Lompoc High School has had one of the most consistent football programs on the Central Coast over the past decade but after back-to-back undefeated Los Padres League titles, the Braves will be switching things up for the 2018 season.
Lompoc is one of three teams from the LPL that will be staying in the CIF Southern Section but moves to a six-member Channel League.
A huge part of the Braves’ success the past few seasons was due to last year’s senior class, which graduated one of the best running backs in school history, Toa Taua.
Ninth year head coach Andrew Jones says the expectation of this year’s squad is still high, even though they’ve had to fill a lot of spots this offseason. "It’s a fresh, new crop of guys that are hungry," he said. "They don’t want to be that team that takes a step backwards. Just because we’re wearing blue and white and it says ‘Lompoc’ across our chest, it doesn’t mean we’re going to win every time. We’ve got to put in the work and do what these other teams ahead of you have done. So far, they’re doing it."
"This year, it’s like, if we mess up, we’re not going anywhere. We have to band together to be more crisp and clean on everything. We have to trust everybody even more than last year," said Gerardo Fernandez, Lompoc senior lineman.
The Braves first game will be at Simi Valley on August 17.
