Metro-Mesa League Preview
High school football in San Diego County is definitely rising to top-billing in 2022, it appears, on Saturday when defending state Division 2-AA champion Mater Dei Catholic hosts defending state Division I-AA champion Cathedral Catholic in a high-profile non-league clash.
The game will be broadcast live on KUSI-TV, Kick-off is 6 p.m.
The local television station is billing the game as “Saturday Night Live.”
KUSI Prep Pigskin Report’s Paul Rudy, Brandon Stone, Allison Edmonds, Nick James and Bowe Fertig will comprise the broadcast team for the PPR’s first ever full game broadcast.
For those who follow high school football in the region, the live game broadcast is a very big deal.
And it shouldn’t disappoint as both teams are among the best in the state. Mater Dei Catholic enters the new season ranked 10th in the state while Cathedral Catholic is ranked 11th. It’s not often that another San Diego County team, much less one from the Metro Conference, is ranked ahead of the perennial dreadnaught Dons.
It’s almost certain an overflow crowd is expected on the Crusaders’ campus.
Cathedral Catholic won last year’s Open Division section title while Mater Dei Catholic won last year’s Division III section title.
Mater Dei Catholic and Cathedral Catholic are ranked 1-2, and Saturday’s game will likely determine if there is a flip-flop in the early season rankings.
Carlsbad (last year’s Open Division runner-up) is ranked third among section teams while Lincoln (last year’s Division I runner-up) is ranked fourth ahead of defending Division I champion Helix Charter, which occupies the section’s No. 5 spot to kick off the new season.
Rounding out the top 10 teams are No. 6 Madison, No. 7 Scripps Ranch (last year’s Division II champion, now in Division I), No. 8 Mission Hills, No. 9 Torrey Pines and No. 10 Patrick Henry (last year’s Division IV champion, now in Division III).
Crusader Nation
Mater Dei Catholic’s perfect 13-0 season in 2021 included a 37-10 victory over Ramona in the Division III championship game and a subsequent 24-21 win over section Division I champion Helix Charter in the state regional playoff game before toppling Modesto Central Catholic, 34-25, in the state final.
Virtually all of the Crusaders’ skill position players return, making them a formidable foe.
Top college recruits include senior receiver Jerry McClure, junior running back Anthony McMillian, senior quarterback Dominic Nankil. senior linebacker Tre Edwards, senior receiver/defensive back Surhaz Buncom, senior defensive back Chris Snyder and junior defensive back Isiah Buxton.
McClure was the team’s leading pass-grabber last season with 38 catches for 958 yards and eight touchdowns while earning second team All-CIF honors.
McMillian rushed for 736 yards and scored eight touchdowns in eight games last season while tacking on 108 receiving yards and 32 tackles on defense.
Nankil passed for 3,427 yards and 28 touchdowns against just four interceptions en route to claiming first team all-section honors.
Edwards (6-1, 220) earned massive recognition as the 2021 CIF Defensive Player of the Year after logging 96 tackles (17 for a loss) and six sacks.
Buncom, grandson of former AFL Charger Hall of Famer Frank Buncom Jr., is an impact player on both sides of the ball with his height (6-4, 175) and speed. He averaged 17.3 yards per catch last season on offense.
Snyder can also play both sides of the ball, recording 22 tackles and one interception on the road to last year’s state title.
Buxton logged 29 tackles and four picks last season on defense with 186 return yards.
Besides Cathedral Catholic, Mater Dei Catholic’s other non-league opponents include Carlsbad, Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.), Lincoln. St. Augustine and Central Union.
“With a lot of returners, we should have a lot of leadership from the senior guys,” MDCHS head coach John Joyner said. “We have a tough early season schedule, and that senior leadership will help carry us in those early games.
“It’s a tough situation (moving to Division I) but it’s what we play for.”
“Winning a state championship was big,” said Edwards, a UCLA commit. “We’re looking to do it again even though they moved us up a couple divisions. It’s the same challenge. If we do it with the same level of mentality, we’ll have the same results.”
Titans reloading after massive wave of graduation
For much of the past two decades the Eastlake Titans have been in the thick of the Metro-Mesa League championship race, winning coveted CIF titles in 2009 and 2012.
The Titans will look to do the same this season despite a large turnover in varsity personnel.
According to Eastlake coach Jose Mendoza, the Titans will be fielding an exceptionally young team this season. But expect the team to compete again for a league title and playoff berth by the end of the season.
Eastlake finished 8-4 overall last season with an appearance in the San Diego Section Division I quarterfinals after finishing 4-1 in league play.
“This year’s Eastlake Titans football team is very young,” Mendoza said. “We do not have one senior on our starting offense. The team’s strength will be offensive line play. Expectations are to get better every week and compete at a high Division I level. The team goal is to win league. We finished second in the league last season.”
Despite graduating a large and talented senior class, the Titans do feature an overload of returners, including all-league performers Josh Glanz and Kaipo Mauga.
