Bee’s Best prep football: No. 4 Elk Grove returns a wealth of backs, linemen, defenders
This week, we’re running our own 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. 4 Elk Grove Thundering Herd
City: Elk Grove
School opened: 1893
League: Delta
Division: I/II
Enrollment: 1,894
2021 spring record: 0-1
Coach: John Heffernan
Outlook: Elk Grove is eager for some action, managing just one game in a chaotic, frustrating spring season as the Elk Grove Unified School District dealt with COVID-19 testing issues.
The Thundering Herd was so impressive in its scrimmage at Folsom on Friday that Bulldogs coach Paul Doherty said, “Elk Grove is loaded. I think they’ll run the table.”
Run is the key word. The Thundering Herd aim to squash and demoralize teams with a triple-option rushing attack with a mix of power, speed and depth behind a massive offensive line that includes national recruit Simi Pale, son of assistant coach James Pale. The runners include quarterback Ethan Archuleta and backs Zeke Burnett, Isea Liu, Teau Vaituulala and Pita Folaumotui, among others.
The action starts with Archuleta, a shifty, quick diminutive sort who is as quick of a runner as there is in the region.
“He’s a football player,” Elk Grove coach John Heffernan said. “This has the potential to be a great line, the best we’ve had. When you can run the ball, it can give the defense a helpless feeling.”
Prolific rushing powered Elk Grove to the 2019 Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship, a crowning moment for John Heffernan and his righthand man, Pale. Both helped lead Burbank to 10 playoff seasons as coaches. Moe Loller was the offensive line coach under Chris Nixon at Elk Grove for a string of playoff teams and bridges the tradition gap.
Elk Grove has produced 31 playoff teams since 1984 and a string of Delta League and section banners. The overlap commonality was line play.
The Thundering Herd open Friday at Inderkum and host Antelope on Aug. 27 in a home opener. On Sept. 10, Elk Grove will host Oak Ridge in a meeting of defending section champions.