OCVarsity is previewing every 11-man team in Orange County before the 2023 high school football season begins.
GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE PREVIEW
BOLSA GRANDE
Top players: Nathaniel Fiaputa, OL/DL, Sr.; Muhammad Matus, OL/DL, Jr.; David Nguyen, RB/LB, Sr.; Ethan Nguyen, QB/DB, Sr.; Oscar Rodriguez, WR/DB, Sr.
What to expect: Bolsa Grande has nine returning starters on offense and nine returning starters on defense from a team that was 6-6 overall, including a rare playoffs win, and tied for third place in league (2-3 record). Nathaniel Fiaputa was an all-league first-team defensive lineman last season as a freshman and Oscar Rodriguez was a first-team defensive back. David and Ethan Nguyen were all-league second team. “We should be pretty good on offense and defense,” said Matators third-year coach Michael Acosta. “Our strength this year should mostly be on the defensive side.” A position of question is at linebacker, which Acosta calls “an area of opportunity.”
LA QUINTA
Top players: Loc Do, OL/LB, Sr.; Kyle Hoang, WR/DB, Sr.; Steve Mejia, RB/LB, Sr.; Alex Tran, QB, Sr.; Cooper Starnes, RB/DB, Jr.
What to expect: The Aztecs last season beat perennial league champion Rancho Alamitos, then lost its final two games and missed the playoffs. And that leads to La Quinta coach James Stewart’s assessment: “This whole offseason was about being consistent and always playing our best. If we’re not focused and not prepared and not fired up, we don’t do well.” Stewart, in his sixth year of his second stint as La Quinta’s coach, feels the Aztecs have the goods to achieve consistency. With running backs Steve Mejia and Cooper Starnes and QB Alex Tran, their triple-option offense can be difficult for opposing defenses. And there is momentum in the program, with the frosh-soph team winning the league title after not winning a lower-level league game in five years. Stewart said sophomore lineman Edgar Merino is going to be a star player.
LOARA
Top players: Paul Cavallo, OL/DL, Sr.; Luis Ordonez, TE/LB, Sr.; Xavier Rodriguez, WR/DB, Sr.; Zach Rodriguez, QB, Sr.; Jonrico Sieger, WR/DB, Sr.
What to expect: Gary Wright’s first season as the Saxons head coach, after 19 seasons as an assistant coach at Anaheim, will be a very senior-heavy season. Loara’s offense will have 10 senior starters on a team that was 4-6 overall and 2-3 in league last year. “So we’ll have a lot of experience there,” Wright said, “and we have a big, physical line, so I think we’ll be able to run the ball well.” Wright also likes his defensive front seven. Ordonez, all-league second team last season, is a solid hitter and tackler. Depth could be a problem should those seniors incur injuries. Zach Rodriguez will be a first-year starter at quarterback, so his development will be crucial to whatever success Loara attains.
LOS AMIGOS
Top players: Jesse Garcia, OL/DL, Sr.; Pedro Hernandez, RB/DB, Sr.; Maysen Navarro, QB/DB, Sr.; Adrian Ramirez, WR/DB, Jr.; Jovanny Regalado, OL/LB, Jr.;
What to expect: QB Maysen Navarro, a four-year starter, was the league’s offensive MVP last season when the Lobos were 8-3 overall and shared the league title with Rancho Alamitos with 4-1 records. Los Amigos has six returning starters on offense and four returning starters on defense. Jesse Garcia and Pedro Hernandez were all-league first team last year. Third-year coach Melo Guess considers linebacker to be, as he said, “the heart of the defense” and the Lobos will have three new starters there. He remains confident that Los Amigos is set for another fine season. “We’re going to be tough as nails,” Guess said. “We’re going to win a couple of games just by being the tougher team.”
RANCHO ALAMITOS
Top players: Jonathan Biggs, LB, Sr.; Jesus Diego, RB/DB, Sr.; Luis Lopez, LB/WR, Jr.; Emanuel Tellez, WR/DB, Jr.; Matthew Zepeda, OL/DL, Sr.
What to expect: The Vaqueros went 9-2 overall last season and their 4-1 league record earned them a share of the league championship with Los Amigos. They have only three returning starters on offense and only three returning starters on defense. MIke Enright, in his 24th season as Rancho Alamitos coach, is confident that the talent is there to compete for what would be a fifth straight league title. “Our defense will be solid,” he said. “We’re just really inexperienced. But our kids know how to win.” Senior Jonathan Biggs was all-league first team last season. Enright calls him “a dominating defensive player.” Junior Luis Lopez was all-league second team in 2022. Emanuel Tellez is a well-rounded player who will line up at various positions. The Garden Grove League was a wild league last season, when Rancho Alamitos beat Los Amigos but lost to La Quinta. Enright expects a similar 2023. “Anybody can beat anybody.” he said. “Injuries, like always, will play a part.”
SANTIAGO
Top players: Jared Cruz, RB/DB, Sr.; Victor Garcia, WR/DB, Sr.; James Gonzalez, QB, Jr,; Daniel Granados, OL, Sr.; Chris Ramirez, WR/CB, Jr.
What to expect: The Cavaliers will be a run-first team as they were last season when they finished 6-4 overall and 2-3 in league. Doug Ozsvath, in his third season as Santiago’s coach, said passing will play a larger role than before. “Last year we played lights-out defense,” Ozsvath said. “But our offense struggled to score points. We look to be more explosive on the offensive side of the ball.” Santiago will have four returning starters on offense and five returning starters on defense. Senior Victor Garcia is the Cavaliers’ lone returning all-league player, having been selected to second-team defense last year. Still, Ozsvath lilkes the roster. “These are coachable kids with great attitudes,” he said. “We have a bunch of hard-hitting and hard-blocking guys.”
