2011 Board of Directors

Special Thanks to our League Sponsors!
Special Thanks to our League Sponsors!
“One Team, One Heartbeat, Together…..Can’t Lose!” No saying
could be more true about the boys and girls of Almaden Pop Warner.
2011 Board of Directors
What a remarkable season our teams have had this year, I am so
proud of all our kids. From the tiniest of Tiny Mites all the way up
to the older lighter Midgets, their dedication and commitment to
the Mustang family is truly inspiring and something they should all
be proud of.
Don Preble
President
Our mission is to help develop young boys and girls of character by
teaching them lifelong lessons of hard work, dedication, discipline,
teamwork and good sportsmanship while building the fundamental skills of both football and cheer leading. This is the very core
of what makes Almaden Pop Warner so special. Our coaches and
volunteers continually reinforce these lessons every practice, from
August to November.
The Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Coach Trainees and Volunteers are the backbone of Almaden Pop Warner. We are so fortunate to have such a great group of dedicated people who’s only
goal is to make Almaden Pop Warner stronger and better each year.
Their devotion and numerous hours preparing for each week and
each competition gives our football teams and cheer teams the best
possible chance to compete with honor and success.
I want to thank all of our parents, your efforts and sacrifices do
not go unnoticed. They say it takes a village, and our village rocks!
Because of you, we are better than the rest; because of you, we can
not fail. We are Almaden and we are the Mustangs, a family in heart
and soul.
To all the players and cheer leaders that call the Mustangs home,
thank you! It has been an honor coaching you and watching you all
grow as young men and women this season. My congratulations go
out to all of you. You are the best of the best!
I think it’s best summed up by my favorite cheer….“We’ll rock your
body and shock your mind, again and again, one more time. We are
the best of all the rest and we’ll put you to the test. It’s time to
cheer, that’s why we’re here…Mustangs yeah, this is our year!”
Thank you all for your ongoing commitment to our mission, our
program, and most importantly, our kids.
Go Mustangs!
Don Preble
President
Jeff Burrill
Vice President
Monica Balistreri
Secretary
Janice McKim
Treasurer
Scott Jobe
Football Athletic Director
Don Preble
Cheer Athletic Director
Brad Jaciow
Marketing/Website Coordinator
Dom Ereno
Equipment Coordinator
Katrina Healy
Volunteer Coordinator
Maya Rhodes
Fundraising Coordinator
Stephanie Selbst
Registration/Team Book Coordinator
Sandi Geringer
Scholastics Coordinator
Shauna Almaraz
Snack Shack Coordinator
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Dominic Hernandez
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Cameron Divvier
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Wade Sollazi
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Sean McGuire
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Dominic Panella
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Edward Kovac
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Mark Eby
21
Chris Mchale
11
Mason Deleon
22
Breydon Perry
12
Dylan Burton
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Jack Ryan
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Walker Rice
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Andrew Rampelberg
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Julian Gospich
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Dais Macias
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Thomas Macias
Head Coach
Greg Eby
Asst Coaches
Brad Rampelberg
Arnold Hernandez
Phillip Burton
As I step back and analyze the season
for the Almaden Tiny Mites, what this team
has accomplished is nothing short of remarkable.
To put this into context, I think about
sitting with our book mom, Lisa, at registration day and realizing that our roster was not
what I thought it was. The reality was, we had
only 11 players signed up with only one week
left until practice started . There was even
talk about disbanding the Tiny Mite team for
the season. However, thanks to the Almaden
Pop Warner family and our Tiny Mite parents,
we did a major recruiting push that resulted
in 9 new sign ups in just 8 days.
The good news was that we were able
to field a team; the bad news was that most
of these kids had never played football before and had already missed the first week of
practice. The coaches were already discussing realistic expectations that weren’t very
high.
Then our concerns became a reality when we scrimmaged Coyote Creek on
week 2 and were thoroughly beaten, both
physically and on the scoreboard. But the
team decided to make this a learning experience, and they determined to keep practicing
hard so they could get better. They were not
going to give up and go down without a fight.
After a successful scrimmage against
Campbell and Sunnyvale we had the Jamboree, where we played a solid Daly City team
in an evenly matched game. Our offense was
really starting to click and the defense was
playing well, giving up only 2 big plays. The
amazing thing about this game was our introduction of the no huddle offense in practice
the week before, and how the team carried it
out flawlessly. The no huddle offense kept the
Daly City defense confused and unorganized
through out the game. Again, we did not rest
on our laurels but identified areas to work on
to get better.
The first two games were against
Sunnyvale and East Bay, where our dominating defense gave up a total of only two first
downs and allowed no TDs in either game.
Our offense had a number of long sustained
drives and scored on most of them. What a
confidence booster that was to the boys to
start out 2 – 0 against two good teams.
In our third game against Santa Cruz,
we dominated on the field, but lost narrowly
due to several costly errors. Two fumbles inside their 5 yard line and some penalties cost
us the game. Despite the loss, the Tiny Mites
remained upbeat and we had an awesome
team beach party after the game.
Week four and five had us matched
up against two excellent teams, East Bay
West and Coyote Creek. Even though we
lost these two close games, the team was
able to see how far we had come this season by comparing our performance against
that first painful scrimmage. The offense has
several nice sustained drives and scored once
in each game. The defense played hard giving
up just a few key plays. The prior week we
introduced pulling our offensive linemen on
sweeps and they executed this very well in
the games. The Coyote Creek coach was
amazed at how far we had progressed since
that first scrimmage and he mentioned that
Almaden was the first team to score against
their Tiny Mites this season.
To top off our successful season, we
had dominating victories against Cambrian,
San Jose and Morgan Hill. In these games our
swarming defense limited the other team to
just a few first downs, and our offense kept
rolling with many long sustained drives that
resulted in TDs. By this point in the season
we had trained the defensive line how to
stunt, which again they pulled off to perfection, effectively confusing the opposing offensive line on their blocking assignments.
In conclusion, the coaches and parents
are so proud of these young men and what
they have accomplished this year. In just 3
short months they have learned what it takes
to be a team player. They were taught, and
carried out, discipline, leadership and respect.
These qualities will not only help them on
the field, but off the field as well. The coaches
are privileged to be able to get to know this
group of young men and will miss them after
the season is over.
-Greg Eby – Head Coach
2011 Almaden Tiny Mite Players
Drew Rampelberg – Although it was his
first year of football, Drew made an immediate impact with his natural talent and
leadership skills. Drew played many different
positions on offense as a running back, an offensive lineman where he pulled on sweeps,
and as a pass receiver. On defense he played
safety roaming the field with Troy Polamalu
type tenacity. As a Mitey Mite next year,
Drew will have an immediate impact.
Mark Eby - Our quiet team leader. Coming back for his second year, Mark is consistently one of our top performers. 18 sweep
is his money play. He plays any position we
ask without complaint, he shakes off getting
tackled hard and never takes a play off. In addition, Mark blocks well and throws the ball
in our pass play, normally to perfection. On
defense, he plays corner and has to contain
all plays to the outside, which again, he executes extremely well. Mark will be heading
to Mitey Mites next year and will be able to
contribute right away at this next level.
Jack Ryan – This first year player has blossomed into a team leader, blocking back and
tough as nails full back. Jack calls the plays,
organizes the team cheers, pancakes poor
unsuspecting cornerbacks and is our go-to
player when we need 3 yards right up the
middle. Jack will be moving up to Mitey Mites
next year and we’re sure the coaches will
welcome him with open arms.
