July 3, 2006

Sports

Branham football hopeful with new head coach

Area standout quarterback Kyle Padia returns as coach

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Branham discovered the key to its football future standing in the boys’ locker room.

The Bruins recently announced that second-year physical education teacher Kyle Padia has been appointed to perform a facelift on the rising pigskin program, following the departure of Coach Dave Cardoza, who guided the Bruins on a quick ascent up the Blossom Valley ranks and into the Mount Hamilton Division from the school’s reopening in 1999.

Coach Kyle Padia will lead the Branham Bruins this season.

At 26 years old, Padia is young, but football is in his blood and everybody involved has high expectations of what a new coaching staff can accomplish.

He inherits a program that experienced early success; however, Branham has missed the playoffs each year since arriving in the Mt. Hamilton Division.

“I think we have a really good chance of doing well next year,” said Padia, whose Bruins fought hard (5-5, 3-4) last season, missing the playoffs by single touchdowns in two games over the course of the season. “This is a good team, and I have high expectations of what the kids can accomplish here.”

Teaching credentials
Padia, a former Leigh High, West Valley and Northern Illinois standout quarterback, was a familiar name around Branham’s campus.

His father Ken, who famously guided Leigh High powerhouses throughout the late 1990s, also once roamed the sidelines at Branham. He was the last coach employed before the school closed its doors the first time around.

“Growing up with my father being a football coach has definitely helped with my football career,” said Padia. “I never played Pop Warner. Dad believed it was a game for smaller kids. But I was always around the sport, as far as the mental side goes. I knew football really well.”

Padia said that quarterback was his natural position, both in athleticism and mentally. At 6 feet, 4 inches and over 200 pounds, he was celebrated as a prototype, drop-back passer.

He twice led Leigh to the playoffs, including an appearance in the 1997 CCS Championship game, where the Longhorns narrowly lost to Wilcox. Padia left Leigh that same year and enrolled at West Valley, ultimately earning a scholarship to play at Northern Illinois University.

“I had a good arm, but I was no Michael Vick running around,” said Padia. “I could sit in the pocket and throw. It got me my education.”

Padia said that it was helpful learning football lingo around the dinner table as a kid, but that his coaching approach is different than his father’s.

“I think my coaching style really developed as a player, not just from my dad,” said Padia. “Working under three coaches in three different systems and learning the different drills in high school, junior college and college from three different coaches defines my method. Each kid needs to be coached in a different way.”

Padia’s major orientation to coaching came, however, in an untimely fashion. While preparing for his second season at Northern Illinois, a defensive end eluded his blocker and drove the quarterback’s throwing shoulder into the dirt. Padia came up with a torn rotator cuff, which effectively ended his playing career.

“After I got hurt, I worked for two years there as a graduate assistant to earn my scholarship,” he said. “I learned a lot and did a lot of grinding work.”

Padia said that he often scanned film for six hours daily.

“A lot of those skills are going to really pay off in the position at Branham,” he said.

Enlisting systems
Padia vows to open up the offense and bring back a Branham passing attack in his first major move as head coach.

Under Cardoza, Branham’s throwing game was a ghostly component in the offensive mix more and more as the coach veered toward the historic wing-t formation.

“The wing-t is a great offensive scheme,” said Padia. “You don’t need big, huge lineman. You can make a good offense with good, but not great, players. Not everyone gets big, awesome, fast athletes. The wing-t brings out speed in linemen.”

Yet, Padia said Branham doesn’t lack for beef up front, and with 6-foot, 3-inch senior Jason Catalano firing the ball from deep in the pocket, the new coach envisions greater talent than the run-heavy wing-t could utilize.

Seniors Brendan Collins and Brandon Lopez will anchor the offensive line. Collins will start on both sides of the ball, doubling duties as center and middle linebacker. Padia commented that Lopez, meanwhile, is a very good lineman with fundamentals.

“He knows the X’s and O’s,” said Padia.

“With the team we have, the best thing that we are suited for is a pro-style, I-back formation,” added Padia. “The kids are picking it up fast. We went through spring ball without any learning problems. We are now at the proficiency stage, working on being perfect.”

Returning running backs Craig Hertler and Scott DeStefano are the perfect compliment to the passing game, or vice-versa. Hertler and DeStefano combined for 1,531 yards last season and will report faster and stronger as seniors.

“We’re not going to air it out every play, but we have a quarterback who can throw the ball, said Padia, who cited the backfield as the team’s major strength. “The running backs are going to open that up for us. The running game is going to give us a good opportunity to get into a one-on-one match-up for our receivers, and that’s always a good thing.”

Padia said quarterback Catalano is new to the position—he played linebacker last season—but has the tools to make a quick transition.

“We have got to get the grunt out of him, but he throws the ball very well, and he is athletic,” Padia said. “He has been in my room at school during lunchtime, talking through different options. At this point, he knows the playbook as well as any coach.”

Senior Ben Carlton will be Catalano’s most common target, according to Padia.

“Ben is stepping into a position that wasn’t really expected to be there with the wing-t,” said Padia. “With this new offense, the receiver position has kind of rejuvenated itself. It’s kind of a new life for these receivers.”

Duce Ferrante of Branham, Eric Zetterquist of Willow Glen in
32nd Annual Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game

Class of 2006 Branham High School graduate Duce Ferrante and class of 2006 Willow Glen High School graduate Eric Zetterquist have been selected to represent their high schools in the 32nd Annual Silicon Valley Classic, Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game on Wednesday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m. at San Jose City College. They will join the South team as they try to add an 18th overall win against the North Squad, which currently holds 12 wins total. The teams are composed of the best graduating high school football players in the Silicon Valley.

Duce Ferrante

Eric Zetterquist

Duce Ferrante, a 6-foot, 2-inch 170-pound quarterback, was named First Team All League (QB) in the Blossom Valley Athletic League. He received Team Best Back Award too. Ferrante will attend San Jose State University in the fall.

“Ferrante is an outstanding playmaker, a dual threat capable of beating defenses with his arm as well as his legs,” said South head coach Jason Tenner. “He’s a good-sized quarterback, which has worked to his benefit, and has a strong arm which has proven to be an advantage for Branham through out their season.”

Eric Zetterquist, a 5-foot, 11-inch 225-pound linebacker, was named First Team All League (LB) in the Blossom Valley Athletic League. The Willow Glen Rams recognized him as Most Valuable Player. He will attend De Anza College in the fall.

“Eric was the best player on a good Willow Glen defense. He is an athletic linebacker with the ability to play sideline to sideline,” said South head coach Jason Tenner. “This guy goes after the ball with intensity.”

Charlie Wedemeyer is a former college football player and the 1960s “Prep Player of the Decade” in Hawaii. He attended Punahou Academy and Michigan State University on athletic scholarships.

In 1977, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and was give three years to live. He is still alive today and is the founder of the Charlie Wedemeyer Family Outreach. The program’s mission is to fight ALS. He will be at the game to encourage players and show his support for this grand tradition.

Past stars include former Arizona Cardinal Pat Tillman; former San Francisco 49er Jeff Garcia, Brent Jones, and Carl Monroe; former Dallas Cowboy Doug Cosbie; and current 49er Jeff Ulbrich.

Tickets for the 32nd Annual Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game are $15 and can be purchased at the San Jose Box Office. All proceeds from the game will benefit the Charlie Wedemeyer Family Outreach and other local charities. For more information about this event, visit www.youthclassic.org.