The Hilltop High School football team has a lot to look forward to for Friday’s 2018 season opener.
Not only will the non-league contest against visiting Escondido mark the opening game in defense of the team’s Metro-South Bay League championship but it will also mark the opening of the school’s new artificial turf field.
The field’s opening is a year delayed; the Lancers had to play all games last season on the road.
That will not happen this season, one that remains full of optimism in the Hilltop program.
The Lancers finished 3-0 in league play last season, defeating Mar Vista, 10-0, in the championship game. Hilltop went on to earn the No. 4 seed in the Division III playoffs and advanced as far as the semifinals — losing to eventual division champion Southwest El Centro — en route to ending its season with an overall 7-5 record.
The Lancers hope to return to the Division III level for post-season competition this year and have even more success.
“We’re looking forward to a fast-paced offense and an aggressive defense,” HHS head coach Drew Westling said.
The Lancers list 107 players on their preseason roster, among the most in the Metro Conference.
Top returners include senior quarterback Joey Castillo, senior tight end/linebacker Marcos Deanda, senior receiver/defensive back Dylan McCoy and senior defensive end Jedi Humphrey.
Castillo appeared in seven games last season, completing 19 of 36 passes for 221 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also scored one rushing TD.
McCoy had 20 catches for 159 yards and three touchdowns last season while Deanda made eight catches for 100 yards.
Deanda also contributed 72 tackles on defense with two sacks, two interceptions and one fumble recovery.
McCoy had one pick and three pass deflections.
Hilltop scored 31 touchdowns last year. McCoy and Castillo were the only underclassmen to reach the end zone.
Key players also include linemen Andrew Velasquez, Colton Tull, Tommy Dougherty, Andrik Haros and Joel Olivares, as well as senior receiver/defensive backs Micaiah Iuli and Anthony Paz.
Deanda earned first team all-league honors last season while Dougherty was a second team all-league pick.
Top newcomers include junior running back Jeremiah Serrano and junior receiver/defensive back Marko Aki.
Neither of them entered their names on last season’s stat sheet.
Hilltop participated in a number of summer passing tournaments, improving along the way, according to Westling, who enters his fourth year as Lancer head coach.
With 10 returning starters, there seems to be a solid base on which to build.
Hilltop advanced to the championship semifinals of July’s South County Passing Tournament, losing only to eventual team champion Lincoln.
New digs
The new all-weather field can be configured for football, soccer, field hockey and lacrosse.
The Hilltop field complex will also include a new eight-lane all-weather track, new shot put and discus rings, jumping runway and pits, new hurdles and starting blocks, new snack bar and ticket booth, extra storage room, new fencing, new sound system and handicap access areas.
Plans are for a 6:45 p.m. ribbon cutting as part of the field dedication ceremony for Friday’s opener.
Red Devils looking to rebound in major way in second-year rebuild
Sweetwater High School football coach Bryan Wagner’s return to the Metro Conference was a trying experience, though not an unexpected one while installing a new offensive scheme.
Wagner first gained recognition at Hilltop High School as a place-kicker before playing nine seasons with five teams in the NFL as a punter, eventually earning a trip to the Super Bowl with the hometown San Diego Chargers in 1995.
His 2017 Red Devil squad finished 1-9 overall, including a 1-2 mark in Metro-South Bay League play. However, the team’s record was diminished by three forfeit losses due to the inadvertent use of an ineligible player.
With a second year under Wagner’s scheme, there is much optimism for a turnaround this season.
“A second year in the offensive scheme should help players in learning the system,” Wagner explained. “Our strength is in our skilled players on both sides of the ball.
“The offensive line returns two starters and is shaping up to be solid. Roles of the newcomers and younger players will improve the team. Moving some of the key athletes to prominent positions will enable us to be better on both sides of the ball. The defense should be solid.”
Wagner said the team’s goal is to obviously improve on last year’s disappointing record.
