Sierra ended its postseason drought last year but was left wanting more.
With a strong returning senior class, the Timberwolves are tending to unfinished business in 2024.
They made their first playoff appearance since the 2019 Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV championship run but finished with a 4-7 record that included three frustrating losses each decided by one score. Sierra was ultimately done in by five turnovers in a 52-20 first-round playoff loss to Sacramento.
“The team is going into the season with the right kind of mind set,” senior quarterback Zak Willson said. “We’re not satisfied with the season we had last year. We’re hungry and eager to get back out there. Even though we made the playoffs, we’re not really satisfied with one playoff appearance. We’re trying to make it deeper in the playoffs.”
Formerly a longtime assistant with the program, Jeff Abrew is going into his second year as head coach. He reintroduced the spread offense that lifted Sierra to unprecedented heights, including a state title in 2015.
“I think the kids are really confident,” Abrew said. “They had a good summer and did a lot of 7-on-7s. It’s another year in the system, so they’re able to pick up the small nuances a lot quicker.
“They mesh together and get along really well. We just have to continue to work hard.”
Here’s a closer look at the 2024 Timberwolves:
Zak’s attack
Graduated running back Anthony Grady played for three different head coaches in his varsity career and was understandably the focal point of all three offenses because of his versatility as a ball carrier, receiver and blocker.
He accounted for 38.5% of the touches in Sierra’s spread offense last season, and that’s despite an early-game ejection that led to him missing seven quarters in non-league contests.
“Anthony Grady was a very important player in our offense, but we’ve switched our play style,” Willson said. “We’re going to air it out more than run the ball.”
The Timberwoles will lean more on the right arm and improvisational talents of Willson. He was named All-Valley Oak League first-team quarterback after totaling 2,317 yards, 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 145-of-250 passing. He also rushed for 153 yards and six TDs.
“Zak has gained a lot of confidence after having the year under his belt and seeing live bullets at the varsity level,” Abrew said. “He had a great summer, and we’re looking forward to what he does this year. One of his main strengths last year was improvising when it wasn’t there. Hopefully, he doesn’t have to improvise as much, but we do know he is a playmaker, and if a play does break down, he can make stuff happen.”
Pack attack
There is no shortage of reliable targets for Willson.
Returning are Sierra’s top two receivers in 6-foot-1 Trevor Sutton and 6-3, 215-pound Tali Vaipuna. Sutton was named to the All-VOL second team in his first year of playing football, leading the Timberwolves with 754 yards and six touchdowns on 32 receptions. He’s also a key part of special teams as the placekicker. Vaipuna added 35 catches, 550 yards and five scores.
Willson also has a good rapport with slot receiver Taylor Rowe (23-326-5), and senior transfer Santana Stevenson is expected to be an immediate contributor.
“Last year, our passing game was pretty effective,” Abrew said. “With a lot of guys returning, we’re hoping it continues where it left off. We’re definitely excited to have the weapons that we have, but there’s only one football. We’ll have to be able to distribute the ball all of the field.”
Brock Felt, junior Ryan Reyes and first-year senior Victor Yamamoto will split the carries at running back. Seniors Mason Burke and Caleb Love lead the offensive line at tackle and guard, respectively.
Heart of the defense
Third-year starter Felt anchors an experienced linebacker group that includes Mario Juarez and Love.
“We expect Brock to be a leader on the field, for sure,” Abrew said. “He just never comes off on defense. You can definitely his confidence as a three-year player. He understands his assignments and is getting better every day.”
Felt paced the Timberwolves with 78 tackles last season, adding 12 tackles for losses, 5.0 sacks and two fumble recoveries.
Burke also returns to the defensive front as an interior lineman. Sierra lost its two best edge rushers to graduation, but Abrew said junior defensive end Teagan Nazzisi can be a “difference maker.”
Strong safety Evan Greenwood is coming off a productive junior campaign (53 tackles, 4.0 sacks), but the rest of the starting spots in the secondary were up for grabs by the start of official practices. Stevenson could see some time at cornerback.
VOL seeing spread
Traditionally a power-running league, the VOL has been shifting toward the spread offense.
Sierra was the first to commit to it the late 2000s under coach Jeff Harbison. Now, the majority of the league’s schools run spread.
The latest league realignment in the SJS has brought prolific Patterson and up-and-coming Mountain House into the VOL. With Sierra and East Union operating pass-happy spread attacks, there could be some high-scoring battles in league play.
“We’re very excited to play VOL football,” Willson said. “We already play tough enough teams as it is, but we’re not scared of the competition. We know that a team like Patterson is only going to make us better. They’ll be a good test for us. Mountain House, as well.”
Patterson brings back eight starters on both sides of scrimmage from its 2023 SJS Division IV runner-up team. The Tigers were edged by three-time state champ Escalon 36-35 in the final.
Mountain House will take a step up in competition from the Western Athletic Conference. The Mustangs have one championship in their five years in the WAC.
“The league just got stronger with the addition of Patterson and Mountain House,” Abrew said. “Our league is definitely a test, night in and night out. We gotta play at a high level starting Week 1.”
Outlook
The T’wolves will get tested out the gate.
Manteca Unified rival Lathrop visits in Week Zero and likely to be fully motivated after losing to Sierra last year, 39-35. The result may have an affect on postseason hopes or seeding by the end of the season.
After facing back-to-back WAC opponents Grace Davis and Modesto, two teams the Timberwolves blew out last year, they’ll head to Elk Grove to tangle with Sheldon of the talent-rich Delta League.
Sierra kicks off the VOL at home against East Union. It’s a rematch of the 34-31 barnburner won by the Timberwolves.
There are few cakewalks in their stacked schedule — including VOL powers Central Catholic, Manteca and Oakdale — but all they need is the minimum four wins to make it back to the playoffs. Sierra, of course, is gunning for more.
“I do think we’re a playoff team,” Abrew said. “Our goal is to try and compete at a high level every week and see where it goes from there. We have confidence we can compete with the big boys in league. That’s easier said than done, because some of these teams have been playing at a high level for many years. Going toe-to-toe with these guys is a tall task, we just have to get these kids up for the challenge.”
