Bee’s Best prep football: No. 8 Oak Ridge Trojans bring in new coach and familiar name
This week, we’re blowing up with prep two-a-days. We’re publishing two previews a day as we dive into the top 10 of our rankings for high school football in the Sacramento area.
No. 8 Oak Ridge Trojans
City: El Dorado Hills
School opened: 1980
League: Sierra Foothill
Division: I
Enrollment: 2,598
2021 spring record: 2-4
Coach: Casey Taylor
Outlook: Casey Taylor went to school here, at Oak Ridge in El Dorado Hills. He played football and was so into being a Trojan he had an Oak Ridge ax tattooed to his leg.
The tat has faded a bit over the decades, but not the coach’s spirit. Having won a ton at previous coaching stops, including Del Oro and Capital Christian, Taylor now heads Oak Ridge. He takes over for Eric Cavaliere, who led a consistent winner over 12 seasons and remains on staff as one of Taylor’s right-hand coaches.
Tradition? Oak Ridge has that, including winning the last Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship in 2019, before COVID wiped out last fall’s season. A shortened spring season did not include a postseason.
So here’s Taylor, back in his element, on familiar turf, running 100 mph, in full scramble mode, including a search for extra helmets.
“It’s good to be back and I’m excited,” Taylor said. “The kids work hard here and care. I love being around that sort of atmosphere. We’re not reinventing anything new here, but we’re ready to go and we’re hungry.”
Oak Ridge key players include quarterback Drew Cowart, receiver Sam Dwyer, linebacker Jake Hall and all-purpose star Reese Catchings.
The Trojans open at home on Aug. 20 against Cosumnes Oaks, visit Vacaville on Aug. 27, host Lincoln of Stockton on Sept. 3 and visit Elk Grove on Sept. 10 before opening Sierra Foothill League play against Folsom. Each of those opponents are playoff regulars.