Antelopes in Good Hands on Gridiron
By Donjai Richardson
The Antelope Valley High School football team is in good hands with new head coach Eric MacIntyre as the Antelopes prepare for the 2011 campaign.
MacIntyre enters his 22ndyear as a high school football coach this season, his first at AV. With a handful of new assistant coaches, MacIntyre seeks to turn the struggling football program around and bring back the winning tradition. MacIntyre helped turn around the Reseda High School football program, and was an assistant at Notre Dame for nine years. He helped them win the CIF Division III championship in 2002.
The 'Lopes finished last season 2-8 overall, winning only one of its Golden League games, and over the last five seasons they have a combined record of 8-42 overall and 6-29 in league. Their last winning season was in 2005 as they finished 8-4 overall captured the Golden League championship.
MacIntyre was the perfect fit for AV, having an unprecedented amount of knowledge about the Golden League and even the Antelope Valley.
“I've had family up in this area for the last 25 years,” MacIntyre said. “As an assistant in the late 90s and early 2000s I had quite a few playoff games against Golden League teams. As a young player in the 80s, I definitely knew about the Golden League teams.”
Leading the varsity returners this year for the 'Lopes are offensive linemen Hector Romos and Justin Johnson, defensive lineman Austin Baker, running back/linebacker Joseph Madrid, and wide receiver/defensive back Ulyses Lewis. Newcomers to the varsity lineup are Marcell Jones who plays a running back and defensive back, and Andre Madrid who plays an offensive and defensive lineman.
“We got a new edition a kid by named Daniel Newman who could really do some things, a linebacker Sean Adams, and in the secondary possibly a kid by the name of Jaylen Williams,” MacIntyre said. “We're going to be a little bit different offensively, we're going to run somewhat of a pro-style offense. Defensively we're going to be a little bit different as well.”
Seniors Daniel Jagers and Christopher McIntosh are competing for the starting quarterback position. Jagers was a backup quarterback last year, while McIntosh played on special teams.
“You know I believe in team, I believe we're a family and we have to control what we can control,” MacIntyre said of his philosophy. “Everything is about attitude and effort. We come in with a great attitude, even during a bad time or a bad play. Effort is something we can control. If we give 100 percent effort all the time, good or bad, things are going to go our way.”
The 'Lopes kick off the season on Friday (Sep. 9) at 7 p.m. as they host Rosamond and with an eye on their Golden League opener on Sep. 30 at Lancaster High.
"We've got a good group of young men," MacIntyre said. "We'd like to have a .500 season, we'd like to contend for our league and we'd like to represent our league in the playoffs. We just look at it as we've got to take one game at a time."
ANTELOPE VALLEY HIGH FOOTBALL
2010 RECORD: 2-8 Overall, 1-6 Golden League
TOP RETURNERS: Daniel Jagers, Christopher McIntosh, Hector Romos, Justin Johnson, Austin Baker, Joseph Madrid and Ulyses Lewis.
NEWCOMERS: Marcell Jones, Andre Madrid, Daniel Newman, Sean Adams, Jaylen Williams.
2011 SEASON OPENER: Fri. Sep. 9, 7 PM vs. Rosamond
2011 LEAGUE OPENER: Fri. Sep. 30, 7 PM at Lancaster
2011 SCHEDULE
09/09 7 PM vs. Rosamond
09/16 7 PM at Barstow
09/23 7 PM at Desert
09/30 7 PM at Lancaster
10/07 7 PM vs. Knight
10/14 7 PM at Littlerock
10/21 7 PM at Eastside
10/28 7 PM vs. Palmdale
11/04 7 PM vs. Highland
11/10 7 PM at Quartz Hill
Coaches and players for the Antelope Valley High football team prepare for the 2011 season during practice last week.
