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Game of the Day Girls Volleyball: Dunsmuir at Mercy, 6:30 p.m. Get a first look at the Lady Warriors, defending Northern Section D-6 champions, as they host Dunsmuir tonight. Sports 1B Thursday August 29, 2013 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL Mercy mixes youth with experience By ANDRE BYIK DN Staff Writer The team may be brimming with youth and inexperience, but Mercy High School's 8man football coach Charlie Ford has a core group of seniors ready to keep the school's program playoffbound. As Mercy eyes a playoff rematch on the road against Redding Christian at 7 p.m. Saturday, returners Tommy Garcia, Alejandro Guerrero and Brenten James were on the field Wednesday preparing a batch a fresh faces, nine to be exact, for the speed of a football game. "We have a couple new freshmen, couple new sophomores, too, so a lot of new players," said James, a linebacker and left guard. "Trying to teach them all and condition hard at the same time, it's going to be a challenge." James said it's a challenge he thinks the team is prepared to tackle, and it'll get some help, too. The Warriors are bringing back six players who know how to win games. Mercy (0-0 South) last year completed their season 5-5, which was a remarkable turnaround considering the squad in 2011 won just one game due to a forfeit. The team got off to a hot start, reeling off four straight wins early, and ultimately making the playoffs, where it fell to Redding Christian. Ford, now in his second year as head coach, is stressing some familiar principles: conditioning for the fast pace of an 8-man football game, and discipline. But this year he's looking to do more. Ford said he wants to instill in his squad a will to do what is right. "I want them to realize that to be better at anything in life comes down to whether or not they want to be better," he said. Garcia, the Warriors' starting quarterback, exemplifies that trait. Ford said he saw a transformation in Garcia over the last few seasons. "Last year, as he stepped into that quarterback spot, transferring from underclassman to (upperclassman), basi- Daily News photo by Andre Byik Mercy High School's football team breaks during a practice Wednesday at Sacred Heart School. The Mercy Warriors open their season on the road against Redding Christian at 7 p.m. Saturday. cally I saw a transformation hopes to see out of the young from a kid who wanted to Mercy squad, whose initial goof around to a kid who strengths look to be speed, wanted to lead agility, and a football G u e r r e r o 's team," Ford dominant play said. in the backGarcia last field. season broke "He came in his wrist dur100 percent in ing the shape," Ford Mercy's early said of Guerfour-game rero. "There is winning streak no question and was that he is going expected to to tear it up miss the rest Scan to watch what coach this year, and of the season. Charlie Ford thinks is the that really But he Warriors' biggest strength. excites me." came back Ford said early, playing Guerrero, a in the team's final regular sea- senior, is stepping up to a son game while still wearing a leadership role. cast. "It's not just with his "I probably wasn't ready," mouth, it's with his attitude Garcia said. "Like, it didn't and with his work ethic. Just heal correctly. But I don't seeing that is, honestly it's a want to sit. I hate sitting in blessing to see a guy come out sports. I just want to go out like that, ready to go." there and play." Guerrero, who says he's a It's a mentality he said he quiet guy, let's his game do 2013 Mercy Warriors Roster Name Tommy Garcia* Alejandro Guerrero * Brenten James* Elijah Gash * Teddy Ranberg* Bryce Baer * Duy Huynh Brandon Gorden Hajong Park Noe Rodriguez Richie Borges Koleby Potter Dartagnan Kingwell William Gentry Isiah Gash 2013 Mercy Warriors Schedule Class SR SR SR JR SO SO SR SR FR FR SO FR FR JR FR *Denotes returning player the yelling on the field. On offense he was routinely leaned on last season to run in touchdowns and gain yardage. As one of the leaders on the team, Guerrero says it's his AUG. 31 at Redding Christian 7 p.m. SEPT. 7 Elk Creek, 1 p.m. SEPT. 13 at Hayfork, 6 p.m. SEPT. 20 at Greenville*, 7 p.m. SEPT. 28 at Loyalton, 1 p.m. OCT. 5 Princeton*, 1 p.m. OCT. 12 Loyalton*, 1 p.m. OCT. 19 at Herlong*, 1 p.m. OCT. 26 Herlong*, 7 p.m. NOV. 2 Westwood*, 11:30 a.m. *Denotes league game job to push the squad out of its comfort zone. Follow @TehamaSports on Twitter on Saturday for live game coverage of Mercy's game against Redding Christian. ATHLETICS 14, TIGERS 4 Moss homers twice as A's win in rout DETROIT (AP) — Brandon Moss homered twice, drove in a career-high six runs in the Oakland Athletics' 14-4 rout of the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night. Moss has three home runs in his past two games for Oakland, which had a season-high 21 hits and has won the first three games of the four-game series by a combined 28-13. Join the RB Derby Girls By DN Staff Report The Red Bluff Derby Girls are always looking for more athletes to join the team. No experience in roller derby is needed. Josh Donaldson had three hits and drove in two runs and Eric Sogard had two RBIs for the Athletics. Torii Hunter homered for the AL Central-leading Tigers. Hunter and Victor Martinez each had three hits. Oakland starter Daniel Straily (7-7) got his first win since July 9. He allowed a run and eight hits over six innings, walking two and striking out Those interested should stop by the Tyler Jelling building at the Tehama District Fairgrounds from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information email the team at redbluffderbygirls@gmail. com or visit their website at rbdg.org. Tehama Tracker Today's schedule TENNIS Shasta at Red Bluff, 3:30 p.m. Yreka at Corning, 3:30 p.m. VOLLEYBALL Los Molinos at Corning, 5:30 p.m Dunsmuir at Mercy, 6:30 p.m. MLB Oakland at Detroit, 10:08 a.m. Sports on TV COLLEGE FOOTBALL 3 p.m. ESPN — North Carolina at South Carolina 5 p.m. FS1 — Utah St. at Utah 6:15 p.m. ESPN — Mississippi at Vanderbilt GOLF 7 a.m. TGC — European PGA Tour, Wales Open, first round, at City of Newport, Wales (same-day tape) Noon TGC — Web.com Tour, Hotel Fitness Championship, first round, at Fort Wayne, Ind. 2:30 p.m. TGC — LPGA, Safeway Classic, first round, at Portland, Ore. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 10 a.m. MLB — Regional coverage, Oakland at Detroit or L.A. Angels at Tampa Bay 4 p.m. MLB — Regional coverage, Baltimore at Boston or Cleveland at Atlanta TENNIS 10 a.m. ESPN2 — U.S. Open, second round, at New York 4 p.m. ESPN2 — U.S. Open, second round, at New York four. Straily had been 0-5 with a 5.20 ERA in his past seven starts, since being recalled from Triple-A Sacramento. He went down to the minor league club in late June. Left-hander Brett Anderson relieved Straily to start the seventh and pitched the last three innings for his first major league save. It was the usual starter's first appearance since April 29, after being sidelined with a stress fracture to his right foot. He was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list earlier on Wednesday. He allowed three runs and five hits and struck out a batter. Tigers starter Doug Fister (11-7) took the loss. He gave up seven runs and 13 hits in five innings. RED BLUFF BASS ANGLERS Johnson reels in top finish at tourney Special to the DN The Red Bluff Bass Anglers fished a two day tournament at Clear Lake on Saturday and Sunday. Jeremy Johnson won the tournament with an impressive weight of 32.45 pounds. Ted Smith was second with 28.48 pounds, and Jesse Sisneros finished third with 20.87 pounds. Gene Villarreal caught a 6.31 pound Largemouth Bass on a topwater bait for big fish of the tournament. Prospective members can call 527-4472 for information.