WATSONVILLE — After last year’s 0-10 season, the St. Francis High School football team could commiserate with the late Rodney Dangerfield.

The young program got no respect from opponents, something it’s trying to earn this season. In their third year of varsity competition, the Sharks want to turn a few heads.

“We’re a lot better than last year,” senior receiver Nikko Ceballos said. “We’re more prepared and we know what to expect out of each other. I think we could go at least .500 — that would be a real shock to everyone.”

Last season, St. Francis suited up only 17 varsity players. With 35 on the roster this year, head coach Joe Gregorio will be able to rotate more fresh players in for tired starters.

“From the minute we finished last season, they hit the weight room and they’ve done all the little things that’s required for a team to get better,” Gregorio said. “We’re just trying to build and help the school grow and show the kids that hard work does pay off.”

The Sharks are looking for another big year from junior linebacker Zach Scurich, who will try to improve on a season that made him one of the best defensive players in the county. He led the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League in tackles, earning him second team all-league honors.

“You don’t get a player, a person or a good student like that very often,” Gregorio said of Scurich, “and I’m real privileged to have him on this team.”

Scurich, along with junior linemen Tyler Sambrailo and Gerry Norton, will need to improve a defense that gave up an average of 44.6 points per game a year ago.

St. Francis’ offense will largely be placed on the shoulders of 5-foot-8,

150-pound junior quarterback Curtis Gomez. The three-sport athlete took over as starter late last year, but still led the team with 497 yards passing and six touchdowns. Gomez is a talented scrambler, and will make a few plays with his legs.

“I think we’ve matured over the years,” Gomez said. “Even though we didn’t have a great season, we still pulled for one another. We built a family last year and then I think this year we’re just going to go through the wall in front of us.”

He’ll have his entire receiving corps returning as well as junior running back Chad Lucas, who caught a team-high six touchdowns.

Gomez, along with Lucas and running back Jacob Miller, hopes to spark an offense that was shut out thrice last season.

“Things are going to be different this year,” Miller said. “There’s just an attitude that I’ve never seen here before.”



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(Published on Aug. 23, 2008)

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Photos by Justin Lafferty/Register-Pajaronian

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