Stadium lights will cast a glow on high school fields throughout the southland Friday when the prep football season begins with non-league schedules among 13 divisions within the CIF Southern Section.
Seven teams from the South Bay enter the season ranked in the top ten of their respective divisions in the CIF-Southern Section-Ford preseason poll. In the Northern Division, Mira Costa is ranked No. 7 while Bay League rival Palos Verdes is listed in the tenth slot. St. Bonaventure is ranked No. 1 just ahead of perennial power Oaks Christian.
Defending CIF champion Serra (Gardena) is ranked No. 4 in the Western Division and will play Mira Costa and Redondo during its non-league schedule.
In the Northeast Division, Pioneer League rivals South Torrance and North Torrance are ranked No. 2 and No. 9, respectively, and defending Del Rey League champion Bishop Montgomery is listed at No. 8.
Chadwick, of the Prep League, is ranked No. 7 in the Northeast Division.
The term Friday Night Lights has become synonymous with high school football and, although the television series of the same name has run its course, coverage of prep games continues to expand. In recent years, more local television stations have featured scores from high school football games during their sports segments. Fox Sports West will once again televise 10 ‘over-the-air” contests throughout the regular season and will also be introducing PrepZone where each week four live internet broadcasts of games will be available for viewing on www.foxsportswest.com.
Costa looks to four-peat
Defending Bay League champion Mira Costa kicks off its 2011 campaign with a road game against Loyola, a contest that will be played at L.A. Valley College Friday at 7 p.m. The game will be one of the four games on broadcast live on the inaugural edition of PrepZone.
Mira Costa looks to avenge a 10-7 loss to the Cubs last season while seeking its first win against Loyola, a team they have played on and off since the mid 1990s.
“Loyola is in its second year of a new staff and we know they’ll be competitive,” said Mira Costa head coach Don Morrow, who is beginning his 19th season at the helm of the school’s football program. “We’re anxious to get that first victory.”
Mira Costa is coming off a 7-4 season when the team ran the table in league competition and is aiming for its fourth straight Bay League title. The Mustangs fell to visiting Moorpark 27-17 in the first round of the Northern Division playoffs in 2010.
Morrow feels the strength of this year’s team will be its offensive line which included many underclassmen who gained valuable experience last season. Ryan Daly (6-0, 260), an All-Bay League first team selection in 2010 will anchor the physical squad up front.
Mira Costa has eleven linemen on its roster listed as weighing 230 pounds or more to accompany Daly including varsity returners Michael Ruppert (6-2, 230), Femi Oyewole (6-2, 230), Quincy Brown (6-4, 250), Richard Sparks (5-8, 230), Cory Sanicky (6-1, 300), Andrew Bichlmeier (6-2, 260) and Mark Alvarez (6-1, 235). Making the jump from junior varsity are juniors Joey Marcus (6-3, 265) and Wyatt Millea (6-1, 260).
“They’ve had good training, are strong and some of them are very mobile,” Morrow said.
Christian Rogers, who became the starting quarterback last season, has been moved to wide receiver and Alex Cuevas will start as the Mustang’s signal caller.
“Alex had a good summer,” Morrow said. “We’re hoping game experience will help him improve his passing game giving us a more balanced attack.”
That balance will be provided by running backs Stephen Giavati (5-9, 170) and Alex Weaver (5-9, 185) who doubles as a wide receiver.
Defensively, Morrow believes he has gems in defensive tackles R.J. Coleman (6-4, 300) and Quinn (Tank) Goldman (5-9, 205). Linebackers Josh Qerbash (5-11, 195) and Trey Tamura (5-10, 185) will be relied upon to anchor a defense whose new secondary will be a question mark at the start of the season.
Coleman and Tamura were named to the All-Bay League second team last season.
Mira Costa’s kicking game should continue to be a valuable asset with Gavin Jerrigan (6-3, 210) the next in a long line of productive kickers.
Loyola looks to rebound from a disappointing 3-7 season but returns quarterback Nicolas Cotton (6-2, 170) and leading receiver Kodi Whitfield (6-3, 190). Tight end Jack Neuheisel (6-3, 215) and wide receiver Chaz Anderson (6-0, 160) will bolster the aerial attack.
