Early workouts productive for Bishop Diego football team

Bishop Diego returns four All-CIF First Team players, including versatile QB Anthony Carter, pictured, from last year's team that went 12-1.

Bishop Diego returns four All-CIF First Team players, including versatile QB Anthony Carter, pictured, from last year’s team that went 12-1.

Spring and early summer football workouts have gone well at Bishop Diego.

The Cardinals return several starters from last year?s team that went 12-1, won the Tri-Valley League title and reached CIF semifinals. And, they have added a talented group of newcomers to the varsity.

2013 SEASON SCHEDULE

?Spring and summer workouts were productive with good attendance and effort,? Bishop head coach Tom Crawford said. ?I was very pleased with the development of our new varsity players who got lots of repetition, which will add to our depth as we go into the season. We may have 35 or 36 players on varsity, which is also a plus over the long physical year.?

The Cardinals have been in training since June. They?ll start their three-week dead period on July 14 and resume workouts on Aug. 5. Their season opener is Aug. 30 against Santa Maria at SBCC.

Experience is at the top of the list of strengths at Bishop. There are returning starters on both sides of the ball.

?We have many returning starters on both offense and defense and their playoff experience should help us in terms of dealing with our challenging schedule,? Crawford said. ?I think we also have a diverse group of play makers on both offense and defense which we hope will make it hard for teams to defend us or score.?

Bishop has the luxury of having three experienced quarterbacks: Gabe Molina, Anthony Carter and Nunzio Billotti.

?They have all received lots of repetition during passing league workouts and we are comfortable they can all run the offense,? said Crawford.

An added boost to the 2013 Cardinals is the healthy return of starters who suffered injuries during last year?s record-setting season. Center Jack Braniff (who missed the playoffs) and linebacker Christian Pearson (injured for the CIF semifinal game) have looked strong in workouts.

?Guys banged up at the end of last year have recovered, so hopefully we?ll be healthy at the starting gate,? said Crawford.