‘It’s looking pretty good.’ Los Banos football ready to play at improved Loftin Stadium

Los Banos High running back and linebacker Kolton Kanemoto can’t wait to run onto the field at Loftin Stadium this season.

The Tigers’ home stadium underwent some major renovations this offseason, including a new turf and all weather track, two team rooms, a snack bar, a ticket booth and new bathrooms.

The $11.1 million project was funded through Measure X which was passed by voters in 2018.

The school even collected $110,000 in donations to add a new video scoreboard.

The players are excited, but will have to wait until Los Banos’ fourth game of the season to play its first home game, on Sept. 13 against Liberty.

“I’ve been to so many other high schools playing baseball, football and wrestling and I see all all these schools getting turf fields and their fields are getting updated,” Kanemoto said. “I started looking at our field and it’s looking pretty good, so I’m excited to play on it. I’m glad I can be the first senior to step onto the field.”

Tigers head coach Dustin Caropreso has been coaching for 20 years in the program and is as excited as the kids.

“To be able to see something like this, in my eyes, it’s pretty special,” Caropreso said. “The players need to cherish it, because it’s state of the art, it’s beautiful.”

The new additions to the stadium aren’t the only changes for the Tigers as they move from the Western Athletic Conference to the Central California Conference.

Los Banos enters the CCC after going 14-0 en route to back-to-back WAC championships the last two seasons. They become the new team to help create an all-Merced County CCC along with Merced, Golden Valley, El Capitan, Atwater and Buhach Colony.

“We’ve been at the top of our league for a really long time,” Kanemoto said. “I think it was about time we moved up to a new league. To be honest, I think we’re fully ready to take on a new league. They say they are some tough teams, but look at us. I think we’re pretty tough too.”

The Tigers will be counting on a young group of players. Los Banos relied heavily on three-year quarterback David Herrera last season.

Junior Josh Gargano and senior Ethan Brisano are competing for the starting quarterback job this season Third-year receiver Yahir Zuniga will be one of the top weapons in the CCC this season.

“We’ve got to get creative to get him the football, because he’s one of our best guys,” Caropreso said of Zuniga.

Zuniga finds himself in a leadership role with a young team.

“I’ve been here three years,” Zuniga said. “I’ve grown up with all these guys, and now with all these young guys coming in, I’m trying to do my part and help them all get better. I just want to be that guy they can look up to and the guy they can learn from.”

Despite their youth, Caropreso likes this group. He likes their work ethic and how they strive to get better every day.

The Tigers are ready to hit the ground running.

“This school has been around for so long and these families have lived in this town for years and these are sons and daughters who are now on the team,” Kanemoto said. “Their parents were on the team and their grandparents were on the team. The roots go really deep, and I think that’s what really helps this team, you have such a supporting community.”

Los Banos 2024 Schedule

Aug. 23 at Dos Palos

Aug. 30 at Hilmar

Sept. 6 at Pacheco

Sept. 13 vs. Liberty

Sept. 20 vs. Gregori

Oct. 4 vs. El Capitan

Oct. 11 at Merced

Oct. 18 vs. Buhach Colony

Oct. 25 vs. Golden Valley

Nov. 1 at Atwater