Hed: Oakmont will try to pick on someone its size

Deck: Vikings also know the CVC is no slouch of a league

Oakmont High School football coach Tim Moore sits behind a desk in the football portable on campus. With helmets atop desks, pictures of famous NFL players and a framed Pat Tillman jersey on the walls, a couch, it has the look - and even the smell - of a football room.

A “late ‘80s” graduate of Oakmont, Moore has been coaching at the school since 2000. This is his second year as head coach of the varsity football team.

He’s discussing the school’s realignment from the Sierra Foothill League to the Capital Valley Conference. For the record, Oakmont made a pitch to stay in the SFL. Never mind that Oakmont went 3-17 in four years in the SFL. Last season, the Vikings beat Roseville for the first time since 1991. They were 5-1 going into the Woodcreek game, and Woodcreek was 1-5.

“They beat us,” Moore said. “We struggled in the SFL. Everybody knows that.”

Even so, Oakmont wanted to stay in the SFL because of the natural rivalries and “second-to-none” facilities. Didn’t happen.

Oakmont sat back and took a harder look at the CVC. With an enrollment of 1,590, the Vikings will compete against schools similar in size. They also saw a tough conference that includes Bella Vista, Casa Roble, Christian Brothers, Del Campo and Rio Linda – a combined 43-17 last season, all five qualifying for the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs and Del Campo winning the Division III championship.

“We look to be very competitive,” Moore said. “At one time or another last year, every team was ranked. It’s no slouch of a league. Not much of a breath of fresh air.”

Oakmont will challenge its new competition with an athletic defense that will be allowed to “run around and do their thing,” according to Moore.

That includes senior cornerback Justin Caliste, who Moore described as an amazing, gifted athlete with strength and awesome instincts. Caliste is all of 5 feet 5 inches, yet he led the team with four interceptions in 2009. Safe to say his 32-inch vertical leap helped.

“Other teams would play the jump-ball game,” and Caliste would intercept passes, Moore said.

Caliste is one of several players in multiple roles for the Vikings. He’s also a slot receiver on offense, Oakmont’s version of Jacquizz Rogers, the Oregon State running back.

“When he has the ball in his hands, it’s going to take a few guys to take him down,” Moore said of Caliste. “He gets between people.”

Senior Michael Garrison was a second-team All-SFL athlete last season. A team captain, he averaged 32.5 yards per punt and 20.6 per kick return. Junior Thomas Parker was a second-team All-SFL linebacker. He does well in school and “has a future” in the game, according to Moore. Outside linebacker Spencer Price has a 4.0 GPA, and Jeff Anderson is a two-way starting lineman. Both are team captains.

Waging a battle for the starting quarterback job were senior Cooper Mathews and junior Ryan Shields. A decision was to be made early this week. What was certain was that Mathews would start somewhere – if not at quarterback, then free safety or receiver.

Bill Poindexter can be reached at billp@goldcountrymedia.com.

OAKMONT VIKINGS

2009 record: 5-5 overall, 1-4 in the Sierra Foothill League (fifth).

Season opener: 7 p.m. Friday vs. Foothill.

Primary weapons: Slot receiver/cornerback Justin Caliste, slot receiver/strong safety Michael Garrison, middle linebacker/fullback Thomas Parker.

Eye opener: Trevor Bellinger was awesome as a freshman. “You heard his name on tackles constantly,” varsity coach Tim Moore said. Bellinger didn’t play the next two years but approached Moore early last season about returning this year. Now 6 feet 5 inches and 230 pounds, the two-way lineman committed to spring weight training and didn’t miss workouts. He’s now a team captain.

Notable: The Vikings will do a game-day lift to get the nervous system going. It won’t be a strenuous, high-weight, high-rep workout. “You want the body activated,” Moore said. “You don’t want them tired. It will be a tempo lift, and we’re out.”

SCHEDULE

All varsity games start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted

Sept. 3: Vs. Foothill. Sept. 10: Vs. Woodcreek. Sept. 17: Vs. Roseville, 7:15 p.m. Sept. 24: At Del Oro. Oct. 1: At Davis, 7:15 p.m. Oct. 8: At Casa Roble, 7 p.m. Oct. 15: Vs. Christian Bros., 7 p.m. Oct. 22: At Del Campo, 7 p.m. Oct. 29: Vs. Bella Vista, 7 p.m. Nov. 5: At Rio Linda, 7 p.m.