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The 2017 Patterson High School Lumberjacks football team
(Submitted Photo/Courtesy of Wade Gussman Photography)

'Jacks look to bounce back from rough 2016 season

There’s a new pack of Lumberjacks at Patterson High School in 2017.
First-year Coach Ryan Stewart tries to right the ship of the proud Patterson program. Stewart, Patterson’s third head coach in four seasons, inherits a 3-9 team that started the 2016 season 0-6. He takes over for Marvin Dantzler, a Louisiana native, who came to Patterson after four years as head coach at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, O k l a h o m a .
Patterson got off to a slow start last season before winning three out four games to qualify for the Class 3A playoffs. Dantzler resigned after the season.
Patterson lost 51-33 in the first-round of the playoffs, but Patterson and Dantzler extended long consecutive playoff appearance streaks.
Stewart was named interim coach, and Patterson held another coaching search that ended with Stewart as the top candidate.
Patterson returns 15 players with game experience and will lean on those heavily in 2017.
“We have some seniors like Dontre Nicholas, who will have to be an ironman guy because he will see action at running back and defensive back,” Stewart said. “We also have a basketball kid, Kiama Jones, a senior playing safety for us, and he has had a real good spring and he flashed in the scrimmage.
"Jaylon Jennings is another senior we will count on,” Stewart said. “He broke his foot two days before the start of the season last year and missed the whole season. He had a decent spring, and we’ll move him around on defense. He is our high-energy guy. And then we have the guys playing both ways on the offense and defensive lines like seniors Zach Burke, Brad Beaubouef and Deondre Diggs.” Other seniors who will play this season include linebacker Tyler Davis and Dannon Hue, who is expected to be back from a spring injury in week 3 of the regular season.
“We don’t have a big senior class, but we need these guys to bring us some leadership,” Stewart said. “We also have some talented kids like Dajon Richard, Drew Lucas and Irv Celestine in our junior class who are leaders, too. We have a strong junior class.”
Quarterback
Offensively, Patterson will be a big-play threat every play. Sophomore quarterback Randy Paul, Jr. will be the ‘Jacks’ starting quarterback in 2017.
Patterson played multiple quarterbacks last season, inc l u d i n g D i l l a n Giandelone, Hector Tolento and Paul. Giandelone and Tolento both were seniors a year ago, with Tolento earning second-team All-District 8-3A honors.
“Randy came in and has been really impressive,” Stewart said. “He didn’t go through the spring with us, but he was there the first day of summer with his shoe laces tied, and he got better and better. We just hope the sophomore mishaps don’t get us early on.”
Freshman Lewis Jones will backup Paul.
“We have a couple different emergency plans, but Lewis came through the spring with us, and he is the backup,” Stewart said. “He asked to throw some during a drill, and he let it go and all the coaches’ mouths were open. He’ll take all the JV snaps for this year.”
Juniors Jaymion Butler and Richard have taken snaps.
“We have three or four guys that can get us through a game, if necessary,” Stewart said.
Running Back
Allen Langston, another sophomore, will be the starting running back.
“Allen is a big kid (6-0, 195), and he had a good summer putting on some extra muscle to take the pounding,” Stewart said. “He’s the starter because he frees up Nicholas and Richard, who both start on defense. We’ll be more running back by committee this season. We have several guys that can take the ball and go score.”
Expect to see Treylon Bennett in the mix with returners Nicholas and Richard. Richard was a first-team all-district athlete in 2016, while Nicholas was a second-team all-district running back.
Receivers
The Lumberjacks lost first-team all-district wide receiver Jordan Butler and second-team all-district selection Khyri Harris to graduation, with Butler signing with Victor Valley College in California.
However, Patterson does return Richard at one wide receiver position.
“He’s all over field for us,” Stewart said. “We’ll put him at quarterback, running back, out wide and in the slot. He has some good compliments like Kia Schexnayder, Ayden Leblanc, Drew Lucas, Tyrone Tillman, Irving Celestine, while Samuel Boutte will play some H-back and tight end.”
Offensive Line
Patterson has a good group of young linemen, with two starters returning.
Beaubouef, a first-team all-district selection a year ago, and Burke return to anchor the group. Burke, however, may be moved on defense to nose guard where he has shown promise.
“Zach plays with a mean-streak on both sides of the ball, but we need that nastiness on the defensive front,” Stewart said. “Zach will be a big key for us this season.”
Without Burke, Patterson will start three sophomores on the offensive line. Javin Turner, Jarvis Jackson and James Gash will see their first real varsity action.
“These kids are some big boys, and they have pretty good athletic ability,” Stewart said. “We expect big things from them as well.”
Junior Tron’Yonte Clark transferred in to give Patterson some offensive line depth, while Austin Harden will play up and down the offensive line but likely will start at center.
“We have a solid group there, but of course, I would like a few more bodies, but we just don’t have linemen types walking the hall ways,” Stewart said. “The ones we got are the ones we got, so we just have to grow our young guys up early and hopefully stay away from injuries.”
Gone from a year ago due to graduation is second-team all-district selection Aarion Hartman.
Defensive Line
Patterson returns experience on the defensive line with the entire offensive group available to take reps.
Diggs, Burke and newcomer Adrian Gamboa will anchor the ’Jacks’ three-man front. Diggs was a first-team all-district selection in 2016.
“Those guys have got to play big for us this year if we want to get back to where we belong.” Stewart said. “These guys are big and physical. I just wish we had a couple more of them.”
Linebackers
Bennett returns to lead the linebacker corps after leading the team with 130 tackles as a freshman.
“He’s going to be a super special sophomore,” the coach said. “He’s like the second strongest kid on the team weight room wise.”
Expect to see seniors Davis, Jennings and Jones at the other three linebacker spot.
Gone from a year ago due to graduation is second-team all-district linebacker Tyric Garrett.
Secondary
The secondary will be manned by Butler, Nicholas, Richard, Hue, Celestine, Telvae Phillips and R.J. Talver. Celestine was a second-team all-district selection in 2016.
Special Teams
Senior Bryce Daigle will handle the kicking duties, while Richard and Daigle will share punting duties.
“Most of these guys will play both ways, and as we identify their strengths, we will develop their roles,” Stewart added.
Daigle will replace first-team all-district kicker Christian Soria this season.
Patterson also has several new faces on its coaching staff.
“We have a good group of coaches, and I let them do just that,” Stewart said. “I try to take care of things that fall through the cracks.”

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