a seven-man depth chart at receiver, and it’s a luxury,” Bettencourt acknowledged. At tight end, the 6-foot-5 Mikaiah Stephenson, who missed most of last year with an injury, will be back to work alongside 6-foot-2 Moses Oladejo and give the team two capable passcatching targets in the middle of the field. Oladejo, who recently committed to Cal, will double as a linebacker on defense. He’ll work alongside Isaiah Bobbitt-Byars, who played all over the second level of the Wolfpack defense as a junior last year. Bobbit-Byars led the team with 111 tackles, while adding nine sacks and a pair of interceptions. He’s also been one of the team’s leaders this offseason, motivating his teammates to take advantage of extra time prior to the season and avenge last year’s playoff loss. “We’ve been working — ever since last year when we lost in the playoffs,” Bobbitt-Byars said. “Just working, working, working. We always say, ‘Only we can control what we can control.’ I know some teams we play this year have more advantages than us, so coaches have been preaching for us to work hard every day. Our attitude and effort will win us games this year.” Cosumnes Oaks boasts five student-athletes this year with Div. I offers and three with Div. II offers. “Our goal is to get these kids to college and to put these kids on a platform to be seen by recruiters,” Bettencourt said. “I think that’s why kids like us. We’re not here to win games, that’ll happen. We’re here literally to get you ready to go to college.” Bettencourt built his staff with experience in mind. He has coaches on staff that played at San Diego State, UC Davis, USC, Sacramento State, Missouri Western, Fresno State and Minot State. One such coach is former Elk Grove star Antuan Simmons, who was one of the top cornerbacks in the country when he committed to USC in the 1990’s. His professional experience included NFL Europe and the Arena Football League.

PROTOCOLS & PARTNERSHIPS In July, when the CIF first announced the season’s postponement to January, teams were allowed COVID-safe pod workouts. But Cosumnes Oaks has been the target of Austin Taylor multiple formal complaints this fall. Bettencourt said over 40 complaints were filed with the section office for rules or safety violations, but said all were unfounded. “It’s been non-stop,” Bettencourt said. “I got calls asking if I was running practices in a park with full pads and all our kids, and I was like, ‘No, I’m in Utah right now.’ But it is what it is.” As the so-called new staff on the block, Cosumnes Oaks’ coaches have ruffled feathers in their league and section for doing things their way. Civilized savages, remember? “I don’t go to grab pizza and beers with coaches in the area,” Bettencourt admitted. “We’ve got different circles, and those aren’t guys from my time.” But Bettencourt has made some new friends as well. He’s gotten to know Mater Dei head coach Bruce Rollinson well from their scheduling talks. Mater Dei is the crown jewel to a preseason schedule that is arguably the toughest in all of NorCal. “We had a hard time filling that third game, and you want to measure your team against good teams,” Bettencourt noted. “So when (Mater Dei) posted that they had an opening, I called them out on Twitter. … When I spoke with them, I told them, ‘We’re not your average Joe trying to take on the big wigs.’ This is a measuring stick game for us.” Of course, there’s still a real chance that game doesn’t get played. The newest wave of COVID-19 infections forced the state health department to push back its youth sports reopening guidelines. It now seems almost a certainty that most schools won’t be able to start regular practices on the proposed date of Dec. 7. That would obviously put a lot of January games in doubt. If Cosumnes Oaks does play its full nonleague slate, it will also include the defending SJS champions from Div. I (Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills), Div. II (Elk Grove) and Div. III (Manteca). They also added Div. I-runner up Monterey Trail-Elk Grove for good measure. “We’re taking on the best because I want our kids to push themselves,” Bettencourt added. “And there’s no complaints (from our kids). They know this is what it takes to win a title.” One thing is for certain, there won’t be a lack of confidence. ✪ — Story by Steven Wilson | Photos by David Gershon 26

SportStars™

December 2020

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