Cameron Hernandez, a 5-foot-10 freshman out of Milpitas High,
has been tabbed by head coach John Lango to start at quarterback
Saturday when the Gavilan College Rams open the 2010 season in
Cupertino against powerhouse De Anza.
Cameron Hernandez, a 5-foot-10 freshman out of Milpitas High, has been tabbed by head coach John Lango to start at quarterback Saturday when the Gavilan College Rams open the 2010 season in Cupertino against powerhouse De Anza.
Hernandez emerged from the competition during three weeks of preseason workouts to assume the first-team role. Lango lauded the showing of freshman Sean Berglund, a 6-foot-2 flame-thrower out of Portland. Although Berglund has been selected to backup Hernandez, “Sean will get some playing time Saturday.”
Lango called last weekend’s full scrimmage “a big improvement” over the team scrimmage the previous weekend.
“The young men played faster and harder. It’s going to come down to whether all of our young guys can step up fast enough against De Anza.”
Saturday’s 1 p.m. start on the Dons’ campus should provide Lango a chance to improve his mark of 6-3 against De Anza since he took over as head coach in 2000. The 2009 game was canceled because of a lighting system breakdown at Gilroy High School.
“De Anza’s ranked among the top 20 in the state,” Lango said. “They are big on both offensive and defensive lines and their linebackers are very solid.”
De Anza head coach Dan Atencio earned Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors last fall for a 7-3 mark and a win in the Southern Division Bowl — 48-13 over Redwoods. Atencio coached the Rams in 1998 and 1999 before Lango was given the position.
“We had 70 freshmen show up at the start of fall practice,” Atencio said. “We do have 20 sophomores who played some last year.”
Atencio is “excited about a new conference,” a reference to De Anza being moved to the Golden Gate Conference following last year’s championship.
Atencio, who is 2-0 against Gavilan during his three years with the Dons, has sophomore quarterback Ryan Stillwell set to lead the offense. Jerry Slota, a transfer from the University of Colorado, will compete with Stillwell for playing time.
Shane Miller, a 6-foot-1 wideout from Prospect High, may be a key to the De Anza passing fortune. Shawn Holmes (6-4, 300 pounds) leads the offensive line. Nate Tia, a returning starter, anchors the defensive line with a 6-foot-1, 300-pound frame.
Gavilan has not settled on special teams personnel. Ryan Costa is expected to handle the punting chores, while all-purpose player Jeff Roberts may kick the extra points and field goals.
The Rams begin the home portion of their 10-game schedule Saturday, Sept. 18, at 1 p.m. at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex.
