St. Francis football up early, building toward 2017
With its return to the friendly confines of Friedman Field, the St. Francis High football team commenced summer football practices amid an emerging heat wave.
But for the Golden Knights, their daily practices have long since concluded by the time the summer heat rolls in.
“It doesn’t have that much of an effect on us, because we get it all done in the morning,” said senior receiver/safety Greg Dulcich of the Golden Knights beating the heat. “It’s not too bad. It makes sure we are doing the right thing, not staying up too late.”
As is accustomed for St. Francis, its practices run from 6 a.m. until 9, with most sessions starting on the field for the first half and ending in the weight room for the latter half.
Just as early AM practices are the norm at St. Francis, so too is the onus on building chemistry and fine tuning players’ knowledge of schemes and playbooks as the build to the 2017 kickoff Sept. 1 at home against Mira Costa is in full force.
“From year to year, that’s the No. 1 concern; what’s the makeup of the team, what’s the attitude, what’s the chemistry going to be?” Golden Knights coach Jim Bonds said. “Just in the time we’ve had from spring ball to these first few days of summer, there’s been some big steps.
“There’s still some ways to go, but I definitely can see us getting to where we need to be by the end of the summer.”
St. Francis began spring ball on May 8 and concluded it May 26 with the commencement of the summer session on June 19 and the end coming July 19 before fall practices get going on Aug. 9.
Dulcich is one of many returners with starting experience from a 2016 squad that went 9-2, 4-1 in the Angelus League for second place and fell on the road in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs against Palos Verdes, 38-37.
With many back from last season, the way things ended last season is still a driving force as things are getting going this season.
“For me, personally, it is [a motivating factor,] because we know that was a winnable game,” said senior Matt Barriga, a returning starter on the offensive and defensive lines. “For the newer guys, they know it can’t happen again.”
In the hopes of building toward more success, as aforementioned, chemistry and the building of it is at the forefront.
“Probably the chemistry part, playing for each other [is the most important aspect of summer practices],” said senior running back/linebacker Elijah Washington. “We need to play for each other and not as individuals.”
Building will very much begin from the inside out for St. Francis as it boasts four returning starters on the offensive line – Barriga, Luke Hunter, Nic Konrad and Kevin Macho – and three returners on the defensive line – Barriga, Gabriel Grbavac and Zach Kejmar.
“I think the offensive and defensive lines will be strong for us,” Bonds said. “I think that’s a great place to start building your team.”
There are other returners, such as Blake Howard at receiver, safety and possibly kicking the ball, but the Golden Knights will have to replace last season’s All-Area Football Player of the Daniel Scott and All-Area quarterback Michael Bonds, Jim’s nephew.
At quarterback, a quartet of competitors has been whittled down, with Crespi transfer Darius Perrantes, a junior, having won the job.
“Now that we’ve moved on to summer and we’ve narrowed it down, things are starting to fall into place,” Bonds said. “It will be instrumental at other positions. We have some really good tools to work with not only on the offensive side, but on the defensive side.”
While chemistry is key and clearly a focal point, on the line it would appear to be firmly in place.
“It’s definitely a bonus, we all know each other,” Barriga said of the trenches. “We can communicate well, so that’s definitely one of our strong points.”
So, as the summer burns on, it’s business as usual for the Golden Knights.
The practices are over early aside from passing leagues or 11-on-11 play. Building chemistry, leadership and knowledge of the playbook is the onus now until the pads are put on. And the buzz has started, bright and early.
Said Washington: “I love that; waking up early, coming out here and playing football.”
Twitter: @TCNGrantGordon