Mason De Leon - Mason is a first year
player that plays on the offensive and defensive lines for us. He doesn’t always get the
glory as do our running backs but he’s always
out there trying his best and opening holes
for our 22 and 33 wedges that have resulted
in numerous TD’s this year. Mason is always
at practice with a smile on his face, a word
for the coach and is a fun teammate to be
around. Mason has come a long way and will
be a great asset to the Tiny Mites next year.
Walker Rice - A first year player that is the
hardest working athlete on the team. Not
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many people know that Walker swims for an
hour before coming to practice, putting on
his helmet and trading blows with the rest
of team for 2 hours. He has come a long way
this season and has played just about every
position on the field. Toward the end of the
season Walker has found his home on the Oline , blowing open big holes, and on defense
as a linebacker helping contain those sweeps.
Walker is turning out to be one of the faster
kids on the team too.
Julian Gospich - A first year player that
could be one of our most valuable players.
At the Tiny Mite level the center quarterback
exchange is often one of the most important
thing that happens on the field. We tried a
number of players at this position and Julian
won the #1 starting job and has not let the
team down all year. Julian is quiet at practice
and does his job without muss or fuss. A true
pleasure to have on the team.
Breydon Perry - A natural born leader
with a love for the game of football. Breydon
loves to block, loves to tackle and loves to be
with his teammates. There’s not much more
a coach could ask for in a player. Breydon
trades off between the offensive line and as
our 2 back, that calls the cadence and blocks
for his teammates on sweeps and runs the
22 wedge right up the middle. As one of our
team leaders, Breydon plays both offense and
defense and never comes off the field during
the game.
Wade Solazzi - Wade is always happy to
be at practice and always happy to be with
his teammates. Wade is in his first year playing and is on the offensive and defensive line.
Wade has gotten better and better as the
season has progressed and is now routinely
busting through the line and making tackles.
Wade is a joy to be around and always has a
smile on his face.
Maximio Lopez - Max is in his first year
playing and, like Julian, is one of our most
valuable players. For most of the year Julian
and Max have shared the center position.
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Max took his job seriously, did it well and
was a pleasure to coach. Max warmed up to
the coaching staff as the season went on and
spoke his mind to his teammates and coaches
when needed. Max usually had a smile on
his face and a sweet disposition. We really
enjoyed having Maximo on the team.
Dais Macias – Dais is another one of our
first year players that has made a big impact
on the team this year. D, as we call him,
worked very hard at the beginning of the
season to make weight, which thankfully for
the coaches, he did. Dais has been a huge
asset on the offensive and defensive line, as
our four back, and recently as our two back
carrying the ball right up the gut. Dais can
often be found at the bottom of a pile of blue
jerseys in on a gang tackle and is ALWAYS
chasing down the opposing team’s best ball
carrier. D’s can do attitude has been a real
pleasure to coach this year.
Sean (Hitman) Maguire – The name “hitman” says it all. This was Sean’s first year
playing football and he was a natural at it. His
tackling skills were the standard for the rest
of the team. On offense, he played 4 back and
did a great job blocking and had some long
run on our reverse play. Sean proved that big
hitters do come in small packages.
Dominic Panella – Dominic was the youngest player on our team, turning 5 years old
shortly before the start of the season. His
courage and toughness was evidenced when
he would match up against players much
older and bigger than he. Dominic is a tough
little man and is not intimidated by anyone.
He was always on time to practice and was a
great addition to the Mustang family.
Eddie Kovak – Eddie’s improvement and
maturity was phenomenal this season. He
came into the season as a timid, shy boy, and
by season end was a leader on our offensive
line. He worked tirelessly all season on the
offensive and defensive lines. Toward the end
of the season, we put him in at center and he
worked really hard to excel at that position.
Thomas Macias – Thomas, or “T” as we call
him, is another first year player who made
an immediate impact on the success of our
team. On offense, he played strong side tackle
normally having to block the biggest kids on
the other team. On defense, he played on the
line busting through gaps and meeting the ball
carrier in the back field.
Dylan Burton – This was Dylan’s first year
in football and he made an immediate impact.
He always came to practices and games with
a positive attitude. On offense he played on
the O-line and in the backfield. On defense
he found a home on the line, executing our
stunts to perfection.
Cameron Divivier – Cameron is another
returning player who was a big key to our
success. On offense he played on the weak
side which meant he sometimes had to
block 3 guys on the same play. On defense,
he played many positions and was involved in
many tackles. He always arrived with a positive attitude and had kind things to say to the
coaches. Cameron is definitely ready for the
next level.
Dominic Hernandez – This is Dom’s second year in football and he is still only six
years old. Dom is small in stature but plays
much bigger, as he is usually is matched up
against much bigger kids. His quickness and
technique has made him into a key player on
both our offense and defense. As a third year
Tiny Mite next year, he will play a big role
next year in the team’s success.
Chris McCale – This is Chris’ third year as
a Tiny Mite and he has established himself as
a team leader this season. He played very
key roles on both sides of the ball. On offense, he played tackle and was a key player
in our success running to the strong side. On
defense, he played end and excelled at busting
through the line and tackling the ball carrier.
Chris will be a welcome addition to the Miteys next season.
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Trevor Gonzalez
Anthony Smith
Michael Corini
Nick Souza
Matthew Rhodes
Trey Bringuel
Gavin McDonald
Cody Daniels
Joseph Contini
Joseph Taddie
Vinny Balistreri
Chris Healy
Parker Croley
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Justin (Milik) Hayden
Justin Hyslop
Jake T’Souvas
Reese Burrill
John Michael
Keith Chiu
Noah Diazdelacuesta
Chance Desei
Hayden Freeman
Jaden Gospich
Evan Vernon
Joseph Sandoval
Head Coach
Rob MacDonald
Assistant Coaches
Tim Balistreri
Tim Rhodes
Joe Taddie
Eddie Smith
What a journey this has been. From our
first coaches meeting in July, to the long hot August practices, to playing in the dark in October.
It was a great season! My hope is that the boys
will remember this season for many years to
come and look back fondly on their time as a
Mitey Mite. Some of my best childhood memories are from youth sports and hopefully these
boys will have memories of this team and their
teammates. It was an honor and a privilege to
be their coach and I am so grateful for this experience. I will remember each and every one
of these players and I want to thank them for
enriching my life.
To our players: you were a special group
of boys. Your desire to compete. Your determination to get better. Your ability to learn so
many new things. Your willingness to be completely selfless and grasp the concept of “team”.
You never failed to amaze me. You should be
proud of what you accomplished this year. You
have made so many sacrifices to be a part of
this team and words cannot express how much
pride I feel when I think of what we were able to
achieve this season. We had to get up extremely
early on the weekends and practice many, many
hours in the heat. We had some great wins, and
some tough losses. All of these things may not
have been fun, but because of it, you have grown
as a person and are the better for having gone
through it.
To our parents, you were an awesome
group and you too should be proud of all that
was accomplished this year. As you now know,
football requires so much more of your time
and effort than any other sport. You were all so
willing to step up and do whatever needed to be
done. You deserve so much of the credit for a
successful season. Now those basketball, soccer
or baseball seasons are going to seem like a walk
in the park! I also want to thank you for turning
your lives upside down during the season. From
rushing around like a maniac, to being a kid taxi,
to cooking late evening dinners. I know you had
to say no to many things that you would have
liked to do but couldn’t because of your commitment to football. I hope that you found it all
worthwhile and will continue to be a part of the
Mustang family for many more years. It was a
total team effort. THANK YOU!!!
To my coaches,
I had a blast working with you guys and
hopefully we will be able to do it again in a couple of years. You guys were great with the boys
and provided an optimal environment in which
the boys could learn, thrive, and most importantly ENJOY. I learned something from each of
you and thank you for all of your time, energy
and dedication to the Mitey Mites!
