It's called rebuilding for a reason. And new Wilcox girls basketball coach Justin Fujihara has had to roll up his sleeves, hunker down and get to work.
Wilcox went 23-6 overall last season and won the SCVAL-De Anza with an 11-1 record. The Chargers made it to the CCS Open Division tournament where they lost to No. 1 seed Sacred Heart Cathedral 53-47. They also fell in the NorCal quarterfinals, 37-35 to Pleasant Grove.
But a 20-plus win season likely is not in the cards this season for Fujihara, who has taken over for Kevin White, now the Oak Grove boys coach. Wilcox has lost double-figure scorer and rebounder Joeseta Fatuesi to graduation; she's now playing at Utah. Wilcox's second-best player from last season, D'Airrien Jackson, has chosen not to play for what Fujihara described as "person reasons."
"We're doing OK," Fujihara said. "We're rebuilding, with some new players coming in, including some transfers."
The Chargers are 2-4, having split a pair of games with Terra Nova, suffering losses to Saratoga, Piedmont Hills and Skyline and defeating Westmont, which is adjusting to life after its own graduated star, Savannah Scott.
If anybody can get Wilcox pointed in the right direction it figures to be Fujihara. He assisted the well-respected Wade Nakamura at Presentation for eight years, as well as at Homestead and Presentation. Fujihara, a former Lynbrook player, has in fact been coaching since he was 14.
"We're trying to establish a new culture and identity," Fujihara said. "I knew that it would not be a walk in the park. It's going to be a challenge and right now we're working on skills' development and work ethic."
The Chargers have some pieces to the puzzle. Morgan Ratliff is an athletic senior guard who is better known for her softball prowess (.467 batting average, 3-1 in the circle).
Junior Kelly Nishimura is also a guard who is a diligent worker and is like an "extension of the coaching staff on the floor," Fujihara said. Sophomore 5-10 forward Kayla Schermeister is a "raw talent" who is coming along, her coach said.
Wilcox meets Notre Dame-Belmont at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Presentation Shootout.
FOOTBALL COACHES COMING, GOING: It's December, which means holiday decorations, egg nog and football openings.
Brian Boyd has been let got at Gilroy and isn't happy about it. Also, Dave Brown has resigned at Mitty and has been replaced by Keith Burns, James Barnes and Berkeley High have parted ways and Jeff Cox has resigned at Harbor for that most familiar of reasons -- to spend more quality time at home.
“After five years he’s decided his family needs more time with him — it’s a common thing with coaches," Harbor principal Dick Davis said. "It’s often said, but it’s true."
Harbor is a tough place to coach. Cox went 2-8 in 2014 and did not have more than three wins in his five seasons there. The school has not had a winning football record since 2000.
At Gilroy, Boyd planned to coach at least six years (he lasted five) and was surprised to be let go. He has a son, Christian, who will be on the junior varsity team at Gilroy and an older son, Brandon, who rushed for more than 2,300 yards as a senior in 2013 and now plays at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.
“I was asked to resign because I didn’t win enough football games,” Boyd said. “I’m not too happy. I asked that if I won two or three more games and beat (intra-city rival) Christopher would we be having this meeting, and was told no.”
Brown was the coach at Mitty for 25 years and then stepped down in 2006 and served as the school's strength and conditioning coach. He returned last season to replace Matt Haniger who resigned after leading the Monarchs to a co-WCAL title in 2013 and the CCS Open Division title game. The Monarchs went 8-5 in 2014 and fell to St. Francis 17-7 in the CCS Division II title game.
Said Mitty senior kicker/punter Kris Bubic: “I thought coach Brown was a coach who brought a lot of experience and knowledge both on and off the field. He has been around Mitty and our football program ever since it started and truly knows what it means to be a Monarch on the field and represent a Monarch off the field.
"I feel coach Burns brings great experience as well and an unmatched enthusiasm for football. He does a great job connecting with each of the players, and he strives to make us better each day."
BOWL GAMES: The state football bowl games are this weekend at the StubHub Center in Carson. Harold Abend and I will be there for Prep2Prep.
Friday Catholic-Modest and St. Margaret's meet at 4 p.m. and Folsom vs. Oceanside square off at 8. On Saturday three East Bay teams play -- Campolindo vs. El Capitan at noon, Clayton Valley Charter vs. Redlands East Valley at 4 and De La Salle vs. Centennial-Corona at 8.
Bring your wallet if you're making the trip. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students with a valid ASB card, seniors who are 65-pus and children. Parking is $10.
Briefly: Former Milpitas star running back Squally Canada is transferring to BYU ... Former San Ramon Valley quarterback Zach Klein has signed with Indiana State ... Monterey High football coach Tom Newton has resigned after going 49-20 over the past six years, the Monterey County Herald reports.
John Murphy is the Web Content Manager for Prep2Prep. Contact him at jmurphy@Prep2Prep.com and follow him on Twitter @PrepCat
