NEWMAN – New Orestimba High football head coach Austin Martins and his coaching staff welcomed a large group of players on all three levels for the first week of practice of the season that began on July 28.

According to Martins, a 2016 OHS graduate who was a member of the 2015 Warrior football team that won the Southern Athletic League title and a good run in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoffs, there are 36 players on the varsity team, 39 on the junior varsity squad and 20 on the freshmen team.

“We’re going to see how numbers play out and see how it goes,” Martins said.

Martins stated the JV and frosh football teams worked out together last week.

There is one sophomore who is working out with the Warrior varsity football team. Sean Nunes has been working out at cornerback and safety.

“That is someone that has had a really good offseason,” said Martins of Nunes. “We’re looking at him and see how that transitions.”

The players on all levels are practicing at the same time, Martins noted. One of the things that he and his coaching staff are stressing to their players is moving fast on all plays and drills.

“We want to practice fast, play fast,” Martins said. “Practicing fast, staying on schedule. That’s how we do it in conditioning. It’s something different.”

Martins went on to say practices, last week, “have been good so far.”

“The kids have really brought in,” Martins continued. “We’re trying to build structure.”

The Warriors’ workouts also include the weight room.

“They have a little bit on their plate, but they have attacked it,” Martins said.

The players are also adjusting to practicing in the mid-late afternoon hours after having summer workouts in the mornings before the start of practices last week.

“They’ve done a really good job of adjusting to it,” Martins said. “We’re looking forward to (this) week.”

The Warriors will practice this week in the mid-late afternoon hours through Friday.

Orestimba will open the season hosting Westside rival Gustine on Friday, Aug. 22. Then the Warriors have three more non-league games before starting Trans-valley League action in mid-September.

Mike Bush is a multimedia journalist who was born and raised in the Stanislaus and Merced County areas. Follow him on X/Twitter @MikeBMultimedia and Instagram @mikebushmedia.