To put it kindly, last year’s Mater Dei Catholic High School football team romped its way to winning San Diego Section and California State Bowl championship titles. However, the Crusaders will have their work cut out for them winning a league title this year.
Mater Dei Catholic moves up to play with the South County region’s “big boys” in the Metro-Mesa League this season after winning three league championships in five years in the Metro-Pacific and Metro-South Bay leagues.
The Crusaders defeated The Bishop’s School by a score of 49-14 to win last year’s Division IV section title and routed Reedley Immanuel, 56-21, two weeks later in the Division V-AA state bowl contest played on campus to cruise to a final 14-1 overall record.
But matching up against significantly larger enrollment schools in the Metro-Mesa League such as Eastlake, Otay Ranch, Bonita and even Olympian will present a challenge to the 2016 MDCHS squad.
“Our goal is to win league and win CIF,” MDCHS head coach John Joyner explained. “We also have academic goals set for the season.”
The Crusaders return a talented group from last year’s state championship team, including senior tailback C.J. Verdell, senior quarterback Chris Jones, senior receiver/defensive backs Kyle Moses and Quentin Frazier and senior lineman Pedro Chavez.
Other top returners include senior receiver/defensive backs Eli Shelton and Jovan Bayless and senior linebacker Ruben Duran.
Verdell, Jones, Moses and Chavez were all first-team all-league selections in 2015 while Frazier earned second team all-league honors. Verdell was a second team all-CIF pick as well.
Verdell, a track standout during the 2016 spring season (Mesa League finals champion in the long jump), is rated as a top contender for this year’s Silver Pigskin Award, emblematic of the San Diego Section Player of the Year as presented by KUSI-TV.
Verdell rushed for 2,135 yards and scored 34 touchdowns in 2015, including 28 rushing TDs. He rushed for 153 yards and scored three touchdowns in the state bowl game win.
He averaged 142.3 yards per game last year and 12.6 yards per carry last season. He’s stronger and faster this year.
Jones also had a highlight reel season in 2015 by completing 103 passes for 2,147 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also rushed for 421 yards and scored nine rushing TDs.
Jones passed for 336 yards and four scores in the CIF finals win.
Shelton finished last season with 14 touchdowns, including 11 receiving TDs, while Duran collected two interceptions and three fumble recoveries on defense.
Shelton stepped forward as the team’s star of the day by amassing 338 yards in all-purpose yards to go with four touchdowns in the CIF title game win over Bishop’s.
Newcomers ready to shine include juniors Nick Dell’Aqua (lineman), Sean Jones (receiver/defensive back), Andre Kell (linebacker) and senior Kyle Caldwell (linebacker/tight end).
The only blemish on the Crusaders’ record last year was a forfeit loss to El Capitan in the second game of regular season play. Otherwise, Mater Dei Catholic would have finished its state bowl championship season with an undefeated 15-0 record.
With an upgraded league schedule and non-league games scheduled against several higly-ranked section squads, the Crusaders expect to be challenged — in a good sense — in advance of this year’s playoffs.
Joyner said the strength of this year’s team is its team speed.
“We have a great group of seniors returning and our expectations are for them to lead us on and off the field,” the MDCHS coach said.
Bonita Vista ready to challenge again for top spot
The Bonita Vista Barons had a history-making season in 2015. It included a Metro-Mesa League championship, San Diego Section Division III championship and runner-up finish in the California State Bowl Division IV-AA championship game.
It was a memorable year, especially for running back Greg Bell, who rushed for 2,362 yards and scored 34 touchdowns in earning Metro-Mesa League Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Bell was among a total of 32 players the team lost to graduation. But, with 10 returning starters, BVHS head coach Chris Thompson believes his team will be a contender for league and section titles in 2016.
“We graduated some really productive seniors from last year but their replacements got tons of valuable playing time,” Thompson explained.
The BVHS coach lists 16 top returning players on the roster — nine on offense and seven on defense.
Six returning offensive players to note include junior quarterback Anthony Posada, senior receiver Keenan Ellis, senior receiver/defensive back Jake Rozar, senior running back/defensive back Josh Godfrey, junior lineman Diego Vasquez and senior lineman Brian Mota.
Posada, Gutierrez and Vasquez are returning all-league players.
In earning first team all-league recognition, Posada passed for 2,269 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Also back to brace this year’s offensive attack are seniors Patrick Johnson (lineman), Sam Tapia (lineman) and Nick Esquivias (tight end).
Four returning defensive standouts include senior defensive backs Santiago DeArmas and Lorenzo Perry, senior defensive end/tight end Alex Gutierrez and senior defensive end Diego Torrez.
Other top defensive players include senior linebackers Trace Thompson and Johann Alatorre.
Newcomers who hope to make a contribution include senior defensive back/receiver Robert Cota and junior tight end/defensive end Sebastian Olivo.
Expectations are high for the 2016 BVHS squad.
“We will be as explosive in the skill positions — wide receiver and defensive backs — as anyone in the county,” Thompson said.
