The San Ysidro Cougars’ 1-9 record last season is a bit misleading in that the Cougars dropped three games by a touchdown or less. San Ysidro came up on the short end of a 43-36 score against Hilltop and lost, 13-10, to Southwest, also in a Metro-South Bay League game. The Cougars fell, 21-14, in an earlier non-league game against Castle Park.
New head coach Tyler Arciaga, who took over reins of the program in April, is working with a fairly good-sized offensive line with some depth at the wide receiver position this season.
Senior receiver Chandler Tarrant finished with 63 receptions for 975 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Senior receiver/running back Danny Cruz caught 26 passes for 415 yards with five touchdowns.
Senior tight end Sammy Quinones had 33 receptions for 359 yards and two additional scores.
The Cougars also have some returning experience at the linebacker position with Cruz, senior Fidel Gonzalez and senior Pablo Jimenez, who ranked third on the team last season with 67 tackles.
Quinones also plays the defensive end position while senior offensive lineman Alexis Aguirre rounds out the team’s top returners.
Impact newcomers include senior running back Emarri Kelley, senior quarterback Chris Garcia, junior wide receiver Ronald Steward and senior offensive linemen Alex Zavala and Rajae Robertson.
San Ysidro will be playing with a new defensive scheme under the direction of Carl Parrick, recently un-retired after a lengthy tenure at both Southwest and Bonita Vista high schools.
“We have six home games this year and a team with lots of senior leadership,” Arciaga said. “Our goal is to continue to build the program on all levels. There is a lot of work to be done but everyone in the Cougar football family is motivated to help continue to move the program in the right direction.”
San Ysidro Cougars 2011 Schedule
September
2: Patrick Henry at San Ysidro
9: Castle Park at San Ysidro
16: San Ysidro at El Cajon Valley
23: San Ysidro at Foothills Christian
30: Santana at San Ysidro
October
7: Bye
14: Mater Dei Catholic at San Ysidro
21: San Ysidro at Sweetwater
28: Mar Vista at San Ysidro
November
4: San Ysidro at Southwest
10: Hilltop at San Ysidro
