Summit football team left scrambling as new season approaches

It’s hard enough going into a new season when you have to replace a player as dominant as Stephen Carr. But Summit coach Nick Matheny is really behind the eight-ball this season because he has had a handful of players, all significant starters, jump ship for other schools.

“We’re basically having to re-invent everything we do,” Matheny said. “The hardest part was that these kids left pretty late in the game so we’re really having to scramble.”

Numbers are down too, something that has been the case at other schools as well. Matheny has just 55 or so between the varsity and junior varsity teams. But the veteran coach is trying to look at the “silver lining.” Other kids who may not have had the opportunity to contribute are getting that chance now and embracing it.

“I can’t say enough about the guys we have here,” he said. “They have worked hard and not complained. I couldn’t be prouder. We have had to do some things a little different because of the situation so there might be some rough waters ahead but we’ll work through them.”

Troy Temmink of Summt High School is the SoCal Prep Legends boys athlete of the week. (courtesy photo).

The defending Sunkist League champion SkyHawks (10-2 in 2016) should not be written off quite yet thought, Among the players they do have back is senior quarterback Troy Temmink, who threw for 2,019 yards and 19 touchdowns with only four interceptions last season.

Also returning is one of his favorite targets in senior wide receiver Kavan Johnson who had 21 receptions for 406 yards and five touchdowns.

Matheny also singled out senior tight end-middle linebacker P.J. Ortiz and senior outside linebacker Antonio Coleman.

Summit will be young with just a handful of seniors so Matheny is looking at the experience his underclassmen will get as a huge benefit in the long run.

“We play a tough preseason so that should get us ready for league play,” he said. “We think we can still make a run at the league title. We just have to see how far we come over these first five games.”

The SkyHawks preseason includes reigning Palomares League champ Ayala and San Andreas power San Gorgonio as well as Etiwanda which is a rival and always in the thick of the Baseline League race.

SUMMIT SCHEDULE

Aug. 25 – Vs. Etiwanda (At Miller)
Aug. 31 – Hesperia (At Miller)
Sept. 8 – At San Gorgonio
Sept. 15 – At Ayala
Sept. 22 – At Sultana
Oct. 6 – Kaiser
Oct. 12 – Fontana (At Miller)
Oct. 20 – At Grand Terrace
Oct. 27 – Bloomington (At Miller)
Nov. 3 – At Colton

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Fontana football showed class vs. Summit

It was a tough game for Fontana players. Many of them had been fired up for Friday’s game ever since former coach Nick Matheny left his alma mater to coach at Sunkist League and city rival Summit.

Fontana was 1-7 entering the game but played Kaiser and Grand Terrace close (both eight-point losses, and the Grand Terrace game went to overtime). They were highly motivated. Perhaps to show their former coach they were OK without him. Perhaps to show he should’ve stuck around.

In a season they had already been eliminated from playoff contention, this would’ve made their season. It had all the buildup and Summit provided an early knockout punch.

But as far as I could tell, Fontana was all class. Several players came up to Matheny afterward to congratulate him. He hugged a few Fontana players and staff members. In the video above, he appreciated their class. I did not see an abundance of penalties. I had Fontana wwith four penalties, totaling 46 yards. (I had Summit with 9 for 65). There was at least one set of offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, but other than that it was class. That’s a testament to the Fontana kids, and probably coach David Crump.

Summit, actually was the one that got a trash-talking 15-yard penalty before the opening kickoff, but not Fontana. That’s not a criticism of Summit, but rather praise for Fontana for not retaliating.

The above video has Summit coach Nick Matheny talking about how tough it was to play Fontana and the Steelers’ class.

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Matheny new Aquinas football coach

Aquinas wasted very little time filling its head football coaching position, hiring Nick Matheny Tuesday to replace Josh Henderson, who left to take the job at Los Angeles Baptist last Friday.

Matheny, a 2002 graduate of Fontana High School, has been an assistant coach at Aquinas since 2004, mostly coaching the offensive and defensive lines while serving as defensive coordinator. He has also been a full-time physical education teacher at the school.

“Nick is a good young coach and I think he’s the perfect guy to keep this going,” said Aquinas athletic director Chris Ybarra, who is also a Fohi graduate. “We have a pretty good thing going here and Nick keeps the stability.”

He also continues the Fohi legacy at Aquinas, as Ybarra and Henderson, a 1993 graduate, were also Steelers. Matheny hopes to continue a lot of what Henderson – who won two CIF titles and won the last two Christian League titles – has established at Aquinas.

“Josh did a great job and I really am thankful that he recommended me,” said Matheny, a Cal State San Bernardino graduate. “I want to continue the emphasis of hard work and Christian ideals that this program has established and am I dedicated toward keeping Aquinas as a winning program.”

A more detailed story will be published in Thursday’s Sun.

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