Inside look at WCA club team: Redzone Elite
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With the absence of traditional high school football, club football has been on the rise, particularly the Winner Circle Champions League. The league is run by Winner Circle Athletics, a training facility in Corona led by ex USC football standout Jordan Campbell.…
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Continue ReadingWith the absence of traditional high school football, club football has been on the rise, particularly the Winner Circle Champions League.
The league is run by Winner Circle Athletics, a training facility in Corona led by ex USC football standout Jordan Campbell.
Every week, the league has games at a field in Chino. According to Campbell, the league currently consists of 34 teams and 18 games each weekend with 1,500 players playing (approximately 44 players per team). The teams provide their own equipment, uniforms and insurance.
Recently, the city of Chino notified Winner Circle Athletics of some violations. The company will have to obtain a business license and special events permit by March 1.
But that doesn’t effect the teams that are playing in this “season”.
Some teams feature a roster of athletes from various schools. Other teams are made up of local high school teams with a handful of other players mixed in.
Redzone Elite is the latter, with the vast majority of its players being from San Clemente High.
San Clemente had an 11-2 record and was preparing to play in the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals against Chaminade, when it was notified that one of its players was deemed ineligible and they had to forfeit all 13 of its games.
Below are notable prospects on the team who have already signed letters of intent, have scholarship offers or are sleepers.
Cole Batson Cole Batson 6'4" | 190 lbs | ATH San Clemente | 2021 State CA — Batson originally committed to Arizona, but withdrew his commitment and signed with Boston College. He is a very good receiver and defensive back and will likely be a safety/linebacker type at Boston College. He has room to put on size and is arguably the best player on San Clemente’s team this upcoming season.
San Clemente brings in Nick Billoups at QB and he leads the Tritons down the field for their first score of the night. Cole Batson with the TD catch. @CDMFOOTBALL 14 @Tritonfootball 7. 6:11 to play in the first half. pic.twitter.com/6lKWAWmiaW
— Connor Morrissette (@C_Morrissette) September 27, 2019
James Bohls James Bohls 6'0" | 200 lbs | RB San Clemente | 2021 State CA — Bohls replaced Batson at Arizona when Batson withdrew his commitment. The old regime at Arizona wanted Bohls to be a linebacker but the new coaching staff views him as a running back. He led the Tritons with 677 yards on just 120 carries with 9 touchdowns last season. Bohls has track athlete speed and also a Division 1 body being just a hair under 200 pounds. He always had the tools and improved the more game action he saw.
Aidan Coulson — Coulson has a very inspirational story. Coulson’s father was heavily involved in the program and beloved by the players up until his passing during the season in 2019. He was a key member of San Clemente’s offensive line last season which was a very good run blocking front. He signed with Arizona Christian on Wednesday.
Congratulations to @aidancoulson65 signing with Arizona Christian University today! He endured hardship with his dad's passing in 2019. Continued strength to you and your family Aidan! @tritonfootball @JeffBowenACU pic.twitter.com/HUWY7IuGt1
— Jonathan Khamis/Khamis Productions/Camp Chronicles (@JonathanKhamis) February 3, 2021
Keegan Even — Even had 24 tackles and an interception for the Tritons last season. He plays inside linebacker and lays big hits. He does a good job avoiding linemen when they bounce to the next level in the run game or on screen passes. Even is a good tackler and needs more game reps, which he is getting for Redzone Elite. He is signed with Benedictine College.
Bentley Redden Bentley Redden 6'5" | 215 lbs | ATH San Clemente | 2021 State CA — Redden is another good two-way player at tight end and defensive end. San Clemente is known for producing excellent tight ends with Cole Fotheringham (Utah) and Chris Kane. He gradually improved as a pass rusher during the season and had four sacks in a playoff game against Valencia. He is going to BYU like his father Matt and will likely serve a two year Mormon mission before playing for the Cougars.
San Clemente flips the field when Billoups hits Redden down the left sideline for 42 yards. @SCHSTritons @Tritonfootball @_nickbilloups @BentleyRedden @SCTimesNews pic.twitter.com/IWQFFs2Oe7
— South OC Sports (@SouthOCsports) September 27, 2019
Kai Rex — Rex does not have a lot of varsity film, but this is a legacy sleeper pick because his older brother Isaac is an All-American tight end at BYU and his other brother Preston Rex is serving a Mormon mission in Chile but will play at BYU after as well. Caught one pass for two yards on varsity last season and will have a bigger role this season.
Caiden Robertson — Robertson will be a three-year starter for one of the top defenses in the state and led the team in tackles last season. He blitzes under control and gets pressure without losing his gap integrity. He has a very good football IQ and clearly is a film rat. He is the captain of the defense and has the talent to play at the FCS level. Robertson has an offer from Lake Erie College.
Noa Serpa — Serpa is another tight end/defensive end type who does not have a lot of varsity film. He had one catch for 14 yards on varsity last season but had several touchdowns for the JV team. San Clemente does occasionally run 12 personnel or will put Redden or Serpa in the slot to get both of them on the field at the same time. He signed with Concordia University of Wisconsin.
Ryland Swarthout — Swarthout is a jack-of-all trades type of lineman who can play all five positions on the offensive line and play defensive end as well. He had 42 tackles, a sack and two batted balls as a defensive end, where I think he really shines. He is a great pass rusher, particularly when he twists into the A gap, and is excellent at shedding blocks in the running game. He has offers from Puget Sound and Benedictine College.
Lachlan Van Rosmalen — He is yet to play a varsity snap but has a high pedigree, being a transfer from St. John Bosco. Six of the last seven quarterbacks from San Clemente have gotten Division 1 football scholarships and with the two years learning from Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei, he has a good chance of playing at the next level. Rosmalen has a big arm, reads defenses well and isn’t fast enough to be a great runner, but moves well laterally and throws well on the run.
After over a year of preparation, we’ve finally been allowed to put it on display. So happy to play with my brothers this past Saturday in our first game of the season! So much more to come.@CoachDanny10 @CoachStevensFB @CoachShoeEWU @ocvarsityguy @REDZONEELITE @WCA_Training pic.twitter.com/tnEKZCiNd1
— Lachlan Rosmalen (@Lachedandloaded) January 6, 2021
Kanious Vaughn — Not a ton of varsity film but he had two tackles for a loss and a sack last season. Vaughn is a fast defensive end with good edge rushing moves. He has impressive film from the club league but I want to see more of him against top high school tackles. He is definitely a strong asset on the San Clemente defensive front with Redden and Swarthout on the edges. He is 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds with no offers yet but definitely could play at the Division III level and at worst will be an effective junior college player.