Ellis ran his way to last spring’s state track and field championship meet in the 200- and 400-meter dashes, winning three events (100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes) at the Mesa League finals in the process to earn recognition as the league’s track athlete of the meet. He had 17 catches for 241 yards with one touchdown as a junior on the football team.
Godfrey, a standout hurdler, rushed for 238 yards and scored three touchdowns in an understudy role last season.
Thompson said Posada is “often overlooked” as the team’s four-year starter at quarterback.
Posada has thrown for 4,284 yards and 31 touchdowns in three previous seasons. Last season was his best; he will be out to continue the upward learning curve this season.
“We return a big physical O-line to protect Posada and open holes for our backfield,” Thompson said.
The BVHS coach said Gutierrez and Torrez will be counted on to anchor an equally talented defensive line. Thompson said Dean Klaser, a transfer from Eastlake who sat out a year while battling cancer, was expected to plug into a talented secondary of DeArmas, Perry and Rozar.
But Klaser remains waiting in the wings pending eligibility clearance.
Should Klaser be declared eligible to compete with the Barons, he is potential player of the year material, accoring to Thompsson.
Klaser also plays running back. Klaser and Godfrey could comprise a “thunder and lightning” backfield if paired together.
If everything works out for the Barons this season, Bonita Vista could find a regular spot in the top 10 section rankings.
New leadership, young talent bring optimism to Eastlake Titans
The Eastlake Titans finished runner-up to the Bonita Vista Barons for last year’s Metro-Mesa League championship. The Titans are fielding a young lineup this season as well as a new head coach in the person of Dean Tropp.
The changes aren’t necessarily to be construed as a step back for the program.
Tropp has been with the program as an assistant coach and has also served as the school’s athletic director. He is very familiar with the football culture on campus — as well as the Titans’ winning tradition.
Eastlake won San Diego Section Division I championships in both 2009 and 2012.
The EHS coaching staff also welcomes back defensive coordinator Jose Mendoza. Jimmy Alvarez remains as offensive coordinator.
“It’s very exciting,” Tropp explained about the moves for the new season. “We want to win league again. I want to continue the winning tradition that’s been established at Eastlake over the last 20 years.”
The Titans have produced one NFL player in the person of Tony Jefferson. There’s no reason why the program cannot produce another, which is why every year brings excitement and optimism to the EHS program.
This year’s team has definite growth potential for the future. About a dozen players have played together since their freshman year, meaning the Titans possess a strong group with already established team chemistry. That can only be rated as a plus.
Top returning players include senior defensive back/running back Micah Mendillo, junior lineman Billy Dunkle, senior running back/linebacker Kaleb Dueitt, senior linebacker Declan Fernandez, senior running back/linebacker Jae Vitin, senior linebacker Manny Velarde and junior lineman Jalen Graham.
Mendillo and Dunkle both earned all-league recognition last season.
Mendillo made 67 tackles last season to rank third on the team behind graduated seniors Bill Akerlund and Nate Sweat.
Also on defense, Fernandez had four sacks while Velarde had two fumble recoveries last season.
On offense, Dueitt rushed for 284 yards and scored four touchdowns and had seven catches for 72 yards and one receiving TD.
Big losses to graduation include Traylon Reed (1,176 all-purpose yards, 10 rushing touchdowns) and Izzack Morales (882 total yards, 11 touchdowns, including nine passing touchdowns).
Newcomers hoping to make an impact include junior quarterback Alfredo Garcia, junior running back/defensive back Jalyn Jackson, junior receiver/defensive back Reggie Thomas, sophomore defensive back Adrian Hernandez and sophomore linebacker John McCurty.
Jackson is a track standout having qualified for the section finals in both the long jump and triple jump as a sophomore.
The Titans will get a measure of what they have when they kick off regular season play with a home game against defending San Diego Section Division I champion Rancho Bernardo on Aug. 26. Games against top echelon San Diego Section teams such as Helix, Madison and St. Augustine follow along with a home contest against El Toro.
“Our team goals include to perform well in preseason, win league and do well in the playoffs,” Tropp explained. “Our strengths are a good mix of returners and a big offensive line. We have young talented newcomers at skill positions.”
Mustangs hope to gallop up Metro-Mesa League standings in 2016
This is Lance Christensen’s third year as head coach at Otay Ranch High School. It’s often said that good things come in threes, and this could be the year the Mustangs make a run at the Metro-Mesa League championship.
Many of the pieces appear there for a successful season after the team recorded a 7-6 showing with a trip to the Division II semifinals last year.
“For us, it’s the ability to be able to compete,” Christensen explained. “That’s our biggest goal — to be able to compete the whole game whether we’re ahead or behind. We want to be able to compete the entire game.”
Players to watch this season include receiver/free safety Devin Lloyd, inside linebacker Nick Sandoval, quarterback Christian Zamudio, linebackers Fenuki Kauvaka and Eric Matos, tight end Alexander King, fullback Fanu Autele, defensive lineman Manu Ta’a and defensive tackle Joshua Tufele.
