Lauren Spencer
The Pierce football team began with a rough start, losing the first two games against Moorpark and Fullerton 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 suffered a struggling season from last year ending 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.The team has the normal number of 50 new players added to the roster this season with about 25 to 30 returning players.The players to look out for and pay close attention to offensively are wide receiver Kenny Davis and offensive lineman Nick Madia. On the defense side is linebacker Michael Wismann and free safety Craig Alexander.”The team has good cohesiveness,” said 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 beings 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 conference and making it to the Bowl Game New Year’s Eve.