By Moses Leos III
As spring practice marches on, Lehman High head football coach Todd Raymond must fill a substantial void in the lineup after the departure of wide receiver Jay Sayles.
On Monday, Raymond confirmed the departure of Sayles, who transferred from Lehman High to San Marcos High on May 5.
Sayles was an integral part of the Lehman pass attack, leading the team with 832 yards and 12 touchdowns on 41 receptions in 2014. Sayles was named as an honorable mention to the 14-6A all-district football team.
With Sayles gone, Raymond is now turning to a young group to fill the gap. That includes a group of three to four freshman who he said are “doing alright” but aren’t quite ready for varsity play.
Also seeing playing time at wide out is Grayson Steineger, along with Jonathan White.
The frontrunner to fill the gap is Tyler Henderson, who Raymond hopes will replace the production of Sayles.
Last season saw Henderson amass 62 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. He also garnered second team all-district honors as a tight end.
Raymond said Henderon’s ability to slim down during the offseason could ease the transition. Henderson, however, is dealing with a hip injury suffered prior to spring drills.
“We’ll eventually slide Tyler into that spot,” Raymond said. “We feel like we’ll be alright there.”
But Henderson is also one of three options Raymond is mulling to fill the void at quarterback as well. Joining him is Dominic Espinoza, a transfer from Westwood High. Also practicing is Jacob Zamora, a transfer from Hays High.
With one week left in the spring season, Raymond said the focus continues to be placed on the offensive line.
“That’s where our most inexperienced group is,” Raymond said. “We know those positions are critical we have to make sure they are there.”
But as the spring season wears on, giving younger players a chance to hit the field is priority. According to Raymond, it allows the team to keep experienced players from pushing through injuries.
Practicing despite the numerous weather delays of the past week has also been a challenge. It’s led to the Lobos using the Silver Gym to conduct practices.
“We’ll do some (workouts) in there, but it depends on what we’re tyring to get accomplished that day,” he said.
Lehman’s season culminates with its spring football game on May 26.
