Football preview: Woodside Wildcats

Key returners: Christian Ochoa (Sr., G/DT); Luis Robles (Sr., slot/CB); Isaiah Henderson (Sr., RB/CB); Scott Morimoto (Sr., WR/CB); Justin Morris (Sr., G)

Key newcomers: Brody Crowley (Jr., QB); Josh Peterson (Jr., RB/DB); David Silk (So., WR/CB); Will Holthaus (Jr., T/DE); Antonio Ochoa (Jr., MLB/HB); Peter Jeong (Jr. DB/LB)

2018 opener: Friday at South City, 7:30 p.m.

Outlook: No team in the PAL last year was more affected by low roster numbers than Woodside.

The Wildcats were already scuffling through a winless season nine games in when head coach Justin Andrews opted to forfeit the season’s final game. Citing low numbers, it helped confirm a buzz surrounding the Peninsula high school gridiron that has been gaining momentum in recent years — area football is on the decline.

Woodside’s numbers this season are cause for optimism. Heading into Friday’s season opener at South City — the team they forfeited to a season ago — the Wildcats have 37 players on roster, and may add one or two players in the weeks to come.

Despite last year’s winless rut — and, summarily, a demotion from the Ocean to the Lake Division — Woodside produced the top defender in the league in defensive tackle Christian Ochoa.

As a junior, Ochoa earned Lineman of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Year honors. And the 6-1, 310-pound senior is showing no signs of slowing down.

“He is just on a whole other level right now,” Andrews said. “He’s completely unblock-able. He’s the strongest kid on our team right now. And you see his foot speed, he can beat a lot of linebackers in a footrace.”

Ochoa plays both sides of the ball, doubling as a guard. Unlike last year, though, this is not out of necessity.

“Last year we had exactly five linemen,” Andrews said. “This year we have some guys that can specialize on one side of the ball.”

One-way linemen like senior guard Justin Morris should help protect a fresh crop of quarterbacks to replace last year’s starter Joseph King, who opted not to return for this his senior season to concentrate on baseball.

Senior QB Trevor Cook served as the backup last year, and entering into camp was the leading candidate to take over the starting job. Then first-year varsity junior Brody Crowley arrived and threw a monkey in the wrench.

A two-year starter on junior-varsity, the 6-3, 205-pound Crowley certainly looks the part of a varsity helmsman. Come last Friday’s scrimmage against Hillsdale, Crowley separated himself in the QB competition, according to Andrews. The junior is now tabbed to start Friday’s season opener.

“This summer he took the time to really learn the position,” Andrews said. “And it really, really shows with his development.”

Senior tailback Isaiah Henderson returns to front the rushing game, though he is questionable for Friday night due to a minor injury. First-year junior running back Josh Peterson will be equipped for the extra mileage, though, as he projects to see most of his playing time on offense as to keep his legs fresh.

Passing targets include senior slot Luis Robles, a “dynamic player, very shifty,” said Andrews; senior receiver Scott Morimoto, a “precise route runner, smart kid, soft hands;” and sophomore David Silk, who possesses “tremendous upside. He hasn’t ever scratched the surface yet.”