Rancho Football Sees Promising Season

Last year, a dream season for the Rancho Cotate football team included a win against Cardinal Newman, an undefeated North Bay League season and championship and a magic carpet ride to the North Coast Section Division 2 title game at the Oakland Coliseum.

Now it's 2011, a new Cougars team, a new season and the not so absurd notion that repeating the dream isn't all that far-fetched.    

"We were very good last year and maybe a little closer as a team," says two-way lineman Nick Reynolds. "So far we've made a lot of mental mistakes, but we have the potential."    

Inconsistency, albeit with some eye-popping played interspersed -- such as a 77-yard touchdown run by senior Vaimaa Taito -- has been the mark of the Cougars on way to a 2-2 start and opening league play against Piner, who they crushed Friday night, 54-0.    

"We're searching for an identity," says Ed Conroy, who has been at Rancho's varsity head coach for 23 years.

The Cougars' fourth game, a one-sided victory over Petaluma, followed a blowout loss to a very good Oakdale team. Rancho opened the season with a one-point loss to Del Campo (in which the Cougars were called for 18 penalties totaling 150 yards) and followed it with a very impressive win versus Pinole Valley, a team that made the playoffs last year.    

"I know there's a lot of expectations for this team," says quarterback Ricky Garcia, "but we can live up to them. I believe in our team; it's just a matter of everything clicking."    

Garcia knows he has big shoes to fill, following last year's quarterback, Poueu Peleti-Gore, but feels he has a good grasp of the Cougar's long-time Veer offense and doesn't mind trying to handle a leadership role along with players like Reynolds and Taito.    

Garcia has passed for 300 yard and two TDs in four game and rushed for 125 yards. Taito, one of the top two-way players in the Redwood Empire, has rushed for a team-high 282 yards in four games and leads the team in tackles from his middle linebacker spot.

Fullback Anthony Navarro, also a wrestler who has reached state, ran for five TDs against Pinole Valley and has rushed for 280 yards. And one of the Cougars' best kept secrets, so far, has been wide receiver Yousef Khoury (9 receptions, 266 yards and 3 TDs).    

Taito, a senior, 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, set single season school record for tackles (177) last season, an incredible feat considering all the talented defensive players that have come through Rancho Cotate over the years in the 40-plus years of the school's existence.    

Taito, called a "rugged player," by Conroy, also has a fan in Reynolds, a 6-3, 250-pound offensive and defensive tackle.

"Vaimaa has that football IQ and he just knows what he's doing," Conroy says.

Taito again has led the Cougars' defense, averaging close to 12 tackles a game, and along with junior Shae Smith, sharing the sack lead with two apiece.    

Reynolds, a junior, figures to be one of the top linemen in league. He's a rarity these days, playing three varsity sports (football, basketball and baseball).

"He's the most competitive lineman I've ever had," says Conroy. We had an award last year for the most pancake blocks (flattening an opponent) and Nick won as a sophomore. He may get beat once, but he won't get beat again. He's a dominating lineman."    

Reynolds noticed a difference in the offensive line's play against Petaluma.

"We changed some things. We've been looking at the defense (and what they show as they line up) and telling our backs. I thought the line stepped up and we started pushing guys back a little further."    

Taito backed up Brian Dworkin last year at tailback, the latter setting all sorts of rushing records at the Ranch. Although he's already had two long runs for TDs, Taito said he prefers playing defense and hitting people.

"I just try and run away from people (at tailback), I hit the hole and bounce off arm tackles. I still think we have a lot of talent and sometime it's going to click."    

Other strengths on the Rancho defense include lineman A.J. Davison (6-5, 275), senior lineman Forrest Nichols (5-11, 210), Smith (5-9, 215), senior lineman Chris Lemus (6-0, 245), juniro lineman Tyler Rosentreter (6-3, 280), the senior Navarro at weak-side linebacker, junior Fono Misi (5-10, 205) at strong-side linebacker and junior Ty Brantley (6-6, 170) at linebacker. Top defensive backs include junior Carlos Soto (6-1, 190), junior Michael Courchaine (5-11, 165), sophomore Cale Tuttle (6-3, 185) and senior Khoury (5-10, 170).    

Many of the Cougars play on both sides of the ball (Garcia can also play defensive back) such as Nichols, who anchors the offensive line from his center position.

"Forrest works harder than anybody else," said Conroy of Nichols' focus on practice.   

Other offensive line standouts include Lemos at guard, senior Jason Finale (6-1, 190) at tackle, senior Hasan Shimi (5-11, 190) and sophomore Steven De Souza (5-10, 210). Also expected to get playing time in the backfield is senior Anthony Garber (5-5, 140) and junior Jalon Luque (5-9, 155).    

Conroy believes he has talent at the skill positions and while Garcia has been up and down so far, the coach notes that "Ricky is throwing the ball as well as anybody we've had since Kordel Webb. He was the backup last year and he understands the option (offense)."    

Of Khoury, Conroy says, "He's fast and has great hands. He makes great cuts. I would take him one-on-one against anyone in our league."    

Conroy is hoping that underclassmen connected with last year's team remember what it took to achieve so much.

"We hope it carries over especially for last year's jayvee players. Our goal is to win league and compete in the section (playoffs). We have to step up and play better," he says.

For most players the specialness of playing in a championship game against Concord last year at the Coliseum was the ultimate sporting thrill of a lifetime.    

The Cougars nearly won the game, Concord scoring a TD with just 16 seconds left. Following the kickoff, Rancho had time for a play and Peleti-Gore kept the ball and reached the Concord 25-yard-line before being tackled.    

Conroy's best memories of the game were of so many players stepping up at key times, such as third-string QB Courchaine, who came on when Peleti-Gore and Garcia were injured and engineered an 8-minute drive that led to a field goal.    

Taito won't forget last year's final game, but he also treasures the win against Newman, the Cougar's first against the Santa Rosa parochial school in almost a decade.    

"It was like a family last year," Taito says. "If you didn't make the play, somebody picked you up. I think now we're looking for that closeness."    

Players and coaches say last year's support from families, friends and the Rohnert Park community were unmatched. The city hosted a dinner for the players and coaches before the championship game. Everyone in the community was talking Rancho football and the players appreciated it.    

The only drawback, if there is one, is high expectations this season. This Cougars team is willing to take on the challenge.