Joe Taddie- I have always enjoyed coaching with
you Joe and you did a heck of a job this year.
Awesome job with the MPR. A huge sacrifice because I know you missed so much of the game.
You were invaluable to me and I would have
been lost without you. Thank You! (now you can
go shoot some ducks)
Tim Rhodes- Tim, you were so good with the
younger kids.You handled them so well, had such
patience and made it fun for them. Your personality always kept the mood “ light” and we definitely needed that sprinkled in. Although I knew
of you, I didn’t really know you and I am so glad
you were a part of the staff. Thank You!
Eddie Smith- We didn’t know each other at all
in the beginning but now I feel like we are old
friends. You were absolutely fantastic with the
boys and they all love their nicknames! You did
an outstanding job with the “D” this year. It was
a much needed load off of my shoulders and
no one could have done it better! It was great
working with you.
Tim Balistreri- I was so glad to have you be
part of the staff, Tim. With your head coaching
experience, I knew you were someone I was going to lean on. You were the calming presence
I needed and always let me know if something
needed to be changed. I really appreciated that
and I valued your input a great deal. Thank You!
Jacob Balistreri- Thank you for helping out
when you could. I loved having you around and
helping our centers. The boys really responded
to your instruction. You are a wonderful role
model for these young boys and I think I speak
for all the parents when I say I would be very
happy if my son is anything like you in five years.
Thanks again and good luck in all your endeavors!
GO MUSTANGS!
Rob MacDonald
Head Coach/Mitey Mites
#1 Trevor “Gonzilla” Gonzalez- It was
great to have you on the team this year Gonzilla.
I know there were many times you wished you
could have just walked off the field and never
come back. But you didn’t, and your resiliency
was something I really admired. You stuck with
it, hung in there and you battled every single
day. Now that this is all over, you should be very
proud of what you overcame and you earned
the respect of all your teammates.
#2 Anthony “Alvin” Smith- You were such
a wonderful addition to our football team. You
were rock solid from day 1, and just got better
and better. I don’t know if there was a better
OLB in the league. Offensively, we could count
on you to do whatever needed to be done,
whether it be make a key block or make a big
run. I love your humble attitude, and your Mustang future is very bright!
#3 Michael ”Hitmaster” Corini- I was so
happy to hear you wanted to be a Mitey Mite.
What you had to do to be a Mitey was remarkable! I think there’s a lot of opposing players that
wish you moved up! You certainly didn’t disappoint on the field. I loved watching you play and
your love of football was infectious. You showed
tremendous growth this year and I enjoyed every minute coaching you. I hope you had the
season you deserved.
#5 Nick “Sonic”Souza- Nick, it’s been a
great ride and I’m going to miss our trips to the
field. I put a lot of pressure on you this season
and you handled it all so well. Some of your runs
were unbelievable, who can forget that move
against EBW? I really hope you keep playing
because you have such great natural football instincts and I’ll miss you too much!
#6 Matthew “Polomalu” Rhodes- Your tenacity on the field really surprised me. You are
not the same player I remember two years
ago. You always give everything you’ve got on
every play. Sometimes I would just watch you
and smile because you are all out, all the time!
“Coach, are we gonna run white line?” I must
have heard that 100 times, and I can’t believe it,
but I’m going to miss that.
#7 Trey “Tick”Bringuel- Trey you were a big
surprise in a little package. The coaches told me
about you from last year, and boy, were they
right on. Nothing tickled me more than watching
you take down one of the big guys, and you did it
a lot! You’re a great competitor and you proved
you can’t judge a book by its cover! You can play
for my team anytime.
#8 Gavin “French Fry” MacDonald- I get
such a kick out of watching you play. There is
nothing I enjoy more than being with you on a
field and these times in my life are priceless. You
never take anything personally and have a unique
ability to separate dad and son from coach and
player. You were a tremendous leader and had
a fantastic year. I hope you enjoyed it as much
as I did.
#11 Cody “Smiles” Daniels- You have got to
be the happiest kid I know. You are such a great
person to be around, and were a constant re-
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minder not to take everything so seriously. You
had a huge responsibility of being the center and
you did an outstanding job. I’ve coached you for
three years now and you have really developed
into a very good football player. Nice work
Smiles!
#12 Joseph “Doc” Contini- I really enjoyed
watching you progress this year Doc. You did an
outstanding job for us on the white line and you
are not the same football player that came out
in August. You worked very hard to come as far
as you did and that is something you should be
very proud of. Look out next year Mitey Mites!
#14 Joey “Mean Joe” Taddie Jr.—I really
enjoyed coaching you Joey. I know I was pretty
hard on you at times, and pushed you every step
of the way. You may have shot me a couple of
“death stares”, but to your credit, you took the
coaching, applied it and became better because
of it. You were huge for us on the line, and a
big part of the running back success is because
of you!
#15 Vinny “My cousin Vinny” Balistreri- It
was great to have you back with us Vinny. No
one puts more heart and soul into what they
do than you! You are the little engine that could
and that attitude is going to take you far in life.
You are definitely one of the toughest kids I have
ever coached. You always bounced back and got
right back in there. I appreciate all your effort!
#16 Christopher “ New York” Healy- You
did a great job for us at TE New York. You made
solid contributions to this team and you should
be proud of that. You were consistently a hard
worker and you got better every week. I know
the first year is not easy, but you really did improve and you kept working hard and made us a
better team. Great job!
#17 Parker “Spiderman” Croley- Parker, I
must say you really impressed me this year. You
were not intimidated as a first year player and
you really got after it. You made an impression
on the coaches right away with your aggressive
play. You played a key role for the Mustangs and
I am very proud of you. I expect big things from
you next year and look forward to hearing all
about you.
#21 Malik “Wheels” Hayden- Malik, I am so
glad you joined the Mustang family this year. You
were such a versatile player for us.We could put
you anywhere and you would get the job done!
You had to learn so much in a short amount of
time and you really did a fantastic job in every
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capacity. I certainly appreciated your unselfishness and willingness to do whatever needed to
be done!
#22 Justin “H Man”Hyslop- It was a blast
having you as part of this team, Justin. You
worked extremely hard and had that “never say
die” attitude.You made key contributions on the
green line and had that great block for the TD
vs. Cambrian. I am very proud of you for battling
every practice and game and giving us all that
you had every time you stepped on the field.
#24 Jake “Jorgivich” T’Souvas- Jake there is
so much I would like to say about you. You took
some tough shots early (remember the CCW
scrimmage?) but kept battling. You showed so
much heart and came back determined to not
let that happen again. You were one of the most
dedicated players we had and just did an outstanding job.You learned from your mistakes and
used it as motivation to get better. By the end of
the season, you were a player we counted on to
contribute. Great season Jorgivich!
#25 Reese “Ice Man” Burrill- I knew I had a
heck of a football player in you Reese, but you
really exceeded my expectations. You did it all
for us, offensively, defensively, special teams and
through leadership.You are someone people will
follow. There is not a hint of arrogance in you
Reese and that’s what makes you so endearing.
It was an honor to be your coach. And to think I
had you on the offensive line to start the season!
#26 John “Handsome” Michael- You are the
perfect example of why I love coaching so much
John. You were so unsure of what to do on the
field, and I think you were wondering why you
signed up for this. But you never gave up and
you kept competing. Then the light went on, and
now you are absolutely ferocious! The transformation has been remarkable and I am so proud
of you and all that you have accomplished. Great
work Handsome!
#27 Keith “KC” Chiu- When I first saw you
on the field, I knew you were a good athlete.
