This season, the Warrior’s football team is looking forward to improving their record from a season a go, a respectable 9-1 regular season record, that was good enough to win the National Division Central Conference championship and earn an invitation to the playoffs, where the Warriors eventually lost in the second round to the College of the Canyons, 36-27.
The Warriors are looking to be even better this year, with key additions to the team and the majority of the players from last season coming back, the continuity and team cohesion should be muchbetter than last season.
“We’ve always been a good offensive team. We’ve averaged thirty-two points the last twenty-five years that’s pretty much unheard of these days. I’m really impressed with the strides the defense has taken this spring practice,” coach John Featherstone said.
The coaches feel this could be one of the bigger and faster defensive teams they have ever had. Out of the eleven starters from last season, eight are returning to compete for the starting positions, which is no guarantee for any player on the team.
On the offensive side of the ball, there are seven returning starters from last season. Fifteen out of the twenty-two starting players are returning plus another half-dozen players that played a significant role for the team as freshmen. There are some standout players on the team that Featherstone will rely on this upcoming season for leadership. On the offense, Kenny Ashley, the starting tailback from two seasons ago, had to sit out all of last season due to injury, is expected to be instrumental to the team. Tony Sekona, the starting fullback, is expected to come back even better and stronger this season to help an offense that is already potent. At the receiver position, the Warriors have a nucleus that is considered to be one of the top in the conference, if not the nation on the community college level with Kenbrel Thompkins, Ken Mcroyal and Sione Tuli.
“Kenbrel has already been offered scholarships from top-notch schools in the South Eastern Conference, such as Louisiana State, Florida, Alabama and Florida State. He’s a tremendous player, a potential NFL player down the line,” Featherstone said.
The biggest question the Warriors have is at the quarterback position. There are three players competing for the position. One is Matt Sims from Louisville University, the son of Super Bowl champion and Hall of fame quarterback Phil Simms, who played for the New York Giants. The other two quarterbacks, Bo Napoleon, who is coming back from playing Major League Baseball and is now returning for his second season and Tyler Tuiasosopo, who transfered from UCLA as a third string quarterback, are both pushing Simms in practice for the starting position.
“We have three really good quarterbacks in camp right now and we have no idea who’s going to win the job,” Featherstone said.
The coaches are really confident in the players they have returning this season. They are really high on Daniel Stewart, who was the league Defensive Player of the Year last season. The Warriors have quite a few transfer athletes from rival schools that look to join the team and contribute to the Warriors program.
One concern for the Warriors is replacing place kicker Brian Blumberg who was moved on to the University of Hawaii.
“That’s one of our biggest concerns. In a conference like we play in, field position is everything and football is a game of inches,” Featherstone said.
