With regular season openers set Aug. 29, South County’s collection of high school football teams have started to gear up with fall practices.
The defending Metro-Mesa League champion Eastlake Titans will embark on the 2014 season under new head coach Lee Price, who takes over for John McFadden.
McFadden, the Titans’ head coach for 14 years, handed the team’s reins over to Price during the offseason. Price sees a smooth transition after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator since 2000.
Under their guidance, Eastlake won CIF titles in 2009 and 2012.
“Our level of success at this school is winning CIF and getting real close after that,” Price explained.
The Titans advanced as far as the semifinals in last year’s inaugural Open Division playoffs. The San Diego Section is handling the playoffs differently this year, with teams placed into the Open Division at season’s end based on regular season performance rather than grouped into a pre-set line-up.
Among Metro Conference schools, Sweetwater will not get the chance to defend its Division IV championship after being moved up to the Division III level this season. But that has only provided extra incentive for the Red Devils to win a championship in another division.
Prep Football Schedules
Metro-Mesa League
Bonita Vista Barons
August
29: Bonita Vista at Vista, 7 p.m.
September
5: Bye
12: Bonita Vista vs. Mission Hills at Southwestern College, 7 p.m.
19: Bonita Vista vs. Scripps Ranch at Southwestern College, 7 p.m.
26: Bonita Vista vs. Madison at Southwestern College, TBA
October
3: Bonita Vista at Helix, 7 p.m.
10: Bonita Vista vs. Chula Vista at Southwestern College, 7 p.m.
17: Bonita Vista at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
24: Bonita Vista at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
31: Bonita Vista at Laguna Hills, 7 p.m.
November
7: Bonita Vista vs. Olympian at Southwestern College, 7 p.m.
Chula Vista Spartans
August
29: Steele Canyon at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
September
5: San Marcos at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
12: Chula Vista at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
19: Chula Vista at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
26: Mira Mesa at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
October
3: Castle Park at Chula Visa, 7 p.m.
10: Chula Vista vs. Bonita Vista at Southwestern College, 7 p.m.
17: Eastlake at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
24: Olympian at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
31: Chula Vista at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
November
7: Bye
Eastlake Titans
August
29: Desert Ridge (Mesa, Ariz.) at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
September
5: Eastlake at Vista, 7 p.m.
12: Harvest Prep Academy (Yuma, Ariz.) at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
19: Madison at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
26: Eastlake vs. St. Augustine at Mesa College, 7 p.m.
October
3: Cathedral Catholic at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
10: Bye
17: Eastlake at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
24: Bonita Vista at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
31: Eastlake at Olympian, 7 p.m.
November
7: Otay Ranch at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
Olympian Eagles
August
29: Olympian at Mt. Carmel, 7 p.m.
September
5: Bye
12: Olympian at Morse, 7 p.m.
19: Lincoln at Olympian, 7 p.m.
26: Imperial at Olympian, 7 p.m.
October
3: Olympian at Hoover. 6:30 p.m.
10: Otay Ranch at Olympian, 7 p.m.
17: Madison at Olympian, 7 p.m.
24: Olympian at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
31: Eastlake at Olympian, 7 p.m.
November
7: Olympian vs. Bonita Vista at Southwestern College, 7 p.m.
Otay Ranch Mustangs
August
29: Otay Ranch at Valhalla, 7 p.m.
September
5: Grossmont at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
12: Otay Ranch at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.
19: Otay Ranch vs. St. Augustine at Mesa College, 7 p.m.
26: Otay Ranch at Steele Canyon, 7 p.m.
October
3: Hilltop at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
10: Otay Ranch at Olympian, 7 p.m.
17: Bonita Vista at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
24: Bye
31: Chula Vista at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
November
7: Otay Ranch at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
Metro-South Bay League
Hilltop Lancers
August
29: Castle Park at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
September
5: Hilltop at Patrick Henry, 6:30 p.m.
12: Chula Vista at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
19: Hilltop at Grossmont, 7 p.m.
26: Coronado at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
October
3: Hilltop at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
10: Bye
17: Christian at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
24: Sweetwater at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
31: Hilltop at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
November
7: Mar Vista at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
Mar Vista Mariners
August
29: Valley Center at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
September
5: Clairemont at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
12: Mar Vista at Santa Cruz Harbor, 7 p.m.
19: Gabrielino (San Gabriel) at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
26: Bye
October
3: Mar Vista at Santana, 7 p.m.
10: Southwest at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
17: San Ysidro at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
24: Mater Dei Catholic at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
31: Mar Vista at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
November
7: Mar Vista at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders
August
29: Mater Dei Catholic vs. Kearny at Balboa Stadium, 7 p.m.
September
5: Mater Dei Catholic at El Capitan, 7 p.m.
12: Francis Parker at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
19: Bye
26: Southwest at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
October
3: Mater Dei Catholic vs. Bishop’s at La Jolla High School, 7 p.m.
10: Castle Park at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
17: Mater Dei Catholic at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
24: Mater Dei Catholic at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
31: Hilltop at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
November
7: Sweetwater at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
Sweetwater Red Devils
August
29: Santa Fe Christian at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
September
5: Crawford at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
12: Imperial at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
19: Chula Vista at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
26: Bye
October
3: Sweetwater at Calexico, 7 p.m.
10: Montgomery at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
17: Castle Park at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
24: Sweetwater at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
31: Mar Vista at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
November
7: Sweetwater at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
Metro-Pacific League
Castle Park Trojans
August
29: Castle Park at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
September
5: La Jolla Country Day at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
12: Santana at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
19: Clairemont at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
26: Bye
October
3: Castle Park at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
10: Castle Park at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
17: Castle Park at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
24: Southwest at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
31: Castle Park at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
November
7: Montgomery at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
Montgomery Aztecs
August
29: Cardenas Federal Prep (Tijuana, Mexico) at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
September
5: Montgomery at El Cajon Valley, 7 p.m.
12: Montgomery at Clairemont, 7 p.m.
19: Calexico at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
26: La Jolla Country Day at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
October
3: Bye
10: Montgomery at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
17: Mater Dei Catholic at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
24: San Ysidro at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
31: Montgomery at Southwest, 7 p.m.
November
7: Montgomery at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
San Ysidro Cougars
August
29: Escondido Charter at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
September
5: Southwest El Centro at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
12: Orange Glen at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
19: University City at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
26: San Ysidro at Mater Dei Catholic, 7p.m.
October
3: Crawford at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
10: Bye
17: San Ysidro at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
24: San Ysidro at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
31: Castle Park at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
November
7: Southwest at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
Southwest Raiders
August
29: Santana at Southwest, 7 p.m.
September
5: Coronado at Southwest, 7 p.m.
12: Southwest El Centro at Southwest, 7 p.m.
19: Mountain Empire at Southwest, 7 p.m.
26: El Cajon Valley at Southwest, 7 p.m.
October
3: Southwest at Clairemont, 7 p.m.
10: Southwest at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
17: Bye
24: Southwest at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
31: Montgomery at Southwest, 7 p.m.
November
7: Southwest at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