I wasn’t sure what kind of football player you
would be.You turned out to be a fantastic player
and the improvement was dramatic.You were an
absolute force on defense with your speed and
power and an outstanding o’lineman as well.
Easily the most improved player on the team.
Keep on playing Keith, because you will make
any team you play on better.
#28 Noah “Wolverine” DiazdelcuestaNoah, I really enjoyed our time together this
year. You just had such a great attitude and you
were liked by all. I appreciate everything you did
for the team this year. You had to learn some
different positions along the way, but you always
gave it 100% and never complained.When I think
back on this year, your smiling face and your “yes
coach!” is something I will always remember.
#30 Chance “Sir Chancellot” Desai- It was
a tough deal for you Chance, not being able to
play for the Tiney Mites. But you stepped up
and fit right in with the Miteys and we are glad
you did. You turned out to be a good defensive tackle and you could always make me laugh.
You have a real opportunity next year to be an
impact player. I look forward to watching your
growth as a football player and I’ll be checking in
on you next year!
#31 Hayden “Big Red” Freeman- Hayden
you did a fantastic job on O line and D lines
this year. It’s so rare to have a first year player
step up and be on the top two lines. You have
tremendous potential. I hope you keep playing
because the sky is the limit for you. You were
always so coachable and you just have a great
way about you. We were lucky to have you and
I hope you’re a Mustang for many more years.
#32 Jaden “PO” Gospich- PO, your quiet
demeanor was so misleading. You act like you
wouldn’t hurt a fly but on the field you were
absolutely ferocious! There would be so many
times during practice I’d say “who was that” and
it would be you under the pile. You came a long
way this year, and if there was more time in the
season, you would have made it all the way up to
the blue line. Awesome job!
#33 Evan “Stamos” Vernon- I can’t tell you
how much I enjoyed watching you play this year.
You consistently had to go against bigger, stronger players. But you always found a way to get
the job done. You were fearless! You also played
a great corner for us this year, not an easy position to play. Your enthusiasm for football really
showed. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be
your coach. I’ll take 25 of you every time.
#34 Joey “Sandman” Sandoval- Where to
start Sandman? The sacrifices you made to be a
part of this team were truly admirable.You were
a coach on the field and so much of what we did
depended on you. I said early that our offense
goes as you go, and you certainly got us going!
Without your efforts we would have been lost.
Thank you for being such an unselfish player and
so committed to the team.
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10 12 14 16 17 14
Joey Balistreri
Cole Britt
Trent Nicoll
Anakin Zimmerman
Christopher Kim
Bradley Klauser
Ari Fatehi
Kyle Selbst
Austin Jobe
Kyle Anderson
Edgar Valencia
Chase Zamborelli
18 20 21 23 25 26 30 33 35 Jacob Michael
Morris Emanuel
Skyler Gregg
Max Peckham
Mason Ryan
Justin Le
Nick Ereno
Colin O’Neil
Donny Cox
Head Coach
Pat Corini
Assistant Coaches
Mark Ryan
Doug Britt
Brad Selbst
Dom Ereno
Wow, where do i begin? I think
no one word could better describe our
2011 Almaden Mustang{JPW} season
than the word “accomplished”! I have to
say, the season itself mirrored the characteristics of a roller coaster, not skipping one twist or turn and constantly
offering exciting thrills. Our weekly
games & practices routinely delivered
us fun, laughter, enthusiastic stories,
predictable moments, unexpected moments and even as coaches ,pre- ride or
“game” butterflies. In the end, when that
weeks game was concluded, win , loss,
bumps,bruises and being told to “exit to
the right”, our confident athletes, your
boys, could NOT wait to get back on
the following week and ride it again!
Personally Being involved in the fabulous sport of football for over the past
30 years as either a player and or as
a coach, i have never seen a group of
young men come together the way our
boys did. “Family” is what became of us
all. No matter Win, loss or coming up
just short of a set goal, not one of our
JPW players took individual credit nor
did they direct blame towards a teammate on those days where we were
forced, no matter how hard we tried, to
meet our fate. And in the end, when it
was all said and done ,that very same
fate is what truly bonded our 2011 JPW
Almaden Mustangs.. A team not to be
forgotten
Coach Patrick Corini
Player review:
#14 Kyle Anderson-all heart, he plays
hard because he enjoys it! solid play
every day-often playing with bumps and
bruises, this athlete never quits!
#1 Joey Balistreri-consistency is his
tool, playing hard is his only rule. unphased by diversity. Loves to be challenged with whatever it is another
teams “trys to bring#2Cole Britt-like a light house,stayed
Lit for his team 24/7!known as a coaches
player, he definate;y gets the job done!
Smooth style with hard play . Thats his
style-
better yet has a passion to learn it. if
your into power, be sure to watch this
dude next year...
#9 Andre Fatehi- { 4 words} speed,
lots of it! you will be hearing this confident young mans name on a regular
basis! Count on it#22 Gerin Feliz- very eager player. He
wants in! Thats called a good thing. its
Starting to come together for this guy !
hard work does pay!
#35Donald Cox-being only nine years
old to start the season, There are many
good things yet to come out of this
young man... involved in some big hits
during practice that earned him his
teams respect
#21 Skyler Gregg- actions, they do
speak louder than words! This is Skyler Gregg!This young man will be easy
to spot next year. Just look for the guy
catching footballs!
#20 Morris Emanuel-started with us
late and had no problem jumping right
in. He shows much promise and will
have no problems developing quickly!
#12 Austin Jobe-is he a (a) QB (B)
linebacker (c) free safety (D) tackle
Answer= (E) all the above. Nothing he
wont play ,when hes making play’s you’ll
know!
#30 Nicholas Ereno-Another quality
9 year old who loves the game, and even
#7 Christopher Kim- His play is as
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solid as this kid is built! A pleasure to
work with. Not only listens and learns
with manors, but executes with no regard! Chris will definately be making
coaches at all levels look good in years
to come!
#8 Bradley Klauser-Without a doubt
a defensive centerpiece. Every coach
should have one of these in their tool
box. This kid is no joke nor were the
responsibilities he had! Simple as that#26 Justin Lee-Justin is a self aware
player who enjoys the game. He has no
problem competing! Earns his keep and
a pleasure to coach! Thanks Justin
#18 Jacob Michaels- *Winner of this
years Coaches Ball Award! (given to the
best all around player both on and off
the field.) The type of player that no
team should be without. Simply stated:
He can do it all, Jacob is the real deal!
#5 Trent Nicoll- Trent is the type
of player who never complains and
is always paying attention while being
coached. keep your eye on this kid. i
knowI will be!
#33 Colin O’neil- this gentleman proved that he could handle
any stuation on the playing field.
It doesnt get any tougher than
center/defensive tackle.This dude
wants in, so dont hold him back!
I also happen to know he has
hands too! Tight end? stay tuned~
#23 Maxwell Pecham- this up
and coming player has a bright
future. Learns quick and doesnt
hesitate to participate! Hidden
secret yet to be exposed? besides being a QB, he can tackleboy can he tackle!
#25 Mason Ryan- definately a first
round pick. An All around athlete doesnt
believe in hesitation. Warning! Think
twice before trying to run his way. Offensive skills, equally sharp#10 Kyle Selbst- This contracted
baller has it all and has just about seen it
all. Team player who puts his own twist
on everything. Hints while he”s running
down hill at you
hard? Dont get in
his way!
#16
Edgar ValenciaBoy? Man? Defensive End? Tackle?
linebacker ? Running Back??? Take
your pick. Not
only can he excell
at any position, this
young man does it
with a smile! for
this we thank him!
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A confident young man that lets his play
do the talking!
