Exodus Stops, Winning Begins at El Cajon : Once a Target of Jokes, Braves Are Now 3-0 and Getting Some Respect

“We expect the football team to lose.”

--Kim Baker, El Cajon Valley High School head varsity cheerleader, in 1985.

Jimmy Dutra has been hearing it for four years.

Whether he’s walking down the hall to a class, sitting in the cafeteria, or chatting with friends out by the gymnasium, he has heard it. Other students will be making fun of the football team.

Dutra is on the football team. It always hurts when he hears it.

This summer, Dutra had a chance to get away from it. He could have joined the many others who have left El Cajon High, to play football elsewhere.

His mother moved this summer, and Dutra could have gone to Granite Hills High this fall. At that school, about 3 miles down the same street (Madison Avenue) in El Cajon, the students are used to the football team winning.

Dutra could have escaped a program that was 4-25 in his first three years. A program so bad that last season’s 2-8 record, when the team was outscored, 272-89, could be considered an improvement. In 1984, El Cajon (2-8) was outscored, 314-36. In 1985, El Cajon (0-9) was outscored 229-27.

But, he didn’t want to leave.

A surprise? Almost as surprising as what’s happening at El Cajon High this season. The football team isn’t losing. The Braves are off to a 3-0 start.

“I just always thought we could be better,” Dutra said. “I fought to stay because I’ve always had a lot of fun here.”

Fun? Last year, Dutra was a running back, free safety, wide receiver, punt returner and kick returner. He was the big name on a team that extended its losing streak against Grossmont League teams to 39 games.

“I’ve had a goal to help turn this program around,” Dutra said. “I filed for an inter-district transfer and I was allowed to stay here for my senior season.”

Now Dutra, El Cajon’s starting quarterback, couldn’t be happier.

Even some of the students are starting to come around. A sign on campus this week read: “V (varsity) Football. You are doing great. Make it 4! Love, your fans.”

Dutra appreciates the new attitude.

“Some of the students still don’t believe in us, but I think most of those are the ones who aren’t going to games,” he said. “Those who have come out know we have a chance to win now.”

And they have a chance because players such as Dutra are staying around . . . for a change.

It used to be that many students with a chance to go elsewhere would. So many players left that Gene Watkins, El Cajon coach, started losing track.

“I couldn’t even begin to remember all of the names,” he said. “In fact, I don’t remember any now. It’s finally time for us to be able to move ahead with the kids we do have.”

In Watkins’ first year, 1983, only 23 players tried out. They all made the team. El Cajon was 0-10.

Watkins said five or six quality players would leave every year. This year, nobody left. Watkins now has 44 varsity players.

And, they are beginning to believe.

“El Cajon is known for being in last place.”

--Robin Harris, El Cajon Valley High School sophomore, in 1985.

Watkins knew this as well as anyone. He knew, too, that no matter how hard he or the team tried, the situation was unlikely to change for a while.

“We had a few good players but they all had to go both ways,” he said. “You knew, eventually, we’d get tired and run down in the second half.”

Watkins had to redefine winning.

From his first day at El Cajon, he said he “told the kids that they were winners just because, no matter how badly they got beat, they’d get back up the next week and try hard again.”

“Heck, we had to try and make them proud of something.”

Things started to turn around in 1985, when El Cajon’s junior varsity won the Grossmont 2-A League championship.

Thirty-four of 44 players on this year’s roster also played on the 1985 junior varsity team that won a league title.

In 1985, the varsity front line averaged 150 pounds. Now, the front line averages 195.

“I thought we’d have some good players at the skill positions, but I was worried about our line,” Dutra said. “But, those guys are coming through for us.”

And they’re helping to make Dutra--only 5 feet 7 inches and 140 pounds--look good.

When Dutra’s not running, he’s passing to Ron and Don Johnson, twin brothers who are El Cajon’s receivers. Dutra and the Johnsons have been playing together in organized football since they were 8 in Pop Warner.

“That’s surprising in itself,” Watkins said. “We’ve never had kids stay together and stay here for so long. That’s been the problem.”

“In some ways, the football team is an embarrassment.”

--Meri Frontz, El Cajon Valley High School junior, in 1985.

Not anymore.

El Cajon opened the season with a 5-0 victory over Mission Bay and followed that with a 30-15 victory over Ramona. Next came Christian, which made the playoffs last year.

El Cajon won, 27-20.

“It was amazing, really,” Watkins said. “We got ahead, 27-6, and the kids didn’t know how to react. We’d never been ahead of anybody by that much before. We let down a little in the second half but the kids pulled together and we hung on to win.”

After the game, everyone celebrated.

“People were coming up to us after the game saying how great it was,” said Frank Castro, a 6-foot 1-inch 210-pound junior tackle. “Before, they used say, ‘Better luck next time, guys.’ Now, they are getting behind us.”

El Cajon plays Friday at Mount Miguel, the county’s second-ranked team.

“I honestly think we have a chance to win,” Ron Johnson said. “I don’t know if everyone on our team thinks we can do it, but I know a lot of guys believe it.”

And more and more students are believing.

“In some of the classes I teach, I hear kids say we’re going to lose,” Watkins said. “I just smile inside. Because I love coming into class the next week after we’ve surprised them again.”