The Hilltop Lancers had quite a bit of success during summer passing tournaments. Whether that translates directly into success on the gridiron this fall remains to be seen.
“We had a great offseason gaining strength as a program,” second-year head coach Drew Westling said. “We’re excited about the challenge of our non-league schedule.”
Hilltop opens regular season play Aug. 25 with a “home” game against La Jolla at Sweetwater High School, then hosts Eastlake the next Friday in another non-league game at Sweetwater.
The Lancers then tackle Grossmont, Olympian, Castle Park and Escondido in four consecutive road games before hosting Granite Hills in a homecoming game Oct. 13 at Southwestern College.
Hilltop will play all its regular season home games on foreign soil this season while the school’s football field is being rennovated.
The Lancers finished 7-5 last season en route to advancing as far as the quarterfinal round of the San Diego Section Division III playoffs.
Westling noted there are several areas that his team will need to have a firm grasp on to find success again this season.
“Replacing defensive backs, running backs and the quarterback will be critical to our success,” the Hilltop coach said. “We feel great about the people who are currently in place.”
Top returners include All-South Bay League and All-CIF wide receiver Gus Ferreira, all-league linebacker/tight end David Corona, all-league wide receiver/defensive back/kicker Max Ugarte, all-league offensive lineman Tony Meza and Nick Murdock, all-league defensive back Greg Marshall, all-league defensive lineman Alex Torres and all-league linebacker/defensive back Noe Sanchez.
All are seniors.
Impact newcomers include senior quarterback Daniel McPherren, senior running back/defensive back Jeremiah Rivera, senior defensive back/running back Fernando Ruelas and senior defensive back Brandon Marsetti.
McPherren is a transfer from neighboring Chula Vista High School where he caught 10 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns last year as a receiver.
Ferreira caught 125 passes for 1,645 yards and scored 15 touchdowns to lead Hilltop in scoring in 2016. He averaged 137.1 yards per game.
Rivera rushed for 111 yards in five games and scored one touchdown.
Corona scored two TDs last year while recording two fumble recoveries while Rivera, Ugarte and Marshall each were credited with one touchdown last year.
Expect those numbers to increase in 2017.
Mariners must reload in defense of Metro-South Bay League banner
The Mar Vista Mariners won last year’s Metro-South Bay League championship but lost 18 seniors to graduation off that 8-3 team. Head coach Tyler Arciaga admitted his squad will be looking to replace “a lot of talent” as it reloads for this season.
“We had three guys go on and play at the next level — Gabriel Preciado to USD, Khalil Spruill to Dixie State and Noah Berry to Whittier College — and many all-league players who graduated,” Arciaga explained.
“We are young at a lot of positions and it will be interesting to see guys step-up into starting and leadership roles.”
Arciaga said senior Jacob Beck looks to start at quarterback with junior Alex Gutierrez as his backup. Both will have large shoes to fill following the departure of two-time all-league performer Michael Wilson, one of the Mariners’ many graduated seniors.
Arciaga said Beck has a solid grasp of the offense and needs to continue to prioritize ball security.
Senior Kyle Denney will finally get his chance to be the featured running back on the team. Arciaga noted that Denney had shown promise over the past two years, but happened to be playing behind Spruill, an All-CIF running back.
“Denney runs hard and has a solid burst of speed in the open field — he was on the 4×100 and 4×400 relays in track,” the MVHS head coach noted.
Denney averaged 8.2 yards per carry and scored five rushing touchdowns last season
Junior Jacob Galeana and senior Isaac Jurado will back up Denney at the position.
Arciaga said the strength of this year’s team will be its offensive and defensive lines. Michael Munoz and Daniel Ramirez are the team’s two stalwarts on the O-line. “They both started last year and are battle-tested against good competition,” Arciaga said. “We have three holes to fill, including our two tackle spots.”
The defensive line will be anchored by two-year starter Niko Figueroa. “He is stout on the run and can get a good push on his pass rush to disrupt the pocket,” Arciaga explained.
Seniors Jared York, Munoz and Alex Montes also will be counted on to man the defensive trenches up front. Several juniors, including Damon Thomas, can provide some depth as well.
De’Von Peterson, Sean Jones, Marcus Ramirez and Hassan Spruill return at the wide receiver and defensive back positions.
“All have played significant time and have potential,” Arciaga said.
Also in the mix, according to the MVHS head coach, are Daniel Ortiz along with newcomers Marcelino Maccalng and Eduardo Castillo.
At linebacker, Jake Borst is Mar Vista’s only returner. “He is athletic and has range,” Arciaga noted. “For the other linebacker spot, we have solid hopefuls in Joe Woods, Daniel Ramirez and Zach Rall. All of them are seniors.”
Borst, last spring’s South Bay League Player of the Year in baseball, is a beast.
With six returning starters spread throughout the lineup, the Mariners do have something tangible to work with.
“I see our strengths being our front seven,” Arciaga said “They are the most battle tested and consistent of our position groups. Our receivers, defensive backs and quarterback are an unknown factor as many of them will be thrust into starting/prominent roles for the first time.”
Mar Vista’s impact newcomer is junior Sebastian Burke, a defensive back/receiver, from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. “He has shown a lot of promise in his workouts and could make a big impact for us,” the MVHS head coach noted.