Lloyd made 23 catches for 384 yards and two touchdowns last season. He is the Mustangs’ top returning offensive player from last year.
Sandoval led the team with 96 tackles last year while also recording two sacks and a fumble recovery.
The Mustangs will need to overcome the loss on offense of receiver Adrian Rodriguez and running back Sam Stephens who combined to score 20 touchdowns last season.
“I feel really good about the kids we have coming back and the kids we have coming up,” the ORHS head coach said.
“They’re a group that seems to really care about each other and represent their school and family as well.”
Olympian Eagles aim to take flight, soar above last season’s record
The Olympian Eagles finished last season with a 5-6 record following an opening round loss to sixth-seeded Torrey Pines in the Division I playoffs. The Eagles are hoping for renewed fortunes this year, especially in a strengthened Metro-Mesa League.
“It’s going to be great,” Olympian head coach Paul Van Nostrand explained. “Eastlake is coming up, Otay Ranch is much improved, Bonita Vista is coming off a state finals appearance and Mater Dei Catholic, which won a state championship last year, is joining the league.
“It was a great league last year and it might even be better this year.”
Top returners include junior quarterback Nico Mendoza, senior linebacker/fullback Noah Lacsina, senior linebacker/tight end Andrew Whyte, junior running back/cornerback Rashaun Brown and junior receiver/linebacker Isaiah Williams.
Lacsina rushed for 661 yards and scored seven touchdowns last season, including one on a fumble return, while Whyte led the team on defense with 85 tackles. Lacsina ranked second on the team with 69 tackles.
Whyte also had three sacks and one interception to his credit.
Seniors Brandon Ridgels and Michael Kipling also expect to make contributions to this year’s squad. Kipling totaled 543 all-purpose yards last season while scoring eight touchdowns, including seven rushing scores.
Ridgels made 42 tackles and caused on fumble.
Two-way lineman Domonic Guidino (6-3, 300 pounds) should buttress the Olympian running game as well as corral opposing running backs.
The Eagles got some advance workouts by competing during summer passing tournaments.
“It’s a chance to compete, work on fundamentals and learn your offensive and defensive schemes,” Van Nostrand explained. “We have high expectations.”
SAN DIEGO SPORTSWRITERS/SPORTSCASTERS PRESEASON POLL:
1. Helix; 2, St. Augustine; 3. Cathedral Catholic; 4. Oceanside; 5. Rancho Bernardo; 6. Madison; 7. La Costa Canyon; 8. Mater Dei Catholic; 9. Mission Hills; 10. Bonita Vista
Others: Carlsbad, Point Loma, El Camino, Grossmont, Eastlake, Torrey Pines, Poway, San Marcos, Steele Canyon, El Capitan
2016 Metro Conference Football Schedules
Metro-Mesa League
Bonita Vista Barons
August
26: Bonita Vista at Poway, 7 p.m.
September
2: Bonita Vista at San Marcos, 7 p.m.
9: Madison at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
16: Point Loma at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
23: Bye
30: Bonita Vista at Helix, 7 p.m.
October
7: Castle Park at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
14: Olympian at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
21: Mater Dei Catholic at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
28: Bonita Vista at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
November
4: Bonita Vista at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
Eastlake Titans
August
26: Rancho Bernardo at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
September
2: El Toro at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
9: Heix at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
16: Eastlake at Madison, 6:30 p.m.
23: St. Augustine at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
30: Eastlake at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
October
7: Eastlake at Olympian, 7 p.m.
14: Otay Ranch at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
21: Bye
28: Eastlake at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
November
4: Bonita Vista at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders
August
26: Valley Center at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
September
2: Mater Dei Catholic at El Capitan, 7 p.m.
9: Bye
16: Mater Dei Catholic at Los Angeles Hawkins, 7 p.m.
23: Mater Dei Catholic at La Jolla, 6:30 p.m.
30: Mission Hills at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
October
7: Mater Dei Catholic at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
14: Castle Park at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
21: Mater Dei Catholic at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
28: Eastlake at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
November
4: Olympian at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
Olympian Eagles
August
26: Olympian at Santa Fe Christian, 3:30 p.m.
September
2: Sweetwater at Olympian, 7 p.m.
9: Olympian at Poway, 7 p.m.
16: Rio Mesa at Olympian, 7 p.m.
23: Point Loma at Olympian, 7 p.m.
30: Olympian at Grossmont, 7 p.m.
October
7: Eastlake at Olympian, 7 p.m.
14: Olympian at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
21: Otay Ranch at Olympian, 7 p.m.
28: Bye
November
4: Olympian at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
Otay Ranch Mustangs
August
26: Otay Ranch at Mt. Carmel, 7 p.m.
September
2: Grossmont at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
9: Rancho Bernardo at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
16: Otay Ranch vs. St. Augustine at Mesa College, 7 p.m.
23: Otay Ranch at Steele Canyon, 7 p.m.
30: Lincoln at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
October
7: Mater Dei Catholic at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
14: Otay Ranch at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
21: Otay Ranch at Olympian, 7 p.m.
28: Bonita Vista at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
