WILLIAMS, CA (MPG) – A new era begins for the Yellowjackets this year as Forrest W. Bateman takes over the head coaching duties, having served as an assistant for the past two seasons.
Employing Bateman’s offense in 2022, the ‘Jackets averaged 310 yards per game, but had difficulty getting the ball in the end zone, putting just 15.6 points on the board per game.
Thus, look for Williams to push the pace in 2023 and get the ball into the hands of All-Mid-Valley selection Alan Rodriguez, who will move from wideout to the backfield in his final season for the brown and gold.
Rodriguez was fourth in the Northern Section in receiving a year ago with 679 yards and six touchdowns, but Bateman feels the position shift will provide more opportunities for one of his biggest playmakers.
Another returner is senior Jose Campos, a hard-charging running back who was hampered somewhat by injury last season, but still averaged nearly four yards per carry and scored five touchdowns.
At the receiver spots, the Yellowjackets will count on senior Miguel Villanueva, an All-MVL pick who made 28 grabs for 288 yards and three touchdowns, along with fellow seniors Kaled Rosales, a returner who averaged 10.2 yards per catch last year, and Daniel Brunner, who makes his varsity debut this season.
One big change for Williams will be at quarterback, where senior Kyden Bowen takes over from Adrian Solis, the team’s top yardage producer in 2022, after throwing for 1,615 yards and running for 754 more, but is not suiting up this year.
However, Bowen, in just his second year of football, has worked hard over the summer and impressed Bateman thus far.
“He is a very good athlete, and one of fastest on our team, but his greatest skill is his ability to process information,” said the first-year head coach. “He has a high-level understanding of defenses.”
Yet, despite their talent at the skill positions, the Yellowjackets, like most teams, will need their offensive line to be a cohesive, productive unit to be successful.
At the heart of that line are three senior returners in tackles Francisco Zamudio and Javier Gonzalez, in addition to guard Alexis Velazquez.
For the ‘Jacket defense, which yielded 27.7 points per game in 2022, the strength, according to Bateman, lies in the secondary which features Rosales, Villanueva, and junior Alejandro Hernandez.
Holding down the linebacker spots are senior Dylan Chappa and junior Salem Rodriguez, while senior Jesse Velazquez and junior Giancarlo Garcia will fortify the line.
Senior Cesar Flores is also back having averaged 5.4 tackles per game as a safety last season, but this year will be repositioned either at linebacker or on the line.
Although Williams lost 10 players off last season’s roster, Rosales says that there is a sense of unity among this year’s squad.
“We have a really positive culture,” said Rosales. “We work well together, so there’s a really good chemistry.”
It’s precisely that element that the rookie coach and his staff are working hard to foster.
“What we are trying to do is build a solid foundation, so we have an identity and are competitive year in and year out,” Bateman said. “We have a tight knit group of hard workers, which showed this summer and will be the start of getting back into the playoffs.”
While the ‘Jackets are athletic and have speed to burn, they will have to withstand a tough preseason schedule against four Sacramento Valley League teams including their county rivals Colusa and Pierce, the NSCIF Division IV champion and runner-up, respectively.
It doesn’t get any easier once MVL play begins either, as Williams will have to get through defending champion Hamilton City in addition to Trinity and Willows if it hopes to regain the crown it last won in 2021. 