Glanz, a junior, is a giant on the field at 6-7, 280 pounds at his offensive line position while Mauga, a senior, stands 6-1, 175 pounds at his rover position.
Mauga is the top returning defensive player after logging 73 total tackles in 2021. He also had one interception and two fumble recoveries.
Other top returners include junior tight end/offensive lineman/defensive end Caleb Addleman (6-2, 240), senior defensive end Guillermo Reza (6-3, 215), senior defensive lineman Keli’i Pietila-Wiggs (6-0, 235), senior outside linebacker/running back A.J. Rodriguez (5-10, 175), senior defensive back Tyler Bourke (5-9, 155), junior offensive lineman Jeremy Finch (6-4, 255) and junior receiver/linebackers Fabian Gerbella (6-3, 190) and Christian Gerbella (6-3, 190).
Size and grit should not be a problem.
Junior quarterback Shawn Pomatto (6-2, 195) is the team’s impact newcomer, coming over from St. Augustine High School where he played last season.
Eastlake enters the season ranked in the middle of Division I and will be looking to move up a few spots to earn a home game in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Titans’ lineup will feature an almost complete makeover. Twelve of the team’s top 13 rushing leaders last year were seniors while 11 of the team’s top 13 receivers were seniors.
With players coming in to fill holes and prove themselves, Eastlake could rate as the surprise team in both the Metro-Mesa League and Division I this season.
“This group will be looking to create its own identity,” Mendoza said succinctly.
Eastlake kicks off regular season play with a home game against Apple Valley on Aug. 19.
followed by another non-league home game against Poway (Clash of the Titans) on Aug. 26. The season-opening five-game homestand continues with games against La Habra (Sept. 2), Granite Hills (Sept. 9) and Villa Park (Sept. 16).
Eastlake kicks off regular season play with a home game against Apple Valley on Aug. 19, followed by another non-league home game against Poway (Clash of the Titans) on Aug. 26. The season-opening five-game homestand continues with games against La Habra (Sept. 2), Granite Hills (Sept. 9) and Villa Park (Sept. 16).
The Titans kick off Metro-Mesa League play Oct. 14 by hosting Bonita Vista in the teams’ annual Battle of the Boot rivalry game, then close regular season play with a pair of Thursday games (Oct. 20 at Otay Ranch and Oct. 27 at home against top-ranked Mater Dei Catholic).
Otay Ranch, Bonita Vista aim for successful seasons in Metro-Mesa League lineup
Brad Burton is coaching his second stint at Otay Ranch High School. He previously coached the Mustangs from 2007-08 while compiling an 11-9-1 record and trips to the playoffs both seasons.
Following his first stint at Otay Ranch, Burton coached at Grossmont College and Granite Hills. His son Zach Burton graduated from Granite Hills in 2022, and the elder Burton felt the urge to get back into being a high school head coach.
The younger Burton (6-2, 250) is now a redshirt freshman at Angelo State University after earning first team all-league honors twice and second team all-state as a defensive tackle and defensive end. He was a three-year scholar-athlete at Granite Hills.
Burton calls this year’s Otay Ranch team “kind of a mix.”
“There’s some key returning guys who should have a good year; there’s some young guys who definitely can play who have shown improvement,” he said. “We’ll be a young team that will rely on the efforts of many newcomers.”
The 2022 Mustangs can also relay on an experienced coaching staff braced by returning offensive coordinator Judd Rachow.
“We have four former head coaches and many combined league, conference, CIF, state and even some national championships at the community college level,” Burton said.
Top returners include tight end/defensive lineman Osvaldo Avila, quarterback Makai Corpuz and offensive lineman Kaleo Donaldson.
Avila is among the top tight end prospects in the section.
Impact newcomers include defensive back Kenyon Burnett, offensive lineman Khalil Busscher, linebacker Joshua Daffron, defensive back D’Angelo Fisher, running back Oluwatolani Osinforlarin, offensive-defensive lineman Caden Thomas and receiver Johnnie Welborne.
The Mustangs finished 3-6 last season with a 33-28 loss to Central Union in the opening round of the Division II playoffs after a 2-2 finish in Metro-Mesa League play.
Otay Ranch returns to both the Metro-Mesa League and Division II playoff tier this season. The Mustangs host Division I Madison in their season opener on Friday.
Bonita Vista
The Barons finished 4-6 last season with a loss in the first round of the Division III playoffs to an undefeated West Hills team.
BV head coach Tyler Arciaga said the team has some experience on its side but still needs to fill holes at some positions because of graduation.
“Our strength will be our receiver corps with large and experienced players,” Arciaga said. “We should also be solid at running back with returner Jamar Haines. Juan Gomez will be our quarterback and has experience as a starter his sophomore year during the COVID season and having three years in the system.”
