After months of perspiration, preparation and practice, it’s time to find out how the 2011 edition of the Point Loma Pointers football team will perform. Head coach Mike Hastings and his staff have put in literally hundreds of hours readying their young athletes for battle against a tough non-league schedule and their annual Western League foes. The school’s first test comes tomorrow, Aug. 26, when all three teams, numbering more than 100 players, get their first taste of battle in controlled scrimmages. The varsity and junior varsity squads will travel to San Marcos to square off against Mission Hills High School’s best. JV action begins at 4 p.m. with varsity commencing at 6 p.m. Meanwhile, the freshman Pointers, who have impressed coaches so far, will be tested on their home field at 4 p.m. against always-tough Cathedral High School. All scrimmages are open to the public at no charge. Each scrimmage will be videotaped so strengths and areas of improvement can be identified. This must be done quickly since the season-opening games are only one week away. The Pointers will also be heading north for those. All three teams will play at Escondido’s Orange Glen High School, with the freshman team kicking off at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 1. Next up is a Friday, Sept. 2 double-header, with JV action beginning at 4 p.m., followed by the varsity opener at 7 p.m. The first opportunity for local fans to see the Pointers on their Bennie Edens Field home turf comes in the big annual “Kick-Off” event on Saturday, Sept. 10. The Pointers may make or break their season on the road, as they play four of their first five opponents away from home. Ironically, the next home game is the Homecoming match on Oct. 14. POINTER NOTES: • Former Pointer standout Josh Wade (Class of 2008), now a highly-rated cornerback for the Poinsettia-Bowl champion San Diego State Aztecs, suffered a likely season-ending injury in the team’s Aug. 20 intrasquad scrimmage at Qualcomm Stadium. Wade, a potential starter in a highly-rated SDSU secondary, went down with what is believed to be a ruptured Achilles’ tendon. Team doctors scheduled an MRI exam Aug. 23 to confirm the diagnosis. THE SEASON’S MATCHUPS Here is the complete 2011 varsity season schedule: • Sept. 2 vs. Orange Glen, 7 p.m., away • Sept. 10 vs. Lincoln, 3 p.m., home • Sept. 16 vs. Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m., away • Sept. 23 vs. Scripps Ranch, 6:30 p.m., away • Sept. 30 vs. Steele Canyon, 7 p.m., away • Oct. 7, bye week • Oct. 14 vs. Hoover, 6:30 p.m., Homecoming • Oct. 21 vs. La Jolla, 3 p.m., home • Oct. 28 vs. Mission Bay, 3 p.m., home • Nov. 4 vs. Madison, 6:30 p.m., away • Nov. 10 vs. Serra, 2:30 p.m., home • Nov. 18 First round of CIF Div. III playoffs • Nov. 24 Second round (quarterfinals) of playoffs • Dec. 2 Third round (semifinals) of playoffs • Dec. 9 CIF Championship game at Qualcomm Stadium THE ROSTER The “Fighting Pointers” are preparing for a brand-new season with high hopes for a Western League crown — and quite possibly much more down the road in CIF postseason. Here is the Point Loma High School 2011 varsity roster: No. Name 2 — Jahneill Saunders 3 — D.J. Lacy 4 — Aaron Watkins 5 — Edmond Tucker 6 — Chad Ahumada 7 — Matt Magers 8 — Mohsen Gharram 9 — Morris Mathews 10 — Sam Augustine 11— Tanner Manion 12 — Raymond Goncalves 13 — Drew Rutledge 14 — Tevin Heyward 15 — Nick Montesano 16 — Felipe Soares 17 — Zach Eischen 18 — Kahree Langston 19 — Jake Wambaugh 20 — Sydney Rush 21 — Jaivon Griffin 23 — Zalyn Bullard 24 — David Wheeler 26 — Johnny Maes 30 — Devontae Boothe 31 — Tristan Bier 32 — Ruben Diaz 33 — Ikeem Wright 35 — Jamal Agnew 42 — Eric Bueno 44 — Oscar Moya 45 — Andre’ Montano 50 — Pablo Borjon 51 — Roy Conrad 52 — Jon Denae Bailey 53 — Greg Verdugo 55 — Chris Schoenherr 56 — Steven Arreola 57 — Weston Huff 58 — Anthony Riccardulli 59 — Kevin Desta 60 — Jovanny Sanchez 62 — Brian Thepkaysone 63 — Adam DaRosa 64 — Mike Lombardi 68 — Mark Nou 72 — Igor Maron 75 — Roman Howard 77 — Jesus Servin 78 — Michael Solia 88 — Nick Lilya
