A high school football team is like family. At Gaither they realize not all family members are alike.
Nobody knows that more then Gaither head football coach Kirk Karsen who has the pleasure of coaching Tony and Nick Bartalo.
"They’re complete opposites, Nick is a hundred percent serious and Tony for lack of a better word, he’s kind of a goof ball," Karsen explained.
Nick, a junior, plays linebacker and right guard. Older brother Tony, a senior, is the Cowboys' starting quarterback.
The brothers have been a huge part of the Cowboys success. Last season, Tony led Gaither to 8 wins and a second straight playoff berth. As a junior he racked up more than 1,700 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading to much higher expectations this year.
Tony’s running style and the Bartalo brothers work ethic, you could say was inherited.
Their father Steve went from a walk on at Colorado State to becoming one of the most successful running backs in college football history. To this day he still holds NCAA records.
And the boys don’t have to go far to get dad's advice. The former Bucccaneers running back has been a high school football coach in the Bay Area for more than 20 years, and coaches the running backs at Gaither.
It’s a never-ending dose of football for the Bartalos on and off the field. The example the family sets every day will hopefully create something special at Gaither, now and for years to come.
The Bartalo family's goal at Gaither according to Tony: "We’re trying our best to just get the culture going right and really just trying to get the team bought in, the school bought in on what we can really do this year, because we have a great future."
After wins in each of their first two games to start the season, including a win over perennial power Plant, you could say they are on their way.