#17 Chase Zamborreli- “Zambo”
simply gets it done. Team player i personally cant wait to watch down the line.
He has a personality that can calm down
even the toughest of coaches. Definately
a “show You” NOT “tell you” kinda player! Thanks Chase#6 Anakin Zimmermann- A star to
be named later.A young man just now
finding out what he is capable of doing.
I personally promise the next coach he
plays for a pleasent surprise!
I leave the 2011 {JPW} Almaden Mustangs and the incredible families that
supported them with these final words:
Leaders aren’t born they are made.
And they are made just like anything
else, through hard work. And that’s
the price we’ll have to pay to achieve
that goal, or any goal.
-Vince Lombardi
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Jakob Gomez
Conor Prolo
Drew Rhodes
Brandon Oliver
Nickolas Corini
Isaac Wegner
Jack Aufricht
Jack Buschbaum
Niccolo LoCurto
Jake Landrum
Conner Tanton
Kyle McKim
Travis Varni
Brett Mason
19 20 22 23 24 25 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 35 Sam McCash
Kyle Geringer
Jackson Gonzalo
Dominic McGuire
Jared Jones
Connor LeDeit
Landon Keller
Griffin Nelson
Jarrod Turner
Noah Smith
Donnie Lipsey
Tanner Preble
Jack Purinton
Noah Crider
Head Coach
Saul Kennedy
Assistant Coaches
Max Zepeda
Mike Karr
Don Preble
Brent McKim
Mike LeDeit
Dan Mason
Joe Locurto
The “Special” Journey that
the 2011 Peewee team started
actually back in April when a core
group of returning kids from the
Jr. Peewee team from 2010 decided to come back for more
“action” on the Grid iron and a
great group of older lighters decided to commit to staying down
on the Peewee team for another
year. Mix in a group of 7-8 first
year players and we had the perfect recipe for a spectacular Journey. We started the year with
unknown expectations but with
promise to challenge teams on a
weekly basis because we have the
core foundation of a great team
which is Great players and Great
coaching.
We stressed team values that
included
commitment, teamwork and sacrifice as the “rock”
that made up our team. The
team consisted of 15 older
lighters and 13 regular players. Our coaching staff consisted of 8 dedicated coaches
who pushed and guided these
young players to success.
We started the year
with a Jamboree game at
home against Daly City and
we quickly realized that we
had the makings of something
special as we rolled to a 34-12
victory to start the season
We entered the regular
season on the Road against
Sunnyvale and dominated the
game from the beginning of the
game and were lead by Noah Criders 3 touchdowns on the ground
and a defense that held its own
and we ended up winning 33-6
with many players playing different
positions and capping a complete
team win.
Starting the season 1-0
was great for our team
as we tasted victory and
wanted more. We entered
game two again the perennial power house EAST
BAY EAST in Oakland.After
taking the “TEAM BUS” to
Oakland we stepped off the
bus and played our hearts
out. East Bay East lead 6-0
going to the 4thquarter
where we gambled and we
let the game slip away losing
26-0 but coming away from
that game knowing we “belonged”
in our league and were going to be
a force to be reckoned with. I was
so proud of our team after that
game , it made me realize that this
team was not ready for mediocrity
but destined for greatness.
We were able to come home
for our 1st home game of the year
against Santa Clara who has always
been a strong force at Division 1.
We came in 1-1 but battle tested
after East Bay and after a quick
score by Santa Clara to go up 8-0
the Mustangs took over and rode
the stampede to a 25-8 beating of
Santa Clara and it was the beginning of a 6 game win streak.
Coming into our next game
we were 2-1 and facing the “sister” team to East Bay East which
was East Bay West. In 7 year of
Almaden Pop Warner we had
never beat an East Bay team and
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the players were pumped up as we
had a great week of practice and
were improving consistently on
both sides of the ball. This game
was all about our defense as we
scored our first shut out of the
year against a very athletic team
who were “silenced” from the
start by our charging mustangs.
We Led 12-0 at halftime before
cruising to a 24-0 victory and the
confidence was growing.
We were fortunate to play
three home games in a row which
was capped off against a tough
Coyote Creek team that we
struggled with in the pre-season
scrimmage where we were unsure
of ourselves and the confidence
was just beginning . Riding the shut
out from the previous week of
East Bay West we came out strong
and looked like the team nobody
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wanted to play in Division 1 pop
warner. We dominated on both
sides of the ball and fought to our
second shut out by beating Coyote Creek 25-0.
Back on the “road” again at
4-1 brought us to cross town rival
Cambrian who were prepared and
ready to take on the Mustangs.
They were undefeated at the time
and were very physical but the
Mustangs did not break.We fought
hard and realized that teams were
“gunning” for the mustangs and
we were going to have to take
our game to the next level as the
season progressed.
The mustangs hung on 22-14 as Cambrian
scored a last minute touchdown
to make it close.
At this point in the season it
was all about going for seeding at
this point and we were presented
with a division 2 team in Bayside.
We were 5-1 and playing against
a team that had nothing to lose.
As champions the mustangs knew
what it took to beat a team we
were “supposed” to beat. Everyone played a lot and contributed
to a 26-6 win in Sunny Belmont
where we then celebrated with
Pizza and ROOT-BEER at the local
Pizza parlor.
Going into our last game we
were riding a 5 game win streak
and playing another 6-1 team
in Morgan Hill. They were BIG,
Strong and fast but in a game for
the ages the Mustangs pulled out
a 12-8 victory with a defensive
stand with 1 minute to go that
was secured with a last minute
tackle by Donnie Lipsey on the
half yard line. A great way to end
the regular season at 7-1 and start
the next step in the journey. “OPERATION FLORIDA”.
Whatever happens in the
playoffs I have been honored,
proud and very grateful to the
2011 Peewee families, players and
coaches for their commitment to
our program and the recipe for
success. I already consider this
season a spectacular success and
want to thank my 2011 PEEWEE
family for giving me the blessing
and opportunity to be part of this
special experience and it will be
remembered always.
Go Mustangs!!!!!!
-Coach Saul
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Tyler Nelson
Austin Arras
Sam Vogel
Juan Fernandez
Vincent Fernandez
Alex Torres
Andrew Morgan
Brian Lee
Westen Smith
Maurice Hayden
Richie Avalos
Brian O’neil
Jake Parinello
Cyrus Habibi-Likio
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John-Louis Chiappe
Elijah Fletcher
Matthew Takeuchi
Michael Dunne
Blaine Mackin
Jackson Burrill
Christopher Divivier
Christopher Hidalgo
Kevin Chovanec
Joel Cervantes
Joey Lynam
Riley Mornhinweg
Sho Yamamoto
Grayson Gardner
Head Coach
Jeff Burrill
Assistant Coaches
Chris Vogel
Joe Lynam
Donovan Fernandez
Mike Dunne
Glenn Gardner
Richard Avalos
Juan Fernandez
Our journey began on
August 1st with a collection
of boys that had never played
together as a group. We had
a solid base of returning players, some experienced players
new to our league and several
that had never played football before. As we progressed
through the non-contact practices toward the beginning of
our season, it was obvious that
this team had the potential to
be special. Not just because
we had talented individual
players but also because these
boys coupled both athletic
talent with a solid work ethic,
character and sense of team.
Our season began with a d
isappointing loss to Sunnyvale. In many ways, losing the
first game was the best thing
that could have happened.
Our boys pulled together and
worked harder at practice,
the coaches worked harder
on strategy and tactics and at
that point we really became
a team. Adversity has a way
of bringing teams together
and the character of our boys
would shine in the coming
weeks.