Bannister hopes new system pays dividends in return to campus
Chula Vista High School’s football team posted a 5-6 overall record last year, including a trip to the San Diego Section playoffs. That was significant progress for a team that had finished 1-9 the season before.
New head coach Howard Bannister will hope to keep the momentum going forward this season.
Bannister began his teaching career at CVHS before coaching athletic teams at Otay Ranch High School. He’s hoping his homecoming is a productive one.
The Spartans finished 1-2 in South Bay League play in 2016, finishing third in the league standings behind league champion Mar Vista and runner-up Hilltop.
Chula Vista remains in the South Bay League this season and should post another competitive season.
Senior tight end/outside linebacker Ubaldo Nolasco is the Spartans’ undisputed leader in 2017, according to Bannister.
An all-league selection in 2016, Nolasco carries a 3.2 grade-point average on the academic side. Bannister said Nolasco “sets the tone on both the field and the classroom.”
“He’s set to have a tremendous year for us on both sides of the ball,” Bannister said.
Other top returners for the Spartans this season include senior middle linebacker/running back Victor Agraz, senior quarterback/free safety Darrion Hamilton, senior middle linebacker/fullback Justin Cantwell and senior outside linebacker/offensive tackle Ray Gomez.
Bannister called Agraz, who averaged 7.6 yards per carry last year, the team’s “heartbeat.”
“He provides the spark and energy necessary for our team’s success,” the CVHS head coach explained.
Hamilton will take the reins at signal-caller this year. Bannister said the fleet-footed Hamilton “will shock teams with his dual threat ability.”
Hamilton averaged 10.6 yard per carry and scored three rushing touchdowns last year while making 19 receptions for 288 receiving yards and tacking on one TD catch.
Bannister said Cantwell “leads by example.”
“He has good grade, he’s a hard worker,” the CVHS head coach said. “He will provide the toughness and consistency we need on both sides of the ball.”
Bannister said Gomez brings a toughness needed by a young team.
“When he consistently gives his all, there are few people that can stop him,” the CVHS head coach said.
The Spartans’ impact newcomers include sophomore strong safety/tight end Kajahan Duncan, senior receiver/free safety Frank Mendoza and junior defensive tackle/fullback Faelepa Toilolo.
Duncan was the MVP on last year’s junior varsity team as a freshman.
“His future is very bright and we expect big things from him this season,” Bannister said.
What will all this add up to this season? The Spartans received mixed reviews during the summer passing tournaments, though they did earn their share of respect on the field.
The team has actually made strong strides since Bannister got the job in May.
Bannister said his team’s first challenge is to “buy in and learn” a new system.
“With that said, we have a very tough schedule for a Division IV team: two Division I teams, two Division II teams and three Division III team,” Bannister said. “Our goal is to come out with as many victories as we can muster and take that experience into league and into the playoffs. I doubt there will be many Division IV playoff teams with a strength of schedule like ours. We are hoping it pays off.”
The Spartans kick off their season with an Aug. 25 game at Lincoln.
Wagner seeks return to Sweetwater Red Devils’ former glory in rebuild
Bryan Wagner enjoyed success during his playing days with the Hilltop Lancers, Cal State Northridge and nine seasons in the NFL with five teams.
He set then San Diego Section records in 1979 with 11 field goals in one season and longest field goal at 53 yards. He helped lead the Chargers to the 1994 Super Bowl with a 41.6-yard punting average.
He’s no stranger to finding success at the coaching level, either. His Highland Medina team reached the semifinals in the Division II Ohio state playoffs in 2013.
Wagner has returned to South County to renew old Metro Conference rivalries, though on the opposite side of the football from his days at Hilltop.
“Good memories, of course, but not so good against Sweetwater,” he reminisced about his high school playing days. “Sweetwater was always a scary place to come to play. Every game against the Red Devils was a fight. My goal here is to bring that attitude back. Get the fight back in the Red Devils program.”
Wagner said the Devils appear to be progressing under a new system in an otherwise rebuilding year.
“I think we will be exciting to watch,” the new SuHi coach assessed. “You’re going to see a little bit of everything, a little hurry-up, a little slower pace, we’re going to spread the ball out. We’re going to move the ball. On defense, I’d like to bring it out in our kids to be a little mean and nasty on the football field and take it to the other team.
“We have a lot of skilled athletes, a lot of fast kids; I think we will surprise some people with what we have.”
Sweetwater returns four offensive and four defensive starters. Top returners include senior running back/safety Marty Sesma, senior running back/linebacker Raul Romero and senior receiver/center Adrielle Lagda.
Sesma carried the football 295 times for 1,756 yards and scored eight touchdowns in 10 games last season. Romero averaged 6.2 rushing yards per carry as a junior while Ladga averaged 4.5 yards per carry. Each player scored one touchdown.
Impact newcomers include juniors Adrian Gutierrez and Jose Urenda and senior Zion Faiai, up from last year’s junior varsity team, sophomore novice Nate Perez and junior transfer Luciano Estopier.
The Red Devils finished last season 2-8, including 0-3 in league play. Wagner said the program is in a rebuilding mode.
“We’re implementing a new offense and defense, but our expectations are to be competitive and finish with a winning record,” the SuHi head coach explained.
“Our running game should be solid. The skill positions have potential. The top newcomers should solidify the perimeter run and pass game.”
The team’s weaknesses: a lack of size on the offensive and defensive lines.
