Noble and Raiders Get Ready for Season...

Rebuilding Raiders shooting for playoffs

By Aram Tolegian, SGVN

twitter.com/ChemicalAT

Posted: 08/15/2012 12:38:54 PM PDT

In what amounts to a major rebuilding season for Rowland High School, the Raiders can be thankful for two things - the return of quarterback George Campos and the fact that every other Hacienda League team also is in a rebuilding mode.

The Raiders, coming off a winless league campaign last season, are under the gun a bit more than any other team in league to turn things around quickly.

"Our goal is to make the playoffs," Rowland coach Craig Snyder said. "If we can make the playoffs, then we'll feel like we've had a great year. That's our first goal. To win the league would be a long-term goal."

Rowland returns just three starters on offense and three on defense. The good news is uarterback won't be a sweat because Campos is back. The senior was effective most of the time last season but did have consistency issues. With an entire offseason working with assistant coach Felipe Aguilar, who was a standout quarterback at Los Altos in his playing days, Campos can be expected to improve.Click HERE for entire story!

Nobles looking to make more progress

By Fred J. Robledo, SGVN
Twitter.com/SGVTribPreps

Posted: 08/15/2012 12:13:22 PM PDT

In his first season, Nogales High School coach Sebastian Hernandez successfully revived the Nobles football program to a point where it finished 5-5 overall and 3-3 in the Valle Vista League in 2011.

Hernandez took over a team that was 1-9 the previous year, but he knows just because the Nobles took a big step forward doesn't automatically mean they can do it again.

The Nobles graduated standout running back Keith Bolden Jr., and quarterback Nephi Tofiga and will be with inexperienced players at the skill positions when the season opens Aug. 24 against Rowland.

"It's going to be a challenge to improve off the record from last year, but the guys coming back are just soldiers," Hernandez said. "They're doing whatever we tell them to. They're guys that understand they have to work for what they get."

Hernandez is in the same situation as neighboring schools such as Wilson and Walnut which don't boast the best football talent but try to get the most out of their players.Click HERE for entire story!

Published August 24, 2012 Print