The Cubs’ defense will be anchored by linebacker Tim Patricia (6-0, 210) and returns its top two tacklers in defensive backs Cameron Walker (5-11, 170) and Cypress Moreno (5-9, 145). Eamon McOsker (6-2, 195) will provide support in the secondary.
With the exception of one game, Mira Costa will face the same opponents as last year. In their second game of the season on Sept. 9, the Mustangs will host Inglewood, who replaces Narbonne on their non-league schedule.
Mira Costa will then play at Serra, host Chaminade and travel to Newport Harbor before beginning its Bay League title defense when it hosts West on Oct. 14.
Scrappy Sea Hawks to challenge
Redondo opens its season Friday at 7 p.m. with a home game against North Torrance. The Sea Hawks defeated the Saxons 21-7 last season and this year’s matchup will showcase two of the top running backs in the area.
As in the past two seasons, Redondo will rely heavily on All-Bay League first team running back Ryan Spiwak (6-2, 195) to lead the Sea Hawk offense. North will counter with All-CIF running back Ryan McDaniel, a 6-foot, 220-pounder who is No. 18 in MaxPreps’ list of Top 25 Big Backs in the nation. Last year McDaniel suffered a preseason injury and was held out of the season opener against Redondo.
Redondo finished the 2010 season with a 6-5 record (3-2 in league) and was defeated 44-14 by St. Bonaventure in the opening round of the Northern Division playoffs.
Along with Spiwak, the Sea Hawks return three All-Bay League second team selections in receiver/kicker Hunter Bradshaw (5-11, 170), running back Brandon Kim (5-10, 195) and linebacker Zach Zent (5-11, 185).
Redondo is expected to run a 3-back offense with Spiwak, Kim, Deon Williams (5-11, 205) and Christian Fernandez (5-10, 175) contributing, which will help take some of the pressure off sophomore quarterback Harrison Faecher who was hurried into the position after 2010 starter Nicholas Pope transferred to Long Beach Poly.
Faecher will utilize Bradshaw along with seniors Davion Goodall (6-2, 185) and CameronRoss as receivers on the outside. Inside targets will be Fernandez, junior Bren Galbasin and senior tight end Stephen Vaughan (6-3, 200).
“Our offensive line is very green with only one player, Sam Ben-Amor (6-0, 230), returning with any experience,” said Gene Simon, who enters his 16th season as head coach of the Sea Hawks.”
Making their first varsity starts on the offensive line will be juniors Lea Alefosio, Brett Kassel, sophomore Harry Whitson and senior Trent Owens.
Hunter will be looked upon to handle all of the kicking duties.
While the running game will be the key to the Sea Hawk offense, the defense may be the strength of the team, particularly at linebacker. Spiwak, Kim, Zent and new starter Tony Smith (6-0, 200) will spearhead the defense with help from Ben-Amor andVaughanon the line.
The Sea Hawk secondary will feature Fernandez, London Hawkins (6-1, 170), Jordan Washington (6-0, 175), Eric Brown (5-8, 170), Cole Lawler (5-11, 180), Will Allagoa (6-1, 175) and Erik Walton (6-0, 180).
Although Redondo may lack size and experience, expect the Sea Hawks to battle in every contest with the physicality and discipline taught by Gene Simon and his staff.
North is coming off a 7-4 season and second-place finish in the Pioneer League. The Saxons were eliminated in the first round of the Northwest Division playoffs last season when they fell to visiting Santa Ynez 28-14.
McDaniel will be running behind projected returning lineman Lucky Ortega (6-2, 235) and tight end Stephen Geluz (6-1, 215).
Like its rival Mira Costa, Redondo has changed one non-league opponent with Orange Lutheran replacing Banning on its schedule.
After North, the Sea Hawks host Serra and Millikan before hitting the road to take on Culver City and Orange Lutheran. Redondo begins Bay League action Oct. 14 when it hosts Peninsula.
