The downside of success is elevated expectations and San Marino High School football Coach Mike Hobbie might have created a monster.
Last year’s unprecedented heights – a 15-1 record, Rio Hondo League and CIF championships and an appearance in the State title game – has a way of getting the locals chumming for more.
Reality paints a much different picture as the Titans watched 17 seniors walk the graduation aisle last month including men with more all-CIF selections than any previous class in school history.
Few can do more with less than Hobbie, however, and you need look no further than his experience at Fresno’s Roosevelt High School – the job which brought him to California – for proof. Hobbie took a program that hadn’t won a game in three seasons or a playoff game in three decades to immediate respectability. San Marino’s meteoric rise to the top of the local football world is no less than astounding. But a repeat of 2015? That is asking too much even of someone whose name is often prefaced with “turnaround artist.”
“The positives are we have a very good offensive line and the boys are working very hard,” said Hobbie, who is entering his 6th season as the Titans’ head coach. “I feel very good about our running game.”
That offensive line includes David Wang, Andre Tsai, Lienard Huang, Joey Duranso and Samil Siddiqi, with Taylor Hoffman and Thomas Ary expected to get reps at tight end. Matthew Ary – projected to be a starting linebacker – will see spot duty as a short-yardage blocking back. Rising senior Michael Chan returns at tailback after rushing for 1,152 yards and 22 touchdowns a year ago.
Hobbie welcomes a talented group of sophomores at the skilled positions with good speed and excellent hands, including Jacob Leftwich, Sean Richardson and Beau Hobbie – the coach’s grandson.
One of the heroes of last year’s logic-defying State semifinal victory over Sierra Canyon, junior Blake Cabot will get the nod at quarterback.
Hobbie praised sophomore signal caller Kade Wentz, who has thrown well this summer, “a fast learner.”
San Marino’s defense was decimated by graduation and the 2016 starters is anybody’s best guess. Juniors Ryan Sabin and E.J. Sung will bolster the defensive backfield with sophomores taking the other two slots. Seniors Brandt Lukas, Jules Buenabenta and Matthew Ary will make for a solid linebacking corps and Thomas Ary, Taylor Hoffman and Aloisio Figueira lay the groundwork for a strong defensive line.
“We will have more players going both ways than any of my previous seasons,” Hobbie said.
The Titans wrapped up their summer workouts last night with a 7-on-7 scrimmage at Arcadia and return to the field on August 1.
“We are learning a lot right now,” said Hobbie. “It has been a teaching summer. Last year we had so many returning players it was more like ‘here’s what we are going to do.’ This is a much different approach. A year ago we already knew exactly what we had. Not so any more.”
What Hobbie does know is that the Titans will face the toughest pre-season opponents in years, maybe decades. Los Altos, Dominguez, Schurr, Viewpoint and Bell Gardens are all established football powers.
“This is by far the toughest schedule we have had since I have been here,” said Hobbie. “Every team we play in the preseason is huge and athletic and has at least one very big running back. We have a nice challenge before us.”