We travelled to Oakland
to play the East Bay East team
that had never lost a game in
Peninsula Pop Warner. Our
Mustangs dominated all aspects of the game and walked
off the field with a convincing
16-0 win!
The Junior Midget Mustangs continued to believe in
one another and put together fantastic hard-fought wins
against Santa Clara and West
Valley. The wind was at our
backs and we rolled through
the rest of the regular season with wins against Coyote
Creek, Cambrian Valley, Alameda and Morgan Hill.
Our
coaching
staff
worked tirelessly to get the
boys as prepared as possible
for the games. Our coaching
staff was a direct reflection
of our team. Some returners and some new faces but
all great people with the common objective of helping our
boys grow both on and off
the field. I owe a tremendous
debt of gratitude to these
amazing men: Chris Vogel, Joe
Lynam, Donovan Fernandez,
Mike Dunne, Glenn Gardner,
Richard Avalos and Juan Fernandez. Thanks
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so much to the wives and
families of our coaches who
enabled our coaches to spend
so much time with the team.
We also had guest coaches
Jason Maass and Pat Williams
that worked with our boys to
become better athletes and
football players. I’d also like
to offer special recognition to
Paul Vogel who video taped all
of our games and even traveled to tape future opponent’s
games. We truly became
a better team by using the
game video to help the boys
improve their techniques and
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prepare for coming games.
I’d like to thank the parents of our boys for their
commitment to helping our
team be successful.
We
realize that there is a huge
allocation of time and effort to get your son to and
from practice every day in
the month of August and
several days a week for the
rest of the season. Our parents volunteer to keep the
game day running smoothly
and allow the coaches just
to focus on the boys. It truly
“takes a village” to run such a
large organization and I am
so appreciative to the support of the Almaden Junior
Midget family.
Finally, I’d like to thank my
wife Kim and my family for
supporting my passion for
coaching. Without their incredible support, I wouldn’t
be able to dedicate the time
and energy necessary for
our team.
It has been my pleasure to
coach such a fine group
of young men. They have
worked so hard this year
and truly been a joy to be
around. I am confident that
each and every one of them
will be successful in the future
and hope that the memories
created this season stay with
them forever.
Go Mustangs!
Jeff Burrill
Head Coach
2011 Almaden Mustangs
Jr. Midgets
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Greg Le
Matthew Tofano
Trevor Horst
Cameron Wright
Colin Zimmerman
Eli Chastang
Nick Derksen
Andrew Cairns
Blake Jaciow
Isaiah Williams
Sam Euerle
Yanni Dionisopoulos
Matt Atkinson
Zach Pulling
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Preston Ryan
Jacob Bergstrom
David Gonzalez
Justin Perea
Cesar Fernandez
Markus Rocca
Wil Wegner
Justin Quevedo
Cameron Chapman
Garrett Rangel
Justin Catuna
Bryce Anderson
Edgar Juarez
Head Coach
Brad Jaciow
Assistant Coaches
Jeff Tofano
Steve Stedman
Brad Rocca
Mike Bergstrom
Shante Williams
Wil Derksen
Eddie Rangel
I’m extremely proud of this football team.
You guy’s have had one of the most difficult regular
season schedules that this league has ever had at
the Midget level. While we may have had our ups
and downs, we always came out the other side
stronger. Every game this team got better and
got closer as friends and teammates. For all of us
that’s what should matter.
One Team, One Heart Beat, Together We
Can’t Lose.Those words ring true for this team. As
“One Team” we all felt the joy and excitement of
winning “Together”, and as “One Team” we all felt
the pain and disappointment of losing “Together”.
“One Heart Beat” is what drove you guys as a
team to keep working and to never give up. Your
experiences, efforts and faith in each other and
as a team explain why you truly “Can’t Lose” and
never will.
I feel extremely fortunate to have been
around so many many great kids again this year. I
enjoyed every minute with you guys and I wouldn’t
have traded this experience for anything or anyone. These past seven years of coaching football
will forever leave a long lasting impression on my
life. The pay off for me is to see you guys succeed
in whatever you may choose to do. When I’m at
the mall or another sporting event and I have one
you come up to me and say “hey coach”, it’s those
moments that I am the most rewarded because I
know how much football meant to the both of us.
I’ll leave you with one last thought. Remember Football is more than just a sport. Football has taught all of you at an early age how important discipline is, how important hard work is
and what true team work and family means. Please
make sure to remember your experiences and
these values because they will forever help you as
you go through life.
#1 Greg Le — I remember from day one as a
first year 9 year old Mitey Mite how impressive
you were.We were all amazed at how physical and
how much desire you had. Nothing has changed.
Every practice and every game you came ready
to play. I love watching you get fired up after a run
or a big hit. I wish nothing but the best for you as
you head off to high school. Your high school will
be very fortunate to have such a great young man
and fantastic athlete.
#2 Matthew Tofano — Matthew you get better
and better every time you touch the field. I have
said it to you before but I’m so impressed with
how hard you have worked at such a young age.
You’re an amazing teammate and amazing athletic
talent. I really appreciate the opportunity to have
coached you over the past 4 years. I wish you the
best in high school and I’m sure I’ll being reading
about your successes on Friday nights.
#3 Trevor Horst — I hope you enjoyed your
first year and I hope you know how much I appreciate your efforts. You were such a quick learner.
It seemed like we could tell you what we needed
and you simply went and did it. I love the workman style that you put forth everyday in practice.
Trevor your a fine young man and I wish you all
the best in High School. Please continue playing
football because you will make a difference you
have it in you.
#4 Cameron Wright — Mr. Serious...that’s what
I call you. You try so darn hard to be perfect at
everything you do. I love that perfection and I love
the desire. I really appreciate your willingness to
communicate with me both on and off the field. I
really wish that you could have played with us for
a number of years because now I’m gonna miss
out on watching a great kid achieve big things as
he heads off to high school. I could say good luck,
and I will, but the reality is you’ll go get it because
that’s who you are.
#8 Eli Chastang — For 5 years now, I have been
your coach and I can honestly say you are a special
kid to me. When you made your decision last year
to leave the team I was really disappointed. At the
same time I was so impressed by how you handled
it. You came to me as a man and explained your
reasoning as a man. What I love is how you chose
to come back to our team this season. Eli don’t
ever give up on yourself and don’t let others suggest you can’t do what you want to. Please don’t
be afraid to show everyone how really bright you
are. You’re a great young man with a bright future
but it’s your future to make. Please remember that.
#11 Blake Jaciow— Blake you drew the toughest assignment. You had to have your dad be your
head football coach. Son, I’m so proud of your accomplishments on and off the field. You will be a
three time National Pop Warner Scholar Athlete
when this season ends, and you will have played
7 years of tackle football. There is no other player
in Almaden Pop Warner who has that on their resume. You have put up with my direct approach
with you in front of your peers and yet you kept
working. I want you to know that I could not have
done this without you. Your leadership came in
many different forms over the past seven years.
You led your team by example and you led myself
with your maturity and respect. I’m truly honored
and humbled by your efforts. I love you son. Keep
believing and working hard, and great things will
continue to come.
#14 Sam Euerle — Sammy. There is so much
to say about you Sam. From day one all of the
coaches have been impressed with how hard you
work and how extremely focused you are.You had
some great successes for a first year player. You
scored a touch down in the Andrew Hill game and
then had some huge games on the offensive line.
I really wish you would have come to our team a
few years back. Keep doing what you do and you’ll
achieve all your dreams. Thanks for being a part
our lives. I wish you all the best in high school.
