The Friday night lights were switched off in early November last year.
For the first time in memory, not one South Coast school that plays 11-man football — Santa Barbara, San Marcos, Dos Pueblos, Carpinteria and Bishop Diego — made the postseason.
Why did this happen and what are the coaches of these programs doing to turn things around? Presidiosports.com contacted each coach to find some answers.
Carpinteria High finished the 2009 football season on a high note by winning its last two games. Coach Ben Hallock is hoping that momentum carries over to 2010.
Here are Hallock’s answers to our Q&A on the state of football at Carpinteria and on the South Coast.
The Friday night lights were switched off in early November last year.
For the first time in memory, not one South Coast school that plays 11-man football — Santa Barbara, San Marcos, Dos Pueblos, Carpinteria and Bishop Diego — made the postseason.
Why did this happen and what are the coaches of these programs doing to turn things around? Presidiosports.com contacted each coach to find some answers.
Carpinteria High finished the 2009 football season on a high note by winning its last two games. Coach Ben Hallock is hoping that momentum carries over to 2010.
Here are Hallock’s answers to our Q&A on the state of football at Carpinteria and on the South Coast.
Carpinteria head coach Ben Hallock
PS: Are you conducting summer workouts right now?
HALLOCK: Yes, Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 6:30.
PS: How long will these last?
HALLOCK: Through August 5.
PS: When will fall practice begin?
HALLOCK: August 17.
PS: How many guys do you have out for varsity football?
HALLOCK: Right now our roster is 45.
PS: Tell us about this group?
HALLOCK: We have 7 returning starters on defense and 8 on offense. Most of our skill positions are filled by returning starters. We don’t have any D-1 prospects, but we do have guys who could play Division 3 if they want to continue playing. We don’t have much size in terms of height; we don’t have any true speedsters, but our overall speed is good.
PS: Have you settled on a starting quarterback yet? If so, who is it? If not, who is competing for the job?
HALLOCK: Our starter will be Paul Aguilar. He started for us last year.
PS: Are you taking part in any passing leagues this summer? Where? How are you doing?
HALLOCK: We throw on Tuesday and Thursday vs. other schools in the area. We don’t compete in any tournaments. We do go to the Arroyo Grande passing passing and lineman contest — line guys compete but there is no passing tournament or championship, just schools playing each other.
PS: What does it mean to not have Oaks Christian in the league anymore?
HALLOCK: This really leaves our league and the playoff division wide open — anybody could take it. In the playoffs, it is not just Oaks Christian, it is also Cathedral, Serra and St. Joseph (Santa Maria) that are out. There is a great opportunity.
PS: We didn’t have any teams make the playoffs last year. Why do you think that happened? And, do you feel football is on the rebound here?
HALLOCK: Things go up and down. Right now Santa Barbara schools are losing enrollment and yet have not changed their level of competition — it goes around, it comes around. We are also looking at a lot of changes in school leadership, athletic leadership, coaching, populations, budgets are tough, competition for athletes within a school, choosing to play only one sport. I think we will adapt and things will turn around.
Carpinteria had some unreal teams back in the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s. There was a streak where they beat St.Bonny nine out ten times from 86-95. St.Bonny wasn’t of course what they are now, but these Carp teams would w/o question hold they in with the current St.Bonny teams.
Carp also holds a NATIONAL RECORD for consective wins (51) over a league opponent Moorpark from 1946-1997 which more than likely will never be broken. Now that is might impressive!
Carpinteria would have probably been in a few small state bowl games in the late 80’s had there been state bowl games then. They have a national record for consective wins (51) over a league opponent Moorpark from 1946-1997. And finally they are one few very public school teams to have ever beaten Oaks Christian (2002) the same year Carp won a cif title. The other public school schools are Oak Park (2007) and Serra (2010) in this years cif final.