Football: Under Garza, Round Lake loves the challenge

It's tough love. And for Round Lake football, any kind of love is good considering the program hasn't had much of it from anyone outside of the community in a long while.

Cristo Garza is more than the Panthers' head coach. He's a Round Lake alumnus and, as he begins his second season, he expects his players to represent not only their team well but their community, as well.

"Coach is more strict with us," senior running back/cornerback Alan Espinosa said. "Last year he was trying to build our team. He's more committed to winning. Last year he was a little more lenient on us. Now, anything that we mess up, he gets mad. He's pushing us to be better."

Garza wants his players to be better. More importantly, he wants them to be better people.

By all accounts, both are happening.

"There's a lot more conditioning," senior free safety/wide receiver Alexander Valladares said. "Last year we didn't have a lot of double practices. I think we're bonding better this year, getting to be better teammates to each other."

Whether it translates to more success on the field remains to be seen, but there is a different vibe in Year 2 under Garza. A season ago, the Panthers won only one game and scored just 50 points.

"The best thing we got going for ourselves is experience," Garza said. "All of these guys played last year."

In Espinosa (5-11, 175), the Panthers have a returning all-conference player who last year played wide receiver.

"We're looking to move him around a little bit," Garza said. "We're trying to utilize our best player. Whatever it takes to get him the ball is what we're going to do. It's going to be no surprise when a team plays us."

Another player to watch and who's bought into Garza is senior quarterback Tabieas Young, who will operate the team's spread option again. At 6-2 and 165 pounds, Young can give defenses trouble with both his arm and legs.

"Whatever it takes to score," said Young, smiling.

"We'll try to put him in spots where he can really stretch the defense," Garza said. "He's matured as a player to run option a lot better."

Defensively, the Panthers will count on Valladares (5-11, 205) and linebacker Brendon Matallanes (6-0, 195), both of whom also play slot receiver. Both are three-year varsity players.

"We're looking for a lot from them on defense," Garza said. "They need to step up and lead that unit."

Roberto Ayala, who never played football until last year, is a returning starter at left offensive tackle.

"You can see the confidence that he's grown just from that experience," Garza said.

Jonathon Sanchez is another veteran and will help anchor the linebacking crew along with senior Brett Herdman. Outside linebacker/tight end Michael Sedano has impressed coaches with his improvement and attitude.

Herdman (honorable mention all-conference last year) also returns at center, but there are offensive-line spots that need to be filled.

The Panthers know, despite their optimism, winning won't be easy.

"We just need to not get down on ourselves," Matallanes said. "We need to pick each other up, just take it play by play, game by game. We need to be 1-0 every week."

"When adversity comes around, we got to know how to overcome that," Young said. "We got to know how to stick together."

The coach believes in his players. It's all part of the process for a program that counts just 15 wins since making the state playoffs in 2001.

"The best thing that I love about all of those kids is that they're seniors that bought into my message from Day 1," Garza said. "They joined another sport, they came in the off-season, they came in the summer. They understand that the weight room is first priority if you want to get better, and they also understand self-accountability."