Hit hard by graduation, younger Marauders forge ahead

Monache coach Chris Likewise has seen this before, but maybe not quite on this scale.

Only four starters return from his 2007 Valley playoff team, two on offense, two on defense.

Rebuilding is one thing, but having to replace 16 starters is a task most coaches would find extreme.

Likewise is not one of them.

“We had a very good class last year,” Likewise said. “Those guys stayed around for four years and we kind of reaped the harvest last year with those guys. 

“It’s the same thing every year. The only place you really aren’t rebuilding is in the NFL. High school and college, you’re going to have a new set of faces every year so it’s something you deal with.”

Monache was especially hit hard on defense, losing nine starters and four first-team all-league performers. 

Gareth Brown, Sergio Villasenor, Mike Phraphilomlasack and Orange Belt defensive player of the year Josue Fernandez have moved on, leaving gaping holes on that side of the ball.

Offensively, the Marauders lost three first-team All-EYL starters as well.

The lack of experience is being felt at practice. Senior wide receiver and cornerback Ulyses Serna is seeing some of the younger players struggle in getting into position on plays.

“People not getting to the positions they’re supposed to be at and not knowing where to go or how to do it (are issues),” Serna said.

Senior defensive end Garion Brown believes the massive playbook the team uses contributes to the new players’ occasional lack of comprehension.

“We have a very deep playbook offensively and defensively,” Brown said. “There’s a lot of stuff going in daily. It’s just a matter of picking stuff up and going with it.”

 The key player expected to pick up a position quickly is junior quarterback Pablo Martinez. 

Likewise concurs that Martinez has the most pressure, but he’s just one of many newcomers Monache is counting on this season.

“You can pick one, they’re all new faces it seems like,” he said. “Just pick one, they have to contribute.

“Obviously Pablo Martinez has to make plays for us at quarterback and manage situations. It’s not enough to take a snap, he has to manage the game for us.”

Senior running back Joey Perry, who led the team in rushing last season, will be counted on to take some of the pressure off Martinez. 

Perry will lead a committee of running backs, whose ability will be tested with almost an entirely new offensive line and a new fullback.

 Perry and the running back committee likely won’t be the main weapon Martinez and Likewise utilize, however. 

“Serna brings just a big-play ability and very good speed,” Likewise said. “He’s our quick-strike guy, he’s a phenominal athlete and he can

score from anywhere on the field. I can’t wait to get the ball in his hands.”

 Likewise may even try to use less conventional methods to get his receiver some touches.

“We’re going to find ways to get him the ball,” he said. “We might snap it to him, I don’t know.”

While Serna is the offense’s playmaker, senior linebacker Alfredo Vargas is expected to lead the defense. 

Brown and senior linebacker Sebastian Alcantar will also be counted on for defensive sturdiness. Perry and Serna will likely be starting both ways, at safety and cornerback, respectively.

But before the team can get into the gear it was in last season, some of the newcomers need to adjust to the varsity level, Likewise said.

“They’re having a hard time right now understanding practice tempo and how we do things. I’m not quite sure they understand the speed that they’re going to be facing in the next month. After our scrimmage, their eyes should be opened vastly. Sunnyside always scrimmages very fast.” 

Following Friday’s scrimmage with Sunnyside, Monache battles Hanford and Mount Whitney, who has one of the Valley’s fastest players in running back Ben Bowen (4.40 40-yard dash).

Likewise isn’t making any predictions as he doesn’t know how his young team will develop yet, but he does think one EYL team is head and shoulders above others.

“The obvious favorite’s going to be Tulare Union,” he said. “After that, I see Delano. Cesar Chavez is vastly improved, Porterville’s improved. I’m not sure anybody can get Tulare Union right now, but after that, it’s fairly close.”

Brown isn’t ready to rule his young team out of the postseason just yet though.

“As long as everyone plays hard, we go out there and we do our stuff, you’ll see us in November, December,” he said.