OCVarsity is previewing every 11-man team in Orange County before the 2023 high school football season begins.
ORANGE COAST LEAGUE PREVIEW
CALVARY CHAPEL
Top players: Gavin Ghahyasi, WR/LB, Sr. Nathan Nieves, OL/DL, Sr.; Matthew Peters, QB, Jr.; Charles Sparks, WR/RB/DB, Jr. Manny Wright Jr., OL/DL, Jr.
What to expect: The Eagles have nine returning starters on offense and nine returning starters on defense from a team that was 4-6 overall and 3-3 (fourth place) in league. “Our entire offensive line is back,” said second-year coach Jack McInally. “That will play a big role in what we do.” Among those offensive linemen are team captain Nathan Nieves, who was all-league first team last year, and Manny Wright, who was all-league second team. With that line McInally anticipates a productive season from sophomore running back Waldo Castrejon. Junior QB Matthew Peters was a running quarterback last season. McInally said Peters will throw more often this season. Senior Nathan Nieves is Calvary Chapel’s best defensive lineman. McInally said turnovers were a frequent problem last season and he expects improvement in that category.
COSTA MESA
Top players: Marley Boynton, QB/DB, Sr.; Noah Genus, TE/LB, Sr.; Brett McDonough, RB/WR/DB, Sr.; Chris Rivera, WR/DB, Sr.; Diego Ramirez, RB/WR/DB, Sr.
What to expect: Senior Marley Boynton was the backup quarterback last season and was all-league second team as a safety for the Mustangs who were 3-7 overall and 1-5 in league. “He’s tough as nails,” said second-year coach Gary Gonzalez of Boynton. “He’s a good senior leader, and being such a good free safety he’s going to pick it up on how to play quarterback.” Senior Brett McDonough, a three-year starter, has played mostly at running back and slides over to slot receiver this season. “When we need a big play,” Gonzalez said, “he’s the guy we’re going to.” Costa Mesa has five returning starters on offense and five returning starters on defense. With only eight seniors on the roster, sophomores will get plenty of playing time.
ESTANCIA
Top players: Ryan Carrasco, TE/DE, Sr.; Isaac Ceron, OL/DL, Sr.; Steve Sanchez, OL/DL, Jr.; Trey Sanchez, WR/DB, Sr.; Riley Witte, QB, Sr.
What to expect: Usually a running team, the Eagles might throw the ball more often this season. “Our main receivers know the system,” said Mike Bargas, in his 17th year coaching Estancia, “and they’re very smart.” The top two receivers are senior Trey Sanchez and junior Joseth Zarate. Estancia returns five starters on offense and five on defense from a team that was 4-6 overall and 2-4 in league last season. Three offensive linemen are back. “So now it’s just about filling in the missing pieces,” Bargas said. The defensive front should be fine. All three down linemen return, including seniors Ryan Carrasco and Jose Anguiano.
ORANGE
Top players: Hype Grand, QB, Jr.; Troy Jennings, OL, Jr.; Wesley Lundell, WR/DB; Ardwon Morris, RB, Sr.; Elijah Riley, DL. Jr.
What to expect: Orange has been the league’s best team for most of the past several seasons and looks like the team to beat this season. Grand was league offensive player of the year last season when the Panthers finished 11-3 overall and 6-0 in league, and played in the CIF Southern Section Division 6 championship game. Grand spent some of this year attending school in Arizona before returning recently to Orange. He passed for 1,377 yards and 20 touchdowns last year and rushed for nine touchdowns. Morris, who committed to Sacramento State, is on the Register’s ranking of Orange County’s top 10 running backs. He rushed for 848 yards last season and will get more carries this season now that last year’s leading rusher and league MVP Kobe Boykin has left the state. “We’ll be very good at running the ball with Hype and Ardwon,” said Orange ninth-year coach Robert Pedroza, “and our offensive line is the biggest it’s been since I’ve been here. And we’re going to be very fast on defense.” The Panthers have four returning starters on offense and five returning starters on defense. The defensive secondary is athletic but young and untested.
SADDLEBACK
Top players: Fabian Bravo, RB/DB, So.; Adam Castaneda, QB, Sr.; Josiah Pedroza, TE/LB, So.; Daniel Rodriguez, OL/DL, So.; Joseph Torres, RB/LB, Jr.
What to expect: This is a young team with a new coach, Michael Nobles, who was a head coach at Northwood and most recently an assistant coach at Dana Hills. The Roadrunners, who finished 2-8 overall and 0-6 in league last season, are going to make the mistakes one would expect from inexperienced players and Nobles is good with that. “I think our running game will be solid,” Nobles said. “The offensive line will be young but they they average 260-275 pounds. I’m optimistic about how we’re going to do.” Nobles said that by the end of spring camp the players were beginning to grasp the new system and that knowledge grew over the summer. Saddleback has an on-campus stadium that will be ready at some point in the season, a development that Nobles hopes will improve pride in the program and help the school attract neighborhood players that often opt for nearby Segerstrom or Godinez.
SANTA ANA
Top players: Sergio Torres, QB, Sr; Ignacio Marin, TE/DL, Sr.; Jose Martinez, LB, Sr.; Christian Murillo, OL, Sr.; Cristian Ramos, WR/DB, Jr.
What to expect: First-year coach Rory Schoonmaker, who replaces Charlie TeGantvoort who departed for Marina, has five returning starters on offense and six returning starters on defense. There are also five transfers he expects will make an impact. “We’ll be an offensively diverse team,” said Schoonmaker, an assistant coach the past six seasons at Santa Ana. “We’ll have a good balance of running and passing with Sergio (Torres) running the point.” Torres was all-league first team last season when the Saints went 8-4 overall and 5-1 in league. Ramos is another part of a good group of skill players. Senior Jose Martinez, also all-league first team in 2022, is the leader of the defense and is like an extra coach on the field when it comes to getting his teammates aligned correctly. The offensive line has four new starters. “How successful the offensive line is,” Schoonmaker said, “will dictate how successful we will be.”
ST. MARGARET’S
Top players: Russell Frye, TE, Sr.; Jerry Gao, OL/DL, Sr.; Battle Gideons, LB, Sr.; Max Ruff, Sr., QB; Jack Wagner, OL/DL, Sr.
What to expect: Dan O’Shea takes over as the coach after eight seasons at Corona del Mar where his teams were 80-18-1 and won CIF Southern Section and CIF State championships in 2019. The Tartans, 5-7 overall and 4-2 (third place) in league last season, return six starters on offense and six starters on defense. “We have a lot of guys with good experience who we can rely on,” O’Shea said. Among them is all-league first-team quarterback Max Ruff, who passed for 2,356 yards and 26 touchdowns last season. Ruff is on the Register’s list of the county’s top 10 quarterbacks. O’Shea expects senior running back Matt Arena and junior receiver Will Viola to supply plenty of offensive punch. Senior Battle Gideons was second-team all-league last year when he averaged 12 tackles a game. St. Margaret’s did not have a lower-levels team last season but does this season, and has 60 players in the program compared to fewer than 40 last season. “That helps us develop kids and gives us some depth,” O’Shea said.