Top returners include senior tight end/defensive back Jose Urenda, senior tight end/linebacker Carlos Alvarez, senior offensive/defensive linemen Eric Brandel and Raymond Garcia, senior receiver/defensive backs Luciano Estopier and Joey Motta, junior receiver/defensive back Nico Salazar and junior offensive/defensive lineman Cesar Salazar.
The offense will need to regroup following the graduation of Marty Sesma, who racked up 1,337 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
Salazar had 11 catches for 142 yards and one touchdown last season while Urenda had four catches for 77 yards. Both players will look to significantly increase those numbers this season.
Senior quarterback Adrian Gutierrez and sophomore wide receiver Julian Torres are the team’s impact newcomers.
Gutierrez got a taste of varsity action last season, appearing in six games with a modest 88 passing yards and one interception before incurring a season-ending injury. He looked sharp during summer passing tournaments and will be looking to build on the 247 rushing yards and one touchdown he recorded during limited time last season.
The Devils expect to pass the ball this season, as well as run the ball, so look to see Estopier, Motta and Torres become downfield targets as well.
Sweetwater went undefeated against Kearny, O’Farrell Charter and San Ysidro to win its pool at July’s 24-team South County Passing Tournament at Southwestern College. The Red Devils defeated Valhalla in their first playoff game before ending the tournament with a loss to Otay Ranch from the Metro-Mesa League.
Sweetwater has a challenging schedule to start the season, playing road games at San Pasqual, Fallbrook, Carlsbad and Lincoln before hosting their first home game Sept. 14 against El Cajon Valley.
The Devils play just four home games this season, so winning on the road will be a key element to success in making the Division IV playoffs.
Spartans looking to fill big hole at running back position
Chula Vista High School’s football team experienced a turnaround last season under first-year head coach Howard Bannister III. The Spartans finished 2-1 in Metro-South Bay League play en route to a final 7-5 season finish in the San Diego Section Division IV quarterfinals.
Chula Vista came within a whisker of advancing to the CIF semifinals, losing 29-28 in overtime to eventual Division IV champion Monte Vista in the second round of the playoffs.
Top returners off that highly successful team include senior free safety Lorenzo Matos, junior offensive guard/defensive lineman Andrew Marquez, senior defensive end/fullback Faelepa Toilolo, junior linebacker Jesus Rodriguez and senior cornerback/running back Naseem Monroy.
Matos led the team in interceptions last year while Marquez started all last year at the offensive guard position as a sophomore.
Rodriguez earned first team all-league honors as a sophomore in 2017.
There is one highly conspicuous name not on that list: junior Kajahan Duncan.
Duncan rushed for 962 yards and scored 11 touchdowns (10 rushing scores) in a breakout showing as a sophomore last season. However, he suffered a knee injury during the ensuing basketball season and is unavailable for football duty this season.
Duncan’s absence on the gridiron leaves a huge hole to fill.
“The loss of Kajahan Duncan will force our team to make major adjustments,” Bannister acknowledged. “However, I feel confident in the young men who are here and believe they are up to the task.
“It is their second year in the program and all players are beginning to really understand what we are trying to accomplish on both sides of the ball. I expect success. We are on a mission to return Spartan Pride.”
Impact newcomers include senior running backs Andre Stewart and Ryan Mayoral, junior running back/strong safety Leo Ibarra, junior receiver/safety Dylan Sallee, junior cornerback/receiver Alejandro Guzman and sophomore offensive tackles Nathan Gomez and Nicholas Tinajero.
Stewart will replace the injured Duncan as the top running back on the team.
“We’re going to be young,” Bannister underscored. “We have seven starters who are seniors. Everyone else will be underclassmen. We’ll have some athletic talent. We have some good football players but we’ll be young.”
Mariners’ mission this season is to score more points, finish strong
The Mar Vista Mariners finished 5-5 in the regular season last year and lost to La Jolla in the opening round of the Division III playoffs. However, one needs to place an asterisk behind that record.
The Mariners were 5-2 heading into Metro-South Bay League when senior quarterback Jacob Beck sustained a season-ending injury.
The team struggled to score points thereafter.
