The John Burroughs High football program has its fifth head coach since current athletic director Keith Knoop stepped down after the 2015-16 season after having been the head coach since the 1997-98 school year and previously was an assistant going back to the 1993-94 year.
One person who has been part of the Burroughs football program for nearly as long as Knoop is new head coach Jose Calzadilla, who has been an assistant since 1999.
A former Burroughs player himself, Calzadilla now takes over a job he has more than a quarter of century getting ready for.
“Our goal at Burroughs has always been to make practice harder than games,” Calzadilla said recently at the Pacific League’s Media Day. “Anybody can do anything right when you’re fresh. It’s all about doing it when you are fatigued. We’re very fortunate. We have 108 kids in our program, 55 at the varsity level. Our goal is to be as competitive as we can be. This league is tough with some amazing athletes.”
Depth is something that Burroughs will definitely need to use as an advantage.
The quarterback position has been a battle between juniors Brandon Chaparro (5-8, 164) and Sean Ghaman (6-3, 199). Chaparro is more of a running threat and Ghaman is more suited for the passing game. Sophomore Deegan Howell (5-10, 151) offers a third option at the position.
Both should receive help from a solid offensive line that will be coached by longtime Burroughs teacher and coach Mike Reily, who returns to the program after taking a few years off to pursue other interests.
Senior Rizon Williamson (5-10, 278) is the top returner. Other seniors on the offensive line are Juan Carlos Barrera (6-0, 208), Josh Orosco- Diaz (5-11, 265), Hector Manjarrez (6-1, 245), Cedrick Velazquez (6-2, 169), Aaron Figueroa (6-1, 214), and Dominic Saraceno (5-11, 238).
The Bears also have a number of underclassmen who will see time on either the offensive or defensive lines with juniors Cooper Beebe (6-2, 227), Jedidiah Cuevas (5-6, 195), Anthony Larios (5-8, 221), Nilon Boteju (5-9, 180), Ashton Reyes (6-0, 263), Kevin Radillo-Paz, Theodore Severse (6-4, 273), Erick Jacobo (5-9, 277), Jadan Ruffin (6-5, 296), Luke Ryan (5-10, 208), Brian Navarrette (5-10, 194), Matthew Westmoreland (5-10, 242) and Christian Garay-Dang-Mendez (5-10, 208).
Sophomore Hunter Sandoval (6-0, 264) is also in the mix.
At running back Burroughs will have seniors Jamar Saint-Fleur (5-9, 156), Tripton Slouthour (5-9, 177), juniors Carson Shrode (5-10, 163), Sho Fujita (5-6, 140) and sophomores Troy Acosta (5-9, 137) and Christian Mendoza (5-5, 127).
In the wide receiver/defensive back positions, the Bears have a number of people who could fill the holes.
Seniors King Milhouse (6-2, 184), Brendan Smith (5-10, 157), Tyler Lorenc (6-0, 170), Jayden Valle (5-5, 140), Anthony Castro (5-8, 141) and Donovan Ybarra (5-10, 166) lead the group.
Juniors Tony Sanchez (5-10, 146), Brendan Smith (5-10, 157), Suede Richer (5-10, 145), Mikhail Fox (5-9, 160), Gavin Tubbs (5-11, 154), Carter Czekaj (5-7, 143), Joaquin Rodriguez (5-9, 147), Julian Tiangco (5-10, 161), and sophomores Jesus Gutierrez (5-11, 145) and Gavin Tubbs (5-11, 154) offer depth.
Junior Ryder Bowne (6-0, 166) was an all-league pick at linebacker last year and will play exclusively on the defensive side of the ball. Fellow junior Jordan Frenkel (5-10, 195) will also play a number of roles for the Bears.
Seniors Hasan Kahlief (5-11, 180) and Angel Del Real (6-0, 183), juniors Jason White (6-2, 185), Josh Kelly (5-8, 170), Manny Trujillo (5-10, 174) and sophomore Nicolas Taylor (5-11, 171) would also see time at tight end and on defense.
Junior Michael Hernandez (5-10, 135) will be the kicker.
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