The challenge is clearly laid out in front of a young Deer Valley team this year. The Wolverines face a daunting non-league schedule, in addition to the rugged Bay Valley Athletic League, and will be doing so with a projected total of just eight starters with varsity experience entering the season.
Deer Valley’s non-league schedule includes Monte Vista, Amador Valley, Campolindo, Pitman-Turlock, and Clayton Valley.
“It’s what you play for, for every game to be a real challenge,” said second-year coach Robert Hubbard. “We look at it as an opportunity to be excited for a big opponent every week.”
Hubbard returns for his second season at the helm despite not being told until late in the spring that the school had officially re-hired him for the position. While those months of not knowing certainly cost the Wolverines some preparation time in the off-season, they have now begun to identify those players who will be counted on as impact players in 2016.
Jamarr Hardy is a six-foot-four defensive end and offensive tackle who has received an offer from Hawaii, and has considerable attention from multiple Mountain West schools. He is joined by returning starters Ronald Preston, who will play running back in addition to being back as a starting safety, and Daniel Lado, who started at tight end last year and will also play linebacker this season.
Two more players who got experience on the field last season, and could be impact players this year, include six-foot-four outside linebacker Osey Oiyemhonlan and Kyle Thomas.
The Wolverines will no doubt be young offensively, but junior quarterback Dior Walker has created early optimism at the position, and has varsity level athletic experience, having been a starter on both the varsity basketball and varsity baseball teams.
“(Dior) is going to be pretty good, and almost played varsity for us last year,” Hubbard said. “He’s an explosive kid, and his skill set allows him to be an immediate leader.”
Slot receiver Dylan Rakchhat provides some returning experience, and is joined by juniors Gianni Purnell and Devaughn Brown. Junior Kelvin Daniels is a name to look out for on both lines alongside Hardy.
Falcons’ veteran trio sets tone
Coach Kevin Hartwig refers to them as “the guys” – three-year varsity seniors Kyle Harmon, Ronnie Rivers, and Kevin Lonergan. All three have been integral to Freedom’s success over the past couple seasons, and all three have also experienced the frustration of being so close to the top of the league, but not quite there yet. Their work ethic has now trickled down to the rest of the team.
“As a whole, we have a lot of competition amongst each other on a daily basis,” Hartwig said. “Players are holding themselves and each other accountable. It’s been one of the best summers we have had. Every kid at practice is there to compete for a spot, to contribute to the team.”
One key competition is the battle for the starting quarterback position, where Dominic Mather and Jonathan Pierce have been pushing each other throughout the summer.
“Dominic has had a good summer, but (Jonathan) Pierce is getting better every day, and pushing for the job,” Hartwig said.
Mather served as Joe Sweeney’s primary back-up last season, and was also the team’s kicker and punter, while occasionally contributing at receiver. Pierce is also a pitcher for Freedom’s baseball team. And the Falcons do have one more option in the backfield – when Sweeney had to leave the Will C Wood game with an injury two years ago, Rivers took over behind center, and proceeded to rush for 239 yards and five touchdowns.
The offensive line will be anchored by senior Rudy Yanes, while the receiver corps is bolstered by the return of dual-sport standout Baylei Coston. A younger name to keep an eye on is junior receiver Jaelyn Thomas, who Hartwig described as enjoying great growth from last season.
Lions enjoying early team chemistry
The team’s quarterback battle seems to be developing in a positive direction, and key returners are back in crucial places such as the offensive line and backfield, but it is the chemistry on Ohmstede Field at Liberty High School which has coach Jeff Walters excited about this year’s prospects.
“Our juniors and seniors are enjoying phenomenal chemistry right now, the best you could possibly hope for,” Walters said. “I have a few new coaches on staff, and they had no clue which players were upperclassmen or underclassmen, with how well they have blended together.”
That being said, it takes program leaders to establish direction for a team, and Walters has key guys such as Ryan Vanderwerf and Anthony Gripe playing those roles.
