Row 1: Reed Ricker, Chance Gray, Nick Luderman, Damien Belmares, Gabe Santos, Ryan Okuley, Louis Ybarra, Abel Corser, A.J. Alvarez

Row 2: Garrett Blakeley, Noah Schuller, Zander Woods-Yee, Gavin Santos, Baily Hohenberger, Dylan Szabo, Marcus Young, Devin Hohenberger

Row 3: Austin Bradley, Angel Almanza, Tommy Kovar, Micajah Jackson, Jacob Clark, Austin Salinas, Brok Theisen, Jack Clady

Row 4: Weston Mendez, Colton Wagner, head coach Jesse Santos, Tony Plott

 

ABOUT THE TEAM

Coach: Jesse Santos, first year

Last season: 2-8, 1-6 Green Meadows Conference

Returning letter winners: 6

Returning starters: Offense 6, defense 6

Schemes: Spread/​4-3

Top players: Seniors Jacob Clark, 6-2, 215, OT-​DE; Angel Almanza, 6-2, 215, OT-​DT; Chance Gray, 5-5, 150, RB-​DT-​DB. Juniors Gabe Santos, 6-0, 190, QB-​S; Brock Thiesen, 5-10, 175, RB-S; Ryan Okuley, 5-9, 160, WR-​S; AJ. Alvarez, 5-10, 160, WR-​CB. Sophomore Garrett Blakely, 5-9, 170, RB-​WR-​LB.

Outlook: Santos takes over a major rebuilding project at his alma mater. He is the third coach in three years while the Tigers have not won more than two games in a seaason since 2006.

What’s more, they return only six letter winners and will be forced to get creative. Gray, for instance, will line up at times at running back, cornerback, and nose guard.

But if the Tigers are short on bodies, they are not on enthusiasm.

"We’re looking to establish a new identity," said Santos, a 1985 Holgate graduate and a former Tigers assistant. "These guys have never had the leadership these seniors have given. They’ve got a whole new attitude.

"They’re really, really dedicated. I think we're going to turn a corner here. We’ve been down for the last couple of decades. But I’ve got a feeling that [the players] believe in what I'm doing, and we've made tremendous gains."

 

HOLGATE SCHEDULE

Aug. 30-at North Baltimore

Sep. 6-at Danbury

Sep. 13-Hilltop

Sep. 20-Antwerp

Sep. 27-at Wayne Trace

Oct. 4-Ayersville

Oct. 11-Fairview

Oct. 18-at Edgerton

Oct. 25-Hicksville

Nov. 1-at Tinora

First Published August 28, 2013, 4:00 a.m.