Posted by: Press Democrat Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht

New Casa Grande football coach Trent Herzog said his team’s first day of practice will be August 17. There will be no two-a-days because school begins on the 19th. Herzog said football, like most other sports, is year-round. Players are lifting weights and working on speed training as early as January and February.  By the time football practice starts, the players are already in pretty good shape. The days of two-a-days and players using that that to get in shape for the season are over. The Casa Grande team also attended Montgomery’s early camp, as a team, in June. “Camps are good for evaluating talent and seeing the kids in competition,” Herzog said. Gaucho skill players also participate in passing leagues three nights a week. This will be the first time in three years that Matt O’Brien, who graduated last year, won’t be the Casa quarterback. This year’s candidates are junior Nick Sherry and senior Jimmy Cerf. Sherry, 6-5 and 210 pounds, is coming off a JV season in which he threw 28 TDs and no interceptions. He’s worked with former Cal coach Roger Theder, who is now a quarterbacks coach, and has or will attend camps at USC, Cal and UC Davis. Sherry’s dad was a standout athlete at Marin Catholic and played pro baseball with the Astros. Nick Sherry played varsity basketball at Casa and also played baseball his first year.  Other players to watch at Casa include running back Kahlil Keys, who rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and 11 TDs last year and wide receiver Connor Wagner.  Casa’s opener is against Ukiah, at home, Sept. 11.