“I couldn’t do this without Ryan (Vanderwerf’s) leadership,” Walters said. “And Anthony (Gripe) is our heart and soul guy, the emotional leader of the team.”
That leadership is allowing the quarterback battle to play out into the start of official practice, as Ryan Dutt and senior Matt Marchetti battle for repetitions. No matter who wins the starting job, however, Walters expects both players to contribute on the field, much like his first season at the helm in 2013, when Ivan Oseguera and Joseph Tolentino were both significant factors in the team’s success.
“Ryan (Dutt) has been starting to emerge, but Matt (Marchetti) can so many things on both sides of the ball,” Walters said. “I want to put our best 11 players on the field, so that can involve guys in multiple roles.”
Whoever wins the battle will also be able to throw to one of Liberty’s top upcoming players, junior Zane Hinojosa, who played on the junior varsity last year, but is already making an impact at the top level.
“The way he attacks the ball is special,” Walters said. “He has that skater type of look, but eliminates that perception the second you see him play.”
Youth will be served on Patriots line
Returning quarterback Nick Zell is one of the top returning signal-callers in the BVAL and the NCS, but in order for both him and Heritage to build on his strong junior campaign, the offensive line will need to grow up quickly, with five juniors projected to start up front.
Junior Jett Stanley brings varsity experience back to the field with him, after starting as a sophomore last season, and will be a two-way starter this season for the Patriots. Other key juniors in contention for starting spots include Max Peterson, Adam Moore, and Austin LaMunyon. Defensively, junior Marcus Bustos returns at defensive end after leading the team in sacks last year, while senior Jaime Luna figures to play opposite Bustos.
In opposition to the offensive line, the backfield is rich with players who started last season. Along with Zell, the return of senior Ryan Sanchez should provide a big boost. Sanchez suffered a knee injury at the beginning of the 2015 season, and missed significant time. He is joined again by rising junior Aidan Quinn, who displayed a good burst and lateral agility last season.
Pirates appear deep, reloaded for title run
The quarterback battle might take a while to be fully decided, with senior Seu Kuka and sophomores Trey Turner and Willie Harts battling for that key spot. All three, however, figure to be on the field.
The return of standout running back Montaz Thompson and receiver A’jae Boyd only make matters easier for a new quarterback. And then there is the true strength of the team – the front lines.
Seniors Devon Taylor, Jason Harmon, DJ Wright, Tariq Wright, and Jacob Avilla all return up front, and have looked good in summer action. They will have depth as well, as sophomores Jacob Bandes and Gio Spinelli add to the talent base, and junior Nick Martin adds another big body to the mix. The defensive line also has a wealth of speed coming off the edge, with ends Iffy Joyner, Jaden Tuanau’u, Michael Pryor, and Floyd Burrell.
And then there is the historical significance for Pittsburg this season, after last year's home loss to Antioch prevented a third straight league title. Since 1999, the Pirates have not gone back-to-back seasons without capturing a league title.
Panthers enter 2016 with target on their backs
The target will be on Antioch this season after capturing their first BVAL title last year, by way of an epic win over Pittsburg in the Big Little Game. A tougher schedule includes a non-league game at De La Salle, and all league teams will be gunning for the Panthers.
Everyone knows about the workhorse in the Panthers’ backfield, Najee Harris, but the rest of the cupboard is far from bare. The coaching staff is pretty sold on incoming sophomore quarterback Will Karnthong, while Omari Harris and Dalaan Green provide additional options in the backfield. Green will be the lightning to the thunder aspect the other two can provide.
Receivers Isaac Freytes and Gaudie Campbell provide two big weapons in the passing game, while Justin Kennard anchors the offensive line, with Sir Forbes, Neel Sahota, and Kyle Brown all providing returning experience up front.
Defensively, Antioch could be as athletic as anyone in the linebacker and secondary corps. Isaiah Dunn and Antione Tanner are a lockdown combination in the secondary, while the linebacker trio of Cameron Nathan, Omari Harris, and Koby Williams all provide size and athleticism.