Senior Dante Scott, a Colorado State commit can play receiver, defensive back and defensive end. He attracted attention after catching 23 passes for 581 yards and 10 touchdowns last year.
Haines rushed for 346 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Junior Kelly Brown (6-2, 285) and senior Sam Sandoval (5-11, 250) will anchor the Barons’ offensive line, though Arciaga said the team will need players to set up on both the offensive line and defensive line positions after losing several all-league players.
The Barons do have depth to draw from with 135 players in the program across three teams, including 50 on the varsity.
Bonita Vista kicks off its season Friday with a non-league game at Morse, then has a bye before traveling to Redwood City on Sept. 2. The Barons host Hilltop in their season home opener on Sept. 9.
Metro-Mesa League Schedule
Bonita Vista Barons
August
19: Bonita Vista at Morse. 7 p.m.
September
2: Bonita Vista at Redwood City Sequoia, 7 p.m.
9: Bonita Vista vs. Hilltop at Southwestern College, 6:30 p.m.
16: Bonita Vista at Patrick Henry, 6:30 p.m.
23: Bonita Vista vs. Vincent Memorial at Southwestern College, 6:30 p.m.
30: Bonita Vista vs. Mar Vista at Montgomery, 6:30 p.m.
October
6: Bonita Vista vs. Olympian at Southwestern College, 6:30 p.m.
14: Bonita Vista at Eastlake, 6:30 p.m.
21: Bonita Vista at Mater Dei Catholic, 6:30 p.m.
28: Bonita Vista vs. Otay Ranch at Southwestern College, 7 p.m.
Eastlake Titans
August
19: Apple Valley at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
26: Poway at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
September
2: La Habra at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
9: Granite Hills at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
16: Villa Park at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
23: Eastlake at Oakley Freedom, 7 p.m.
October
7: Eastlake at Montgomery, 6:30 p.m.
14: Bonita Vista at Eastlake, 6:30 p.m.
20: Eastlake at Otay Ranch, 6:30 p.m.
27: Mater Dei Catholic at Eastlake, 6:30 p.m.
Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders
August
20: Cathedral Catholic at Mater Dei Catholic, 6 p.m.
26: Carlsbad at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
September
2: Mater Dei Catholic at Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.), 4 p.m.
10: Mater Dei Catholic at Lincoln, 7 p.m.
23: Mater Dei Catholic vs. St. Augustine at Mesa College, 7 p.m.
30: Mater Dei Catholic at Central Union, 7 p.m.
October
6: Mater Dei Catholic at Hilltop, 6:30 p.m.
14: Otay Ranch at Mater Dei Catholic, 6:30 p.m.
21: Bonita Vista at Mater Dei Catholic, 6:30 p.m.
27: Mater Dei Catholic at Eastlake, 6:30 p.m.
Otay Ranch Mustangs
August
19: Madison at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
26: Otay Ranch at Helix, 7 p.m.
September
2: Otay Ranch at Mira Mesa, 7 p.m.
9: Central Union at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
16: Otay Ranch at San Diego, 7 p.m.
30: Olympian at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
October
7: Sweetwater at Otay Ranch, 6:30 p.m.
14: Otay Ranch at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
20: Eastlake at Otay Ranch, 6:30 p.m.
28: Bonita Vista vs. Otay Ranch at Southwestern College, 6:30 p.m.
Metro-South Bay League Preview
Aztecs look to continue success in search of league, CIF titles
According to Montgomery High School head coach Freddy Dunkle, the 2022 Aztecs will be ready to compete and continue their relentless pursuit of excellence on the field.
“With a strong offseason we look forward to playing a challenging schedule,” Dunkle said. “Our team goal is to be league champions and CIF champions.”
Montgomery enters the season ranked highly in both categories. The Aztecs finished runner-up to Sweetwater for last year’s South Bay League championship. Montgomery, seeded seventh, defeated 10th-seeded Francis Parker, 35-6, in the opening round of the Division IV playoffs before ending their season with a 35-8 loss at second-seeded University City, the eventual division runner-up.
The Aztecs finished the 2021 season 7-4 overall, 4-1 in league play.
The Aztecs appear primed for another championship run braced by 10 all-league returners, including seniors Jordan Benton (receiver/defensive back), Abel Estrada (offensive/defensive lineman), Victor Flores (running back/linebacker), Isaac Cervantes (running back/defensive back) and Gideon Baraka (tight end/linebacker) and juniors Mario Corrales (tight end/defensive lineman), Mike Mohr (tight end/linebacker), Arath Levya (running back/linebacker), Sheldon Dorame (offensive/defensive lineman) and Dalais Garcia (receiver/defensive back).
It’s a very talented group, especially on defense.
Cervantes rushed for 363 yards with three touchdowns last season to lead the team’s returning ground-gainers.
Flores had 253 rushing yards and scored twice while making a touchdown grab.
Leyva had two rushing touchdowns while leading the team defensively with 68 tackles.
