Lauren Spencer
The Pierce football season has begun with a rough start, losing the first three games against Moorpark, Fullerton and Allan Hancock and losing the starting quarterback, Justin Collins, to a broken femur injury.
“We lost 13 starters the first game due to eligibility issues like transcripts not coming in on time,” said Pierce head coach Efrain Martinez, “but we hope to have a few back.”
The football team just two years ago ended the season with 1-9 record and improved ending last year’s season with a 5-5 record.
This season hopes to bring progress and change for the better. There is a saying that once you have reached the bottom, the only direction is to go up, and that is exactly what the Brahmas plan to do.
“We need to work on a little bit of everything,” said Martinez about the work that needs to be done on the team, “…once we put everything together we will be fine.”
Their toughest opponents this season is the game against West L.A. Oct. 11 and the game Nov. 8 against Antelope Valley.
The team has the normal number of 50 new players added to the roster with about 25 to 30 players returning.
The players to look out for and pay close attention to offensively, is wide receiver Kenny Davis and offensive lineman Nick Madia. On the defense side is line backer Michael Wismann and free safety Craig Alexander.
“The team has good cohesiveness,” said free safety Alexander, 22.
Just two seasons ago the football team didn’t seem to have a light at the other end of the tunnel. During that season they had to deal with death, criminal charges, and victims of gun violence from their teammates all while trying to stay focused on the game. To add to their problems the well being of out of state recruited players were not peaches and cream either.
“The team is completely better. The team is together even when we’re losing,” said wide receiver David Matos, 23.
It seems that some “evil spirit” has haunted the Brahma football team for some years, but the team this season is confident and determined to escape the negativity from past seasons. They plan to reach their goal of winning the western state conference and making it to the Bowl Game New Year’s Eve.
“It’s like the Rose Bowl for the Pac 10,” said Coach Martinez.
The venue of where Bowl Game will be played is still not determined.