Gary Strawn

Patrick Laverty

Prior to the 2003 season opener, no Estancia running back had rushed

for more than 100 yards since the final week of the 2000 regular

season.

In the first four games of this season, Bubba Kapko has broken the

century mark twice and Mike Cahill came within 8 yards of triple

digits Friday in the Eagles’ 35-30 victory over Ocean View.

The win was the third for Estancia this season, after winning just

one game in the last two seasons combined. As any coach will say, the

success starts up front.

Anchoring Estancia’s line, on both sides of the ball, is senior

Gary Strawn. A three-year starter on offense, Strawn opens the holes

that Kapko and Cahill blow through. Starting for the first time on

defense, he has become a fixture in opponents’ backfields.

Strawn led the way to 296 yards of offense against Ocean View and

also recorded a pair of sacks and two other tackles for a loss,

earning Daily Pilot Player of the Week honors.

But despite the successful start, Strawn is quite straight forward

when it comes to analyzing the Eagles’ play.

“We’re just hoping for improvement,” Strawn said.

The improvement has already begun, compared to the last two

seasons when Strawn said it was difficult to block for an offense

that constantly seemed to be fumbling the ball.

This year, he and the rest of the offensive line know exactly

what’s going to happen when senior quarterback Brad Young hands off

to Kapko and Cahill.

“It feels good to block a person and then they’re right behind

you,” Strawn said. “Then, they’re gone. They run over people.”

Strawn attributes much of Estancia’s success to the change from a

veer-option offense to a power running game designed by first-year

coach Craig Fertig.

But as much as Fertig has meant to the program, Strawn thinks this

year’s class of seniors is just as important, simply because they

have believed they could reach the CIF Southern Section playoffs from

the beginning.

“Yeah, we thought it was possible because of all our seniors this

year,” Strawn said. “Last year’s seniors, all they wanted to do was

win one game. That’s the truth. They won one game and then they quit.

This year’s seniors, they’ve been through this for three years and

they were sick of it. They just want to win.”

That’s what Fertig wants as well and the changes he has brought to

Estancia have fit Strawn well.

A more stringent weightlifting program was put in place,

increasing the overall strength of the team. The 6-foot-2, 300-pound

Strawn is now benching 280 pounds, can power clean 275 pounds and

lifts 225 pounds on the military press.

The power running game has benefited Strawn’s ability to block

from the strong-side tackle position and his play at defensive tackle

-- which he had played in the past though not as a starter -- has

improved under the Eagles’ attack-minded defense.

“This year, it’s shoot the gaps and go get the quarterback,”

Strawn said. “It’s a lot more aggressive.”

Strawn has six sacks this season. But he doesn’t have a preference

when it comes to playing offense or defense.

“They’re both about equal,” he said. “Defensively, you get to sack

the quarterback though. That’s a bonus.”

As are the victories that Estancia has tallied this season. But

for a player like Strawn, winning is simply not enough.

“We just want to go out and dominate,” Strawn said.

And, of course, win enough games to make the playoffs for the

first time since 2000. Strawn, having been called up from the

freshmen team for the playoffs that year, is one of the few Eagles

who know what playoff football is like. In his final season, he’d

like to share the feeling with his teammates.

“It’d be nice,” Strawn said. “That’s our goal.”