Mar Vista is braced by a pair of returning all-league performers to facilitate the team’s offense in the quest for more success in 2018: seniors Cesar Macias (Kicker of the Year) and Demetrious Smith (second team defense).
Macias converted 22 of 28 extra-point attempts while kicking a 35-yard field goal for 25 kicking points.
Smith recorded 49 tackles in eight games while tacking on 9.5 sacks in 2017.
The Mariners lost 22 seniors to graduation and return about a half-dozen starters, according to seventh-year head coach Tyler Arciaga.
“Overall, our team lost quite a few impact players from last year, but we are looking to have some of these newcomers step up and fill those roles,” Arciaga explained. “We are lower in numbers than we have been in the past, so it’s going to be important for our kids to stay healthy and be available to play. We have a challenging schedule leading off with defending CIF champs Monte Vista and then two weeks later we travel up north to play San Jose High School.”
Arciaga expects to have three running backs shoulder the load: seniors Jacob Galeana, Hassan Spruill and Tasi Sablan.
Galeana and Sablan each scored three touchdowns as underclassmen last year while Spruill scored two rushing TDs.
Senior Alex Gutierrez will need to step into the starting role at quarterback to provide leadership behind center. Gutierrez threw just two passes last season, completing one for 40 yards.
The offensive line will be anchored by left tackle Paul Fieweger (6-1, 220) and center J.P. Alba, who has experience as a starter.
The team’s receiving corps is led by returners Marcelino MacLang and Marcus Ramirez while Lee-Angelo Thomas (a transfer from Lincoln) should provide some speed on the outside.
Ramirez had 12 catches for 167 yards last season while MacLang had 11 catches for 112 yards.
Defensively, Smith (6-2, 195) will anchor the defensive line along with Damon Thomas (6-0, 195). Newcomer Diego Garza will be a key addition at middle linebacker and Spruill and Galeana should provide some good support at the outside linebacker and safety positions.
Ramirez and newcomer Isaac Maldonado will play the cornerback positions.
MacLang had two interceptions and one fumble recovery last season on defense while Thomas recorded 2.5 sacks and had one fumble recovery. Ramirez logged three pass deflections.
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-South Bay League
2018 Football Schedules
Chula Vista Spartans
August
17: La Jolla Country Day at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
24: Chula Vista at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.
31: Chula Vista at Escondido, 7 p.m.
September
7: West Hills at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
14: Chula Vista at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
21: Chula Vista at Morse, 6:30 p.m.
28: Chula Vista at Monte Vista, 7 p.m.
October
5: Bye
12: Mar Vista at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
19: Chula Vista at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
26: Chula Vista at Hilltop. 7 p.m.
Hilltop Lancers
August
17: Escondido at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
24: Hilltop at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
31: Hilltop at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
September
7: Olympian at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
14: Hilltop at Granite Hills, 7 p.m.
21: Hilltop at Bonita Vista, 7 p.m.
28: Hilltop at Mountain Empire, 6:30 p.m.
October
5: Bye
12: Hilltop at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
19: Mar Vista at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
26: Chula Vista at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
Mar Vista Mariners
August
17: Mar Vista at Monte Vista, 7 p.m.
24: Castle Park at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
31: Mar Vista at San Jose, 7 p.m.
September
7: Coronado at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
14: University City at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
21: Mar Vista at Santana, 7 p.m.
28: Bye
October
5: Mar Vista at Southwest, 7 p.m.
12: Mar Vista at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
19: Mar Vista at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
26: Sweetwater at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
Sweetwater Red Devils
August
17: Sweetwater at San Pasqual, 7 p.m.
24: Sweetwater at Fallbrook, 7 p.m.
31: Sweetwater at Carlsbad, 7 p.m.
September
7: Sweetwater at Lincoln, 7 p.m.
14: El Cajon Valley at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
21: Bye
28: San Ysidro at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
October
5: Sweetwater at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
12: Hilltop at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
19: Chula Vista at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
26: Sweetwater at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