#19 Preston Ryan — Pres. Preston I want to let
you know how proud I am of you for continuing
to support your team.You were constantly moved
from offensive line to offensive line and from position to position. I know how tough that is. I want
you know that working through it and never giving
up means the world to me.Thank your for dedication, hard work and for believing in your teammates and this team. Thanks for two great seasons
and I wish you the very best as you head into high
school.
#20 Jacob Bergstrom – Bergie. WOW! WOW!
I knew from the minute I coached you in baseball, and to be honest before that, that you were a
football player.You brought what I knew was there
from beginning and even more. Bergie, you made
some big sacrifices for this team and I’d like to personally thank you. You brought a swagger and an
attitude to this team that we desperately needed.
You were a great leader, teammate and friend. If I
had to put a team together in any sport, I would
want you to be a part of it. I want to wish you the
very best in high school and I can’t wait to watch
you play. Love you Bergie!
#21 David Gonzalez — “Gonzo” For 7 years,
we have been together through the good and the
difficult times. I’m so very proud of how you have
grown up as a player and more importantly as
a young man. Gonzo you are the very best and
please believe that. If there is one thing that you
have learned, hopefully it is to believe in yourself.
Remember chest out and chin up is how you need
to carry yourself. You have had a fantastic season
at both defensive end and center. Thank you so
much for dedicating yourself to this team and your
positions. I wish you great success in High School.
#22 Justin Perea — I would have to say your
first year in football was beyond a success, not just
for you but for our team. For you to step in and
be such a significant contributor your first year
was a great surprise. I will never forget your game
against Alameda. The two interceptions, one for a
touchdown, was great but the 47 yard field goal
off the grass was true ESPN moment. Thank you
for being a part of our team this year and I look
forward to watching you play in high school.
#23 Cesar Fernandez — I’m so impressed with
you as a young man. From day one, I knew you
were the right guy for this team.This team needed
a player on the team that everyone looked up to.
You were that guy ! I loved the way you carried
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yourself around the guys and how respectful you
were to all the coaches.You have a bright future.
your coach. Enjoy high school and I look forward
to hearing about your successes.
#26 Markus Rocca —”ROCK” You came into
your own last year as a football player and this
year you just took over at your positions. Clearly
you were this teams fearless leader. What I loved
was that you led by example. You did everything
you could to work as hard as possible with maximum effort. A leader leads not just by working
hard but by being involved in the team. It has been
my honor to have coached you over the past few
years. I look forward to watching you grow even
more at Bellarmine.
#34 Edgar Juarez—”Mr. Juarez” Edgar I was
concerned about you in the beginning of the season but you more than came through. You have
grown into a football player. I want you to know
that I respect your hard work and desire to show
all of us how much you cared about playing football for this team. You have never ever given up
and you constantly strive to be better and really
showed this season. When times were tough, you
kept coming.Thank you for allowing me to be your
coach these past 4 years. Have a great time in high
school and I know you’ll do great things on the
field and off.
#10 Andrew Cairns — Andrew I think you came
a long, long way as a football player this year. You
struggled a bit in the beginning but as you became
more involved I could see the changes. Football
is not an easy sport to grasp for the first time.
Very few players are able to get past the physical
aspect of the game, but you did. As you became
more comfortable and sure of yourself, the game
became easier for you. You’re a fine young man
and I really hope you continue to play football in
high school.Your extremely bright and athletic and
I believe you could really help your high school
next year.
#31 Justin Catuna — “The Tuna” Justin you had
a great first year of football. You should be proud
of how far you have come this season. I loved
how hard you continually pushed yourself and
how positive you always were. Every team needs
a player with the heart and desire that you posses.
I have to say also that I think your “Tuna” dance
was truly awesome. What you may not realize, is
that everytime you stood up in front of your teammates and danced, you were bringing the whole
team together. You made tough games easier and
great games better. Good luck and many thanks
for allowing me to be your coach.
#9 Nick Derksen — “DERK” Nick you really
stepped up this year. I know you had a rough road
there for a bit and I totally understand why. Nick
when you put your mind and your effort into playing football you become a special player. Trust and
believe in yourself Nick. It has been my pleasure
to watch your grow over the past 3 years not just
as a football player but as a young man. I want to
thank you for all of your hard work and commitment to this team.
#29 Cameron Chapman — “Chappy” Cameron you’re the ultimate teammate. When I need
one player to fill in and make a difference you always stepped up. Your hard work and dedication
to being everything you could be and everything
to this team showed. Over and over you came
through with good solid play. I admired how you
asked questions when you were unsure. I feel extremely privileged to have had the chance to be
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#15 Yanni Dionisopoulos— “DINO” I want you
to know that you’re awesome. My only regret is
that you didn’t come over to play with our team
sooner. I love and admire your enthusiasm and
effort. You are a true teammate and competitor.
What I loved most is when we’d run scout defense
and you keep making making plays. I could never
figure out how you were getting through to make
those plays. Thank you for choosing our team. We
truly would not be the same team without you.
Have a great time in high school and I hope you
continue to play football.
#17 Zach Pulling— ahahahahahahahahaha.
Zach! So you were a great great surprise. I loved
coaching you in baseball but I enjoyed coaching
you even more in football. Every team needs a
Pulling. You are always so eager and willing and
happy to be a part of the team. You really really
showed me a true tough nose side to your personality which was awesome to see.Thank you for
keeping this team positive, laughing and upbeat.
Thanks for being you Zach. You’re such a wonderful person. Please play football next year for Leland
they could use your heart and desire.
#30 Garrett Rangel—Fonzi. What a ride Fonzi.
From baseball to football there is no other player
that I would want more on my team. I love you
son. You are so respectful, bright and caring. Your
smile lights up a room and your positive attitude
motivates me. Football is a tough sport and you
pushed yourself through it when times were difficult. You did that because you have a heart of a
champion. There is no quit in your personality or
your makeup. I have truly loved every second of
coaching you. Thank you for being such a great
young man. Have a great time and enjoy your successes in high school.
#27 Will Wegner— Wegs. Well Will, this is the
end of the road for you and me. I really admire
you Will.Your athleticism speaks for itself and your
desire to succeed is second to none. I have really enjoyed watching you grow as an athlete, person and friend. You gave this team a strong voice
this year and always acted as a leader.You always
kept everyone fired up and motivated. I love the
toughness but admire the heart. Thank you for everything that you have given to this team and to
myself.You don’t have to remember me when your
big time but I will always remember you.
#16 Matt Atkinson— Mr. Atkinson. Matt I don’t
think I could say enough great things about you.
Your such a great young man and mature beyond
your years. What I loved most was your willingness to work hard and your desire to improve.
You became such and anchor for us this year at
the center position. That position is so important
to any team and you made it yours. We counted
on you to deliver and you did constantly. Please
continue to play football in high school because
you will be a difference maker,
#7 Collin Zimmerman—ZIMM. Collin you are
well on your way to being a really special player.
Every practice you got stronger and more confident. Please keep believing in yourself and keep
believing that you can make a difference. Your a
great young man with a ton of potential. Remember respect of your family and your friends is the
most important thing that any man could have.
Stay positive and keep smiling. Go be a difference
maker. Be a positive role model. Be a leader ZIMM.
#28 Justin Quevedo— What can I say? You’re
incredible. I think we are all amazed at your desire
to come back to be a part of this football team.
For a player to start playing football for the first
time and then suffer such a tough injury, only to
return, well it’s amazing. I love your enthusiasm
and heart. You could have easily given up and said
forget it. Nobody would have blamed you. Instead
you fought through the injury and came back with
twice the desire. It was awesome. I’m a huge fan
and I loved bragging to everyone how bad you
wanted it.Your high school coach has no idea what
a great player and teammate he’s getting next year.
