Both Freddy Dunkle and Demarco Sampson gained notoriety playing for the hometown San Diego State University Aztecs. It would only make sense that the former SDSU players, both Castle Park High School alums, would resurface as high school coaches for a team with the Aztec nickname.
In this case, the Montgomery Aztecs.
Dunkle will make his debut as head coach this season for the Aztecs while Sampson will serve as the team’s offensive coordinator.
As with the SDSU Aztecs, there appears to be some new-found Montgomery tradition to uphold as the Otay Mesa school returns to defend its Metro-Pacific League championship — the team’s first league title since 1986.
Dunkle, who has served as an assistant coach at Castle Park, Hoover and Hilltop high schools, is looking to continue taking the program in a positive direction.
“We look to build the program into a perennial power house that is known for championships and scholarships,” Dunkle said. “We will win with great effort and attitude.”
That blue-collar work ethic could lead to another highly productive season — one that ended with an overall 7-4 record in 2017.
Dunkle and Sampson are greeted by a large group of Aztec returners who are eager to continue their success on the field.
They include senior running back/defensive back Samson You (6-0, 170), junior tight end/linebacker Agelu Meredith (6-4, 240), senior linebacker/running back Victor Ayala (5-11, 220), senior offensive/defensive linemen Edwin Nunez (6-4, 255), Faammuia Weezy Meredith (6-4, 325) and Justan Guerra (6-1, 250), junior offensive/defensive lineman Angel Lemus (6-4, 330), senior receiver/defensive back David Vargas (6-2-170), senior quarterback/receiver/defensive back Kyrell Thorn (6-0, 170), junior running back/defensive back Xavier Brown (5-5, 145), junior receiver/defensive back Sinquel Burton (6-0, 160), junior quarterback/receiver/defensive back Ze’Taime Burton (6-1,160) and junior quarterback/defensive back Keoa Gumataotao (5-10, 180).
Ayala is the returning league defensive MVP while You, Nunez, Lemus, Meredith and Guerra all earned all-league recognition last season.
The Aztecs look to benefit from size throughout the lineup.
This isn’t to say the team will not experience challenges after losing its main offensive weapon — Hunter Joseph — from a year ago. Joseph racked up an amazing 1,873 all-purpose yards in 2017, scoring 17 touchdowns.
But challenges often make new ventures exciting.
Back on track
Dunkle, an All-CIF and league defensive player of the year at Castle Park before becoming a linebacker and special teams standout from 2004-06 at SDSU, was hired during the offseason and thus had a late start in organizing summer activities for the team.
“Due to the late start, we weren’t able to participate in any seven-on-seven tournaments,” the new Aztec head coach explained. “We’ll have to build off it with fall practices.”
Despite the late start, team goals haven’t changed.
“We really want to win the league title, receive a playoff bye and do our best when we’re in the playoffs,” Dunkle said.
One of Dunkle’s primary goals is to build a program at Montgomery. That would include the addition of a junior varsity team and significant expansion of the current roster size.
He’d like to have 100 student-athletes involved in the program, which would be more than double the current roster size.
In the meantime, the focus will be on moving forward in a positive direction.
That also applies to the coach.
“I continue to evolve,” Dunkle said. “I think my coaching is always going to get better. I’m looking to take what I’ve learned from all the coaches I’ve had in my career, both as a player and assistant coach, and hopefully improve on it.”
Castle Park hoping to reverse course in 2018 after posting 1-19 mark over last two seasons
The Castle Park High School football program has experienced a downturn in recent years. The Trojans won one game in 2016. The team finished 0-10 last year.
That’s a far cry from the program’s back-to-back Metro-Pacific League championships in 2014-15 when Castle Park combined to win 15 games.
There is hope under second-year head coach Bernard Ansolabehere to reverse the 1-19 record the team has posted the last two seasons.
If so, the Trojans can compete once again for a league championship.
Castle Park’s prime movers and shakers in 2018 appear to be senior quarterback/defensive back Diego Martinez, senior receiver/quarterback/defensive back Airrien Smith and senior receiver/defensive back Joel Torres.
While the numbers may be small roster-wise, there does appear to be some high profile talent spread throughout the lineup.
Other key players include senior running back/defensive back Isaiah Morineau, senior tight end/defensive back Christian Bustos and linemen Robert Soldenski, Ivan Briseno, Bobby Escobar and Mauricio Ibarra. Soldenski and Briseno are both seniors; Escobar and Ibarra are both sophomores.
Briseno weighs in at 245 pounds.
The Trojans competed in several summer passing tournaments in sizing up their roster for the new season; some positions Ansolabehere said may remain in open competition until the first game of the season.
Castle Park will vie for a berth in the Division V playoff field this season. The Trojans will get an idea of their newfound territory when they host O’Farrell Charter, a freelance team playing its first year of 11-man football, on Aug. 17.
Metro-Pacific League rivals Southwest and San Ysidro are also competing for Division V playoff berths this season, which should give extra meaning to Castle Park’s league matchups.
“It could be a positive for us but nobody can say anything until we play these opponents,” Ansolabehere cautioned. “Our goal is just to continue to improve.”
New San Ysidro coach seeking new fortunes for Cougars
The San Ysidro Cougars finished in third place in the four-team Metro-Pacific League last season and did not qualify for the San Diego Section playoffs with an overall 4-6 record.