Benton was the team’s leading receiver with 26 catches for 396 yards and three touchdowns.
Mohr and Baraka ranked in a tie for third on the team with 47 tackles, followed by Venegas with 45 tackles, followed by Flores with 43 tackles, Benton with 30 tackles, Garcia with 27 tackles and Cervantes with 24 tackles.
Leyva had 10 tackles for a loss while Baraka and Mohr both had nine tackles for a loss. Flores had six tackles for a loss.
Mohr led the team with 4.5 sacks, followed by Baraka with four sacks and Leyva with three sacks.
Garcia and Benton both logged two interceptions while Flores had two fumble recoveries.
Impact newcomers include junior receiver/defensive back Arik Brown, sophomore receiver/defensive back Royal Iapala and junior quarterback Diego Villanueva.
Montgomery kicks off the new season Aug. 19 with a home game against Coronado, followed by another non-league home game Aug. 26 against Santana.
The Aztecs play a total of three Thursday night games — Sept. 1 at Mt. Miguel, Sept. 8 at El Cajon Valley and Sept. 22 at Castle Park.
Montgomery will host Mission Bay on Sept. 16 and Eastlake in a high-profile non-league encounter on Oct. 7 before ending the season with three consecutive league games against Olympian, Sweetwater and Hilltop.
The Aztecs remain at the Division IV level and have several divisional matchups on their regular season schedule, including those against Mission Bay, Coronado, Hilltop, Sweetwater and Mt. Miguel.
Mission Bay enters the season ranked fourth among Division IV teams while Coronado is ranked fifth, Sweetwater ranked seventh, Montgomery ranked eighth, Mt. Miguel ranked ninth and Hilltop ranked 14th.
Lancers land in new league, hope to prosper
The Hilltop Lancers are moving to a new league and new playoff division for the 2022 season, so understandably there is a lot of enthusiasm — as well as optimism — running through the program.
“The schedule this year is better suited for us to be competitive,” Hilltop head coach Bryan Wagner said. “We are still relatively young. We have some pretty good athletes so we should be OK on both offense and defense. Our running game should be good if we can solidify the offensive line. The newcomers must step into positions and show they can play at a varsity level.”
Top returners include senior running back/defensive end Tyeron Washington, senior quarterback/free safety Jorge Garcia, senior running back/linebacker Subastian Calara, senior receiver/free safety Angelo Zapata, senior kicker/punter Sal Vidrios and senior offensive lineman Michael Sanchez.
Washington earned first team all-league defensive honors last season while Zapata was a second team all-league selection on offense.
Garcia passed for 675 yards and two touchdowns while adding 327 rushing yards for 1,002 total yards, an average of 111.3 yards per game.
Zapata compiled 287 receiving yards. Josh Bernardo racked up 248 rushing yards last season as a junior while also making 22 pass grabs for 209 receiving yards.
Washington was credited with 157 rushing yards on offense.
Impact newcomers include junior offensive lineman Jose Garcia, junior receiver Isaac Meza, junior receiver/center Nick Moore and junior offensive lineman Nicolas Blea.
The Lancers are sequestered in the reconfigured Metro-South Bay League this season alongside Sweetwater, Montgomery and Olympian.
Sweetwater finished on top of last year’s six-team South Bay League alignment, placing ahead of runner-up Montgomery.
Hilltop and Olympian competed as members of the six-team Mesa League, with Hilltop placing fifth and Olympian placing sixth.
Both the Metro-Mesa and Metro-South Bay League have only four teams this season while the Metro-Pacific League has five teams.
Despite the league realignment, Hilltop still has Bonita Vista and Mater Dei Catholic on its schedule this season as non-league opponents. The Lancers will play two teams from the Metro Pacific League: west side neighborhood rival Chula Vista and San Ysidro.
Hilltop kicks off its season with a pair of non-league matchups against East County teams. The Lancers host Valhalla on Aug. 19 in a key Division IV contest, then host El Capitan, the runner-up in last year’s Grossmont Valley League, on Aug. 26.
Hilltop continues its non-league schedule with road matchups at Chula Vista on Sept. 1 and Bonita Vista on Sept. 9.
The game at Chula Vista High School is part of the teams’ annual Chula Vista Kiwanis Bowl rivalry game.
The Lancers host San Ysidro on Sept. 15 before venturing north to Escondido High School for a non-league game on Sept. 23.
Hilltop will host defending state champion Mater Dei Catholic in a high-profile Thursday night game on Oct. 6.
Then it’s back to Friday Night Lights for league play with consecutive games against Sweetwater (there on Oct. 14), OIympian (there on Oct. 21) and Montgomery (home on Oct. 28).
Divisional games are against Valhalla, Montgomery, Sweetwater and Chula Vista.
