Hopes are high for this year’s Carpinteria High Football team in head coach Mario Robinson’s fourth year with the program.
After finishing with a 4-6 record in 2022, the Warriors will field a senior-heavy team this season, and have 15 returning starters from last year’s roster.
“This is their year to make some noise,” Robinson said. “They improved tremendously last year… We’re looking for good things to happen.”
Robinson has seen an uptick in leadership and camaraderie amongst the team.
“The senior leadership has been great this year; they have been very vocal. They are always with each other and their bond is really strong,” Robinson said.
“This is like a family unit for all of them, and it makes a huge difference [on the field].”
One of the leaders of this family is senior Talon Trumble (5-11, 220), who returns at quarterback following a junior season in which he led the team in both passing and rushing, racking up 462, and 824 yards, respectively.
“I expect another great year from him,” Robinson said. “He really developed and got better as the year went on last year.
“This year big things are happening for him.”
With the Carpinteria offense centered around the running game, attempting just 81 passes in 10 games last season, Trumble was the go-to guy in almost all situations. However, a solid running back corps will “help take the load of [Trumble],” Robinson said.
Seniors Isaac Flores (5-8, 170) and Isaya Gonzalez (5-8, 165), and sophomore Chris Jaime (5-8, 170) will carry the ball for the Warriors.
“Instead of [Trumble] carrying the ball 30 times a game, we can get him down to 20,” Robinson said. “Our running backs are really solid this year.”
While he now has more options in the running game, Trumble remains focused on helping the team both through the air and on the ground.
“We have the ability to hand the ball off more, but I’ll still be running the ball for sure,” he said. “I’ve been working on throwing a bit this summer, and we’ll probably be putting that in a little more this year.”
When the senior quarterback does drop back to pass, he will have seniors Sebastian Hernandez (5-7, 160), Jason Dishion (5-8, 165) and Judah Torres (5-8, 170) out wide as targets.
“We’re pretty deep at wide receiver and at skill positions,” Robinson said.
Hernandez believes the skill positions players have come closer together heading into the season.
“We’ve been growing as a team and as individual players,” Hernandez said. “We’ve been a lot more connected and we’ve gelled together.”
In order for Trumble to get the ball out of his hand or find running room, the Warrior offensive line will need to have a strong season.
“We just have to get off the ball, that’s one thing we are demanding,” Robinson said. “We gotta punch them in the mouth before they get us.
“Our linemen are a lot better right now than they were last year, and that’s the key to our success.”
Members of that offensive line include seniors Dominic Castillo (5-11, 190), Dylan Gonzales (5-10, 190), Nathan Mata (5-11, 240) and Anthony Ybarra (5-9, 240), and junior Christopher Medina (5-9, 240).
With a total of 37 players on the roster and no lower-level team, many of these linemen and skill position players will be going both ways.
“Being a small school, pretty much all of our key guys go both ways,” Robinson said. “They get their water as they go, but they’re on the field basically the whole game.”
Tumble also plays both ways. He leads the defense as the starting middle linebacker. In 2022, he led the team in tackles with 110.
“Once we get some game reps [on defense] and everyone gets exposed to the varsity level, we’ll start to bring it together and hold it down,” Trumble said. “I think it will be pretty solid.”
With the pieces in place on both sides of the ball, the Warriors will look to take another step forward as a program and make the postseason.
“This is our chance to get into the playoffs,” Robinson said. “We’re just looking to compete at a high level, and the winning will take care of itself.”
Carpinteria Football Schedule
Friday, Aug. 25 @ Cabrillo (Long Beach)
Friday, Sept. 1 Channel Islands
Friday, Sept. 8 Calvary Chapel
Friday, Sept. 15 Grace Brethren
Friday, Sept. 22 @ Viewpoint
Friday, Sept. 29 @ Hueneme#
Friday, Oct. 6 Santa Paula#
Friday. Oct. 13 vs. Cabrillo (Lompoc)
Friday, Oct. 20 @ Fillmore#
Friday, Oct. 27 Nordhoff#
#Citrus Coast League game
