By John Hobbs
Tulare - New high schools entering the realm of interscholastic sports competition are pretty much expected to wallow among the also-rans for a decade or so before contending for championships.
Not so with Tulare's Mission Oak High School, which between the 2010-11 basketball season and the 2011 football season has fielded two teams that have advanced to playoffs and then – even more remarkably – have advanced in playoffs. The girls' soccer team also has performed exceedingly well.
Most recently, Mission Oak head varsity football coach, Mark Gambini, led the Hawks to a 9-3 season in which they outscored opponents by a margin of 255 points (441 to 186). In a dramatic David vs. Goliath matchup, the fledgling Hawks stunned the mighty Tulare Union Redskins 17 to 14 with a late, clutch field goal from senior Robert Thullen and staunch defense anchored by senior tackles Jeremiah McIntosh and Herman Paredes and junior safety Guillermo “Junior” Duarte.
“We knew we were going to have a good team, so the season was more an affirmation than it was a surprise,” Gambini said, crediting the Hawk's seniors with having “persevered through two really tough seasons where victories were few and far between” in preparation for the success.
“Led by the seniors, the team showed strong commitment to weight room conditioning exercises and all the stuff athletes have to do in order to be prepared to win,” he said.
Gambini, who previously coached for Central Valley Christian Academy and El Diamante, said he was “just really proud of these guys.”
Mission Oak's great run was brought to an abrupt end Dec. 2, when the Hawks lost 35-13 to the powerful Wasco Tigers in the semi-final round of the Division IV playoffs. The Hawks encountered a strong and agile offensive line and an exceptionally stingy defense.
“On that night Wasco was definitely the better team,” Gambini said. Their defense took away our strengths, plus we gave them several 'short field' opportunities due to some lapses on the part of our special teams.”
Gambini also attributes much of the
Hawks' success to assistant coaches Art Gasca, Mike Machado, Elton Tripp,
Derek Burrell, Lucas Jones and Donovan McJunkin.
The 2012 season also holds much promise for Mission Oak. With Duarte,
quarterback Corbin Quinonez, receiver Kevin Palma and defensive captain
Andrew Flores returning, the nucleus of both the offense and defense remain
intact. The graduation of McIntosh and Paredes, however, “leaves
us with big shoes to fill on the defensive line,” Gambini concedes.
Realignment of the East Yosemite League reduced its size by three schools. This will result in Mission Oak facing Exeter, Selma and Mt. Whitney in non-league play next year, rather than Cesar Chavez, Granite Hills and Robert F. Kennedy each of which the Hawks defeated decisively this year.
So as 2011 draws to a close, instead of longing for success, Mission Oak sports teams are in pursuit of dominance with guys like athletic director Roger Hildreth, head varsity basketball coach Myron Epps and Gambini leading the charge.
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