Football preview: Bartley gives DP potency on offense

Dos Pueblos still has the big weapons to make a run at a second straight Channel League football title.

Senior running back Josh Bartley is the most explosive part of the arsenal. He’s coming off an all-county season in which he rushed for 1,280 yards and scored 14 touchdowns.

Understanding that opposing defenses will be keying on him, coach Jeff Uyesaka is going to keep them guessing by moving Bartley around.

“We’ll move him around quite a bit,” Uyesaka said. “We’ll let him have fun, give him the ball and let him do his thing. Not much coaching in that.”

Defensive end/tight end Isaac Gomez has played with Bartley since their freshman year at DP and he’s still amazed at what his teammate can do on the football field.

Josh Bartley, one of the top running backs in the country, is coming off a 1,000-yard season for Dos Pueblos. (Photos by Vince Agapito)

“It’s a special thing to watch,” Gomez said. “He’s a great runner.”

He’s also a stronger runner.

“He’s gained about 10 pounds from last year,” Uyesaka said. “He’s a strong kid. “He’s at full speed in two steps. The one faster guy I’ve seen is Tyler Ebell from Ventura — he was full speed after one step, and he had a great career.”

Bartley isn’t the only threat in the backfield. The Chargers have a fast and punishing running back in Anthony Spiritosanto — his older brother, Michael, was the quarterback on last year’s championship team.

Anthony is part of a large, talented junior class.

“We had a talented group of sophomores that are juniors this year. The have a lot of speed and a lot of skill.”

Jason Schwartz is another key junior who will be a force on the offensive line, opening holes for Bartley and Spiritosanto, and providing protection for the quarterback.

Armando Arzate is the leading candidate to be the starting quarterback.

Senior Armando Arzate is the quarterback running the first unit. Jake Roberts, Brandon Burkhardt, Sean Bell and Johnny Yuhasz are also in the mix.

Uyesaka rotates all the quarterbacks in practice — “We like to keep them guessing,” he said.

Arzate, who is the great grandson of the late local legendary footbal coach Sut Puailoa, has “the arm strength and touch to throw down field,” said Uyesaka.

The athletic Roberts leads the receving corps.

Other key players on the offensive line include center Harrison Smith and tackle Tyler Vranish.

“We definitely lost a lot of size (from last year), but we have a couple of returners,” said Gomez of the line. “If we work hard, we should do things.”

Junior linebackers Nico Bornand and Spiritosanto, along with Gomez at defensive end, will lead the Charger defense.

On the 6-4, 220-pound Gomez, Uyesaka said, “He’s a beast. He’ll be a force for us.”

Other key defensive players include lineman Will Savage and defensive backs Marshall Moua, Anthony Sassola and Bartley.

After winning its first league title since 1979, expectations are obviously high to repeat.

“They’re 100 percent capable,” Uyesaka said. “The tone and tempo in practice is just like it was last year.”

The Chargers open the season Sept. 2 at Righetti.