By Eleanor Love, News and Sports Editor
After having dominated the preseason, McClatchy’s football team is gearing up for a tough away game against Monterey Trails on Friday night. Their current early season record at 4-1 is one of the best in years.
In their previous game on September 24, the Lions humiliated Valley High School. Running back Hector “Bear” Espinoza returned the opening kickoff of the game 90 yards for a touchdown, and McClatchy never looked back. Their defense, led by linebacker Johnathan Godbout, shut out Valley’s offense. The final score? 69-0.
But Monterey Trails is a different beast. When asked about Friday’s game, head football coach Zachary Cuda said, “Monterey Trails is an excellent football team. They are well coached, physical and fast.”
McClatchy’s team has been training hard all week for the duel. The coaches have had to create an entirely new defensive plan in hopes of slowing Monterey Trails’ offense down.
“I’m confident our guys can handle it, but as a coach it’s always challenging when you basically have to teach your kids a new scheme in a week,” Cuda explained.
But the Lions will not be playing before empty stands tomorrow night. It will be the second Legion game of the season, and all students and families are encouraged to show up and support. It will be a rare sight for the players — so far this season, the Sacramento City Unified School District has prohibited anyone beyond immediate family to attend games that take place on district property.
The last Legion football game against Valley took place at Cosumnes River College in Elk Grove, which enabled all fans to show up. That game saw massive turnout and an electric student section — an added element that shifted the atmosphere.
“Having the student section full for Valley was definitely a boost for us. It was so exciting to finally be able to play in front of a full crowd of our McClatchy community,” Cuda said.
Legion leader and Associated Student Body (ASB) member Mikayla Broadway strongly agreed. “I think the student section has impacted the game tremendously.”
McClatchy’s football team is optimistic and ready for their game. Lineman Ezra Cortez feels confident heading into tomorrow. “We all work together pretty well, everyone is doing their job. I think we already have a pretty good offense and defense. We’re ready to enter into the league,” he said.