It appears Serra High, for the second consecutive season, will use a little-known converted running back at quarterback when the season begins.
By Game 5 against visiting St. Ignatius it’s very likely Hunter Bishop, a transfer from league rival St. Francis, will be the Padre signal-caller. He started for the Lancer junior varsity last season and appears from highlight video to be tall with a strong arm. Bishop must sit out the first part of the season because he has transferred without changing residences.
So much like senior Matthew Fa’aita moved from running back to QB last season — and became the fifth-most prolific single-season Padre passer in history — one Leki Nunn will make the move this season. The only difference is Nunn is a sophomore who toted the rock on Serra’s freshman team last season.
“He’s intent on playing quarterback,” Serra coach Patrick Walsh said. “He hasn’t played quarterback before — he’s been a running back and defensive back, but he’s a good athlete.”
Like Fa’aita last season, Nunn figures to be sorely tested early, with Serra’s first game at perennial power De La Salle. The Padres also play at powerful Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks in Game 2 and open WCAL play at Valley Christian, which may just be the league favorite this season. Their third non-league game is against visiting South San Francisco.
Serra’s other option at QB until Bishop presumably takes over is senior Tevita Tuitavake, who was listed as a QB/defensive back last season. But it sounds like Walsh is leaning toward Nunn.
The word is the Padres also have a talented freshman QB arriving this fall, but the fact he’s probably barely shaving, Serra opens at DLS and ninth-graders rarely play varsity in the WCAL seem to rule him out.
It all promises to be a challenge for second-year offensive coordinator Steven Lo, who by the way is getting married today.
Asked if Lo is required to diagram plays on his honeymoon, Walsh said “Of course, in the sand.”
MANAGING QUITE WELL: Two recent Bishop O'Dowd grads are now managers for the men's basketball teams at their colleges. They are Dominic Drury (St. Mary's College) and Lucas Cortez (Cal).
You may recall Cortez as the young man with the heart defect who was inserted in an O'Dowd hoops game last year and made a 3-point shot. He became a youtube sensation and media darling in the process. Drury worked for Prep2Prep last year year and was the first to write about Cortez's accomplishment.
"I am very excited to be a team manager," Drury said. "I am very fortunate that my work at O'Dowd was noticed and now I will be working for a nationally known Division I college basketball team.
"The players treat me like I am one of their own. They treat me with the respect that they would any of their coaches or teammates. I am with a great team."
Drury, thanks to his work for Prep2Prep, has also caught on with the St. Mary's communications department and is writing stories for it. That helps to reduce his tuition payments, in addition to the $20,000 scholarship he got and $10,000 in financial aid.
Regarding his buddy Cortez, Drury said: "He is just one of two team managers for the entire team. I could not be more proud of him and everything that he has accomplished. Lucas loves what he is doing, and is working seven days a week for the basketball team at Cal. Working with him for the past four years was amazing and I hope that we will some day meet in the NCCA tournament before we both graduate."
Drury hopes current O'Dowd seniors and Dragon hoop stars Ivan Rabb and Paris Austin will eventually join the BOD party at Cal. They've both been offered scholarships and could be playing for coach Cuonzo Martin by the 2015-2016 season.
LARA REMEMBERED; VOREYER'S BIG MOMENT: I wasn't able to make the funeral and baseball game associated with Tom Lara held Friday in San Bruno. Lara is known as the father of San Bruno baseball and was a longtime Joe DiMaggio League coach.
However I spoke to a few people who did attend and it sounds like it all went well.
I'm told my former St. Robert's School teammate, Dan Voreyer, did a eulogy at Lara's memorial service and told a great story. In 1967 at San Bruno Park, Voreyer was 10 years old and playing a Pee Wee League baseball game at San Bruno Park's Diamond 2. Over on Diamond 1 (now known as Tom Lara Field) the very first Joe DiMaggio League game was being played and Joe DiMaggio himself was there to throw the ceremonial first pitch.
Well, DiMaggio stuck around to sign some autographs and watch some of the action and, wouldn't you know it, Voreyer just happened to make a spectacular catch in the Pee Wee game that caught the Yankee Clipper's eye.
Turns out DiMag said he'd like to meet the 10-year-old and the next thing Voreyer knew Lara corralled him and marched him over to meet Mr. Coffee and shake his hand. Wow. DiMag must have seen something in little Dan Voreyer. No wonder Voreyer later became the San Bruno Fire Chief.
MORE LARA: After the funeral, at the Lara family's request, the San Bruno DiMaggio team played a squad of DiMaggio players from the area. It was a fitting tribute to the man who gave so many kids a chance to play.
Wrote area umpire Chris DeAmbrosio on his Facebook page: "I've had the privilege of umpiring with some of the highest quality officials in the country. From venues like Sunken Diamond and Benedetti Field to sandlots across the SF Peninsula. Today, umpiring for free at dusty ol' San Bruno Park ranks up there at the top as part of a tribute game honoring the late coach Tom Lara."
IT'S (GONNA BE) A BOY: My spies say Valley Christian performance guru Adam Tafralis and wife Jessica's much-anticipated second child will be a boy. They already have young Claire in tow. Next will be a bouncing one in blue to carry on the Tafralis name. Good deal for the former Mills High, San Jose State and Canadian Football League standout and his better half.