The team is getting a fresh start under new head coach Keith Aguon in 2018. Aguon said his main concern in sizing up this year’s team is a young inexperienced roster.
“However, we have size up front on both sides of the ball,” the new SYHS sideline boss is quick to point out. “We have two players starting on both sides around 325 pounds, and two others just under 300 pounds.”
Size does matter.
Junior running back Josue Juarez joins the varsity team from last year’s junior varsity squad. Aguon expects him to make an impression.
“He will be an under the radar guy, but we feel he has the potential to be a top runner in the county sooner than later,” Aguon said.
The Cougars entered training camp with a quarterback battle between junior Alfredo Mendez and senior Marcus Bowman.
“Both players played other positions on the JV last season, but both have shown the leadership and athleticism needed to run our offense,” Aguon said.
The Cougars are blessed with several top returners, including seniors Josef Bielma (linebacker/strong safety), Greg Melendez (offensive/defensive lineman), J.J. Castillo (defensive back), Marco Vargas (defensive back) and Oliver Ramirez (linebacker/fullback), junior Henry Payan (tight end) and sophomore Jesse Hernandez (wide receiver).
Bielma earned first team all-league honors last season while Melendez was a second team all-league pick. Both Castillo and Vargas are returning starters.
San Ysidro will be flooded this year with a host of players up from last year’s JV squad.
Besides Juarez, Mendez and Bowman, they include senior Nestor Amaya (defensive back/running back), juniors Joshiel Alvarez (nose tackle) and Carlos Lopez (linebacker/fullback) and sophomores Hector Moreno (defensive end) and Jesse Ulloa (offensive lineman).
Senior linebacker-Camelo Marizcal did not play football last year, but wrestled.
This is Aguon’s first head coaching job; he is optimistic about the outcome.
“We expect to battle for the league title this season, with the goal to be a top eight team qualifying for the Division V playoffs,” he said.
Raiders looking to contend again for CIF playoff berth
The Southwest Raiders finished 4-6 last season to grab the final berth in the Division V playoffs. Look for the Raiders to once again contend for a postseason berth as the bracket expands from eight to 12 teams.
Southwest, under fourth-year head coach Paco Silva, should once again be in the thick of the Metro-Pacific League title chase after finishing runner-up last season. The Raiders return 11 lettermen from that team.
Quarterback/strong safety J’vion Young returns to lead the way again this season along with fullbacks/linebackers Daniel Belton and Raymond Flores, tight end/linebacker John Herrera, receiver/strong safety Omar Platas, receiver Charles Ingram and linemen Christian Andrade, Keith Holter, Alan Neri and Ricardo Romero.
Prep Kick-Off 2018
Friday Night Lights
Friday, Aug. 17
Chula Vista 27, La Jolla Country Day 14
Castle Park 55, O’Farrell Charter 6
Montgomery 12, Hoover 6
Santa Fe Christian 28, Olympian 25 (OT)
Escondido 31, Hilltop 20
Southwest 57, Escondido Charter 26
St. Augustine 35, Bonita Vista 0
Torrey Pines 13, Eastlake 0
Monte Vista 44, Mar Vista 0
Mission Bay 38, San Ysidro 14
Ramona 28, Mater Dei Catholic 0
San Marcos 24, Otay Ranch 21
San Pasqual 48, Sweetwater 7
Metro-Pacific League
2018 Football Schedules
Castle Park Trojans
August
17: O’Farrell Charter at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
24: Castle Park at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
31: Coronado at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
September
7: Fallbrook at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
14: Castle Park at Hoover, 6:30 p.m.
21: Castle Park at Crawford, 7 p.m.
28: Bye
October
5: Castle Park at El Cajon Valley, 7 p.m.
12: Montgomery at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
19: Southwest at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
26: Castle Park at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
Montgomery Aztecs
August
17: Hoover at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
24: Montogmery at Classical Academy, 7 p.m.
31: Francis Parker at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
September
7: San Diego at Montgomery, 6:30 p.m.
14: Montgomery at Army-Navy Academy, 7 p.m.
21: Bye
28: Montgomery vs. Vincent Memorial at TBA
October
5: Sweetwater at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
12: Montgomery at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
19: San Ysidro at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
26: Montgomery at Southwest, 7 p.m.
San Ysidro Cougars
August
17: San Ysidro at Mission Bay, 7 p.m.
24: San Ysidro at Mountain Empire, 6:30 p.m.
31: Hilltop at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
September
7: Crawford at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
14: Kearny at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
21: San Ysidro at Francis Parker, 7 p.m.
28: San Ysidro at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
October
5: Bye
12: Southwest at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
19: San Ysidro at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
26: Castle Park at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
Southwest Raiders
August
17: Escondido Charter at Southwest, 7 p.m.
24: Vincent Memorial at Southwest, 7 p.m.
31: Bye
September
7: Maranatha Christian at Southwest, 7 p.m.
14: O’Farrell Charter at Southwest, 7 p.m.
21: Southwest at Clairemont, 7 p.m.
28: Southwest at Holtville, 7 p.m.
October
5: Mar Vista at Southwest, 7 p.m.
12: Southwest at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
19: Southwest at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
26: Montgomery at Southwest, 7 p.m.
