‘Everybody is really chipping in.’ Le Grand football looks for ways to replace 22 seniors

One of the toughest challenges for any high school football team is replacing key senior leaders from the previous year.

It can be even more daunting for small-school teams that generally lack large rosters.

The Le Grand High football team finds itself in that situation this season after graduating 22 seniors from last year’s 9-3 squad, including two of the Bulldogs’ top play-makers in receiver Reyes Diaz and running back Alexis Granados who combined for 33 touchdowns. The Bulldogs also lost two, four-year starters on the offensive line in Nayen Lua and Hector Fregozo.

“We’ve lost some talent,” said Le Grand High coach Aaron Martinez, who has compiled a 40-25 record and led the Bulldogs to a section championship in his six seasons.

“We lost leadership, so you can see everybody is really chipping in, everybody’s trying to fill a role and we’ve got guys trying to taken on that responsibility,” Martinez added.”

Enter junior Diego Martinez, who returns as the starting quarterback after throwing for 2,279 yards and 31 touchdowns last year.

Martinez, a coach’s son who has been around the program since he was little, now has the chance to lead as the Bulldogs hope to be contending for a title in the Southern League.

“It’s a big loss, we loss three of our top players who were big leaders too,” Diego Martinez said. “We have guys who are stepping up. I’m trying to be more of a leader, not just showing but being a better communicator with the guys. I need to be able to pick guys up when their down and keep them up.”

Like some of the Le Grand quarterbacks before him, Diego Martinez contacted receivers during the summer and they have held workouts on their own, running routes and catching passes.

“David and I this whole summer worked on our chemistry with the younger guys, just getting them up to speed,” said senior receiver Miguel Moreno. “We tried to get the whole receiving core so we had about five guys out there with us.”

Moreno, who hauled in 26 catches for 636 yards and seven touchdowns, will be one of the top weapons in the Bulldogs’ passing attack. Senior receiver Esteban Lua has impressed the coaching staff.

Senior Johnathan Benavidez will get a shot at running back and senior Cash Sapien will be counted on to anchor the offensive line as the lone returning starter up front.

“I like that we have a lot of young players,” Moreno said. “We have a lot of hard workers on the team, a lot of people who have a lot of skills.”

Aaron Martinez says there has been a renewed focus on defense this season after he felt the Bulldogs struggled on that side of the ball last year.

Le Grand returns seven starters on defense, including Lua and Moreno at defensive back. Eduardo Zaragoza will help lead the defensive line and Erick Benavidez returns at linebacker.

“Defense has been a focus for us,” said Martinez, the head coach. “As a coaching staff, we kind of looked at each other, and it obviously starts with me, but we didn’t feel like we were up to par. Even though we had a successful season it felt like defensively, we just weren’t really sound. We didn’t stop the run too well.”

The young Bulldogs will be tested early with a non-conference schedule that includes Livingston and two former Southern League powers Ripon Christian and Orestimba, who both moved to the Trans-Valley League.

The Bulldogs feel those early-season matchups will let them know where they stand right away.

“Hopefully those games will help us make a run deep in the playoffs because we’re going to see teams like that,” the coach said.

Bulldogs 2024 Schedule

Aug. 23 at Livingston

Aug. 30 vs Ripon Christian

Sept. 6 at Orestimba

Sept. 20 at Delhi

Sept. 27 vs Waterford

Oct. 4 vs Denair

Oct. 11 vs Stone Ridge Christian

Oct. 18 at Gustine

Oct. 25 vs Yosemite

Nov. 1 vs Mariposa