Eagles hope to bounce back from 0-7 season with playoff berth, league title in move to Metro-South Bay League
The Olympian Eagles failed to finish regular season play last year with a 0-7 record. Head coach Jimmy Clark III is hoping for a complete turnaround in 2022 as the team moves from the Metro-Mesa League to the Metro-South Bay League.
“The team had a great off-season and saw a resurgence in participation with over 140 players join the program,” Clark said. “This team has its sight set on the playoffs and league championship.”
The team’s top returners include senior defensive tackle/offensive lineman Jace Watson, junior linebacker/fullback Ceejay Clavier, junior receiver/defensive back Jake Marcial, senior receivers/defensive backs Javon Jordan and Brandon Loe, senior defensive lineman/tight end Davian Brewer, senior defensive back Santiago Trevino, senior linebacker Luke Mena, junior running back/linebacker Ethan Mallon, junior running back/linebacker Tristan Anderson, junior offensive-defensive lineman Riley Baloy and sophomore quarterback Kristian Noriega.
Watson, Clavier and Marcial all earned second team all-league honors last season.
Noriega will guide the offense alongside Jordan, Loe and Marcial on the receiving end of the young gunslinger’s passes, according to Clark.
Noreiga did make an impression as a freshman in 2021 with 650 passing yards and four touchdowns in six games. Marcial had 382 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Mallon and Anderson look to establish the Eagles’ ground game.
Clavier, Watson and Mena will look to stop the opponent’s run game while Loe, junior Ethan Roberts and Trevino will patrol the secondary, Clark said.
Roberts, a receiver/defensive back, is among the team’s cast of newcomers that also includes junior defensive back/receiver Emiliano Lozano, junior receiver/linebacker Shay Harrison, sophomore running back/linebacker Josue Vargas and senior linebacker/tight end Stephen Perales.
Clavier, Mena and Watson ranked 1-2-3 in defensive tackles last season. Watson registered eight tackles for a loss in six games while Clavier tallied five tackles for a loss. Clavier and Watson both had four sacks.
Marcial, Mena and Loe each recorded one interception while Mena had one fumble recovery.
The Eagles have dropped to the Division III playoff tier this season, which should create a more competitive outlook on the season.
Metro-South Bay League Schedules
Hilltop Lancers
August
19: Valhalla at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
26: El Capitan at Hilltop, 6:30 p.m.
September
1: Hilltop at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
9: Bonita Vista vs. Hilltop at Southwestern College, 6:30 p.m.
15: San Ysidro at Hilltop, 6:30 p.m.
23: Hilltop at Escondido, 7 p.m.
October
6: Mater Dei Catholic at Hilltop, 6:30 p.m.
14: Hilltop at Sweetwater, 6:30 p.m.
21: Hilltop at Olympian, 6:30 p.m.
28: Montgomery at Hilltop, 6:30 p.m.
Montgomery Aztecs
August
19: Coronado at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
26: Santana at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
September
1: Montgomery at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.
8: Montgomery at El Cajon Valley, 7 p.m.
16: Mission Bay at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
22: Montgomery at Castle Park, 6:30 p.m.
October
7: Eastlake at Montgomery, 6:30 p.m.
14: Montgomery at Olympian, 6:30 p.m.
21: Sweetwater at Montgomery, 6:30 p.m.
28: Montgomery at Hilltop, 6:30 p.m.
Olympian Eagles
August
19: Olympian at Westview, 7 p.m.
26: Olympian at San Pasqual, 7 p.m.
September
2: Olympian at West Hills, 7 p.m.
9: Valhalla at Olympian, 7 p.m.
16: Chula Vista at Olympian, 6:30 p.m.
30: Olympian at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
October
6: Bonita Vista vs. Olympian at Southwestern College, 6:30 p.m.
14: Montgomery at Olympian, 6:30 p.m.
21: Hilltop at Olympian, 6:30 p.m.
28: Olympian at Sweetwater, 6:30 p.m.
Sweetwater Red Devils
August
18: Sweetwater at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.
26: Coronado at Sweetwater, 6:30 p.m.
September
2: Canyon Hills at Sweetwater, 6:30 p.m.
8: Mission Bay at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
16: Monte Vista at Sweetwater, 6:30 p.m.
23: Sweetwater at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
October
7: Sweetwater at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
14: Hilltop at Sweetwater, 6:30 p.m.
21: Sweetwater at Montgomery, 6:30 p.m.
28: Olympian at Sweetwater, 6:30 p.m.
Metro-Pacific League Preview
Chula Vista Spartans tabbed as top team in Metro-Pacific League
The Chula Vista High School football team appears to be looking up this season, possibly to the point where Metro-Pacific League opponents are looking up at them.
The Spartans have been tabbed as the league front-runner this season ahead of Mar Vista, San Ysidro, Castle Park and Southwest.
“We like the challenge,” CVHS head coach Howard Bannister III said. “We lost seven seniors to graduation but have 25 seniors on our team this year. Everyone in the Pacific League we played last year, we beat. We know them. It’s our expectation to win it.”
