While the calendar still only reads July, the Fremont Firebirds varsity football squad isn’t shy about its goals for the upcoming season. The squad features a number of returners from last season, including third-year varsity quarterback Henry Buenrostro.
Now in his senior year, the two-time 1st-team all-league player is not only the starting quarterback, but he will also rotate to running back and play corner on defense. Fellow seniors in offensive guards Dylan Rogers and Davis Scholten, wide receiver and corner Jadon Smith, linebacker Jonathan Regalado II, and wide receiver and safety Isaac Garcia are just a handful of key senior returners that have Head Coach Rob Swartz unafraid to acknowledge his high expectations.
“Our goal is to be league champs for sure,” admitted the head honcho. “It’s a tough league, but we have guys who have run the offense and defense coming back. Henry Buenrostro is our team leader, had 13 touchdowns last year. He knows how to run our offense. We might have multiple quarterbacks play this year; Ike Weidman and Phoenix Martinez are two other guys who are going to see some time. But with Buenrostro, he’s a team leader, the heart and soul of the team. That’s Henry.”
Buenrostro and junior tailback Elijah Smith figure to be two of the biggest threats out of the backfield for the Firebirds. And they appear as if they will do so behind a strong veteran offensive line. Particularly at the guard spots, where Rogers checks in at 6’4”, 283 lbs., and Scholten at 5’11”, 245 lbs.
“We have some size with Dylan Rogers, but a lot of schools we play against, we will be the smaller team,” noted Swartz on his line. “But that was the case last year as well; we are running an option offense, generally speaking, and as long as you execute your assignments blocking-wise, the size of the line isn’t that important.”
Rogers may be the only Firebirds lineman towering over opponents, but he’s confident that he and his trench mates will be ready to pave big holes for the ball carriers this season.
“We’re practicing hard every day, getting in the weight room seven days a week,” chimed Rogers on how summer preparations have been going thus far. “We’re getting some team bonding and getting ready for the season. The team is looking good. I’m excited for us to play.”
One of the potential breakout stars running behind Rogers and company is the aforementioned junior Elijah Smith. Coach Swartz went as far as suggesting Smith could be the player of the year for their league if Smith can stay healthy.
“I love watching Saquon Barkley,” responded Smith when asked if he molds his running style after any NFL running backs. “He’s a good receiving back and a good runner. I’m a Saints fan, so I grew up watching Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas. I see what they do and try to model my game after them.
“Some of the greats like Barry Sanders, I love watching his highlights,” continued Smith. “I watch drills that Christian McCaffrey and Saquon do and I’ll do those same drills because if they are doing those drills and they are at that level, obviously they are doing something right.”
Fremont will look to do a lot of things right and kick off the season with a road win when it opens against Santa Teresa on Aug. 30.
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