Buhach Colony looks to get back on winning track

The Buhach Colony football program is looking for redemption.

The Thunder made four consecutive playoff appearances from 2009 to 2012. After missing out on the postseason the past two years, Buhach Colony is looking to get the program back on track.

“It’s one of my main priorities,” said senior two-way lineman Hunter Stefani. “Not only for myself, but our team wants to get back to the playoffs. It’s not only important to us, but our community feeds off of it, too. Our top priority is to win league, but we have to focus on the little things first. We set goals of each play, the next play and every play.”

The offense hasn’t been the problem. The Thunder “Fly offense” helped produce close to 300 rushing yards and 35 points per game last year.

The Thunder knows to turn things around it starts with its defense.

“If you look back to our past, when we’ve had experienced interior guys we’ve always been what we want to be,” saidBuhach Colony coach Kevin Navarra. “When the box plays consistent, we’re able to stop the run. We have to get back to that.

“I think our strength is our defense. I think our defensive line and linebackers can cause problems. We’ve got some experience there. We have some fast guys in the secondary. To get back to the playoffs, our defense has to be strong.”

Navarra likes what the Thunder has up front in Stefani, Xavier Barriga and Troy Smith and the depth at linebacker with players such as Kory Woods, Jace Alcazar, Robert Garcia, Tanner Banks, Zach Pinasco, Brent Aue, Antonio Escalante.

“I feel we’re pretty fast as a defense,” Woods said. “Our outside linebackers are faster than some of our backs. Our defensive backs play the field well. We should be able to get to the ball without any issues.”

Woods is expected to play a big role on both sides of the ball, giving the Thunder a power back much like JustinStefani did last year.

“Kory will probably be our workhorse, ‘Mr. Everything,’” Navarra said. “He’ll fill the position in our offense that Justin (Stefani) did for us last year. He was a rotating linebacker last year, but he’ll be one of our leaders on defense this year.

“Brandon Muse could have breakout year. If Justin didn’t have the success he had last year, Brandon would be a well-known name, instead of Dallon’s little brother.”

As a two-way starter playing his third year of varsity, Hunter Stefani gives the Thunder experience and leadership. He was the rally commissioner last year and this year he’s the student-body president.

“He’s one of our more vocal guys,” Navarra said. “Being a third-year player, we’re looking to challenge him on and off the field. He wants to get the program back to where we were in the past. He’s full of energy. He’s the type of guy that you could tell him to run 12 110-yard striders and he’d do it, and 10 minutes later he’s outside playing basketball.”

The path back to the postseason won’t be easy for the Thunder. The schedule is tough with nonconference games against Manteca, Pacheco, Clovis North and St. Mary’s. Making your way through the Central California Conference is never easy.

Woods feels the talent and dedication is there to make it happen.

“We want it pretty bad,” Woods said. “We missed the playoffs the last two years. We want to get the program back on track. We have the players to get there. We have to trust each other and execute.”

Shawn Jansen: 209-385-2462, @MSSsports

This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 12:09 AM with the headline "Buhach Colony looks to get back on winning track."