Top returners include senior quarterback Jacob Pedroza, senior slot receiver/middle linebacker Guillermo Arce, senior middle linebacker/tight end Joel Zapata, junior strong safety/running back Nathan Houck and senior left tackle Santiago Macias.
Houck and Macias have been with the program since freshmen — Macias as a four-year player and Hauk as a three-year player.
Macias is particularly noteworthy for his size. He stands 6-5 and weighs 315 pounds.
Size may matter for the Spartans this season.
“Three offensive linemen return, our starting quarterback returns,” Bannister said. “We have 25 seniors. We have experience. All of these guys got playing time last year.”
Chula Vista finished 4-4 last season, 3-2 in South Bay League play. The Spartans just missed qualifying for the playoffs.
The Division IV playoffs appear within reach this season with regular season head-to-head divisional matchups against La Jolla Country Day (season opener on Saturday on the road), Mt. Miguel, Hilltop and Sweetwater.
But the Spartans will need to take care of business.
Non-league games against Hilltop (Kiwanis Bowl on Sept. 1) and Sweetwater (Legacy of Pride on Sept. 23) are key rivalry contests that could set the tone for league play, which opens Sept. 30 with a home game against San Ysidro.
Mariners shouldn’t lack for offense, optimism in 2022
David Moore is excited to take over the head coaching position at Mar Vista High School after a long stint as a youth football coach.
“This is an amazing experience, a dream come true,” said Moore, who had coached at various youth programs in the area before becoming the offensive coordinator at Mar Vista. “I’ve coached youth football for over 20 years. Now I have my own high school team.”
It’s not as if Moore is starting from scratch. The entire coaching staff returns. “We have super big expectations,” Moore said. “We are at the top of Division V. We want to stay there. We start off with Crawford, which is also at the top of the division. We have a big senior class. We have more weapons for our quarterback to throw to. We’re very excited.”
Moore admitted his team will have to overcome some adversity despite all the glowing optimism.
The Mariners will not have any home games this season after the stadium lighting fixtures were condemned at the Imperial Beach school. Instead, designated “home” games will be at Montgomery High School in nearby Otay Mesa.
“We teach these kids about being resilient,” Moore said.
Mar Vista kicks off regular season play Saturday at Crawford, set for a 5 p.m. start. The game is key for both teams in the Division V rankings. The Colts enter the season with the No. 1 ranking in the division, according to MaxPreps, while the Mariners are ranked third in the section rankings.
Mar Vista hosts Mission Bay at Montgomery in another Saturday encounter, also set for a 5 p.m. start. The Mariners play a third consecutive Saturday game at Morse on Sept. 3, another 5 p.m. kickoff.
The Mariners play their first Friday night game of the season Sept. 9 at Coronado, followed by a Saturday game at Clairemont. Mar Vista closes out non-league play by hosting Bonita Vista Sept. 30 at Montgomery.
The remainder of the IB team’s schedule is all on Friday nights – Oct. 7 at Chula Vista as Metro-Pacific League play kicks off, Oct. 14 as Southwest “visits” for the renewal of the schools’ Battle for the Bell rivalry game, Oct. 21 at Castle Park and Oct. 28 at San Ysidro.
San Ysidro enters the season ranked seventh among Division V teams.
The Mariners finished 5-5 overall last season, including a first-round playoff loss to Rancho Buena Vista.
Back to lead Mar Vista’s offensive fortunes is quarterback Aleks Wojcik, who passed for 2,860 yards as a junior last year with 26 touchdowns against four interceptions. He also rushed for 205 and an additional score for 3,065 total yards.
Seniors Nathaniel Ramos (slot/receiver) and Elijah Clark (receiver/linebacker) both look to support Wojcik offensively. Ramos racked up 606 total offensive yards last season, including 581 receiving yards, while Clark compiled 323 receiving yards.
Mar Vista averaged 303.5 total offensive yards per game last year. The Mariners should be gifted offensively again this season.
Castle Park has goals to meet
The Castle Park Trojans will play three Thursday night games this season as well as playing their home opener at a neutral site.
Whenever and wherever they play, the Trojans hope to play well enough to contend for this season’s Metro-Pacific League championship and a high seed in the San Diego Section Division V playoffs.
“We’re looking forward to a great season,” CPHS head coach Paco Silva said. “We’ve had a great off-season program, and our goal is to be safe, healthy and eligible. If we can do that, we’ll be fine.”
The Trojans kick off the 2022 season with a road game at Rancho Buena Vista on Aug. 19, then play their home opener against Calexico the following Thursday, Aug. 25, at Otay Ranch High School because of field maintenance.
Castle Park plays three more non-league games on the road – Sept. 2 at Orange Glen, Sept. 9 at Vincent Memorial and Sept. 16 at Crawford– before returning home for a pair of games on campus: Sept. 22 against neighborhood rival Montgomery (a Thursday) and Sept. 30 against Southwest (league opener).
