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CV making football progress
Hawk players gain confidence at Manteca summer contact camp
reuben.tiff
Senior-to-be Reuben Rodriguez will direct Central Valley High Schools offense this fall. Rodriguez has taken the majority of snaps at quarterback for the Hawks during the summertime. - photo by DALE BUTLER/The Courier

Contact was regulated during Manteca High School's July 13-15 summer football camp.

"It was full-speed football with a lot of fast whistles," Central Valley High School head coach Scott Edwards said. "You couldn't tackle to the ground."

Manteca hosted Central Valley, Ripon and Lathrop.

Each session lasted three hours.

Separate 90-minute team practices, 30-minute 7-on-7 passing contests and 60-minute 11-on-11 scrimmages were staged each day.

A lineman challenge was also held.

"It was good competition," said Edwards, whose program had 40 individual participants at the three-day camp. "We got to execute our scheme at a high tempo. Overall, it was a big three days for our program. We got a lot out of it. We left there feeling good about things."

First-year varsity quarterback Reuben Rodriguez directed Central Valley's offense.

"It was a positive camp for him," Edwards said. "He seems to be getting more comfortable reading defenses. He did a good job of managing the offense."

Noah Postley, Zeph Avila, Justin Ramsdell, Erik Mejia, Cipriano Salazar and David Lezama all logged playing time on the Hawks' new-look offensive line.

"They had really good days on Tuesday and Wednesday," Edwards said. "They gelled pretty nicely."

Central Valley brings back just one starting offensive lineman from a year ago in Postley.

"He has experience and confidence," Edwards said. "He plays with a high level of intensity."

Tight end Franky Ramirez blocked and caught passes, as did wideout Johnny Pittman.

"Franky's got some of the best hands on the team," Edwards said. "He's a big, strong kid. He's a team player. Johnny's a receiver that loves to block."

Defensive end Oso Fregoso, promoted to varsity as a sophomore last season, fared well during lineman competition in Manteca.

"He was our best pass rusher at the camp," Edwards said. "He has a great motor. He never stops competing."
No organized practices will be staged over the next three weeks as the Sac-Joaquin Section-imposed Dead Period runs July 20-August 9.

Weight training and conditioning sessions are the only activities allowed during that time span.

Coaches can be present to supervise but are not allowed to have any contact with their athletes. "We had a good summer," Edwards said. "We've come a long way. We'll take a little time off and get back after it. We're sitting 40 strong. Our nucleus is set. I hope we add more guys."