just a matter of his youth,” Carter said. “Once he gained some confidence, everything just took off for him and started opening up some eyes.”

Sandoval’s collarbone injury last season occurred when he was tackled on a bubble screen. At first, Sandoval thought it might have just been a stinger. He was treated on the sidelines and later returned to the field. Sandoval was out there for only one more play, however.

“I kind of knew something wasn’t right when the pain wouldn’t go away,” Sandoval said. “I was hurt a lot as a player when I was younger, but I managed to stay healthy my freshman and sophomore year. I thought I had finally broken the curse, but it came back and got me.”

Sandoval obviously was disappointed he could not be out there on the field with his teammates, but he found new ways to make an impact. He became a mentor for the team’s other receivers, including Jacob McDowell (now a senior) and Nicholas Shaw (now a junior). McDowell and Shaw stepped up in Sandoval’s absence, combining for 60 catches for 1,026 yards and eight touchdowns for the Trojans last season.

“That was the coach’s kid coming out in Julian,” Carter said, noting that Sandoval’s father, Uli, is the team’s offensive line coach.

“If there was a silver lining in Julian’s injury, it’s that it forced other guys to raise their game. And Julian was right there to help them along the way.”

Sandoval initially was expected to miss six to eight weeks, but he kept receiving bad news and the return date was pushed back. November 4 became the date Sandoval could return to action, but Hillcrest lost its playoff opener to Linfield Christian the previous night.

So, Sandoval turned his focus to his senior season.

“After the playoff loss last year, coach Carter came up to me and said, ‘Let’s finish what we started,’” Sandoval said. “That really stuck with me this offseason. We have a strong senior class, and if something special is going to happen here, this could be the year.”

And with players like Sandoval, that might just happen for the Trojans. Carter said his veteran receiver has been a phenomenal leader by example, both on the field and in the classroom. Sandoval carries a 4.3 GPA and wants to be an engineer in the field of aeronautics.

“Everything he does, and the way he does it, is a great example for every player in the program,” Carter said. “He never takes a play off when he’s on the field. We ask a lot of our receivers. When they aren’t catching balls, they are out there blocking on running plays, and he’s going harder than anyone else.

“He’s been a blessing to have in this program for four years. And I am truly proud of the way he has represented this school and our team.”