ROBIN LUKEN popped the lid off the 2007 Lompoc Braves football team today and pronounced himself at least a little bit optimistic. This after a 3-7 season in 2006, only the third year in 16 in which Luken’s Braves failed to make the CIF playoffs.
“I’m seeing camaraderie,” Luken said. “I’m seeing pats on the back. I’m seeing guys who like to play with each other.
“The kids learned a hard lesson. Last year’s team thought, ‘This is going to be easy.’ This year’s team is a little more humble. They’ve bonded better. I don’t feel friction. They’re more willing to do what we ask them to do.”
“I’m seeing camaraderie,” Luken said. “I’m seeing pats on the back. I’m seeing guys who like to play with each other.
“The kids learned a hard lesson. Last year’s team thought, ‘This is going to be easy.’ This year’s team is a little more humble. They’ve bonded better. I don’t feel friction. They’re more willing to do what we ask them to do.”
The "we" is the coaching staff pictured above -- NATE MENDOZA, ANDREW JONES, LUKEN, CHRIS ADAMS, and ROGER PACHECO
The last time the Braves failed to make the playoffs was in 2001. The following season Jones and Mendoza led the team to a CIF title.
But that year Jones, the quarterback, had been QB for two previous seasons. This time the signal caller, DARYL AGUILAR, was only a part-timer his junior year.
“So far he’s making all the right decisions on the field,” Luken declared.
Asked which of his past quarterbacks Aguilar resembled, Luken took a moment to think, then recalled NICK TERRONES of the 1994 and 1995 teams which won the old Northern League and reached deep into the playoffs.
“He’s like Nick Terrones. He’s creative on the field,” Luken said. Aguilar came on in relief several times last season and at San Marcos rallied the Braves to victory.
The strength of the Brave team at this point is the offensive line where three starters return—left tackle VAL VEGA (6-3, 280), center ANDREW VAN DYKE (6-3, 260), both seniors, and right guard ADAM LEACH (5-10, 215) a junior. “All three started last year and they worked during the off season,” Luken pointed out.
Two juniors, EVAN BEDFORD (6-0, 235) and SAUL DOMINGUEZ (6-0, 215) are battling for the other guard spot while a threesome of seniors: GILBERTO RIOS (6-0, 225), SAHID TORRES (5-10, 225) and THOMAS McCAFFREY (6-3, 270) are competing for the right tackle job.
It’s worth mentioning that all weigh in at well over the 200-pound mark, a rarity for past Brave teams. “Gutty little Braves,” remember?
Tomorrow— the Brave backfield, receivers, defense and special teams, the impact of the new young coaching staff, and … Oaks Christian.
Game time Friday is 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast by Press Box Productions over TAP-TV, channel 25 on Lompoc’s Comcast cable.
The last time the Braves failed to make the playoffs was in 2001. The following season Jones and Mendoza led the team to a CIF title.
But that year Jones, the quarterback, had been QB for two previous seasons. This time the signal caller, DARYL AGUILAR, was only a part-timer his junior year.
“So far he’s making all the right decisions on the field,” Luken declared.
Asked which of his past quarterbacks Aguilar resembled, Luken took a moment to think, then recalled NICK TERRONES of the 1994 and 1995 teams which won the old Northern League and reached deep into the playoffs.
“He’s like Nick Terrones. He’s creative on the field,” Luken said. Aguilar came on in relief several times last season and at San Marcos rallied the Braves to victory.
The strength of the Brave team at this point is the offensive line where three starters return—left tackle VAL VEGA (6-3, 280), center ANDREW VAN DYKE (6-3, 260), both seniors, and right guard ADAM LEACH (5-10, 215) a junior. “All three started last year and they worked during the off season,” Luken pointed out.
Two juniors, EVAN BEDFORD (6-0, 235) and SAUL DOMINGUEZ (6-0, 215) are battling for the other guard spot while a threesome of seniors: GILBERTO RIOS (6-0, 225), SAHID TORRES (5-10, 225) and THOMAS McCAFFREY (6-3, 270) are competing for the right tackle job.
It’s worth mentioning that all weigh in at well over the 200-pound mark, a rarity for past Brave teams. “Gutty little Braves,” remember?
Tomorrow— the Brave backfield, receivers, defense and special teams, the impact of the new young coaching staff, and … Oaks Christian.
Game time Friday is 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast by Press Box Productions over TAP-TV, channel 25 on Lompoc’s Comcast cable.
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