With a 2-0 start, this is the best start in years for varsity football!
The football team has opened the season with a 2-0 record against Emerald and Fremont High School. After struggling to gain momentum in recent seasons, this 2026 fall season has brought hope for a great season for the varsity program. The team’s start comes with a 20-0 shutout against Emerald and a 36-7 win against Fremont, with the players highlighting that the team’s chemistry, training, and improved confidence are the reason for their early triumph. With one of the best starts the varsity program has seen in years, the team is hoping to build on that momentum throughout the rest of the season.
One major change is the coaches’ greater emphasis on film, where players study their opposing teams’ strengths and weaknesses. Udayveer Bhangoo (11), an offensive lineman on varsity, stated: “We studied more film, especially individually, because last year that was a problem with people skipping over film.” This increased focus on film makes the team able to modify their schemes accordingly and predict the competing squad’s play call better than previous years.
For this season, the coach has implemented stricter punishments for skipping film and added more team review sessions. Coach Sass, varsity coach for this fall season, points out that with these added changes, players have “done a better job of paying attention and taking preparation seriously.”
The receiver runs the route to perfection, successfully executing the coach’s play to dismantle their opponent’s defense (Photo Credit: Jalen Garcia (11)).
Kainoa Murakami (12), middle linebacker and running back for varsity, spotlights how “I think most people don’t understand just how much work went into this season. We have been practicing since Spring, and we still have several weeks left.” Preparation for the season went beyond just after-school practices, with months of work laying the framework for their 2-0 start.
The team has become closer as a unit, as the team feels more like a family. Bhangoo, who has grown up with many of his teammates, builds on this idea: “My teammates are always encouraging me through struggles or when I was injured.”
The chemistry this year has been more evident and fostered a deeper connection of unity compared to the past. Adrian Montano (12), tight end and defensive end for varsity, explains the difference by saying, “Our team this year is more of a team. I’d say in past years we’ve been a team, but not really a team, if that makes sense. This team just feels more united.” This stronger sense of unity has given the players a shared identity and brought the players closer when walking out on that field.
The team’s confidence is high and strengthened by the team’s record. Murakami said, “We all believe in this team and each other. These wins have just proven what we already knew we could do.” These early victories have bolstered the players’ belief in their skill, enabling them to be able to truly embrace the confidence they had before entering the new season.
This confidence has been supported throughout their journey so far into the season and has carried over during games. Montano recalled that in the “second game after halftime we flipped a switch and it made me realize we have something special this year.” Due to starting a bit shaky in past years, this year brings a new light to bring during games and gives the players a novel perspective on what this season could bring for the school.
Despite the strong start, the team is definitely not perfect and has problems with consistency. Although discipline has improved, Bhangoo points out that “there are still players missing practice and individual players who don’t understand how to be there for their team and sacrifice. This lack of consistency can hamper the team’s preparation and ability to accomplish their responsibilities for the game, so maintaining a sense of consistency will be crucial for the team when playing tougher opponents up ahead.
Another overt weakness is the team’s size, which has been a problem for many years and an underlying problem this year. Jonah Sunny(11), wide receiver for varsity, shows how this problem has impacted them in their games, as he mentions, “the team has a small roster, so it will be hard to compete against opponents with larger numbers of players.” He pointed to the Washington game as a possible game that could see this challenge be shown due to the tenacity of their opponent.
Carrying on this momentum for the rest of the season will require the team to stay disciplined. Coach Sass highlights how vital staying focused really is, stating, “It’s easy to get complacent and think we don’t have to get better, or to get distracted by selfish desires and focus on ourselves over the team. The team can’t get caught up on records or rankings. It has to be what you are doing to be the best you can today.” Being consistent and committed will allow the team to build on that championship mindset while continuing to uphold the standards of our program.
The Eagles’ early success has truly paved the way for the rest of the season, but maintaining that same preparation and off-the-scenes work will be essential to continuing this positive momentum. For Montano, truly knowing whether this season is something different comes from “winning those close games we are known for losing and winning games we know we should win.” This season can truly be something special for the football program, and the next seven games will show if it was just a promising start or a building block for a lasting change in the school’s football program.
Leave a Reply