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Pasadena High Football Coach has work cut out for him
Arcadia Weekly Aug 31, 2013
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By SHEL SEGAL
With the Pasadena High football team finishing with a 1-9 record a year ago, first-year coach Doug Bledsoe knows he has his work cut out.
“We’re coming in, trying to turn the program around,” Bledsoe said. “We feel that Pasadena has a great tradition, history of football. We, obviously, want to be ringing the bell at the end of the season.”
Much of the building program is mental, Bledsoe said.
“The main thing is we have to set a foundation about the culture of the program,” he said. “We’re going to do things the way that I was brought up with some good football coaches. We’re going to instill discipline and character in this team. And also belief. The kids got to believe in themselves. We believe we have some of the best talent in the area, especially with some of the top Pop Warner programs in the area. We feel if we start winning, we can be a national power.”
Expected to anchor the team at quarterback is sophomore Tyrek Adams, who is 6-foot-3, 190 pounds.
“The future is bright with him,” Bledsoe said of Adams. “He’s a kid who has a great arm. He had a great passing league this summer. And great legs. He can run. He’s an all-around football player. And he’s tough. He’s got a lot of spirit. He’s stepping up as a leader and each day he’s getting better and better.”
Playing running back for the Bulldogs should be juniors Elijah Trejo and Joseph Thomas.
“We think we have the best one-two punch coming back in the league,” Bledsoe said.
Leading the way at wide receiver is expected to be the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Jonathan Fluker, who transferred to Pasadena from Blair High. And doing the job at tight end should be senior Alejandro Figueroa, who stands at 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds.
“We expect him to do some really good things for us as far as blocking and catching,” Bledsoe said of Figueroa.
Leading the way on the offensive line should be juniors Gabriel Mondragon and Michael Jean-Giles, while doing the job on the defensive line is expected to be Camillo Casas, who is 5-foot-11, 265 pounds.
“He’ll be our anchor at the nose tackle position,” Bledsoe said of Casas. “He’s a good size. We expect him to do a lot of big things for us as far as leading the way there.”
In fact, Bledsoe said he is expecting the entire defensive squad to be stepping it up.
“Defense is going to be our strength,” he said. “Everything starts first and foremost with defense. We think we have the best linebacker core in the area.”
Playing linebacker for Pasadena should be Ryan Mitchell, his cousin Charles Myles, speedster Walter Martinez and Corey Caine. And leading the way in the defensive secondary should be freshman Canaan Chandler.
“We expect him to be a four-year starter at the cornerback position,” Bledsoe said of Chandler. “He has fantastic speed.”
While Burbank and Muir are expected to lead the Pacific League this year, Bledsoe said don’t count out the Bulldogs.
“We’ll surprise everybody,” he said. “Our talent is as good as anybody in the league. The main thing is to get our kids believing it. Once we get our first win we’re not going to lose ever again. The talent is that good.”
(Shel Segal can be reached at ssegal@beaconmedianews.com. Follow him via Twitter @sports_beacon.)