The Trojans will continue league play with a Thursday night game against San Ysidro at Chula Vista High School on Oct. 13, then host Mar Vista on Oct. 21 in the school’s annual homecoming game. Castle Park will close out regular season play Oct. 28 with a road game at Chula Vista High School.
The Trojans will play only three home games on campus this season, placing a premium on attendance. The Sept. 30 game is Senior Night. All games with the exception of the season opener are at 6:30 p.m.
Top returners include seven seniors: receiver/kicker Sergio Cobos, running back/safety Jalen Hopkins, defensive back Marcos Gonzalez, offensive lineman Guillermo Perez, running back/linebacker Amador Aguilar, running back/quarterback/safety Jeremiah Simlar and defensive-offensive lineman Jonathan Fregoso.
Hopkins rushed for 415 yards and three touchdowns in seven games in 2021 while Cobos had 25 receptions for 396 yards and two touchdowns. Simler ranked second on the team in receiving yards.
Hopkins ranked second on the team last year with a 21.3 average on kick returns while Simler ranked third with an 18.0 average. Gonzalez followed with 16.0 yards per kick return.
Simler was a force on defense last season by averaging 7.8 tackles per game, including 2.0 tackles for a loss per game. Gonzalez averaged 3.8 tackles per game last year. Fregoso had two fumble recoveries.
Impact newcomers include junior running back/linebacker Adrian Samaniego, sophomore quarterback Dylan Villareal, junior receiver Nicholas Lopez and junior running back/linebacker Sebastian Losano.
Samaniego had two sacks in six games last season; Villareal led the team during off-season seven-on-seven passing events.
Castle Park will be looking to move up the division rankings. The Trojans have five divisional opponents on their regular season schedule: Crawford (ranked first), Vincent Memorial (ranked fourth), Mar Vista (ranked sixth), San Ysidro (ranked seventh) and Southwest (ranked 10th).
Cougar country: Once is not enough
San Ysidro High School’s football team captured the program’s first playoff win in school history last year. The Cougars want another one, if not more, this year.
“We go from a senior heavy roster last season to a very young roster this season, however, we will be much deeper,” SYHS head coach Keith Aguon said. “The young guys got experience when we were hit with major injuries down the stretch, and that plays well for our outlook this season.”
Top returners include senior quarterback Jamarcus Jiles, junior receiver/defensive back Johnny Castro, senior running back/strong safety Angel “Cowboy” Garcia, senior linebacker Junior Gutierrez, senior offensive-defensive lineman Angel Martinez, senior offensive-defensive lineman Jake Dominguez, senior offensive-defensive lineman Erick Padilla, junior offensive-defensive lineman Jose Atfield and sophomore center Ozzie Jaime,
Jiles threw for 705 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions last year while rushing for 241 yards and two more scores.
Castro had 17 catches for 228 yards and two touchdowns.
Martinez is the top returner on defense after rankings sixth on the team with 41 tackles last season.
The team’s impact newcomers include freshman athlete A.J. Logan, junior receiver Edwin Saldivar, sophomore receiver/defensive back Max Espinoza, senior transfer running back Ivan Guzman, sophomore receiver/outside linebacker Preston Tygart, sophomore kicker Jorge Queroz and sophomore receiver/defensive back Dominic Duarte.
The Cougars kick off the season with some adversity as they will play all but one of their home games on the road because of new turf being installed on their home field.
San Ysidro will “host” the Kearny Komets in a non-league game on Aug. 19 at Olympian High School. The Cougars will be back at Olympian the following week for a non-league game against Tri-City Christian on Aug. 26.
San Ysidro will play three consecutive non-league road games at Fallbrook (Sept. 1), Monte Vista (Sept. 9) and Hilltop (Sept. 15) before hosting the Crawford Colts in a non-league game Sept. 23 at Hilltop High School.
Metro-Pacific League play commences with road matchups at Chula Vista High School (Sept. 30) and Southwest High School (Oct. 7). The Cougars will host Castle Park at Chula Vista High School on Oct. 13, then enjoy a bye week before concluding regular season play with a true home game against Mar Vista on Oct. 28.
The Sept. 1, Sept. 15 and Oct. 13 games are on Thursday night.
Metro-Pacific League teams will play four league games between them. San Yisdro finished 1-4 in Metro-South Bay League play last year, 5-6 overall.
“It’s hard to predict where we will end up, but I know we will be competitive,” Aguon said. “Our goal is to win more games than we lose. That’s a realistic goal, then get to the playoffs and made a run. Last season we won our first playoff game in school history as a No. 12 seed. We want to go farther than that.”
The Cougars will be vying for a berth in the Division V field this season. Mar Vista, Castle Park and Southwest also are in Division V, making those league season matchups especially important in terms of seeding position.
