OAKLAND — When Virdell Larkins III performed for Oakland Tech in 2003, he and teammate Marshawn Lynch had been so assured they’d beat McClymonds within the Oakland Athletic League playoffs that they interrupted the opponent’s pregame locker room speech and informed a room crammed with gamers and coaches what they had been about to do to them.
Oakland Tech went on to beat Mack and captured the OAL championship with a victory over Skyline within the Silver Bowl on the Coliseum.
Almost 20 years later, Larkins is hoping for a repeat of historical past.
“I'd say that is the perfect Tech staff I’ve had as a coach,” mentioned Larkins, who has led his alma mater since 2013. ”This staff is giving me my finest probability to ‘dethrone’ McClymonds, and I feel we've a great probability to do it.”
A lot has modified within the 20 years since gamers akin to Lynch, Larkins and quarterback Josh Johnson led the Bulldogs to a championship. The steadiness of energy in Oakland soccer shifted way back to McClymonds, which no OAL staff has overwhelmed since 2009.
However at 4351 Broadway – dwelling of Oakland Tech – the college is striving for a long-awaited sequel. Directing this second act is an older however nonetheless enthusiastic Larkins.
“I’ve acquired guys getting presents now, and that’s all I needed after I took over as coach,” he mentioned. “That’s what we had been doing 20 years in the past. And should you see how we play, you see I’m attempting to convey the tradition again to what it was with me and Marshawn and Josh.”
Tech’s seniors don’t should be reminded about Mack’s dominance. Prior to now three years, Mack has outscored Tech 214-0 in 4 video games between the groups.
Larkins mentioned his group of seniors has grown from the lopsided outcomes and is able to problem McClymonds in a approach no OAL staff has executed for years.
Tech will get its first shot Thursday night time when it performs host to Mack.
A rematch might comply with within the Silver Bowl on Nov. 26.
“I’ve had this group since COVID, so we’ve been collectively since they had been sophomores,” Larkins mentioned. “We went 2-2 that yr, and I saved telling them that in the event that they saved working arduous, by their senior yr they’d have their enjoyable with the league.”
Amongst these seniors is defensive again Davion Dixon, a rangy 6-2 cowl man who has the body and athleticism that ought to get him seems from faculties. He was instrumental in locking down four-star Tennyson wideout Taeshaun Lyons in an attention grabbing 34-6 upset on Sept. 24.
“We had a recreation plan to close Lyons down, and I did my half and performed my function,” Dixon mentioned. “And my teammates performed nice, too. The linemen and linebackers executed.”
On previous Tech groups, Dixon might need been the perfect participant on the sector. This season, he's in all probability the third-best participant on his personal staff.
Standing on the prime is defensive lineman Omar Staples, a pass-rushing finish who had 5 sacks in opposition to Castlemont on Oct. 21, the identical week he obtained a scholarship provide from Stanford.
“My mindset is to dominate,” Staples mentioned. “So long as I'm engaged, my teammates stream off me.”
Bookending him as an edge rusher is Kymari Rhodes, a participant who has heard loads of his coach’s tales of the glory days from the early-2000s. Relatively than handwaving away these tales as an outdated man waxing nostalgic, Rhodes sees them as a blueprint for achievement.
“He’s at all times reminding us of his accomplishments,” Rhodes mentioned. “He performed with guys like Marshawn Lynch and Josh Johnson. We take that to coronary heart, and attempt to replicate that and convey again the legacy.”
Operating again Anthony Alonzo may not be fairly on Lynch’s degree, however the senior is a dynamic three-star recruit who can flip any play right into a landing.
Alonzo is able to convey again the glory days.
“We now have to work like we’re a championship-level staff,” he mentioned. “We now have to work that tough so we could be what this faculty was once and stay as much as that legacy.”
Pretty much as good as Tech has been this yr, McClymonds stays the category of the league. The Warriors, ranked fourth by the Bay Space Information Group, have gained their three OAL video games this season by a median of 55 factors. A fourth OAL staff forfeited in opposition to Mack.
The reigning champ’s solely loss was at second-ranked Pittsburg. Mack’s resume contains victories over San Ramon Valley and Bellarmine. The Warriors are 8-1 total.
Tech (8-1) has gained its 4 league video games by a median of practically 27, or about half of Mack’s margin of victory. St. Vincent de Paul, the highest seed within the North Coast Part Division VII playoffs, is the one staff to beat Tech this season.
The rating was 29-12.
Regardless of being an underdog Thursday in opposition to Mack, even perhaps a major underdog, Tech stays assured.
“We’re going to indicate The City we’re prepared,” Larkins mentioned. “I’m humbled to be within the place to say that. If our staff exhibits up the best way we must always, we’re gonna placed on a great present for everybody.”