Thanks for everything and I’ll be watching.
#32 Bryce Anderson— Brycer. Bryce you and I
have been together for awhile now. As I told your
dad I wouldn’t want to coach this team without
you. Your a very special young man with so much
heart and love. You never give up which is what
I always loved. Bryce be that player that use to
beat everyone in the long runs when we were in
Mitey Mites. Bryce go be a difference maker. Use
that heart and desire to lead your teammates.
Don’t hold back. Just sprint to the front because
that’s what leaders like you do. Your a great young
man Bryce. I can’t wait to see you succeed in high
school.
Thanks for a great season and and even a greater
experience.
-Coach Jaciow
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Jasmine Ahumada
Gabriella Macias
Lainee Daniels
Bella Torkman
Peytan Eberle
Samantha Maxwell
Madeline Macias
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Head Coach
Dee Dee Daniels-Henshaw
Assistant Coaches
Fawn Maxwell
Shelby Sherick
Katrina Preble
This group of amazing girls
really came together to live up
to the Mustang motto... One
Team, One Heartbeat. With an
array of experience and backgrounds, they worked together as a true team to help each
other throughout it all. With the
help of our dedicated coaches,
we watched a group of little silly
girls, become a true cheer team.
Bella didn’t let her young
age slow her down one bit, she
always kept up with the team
and was willing to try her best at
each task set before her.Yliana is
always willing to help out a teammate and excellent at adapting
to the many changes to the routines. Gabriella is a natural born
cheerleader, with crisp moves
and a voice that could be heard
throughout the crowd. Jasmine
is a great friend to all her team
mates and really loved to spend
time with her team. Madeline has
a contagious smile and an eagerness to learn each cheer, from
each little move to the pronunciation of each word... a cheer
perfectionist. Peyton is always a
trooper, even if she wasn’t feeling
tip top, she would be there for
her team and do her very best
with her sweet smile across her
face. It’s tough being the coach’s
daughter and though she sometimes struggled with the difference between mom and coach,
she did a great job on game days
and competition days. And finally there’s Samantha who was
our little bouncing ball of energy, sometimes hard to contain
but brilliant when she needed
to be.
It was great to watch them
cheer at games. It was even
better to see them perform
at competitions. They got out
on the Competition Mats and
lined themselves up and put on
a 2 minute routine that included dance, cheers and stunts! All
by themselves! It is so exciting
to watch these 5-7year olds
perform, they all had smiles on
their faces and enjoyed every
second of it.
It was truly awesome to be
coaching you girls!
A special thanks to Coach
Fawn for all her help. And most
important, a huge Thank You to
our awesome Student Demonstrators, Katrina Preble and
Shelby Sherick. Katrina and Shelby worked so hard teaching the
girls the game cheers and creating a competition routine that
was fun and challenging for the
girls. It’s been a great year and I
can’t wait for next year.
-Coach Dee Dee
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Allison Almaraz
Kaylee Earnshaw
Emily Almaraz
Sara Foote
Nicole Cardoza
Ellie Gonzales
Mackenzie Domingos
Brianna Naranjo
Kaitlyn Domingos
Meili Skov
Head Coach
Jennifer Domingos
Assistant Coaches
Molly Danelin
Brett Domingos
Raquel Acosta
Katrina Preble
The Almaden Jr. Pee Wee Cheer
Team had a spectacular season this
year. We are so proud of how well
they did and how much they progressed throughout the season. With
each competition, you could see just
how much better they got and how
much more they wanted to better
themselves. Everyone on this team is
a champion.
We started out our season with
long hot days at Pioneer, working hard
under the hot summer sun, getting in
shape and learning all the game cheers.
And before we knew it, Football season started and the Cheer Jamboree
was just a few days away. Our girls
were ready to perform and we did
great.
Then just 3 short weeks later,
we were at Shoreline in our first real
competition, the Peninsula Cheer Invitational . We took 8th place, just missing a trophy by a few points. But the
great part was that we knew that with
some hard work and dedication, we
could mount a charge to bring home
the bling!
And we proved ourselves right
at the Peninsula Cheer Championships by placing 4th. What an exciting improvement, we jumped 4 spots
from the Shoreline competition. Our
girls worked so hard on their routine
and I can’t thank them enough for
their dedication.
Of course, none of this is possible without a group of dedicated
coaches making it all possible. I want
to thank Molly, Brett, Katrina and
Raquel for all their hard work and
dedication, I could not have done this
without you.
I also want to thank the parents
for all their help, your help was awesome throughout the season.
Girls, thank you for giving me a
great year and working so hard. I am
so proud of you, I am looking forward
to next year…..
-Coach Jen
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Maddie Almaraz
Katrina Preble
Dakota Alspach
Amethyst Ramirez
Maya Barnum
Yesenia Resendez
Sarah Broughton
Elle Roebke
Lasha Dees
Sofia Sachs
Anisa Degerli
Shelby Sherick
Kat Lernihan
Katey Sterkel
Evianna Malabanan
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Head Coach
Don Preble
Assistant Coaches
Raquel Acosta
Victoria Preble
Nicole Pal
Kristina Windham
Tina Citti-Preble
“Sit back, relax…you’re in for a treat,
the Mustangs are back and won’t take defeat! You’ve seen us before, but never quite
like this, we’re back and better, 2nd best, no
never. Watch out, we’re here and ready to
cheer, The Blue, The White, we’re here to
fight. The best is yet to come, Mustangs are
Number 1. Step aside ‘cause you’ve been
beat, we’re out for the title, you’re in for
defeat. Excellence, perfection, teamwork,
success; Almaden Valley, a step above the
rest. Our pride, our spirit, need we say
more? Mustangs Yeah!.....WE ROCKED
THIS FLOOR!”
And rocked that floor they did! Congratulations to the Almaden Valley Midget
Cheer Team for winning the Peninsula Pop
Warner Cheer Championships on October 23rd, 2011. Now it’s on to Regionals!
Florida is just a 2.5 minute routine away!
I am so proud and honored to be
the head coach of such an amazing group of
girls. They have grown so much as a team
and as individuals. 7 of our girls are brand
new to cheerleading and they have learned
so much. From Sofia and LaSha becoming
great backs to Evianna and Dakota learning to fly, Yesenia and Maya with their great
dancing and Amethyst learning not to be
shy, they all did such a great job.
But with any team, you always need
seasoned leaders and experience to guide
the way. From Maddie and Katie, our tumblers extraordinaire, to Kat, Sarah and Ellie
who are the foundation of our stunts families, Anisa who is our veteran flyer, and to
Katrina and Shelby, our older lighters and
team captains, they lead way as the heart
and soul of our team.
We are very fortunate to have such
a great group of coaches, teaching our girls
the routines, the moves, and the formations
that make up our routines. I want to thank
Raquel, Tori, Nicole, Kristina and Tina for all
their hard work. This is a group of ladies
that deserve so much of the credit for giving our girls a chance to show their stuff
and win the Peninsula Championship.
Our success this season was based
on the values of hard work, commitment,
and “playing through the pain”. At least every girl on this team got kicked in the face,
elbowed in the ribs, stepped on, landed on,
or some other ding that left a nice bruise.
But 5 minutes and an ice pack later, they
were right back at it, ready to go. They may
be girls, but they are tough, and they are
Mustangs!
And above it all, we had fun! The
night games, the corn maze after the Salinas game, half time routines and the call
out cheers, the girls were always having fun.
And there’s more to come.
Girls, this message is to you. I am
honored to be your coach and proud of
what you accomplished. Thank you for giving me all you have, working hard, and believing in yourselves as we took this journey.
You are the best there is!
-Coach Don
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