Other divisional opponents on the Cougars’ regular season schedule include Tri-City Christian and Crawford, providing meaningful encounters in those games as well.
Crawford enters the season ranked first among Division V teams.
Raiders return to varsity play after year at JV level
It’s a reboot for the Southwest High School football program in 2022 as the Raiders return to varsity play after a season at the junior varsity level.
The South San Diego program has had a year to reload and head coach Domonic Cruz is looking forward to growth in the program.
“We didn’t have a varsity team last year, so we are young,” Cruz said. “We are excited to see what the Raiders bring this year, and we expect to compete. Our schedule poses some great challenges, and we look to battling every week.”
The Raiders return to Metro-Pacific League play. Southwest will compete against Castle Park, Mar Vista, Chula Vista and San Ysidro for rights to league supremacy.
Of the Raiders’ 10 regular season games, eight are against fellow Division V opponents: Tri-City Christian, Mountain Empire, Clairemont, Calipatria, O’Farrell Charter, Castle Park, San Ysidro and Mar Vista.
It appears Southwest will control its own fate as far as racking up enough points to qualify for post-season play. The Raiders enter the season ranked 10th out of 18 teams in the division, receiving some respect on their return to varsity play.
Who will get it done for the Raiders this season?
Top returners include seniors Sebastian Plascencia, Rafael Teran and Michael Ruiz.
Impact newcomers include sophomore Matthew Martinez and Nery Gomez.
Southwest finished 2-8 overall in its last varsity season in 2019 after finishing 5-7 the previous season with a two-round excursion into the Division V playoffs. Included was a 34-26 first-round victory against Vincent Memorial as a high-water mark for the program in recent years.
The Raiders finished 4-7 in 2017 with a first-round playoff loss to Vincent Memorial.
Metro-Pacific League Schedules
Castle Park Trojans
August
19: Castle Park at Rancho Buena Vista, 7 p.m.
25: Calexico vs. Castle Park at Otay Ranch, 6:30 p.m.
September
2: Castle Park at Orange Glen, 6:30 p.m.
9: Castle Park at Vincent Memorial, 6:30 p.m.
16: Castle Park at Crawford, 7 p.m.
22: Montgomery at Castle Park, 6:30 p.m.
30: Southwest at Castle Park, 6:30 p.m.
October
13: Castle Park vs. San Ysidro at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
21: Mar Vista at Castle Park, 6:30 p.m.
28: Castle Park at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
Chula Vista Spartans
August
20: Chula Vista at La Jolla Country Day, 7 p.m.
26: Mt. Miguel at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
September
1: Hilltop at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
9: Chula Vista at Canyon Hills, 7 p.m.
16: Chula Vista at Olympian, 6:30 p.m.
23: Sweetwater at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
30: San Ysidro at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
October
7: Mar Vista at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
21: Chula Vista at Southwest, 7 p.m.
28: Castle Park at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
Mar Vista Mariners
August
20: Mar Vista at Crawford, 5 p.m.
27: Mar Vista vs. Mission Bay at Montgomery, 5 p.m.
September
3: Mar Vista at Morse, 5 p.m.
9: Mar Vista at Coronado, 6:30 p.m.
17: Mar Vista at Clairemont, 7 p.m.
30: Bonita Vista vs. Mar Vista at Montgomery, 6:30 p.m.
October
7: Mar Vista at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
14: Southwest vs. Mar Vista at Montgomery, 6:30 p.m.
21: Mar Vista at Castle Park, 6:30 p.m.
28: Mar Vista at San Ysidro, 6:30 p.m.
San Ysidro Cougars
August
19: San Ysidro vs. Kearny at Olympian, 6:30 p.m.
26: San Ysidro vs. Tri-City Christian at Olympian, 6:30 p.m.
September
1: San Ysidro at Fallbrook, 7 p.m.
9: San Ysidro at Monte Vista, 7 p.m.
15: San Ysidro at Hilltop, 6:30 p.m.
23: San Ysidro at Crawford, 6:30 p.m.
30: San Ysidro at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
October
7: San Ysidro at Southwest, 6:30 p.m.
13: San Ysidro vs. Castle Park at Chula Vista, 6:30 p.m.
28: Mar Vista at San Ysidro, 6:30 p.m.
Southwest Raiders
August
20: Tri-City Christian at Southwest, 7 p.m.
26: Southwest at Mountain Empire, 7 p.m.
September
2: Southwest at Kearny, 7 p.m.
9: Southwest at Clairemont, 7 p.m.
16: Calipatria at Southwest, 7 p.m.
23: O’Farrell Charter at Southwest, 4:30 p.m.
30: Southwest at Castle Park, 6:30 p.m.
October
7: San Ysidro at Southwest. 6:30 p.m.
14: Southwest at Mar Vista, 6:30 p.m.
21: Chula Vista at Southwest, 7 p.m.
