Beginning a new football season in a 0-8 hole will make any team desperate to end the year on a high note.
With their backs against the wall and staring down a winless season, the Woodland High School varsity football team (2-8, 2-3 Golden Empire League) refocused and trusted the coaches to turn a lost season into one to remember with an emotional two-game winning streak.
"It was a rough start," Wolves head coach Javier Marin said. "Our youth and lack of returning players definitely showed. We took our lumps early, but the kids didn't give up. There are a lot of games we should have won earlier in the season, but it's part of the growing and improving process.
"Most of the teams we played in the preseason made the playoffs. It was a brutal schedule with big teams. Sometimes, kids were frustrated, but that's to be expected when we were 0-8. They soon understood you can't just show up on Friday night to win. You need to practice hard Monday through Thursday."
The young Wolves' perseverance throughout a mentally brutal season was rewarded with a meaningful 16-6 senior night win against Rio Linda, a 38-27 win at Mesa Verde in the season finale and nine GEL award recipients.
"It was such a relief to get those two wins," Marin said. "We wanted to make sure we sent the seniors off on a positive note. None of them wanted to start 0-8, but finishing on a two-game win streak felt great. A nice goodbye to the season and league (as currently constructed). I know the two wins will also set the tone going into next season with all of our returning starters. We got some valuable experience for sure."
With the seniors sent off in style, Marin and the other members of the Wolves coaching staff can now begin to get excited about the returning players they have been preparing for the future.
Among the first- and second-team all-league selections, only three, Gavin Grisso, Brayden Farnham and Edgar Sandoval, are graduating in the fall. The six others are returning next season, including the dynamic young offensive trio consisting of sophomore quarterback Joseph Abarca and juniors Diego Bautista and Joseph Cadotte.
"It's a good way to start the next season with the wealth of experience that the sophomores and juniors now have," Marin said. "They'll carry us for the next few seasons. They have to keep putting in the offseason work. Having this experience is good, but what are you doing in the offseason to ensure you don't start 0-8 again?
"As long as the youth is working out hard in the offseason, the future will be bright."
Bautista, the bruising and elusive running back, ran for 1,115 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. Through the air, he racked up 363 yards and 4 other scores. He was also second on the team in total tackles with 26.
"He was a true workhorse for us," Marin acknowledged. "That's why he was our Rudy Lucero Award winner for outstanding running back. He was a dual-threat with his running and catching ability. He was hungry for yards after contact, and watching him, you could tell he just had that desire to find the end zone and get first downs."
Helping Bautista see fewer stacked boxes next year will be fellow first-team all-league selection and wide receiver Joseph Cadotte.
Cadotte was second on the team in receiving behind Joseph Quezada with an even 700 receiving yards. He was first in touchdowns, however, with 9 on the season.
"When our run game was struggling, we opted to get the ball to Cadotte out in open space and see what happens," Marin said. "If he's out there, good luck trying to tackle him.
"Both of these guys were sparkplugs of the offense. They can only get drastically better compared to last year and that's so exciting. If they put in the work in the offseason, I have no doubt they'll be very successful."
Passing the ball to both of them will be the returning second-team all-league selection Joseph Abarca, who will only be a junior in the fall. As a sophomore, Abarca put up 2,303 passing yards with an average of 13.9 yards per completion and 16 touchdowns.
"He got more and more comfortable at the varsity level as the season went on," Marin said. "The first five games were too fast for him, but once league came around, he found his stride. He scored three touchdowns against Casa Roble. For him to do that says a lot about this potential.
Rounding out the offensive selections on the offensive line were second-team all-league selections, Jacob Ceja Lopez and Edgar Sandoval.
"The future is very bright for (Lopez)," Marin said. "It was his first year ever playing football. I think he has the potential to be a first-team all-league selection for us in the future."
On the defensive side of the ball, led by defensive coordinator Jay Munoz, the Wolves enjoyed five first or second-team all-league selections.
Sandoval played on both lines but earned second-team recognition for his defense.
"Due to his after-school obligations, we were very fortunate for him to be a part of the team," Marin said. "He definitely set the tone for the physicality of our defensive line. He is one of those players who will let it be known that the scout team isn't getting them ready for the next season."
Joseph "Jojo" Quezada led the Wolves secondary, earning the prestigious Jay Sehorn Award for his play and a first-team all-league selection. He was also very effective as a wide receiver amassing a team-high 715 yards.
"His dedication and work ethic are second to none," Marin said. "He missed maybe one practice due to a family event, which shows his dedication to the team. He never complained, and without reservation or hesitation, he fulfilled the duties that we demanded of him. He is a man of a few words, but when he speaks up, he says a lot."
Seniors, Gavin Grisso and Brayden Farnham, controlled the middle of the field as linebackers and also earned first-team recognition. Grisso picked up a team-high 28 total tackles while Farnham picked up 22.
"Both of these guys were the only ones to play all four seasons of football at Woodland High School, and it showed," Marin said. "It would have been hard for us to stop the other team from scoring without them on the field. They were my only two returning starters with the experience needed to set the tone for the whole team and demonstrate to the underclassmen what it takes to be ready to play varsity football."
Joining Sandoval on the defensive line was sophomore Lincoln Twilley, who towered over his blockers on his way to earning a second-team selection.
"I'm pretty sure any past player would love to have his size as a sophomore," Marin said. "He really held his own being that young and playing against teams with returning starters. He demonstrated improvement over the entire season. I have no doubt he'll make a first-team all-league soon."
Other seniors departing in June along with Grisso, Sandoval and Farnham include Mariano Flores, Francisco Mendoza, David Solorio, Robert Felix Jr., Michael Scroggins, Nathan Gutierrez, Aaron Preciado Montes, Ronnie Huth and Ricardo Rojas, who suffered a season-ending injury early in the year.
"They were all a major contributor to offense, defense or special teams," Marin said. "They were a key asset to the team in one way or another. Saying goodbye to every senior is always hard. You can tell they put in a lot of work for four seasons. You want to see more positive results when they put that work in. They were dedicated, however, and did not give up. It shows their positive character."
For the upcoming season, Marin, who has been the head coach of the Wolves since 2018, will be stepping down to focus more on his family duties, including visiting his mother, who lives in Los Angeles, a daughter teaching in Spain, a son at UC Santa Barbra, his wife and two other kids playing sports at the high school level.
"After all my time being part of Woodland football, I will always bleed orange," Marin said. "Because of my family obligations, being the head coach will just be too hard. Now, I know it's time for me to focus on my family. Football will always be there.
"I need to make sure I maximize my support for my kids going into high school, but I will always cherish the moments I had with Woodland High School football. All of the parents, boosters, coaching staff, community and my administrators have been nothing but supportive throughout my whole tenure. I'll still be around teaching at the high school supporting the team and players in a different capacity. I'll miss the grind through the summer and the sense of winning together as a team on Fridays."
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