South Coast League Preview: Players to Watch
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For years, the South Coast League has arguably been the best public school league in Orange County high school football. This year, the league is loaded with talented teams and players. There is a real chance that all four teams…
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Continue ReadingFor years, the South Coast League has arguably been the best public school league in Orange County high school football.
This year, the league is loaded with talented teams and players. There is a real chance that all four teams make the playoffs and have winning seasons.
Here is a look at the teams in the South Coast League with a little prediction at the end.
CAPISTRANO VALLEY
Top players: Dane Benedix Dane Benedix 6'0" | 170 lbs | ATH Capistrano Valley | 2023 State CA , WR/DB, Sr.; Jack Culver, DB, Sr.; Gavin Disbro, OL/DL, So.; Dylan Fingersh, K, Jr.; Trey Kukuk Trey Kukuk 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Capistrano Valley | 2023 State CA , QB, Sr.; Jackson Sievers Jackson Sievers 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB Capistrano Valley | 2024 State CA , LB, Jr.; Riley Walker, So., LB.
Outlook: Capo Valley moves up into the South Coast League after sharing the Sea View League championship last season. Offensively, Capo Valley may be able to hang with anybody in the county. Trey Kukuk Trey Kukuk 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Capistrano Valley | 2023 State CA is a top five senior quarterback in the county and Dane Benedix Dane Benedix 6'0" | 170 lbs | ATH Capistrano Valley | 2023 State CA is a real Division 1 caliber athlete in my opinion. The Cougars gave up a ton of points on defense last season but they return some linebackers and defensive backs which is helpful. I worry that Capo is too young and inexperienced on the offensive line to play against the big teams in this league like Mission Viejo and San Clemente. Capo only has three returning starters on offense and three on defense so it’s a bad time for them to take such a leap in level of competition. They will not be a top two team in the league so they will have to put together some nonleague wins to get over .500 and qualify for the playoffs.
MISSION VIEJO
Top players: Michael Damato Michael Damato 6'0" | 205 lbs | DB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , DB, Sr.; Jackson Holman Jackson Holman 6'3" | 200 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , WR, Sr.; Mikey Matthews Mikey Matthews 5'10" | 180 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , WR, Sr.; Jack Matranga Jack Matranga 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Mission Viejo | 2024 State CA , LB, Jr.; Brady Norton Brady Norton 6'4" | 270 lbs | OL Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , OL, Sr.; KJ Reed KJ Reed 5'11" | 175 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , WR, Sr.; Kadin Semonza Kadin Semonza 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , QB, Sr.
Outlook: Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson has told multiple reporters, including me that this is the best team he has had since arriving at the school. They won two of the three biggest passing tournaments of the summer and Kadin Semonza Kadin Semonza 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA has been the breakout quarterback of the offseason. They have multiple Division 1 caliber receivers and their top players list didn’t even include Colorado commit Edward Schultz Edward Schultz 6'1" | 195 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA and senior Andrez Lewis. They have a great secondary led by Michael Damato Michael Damato 6'0" | 205 lbs | DB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA and Trey Tolmaire Trey Tolmaire 5'11" | 165 lbs | DB Mission Viejo | 2024 State CA . Carter Boskovich and Joseph Libutti Joseph Libutti 6'0" | 195 lbs | DB Mission Viejo | 2023 CA are sneaky good players back there who do not get a lot of recognition. Jack Matranga Jack Matranga 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Mission Viejo | 2024 State CA and Jonathan Becerra Jonathan Becerra 6'2" | 230 lbs | LB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA are really good defenders in the box as well. I have concerns about the offensive line, but Brady Norton Brady Norton 6'4" | 270 lbs | OL Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA and Mark Schroller Mark Schroller 6'6" | 285 lbs | OL Mission Viejo | 2024 State CA are very good tackles on the outside. The schedule is very difficult with teams like Servite, Long Beach Poly, Sierra Canyon and Alemany but they went 9-1 last season and got a Division 1 playoff spot and you can expect the same this year.
SAN CLEMENTE
Top players: Blake Allen, RB/DB, Sr.; Connor Bachhuber Connor Bachhuber 6'5" | 250 lbs | DL San Clemente | 2024 State CA , DE, Jr.; Colin Brophy Colin Brophy 6'2" | 225 lbs | DL San Clemente | 2023 CA , OL, Sr.; Brad Gerken Brad Gerken 5'11" | 190 lbs | DB San Clemente | 2023 CA , DB, Sr.; Brock Della Vedova, WR/TE, Jr.; Thomas Hartanov, WR, Sr.; Ryder Insley, Sr., DB; Cole Robertson, LB, Sr.
Outlook: San Clemente is senior heavy this season and returns a plethora of All-League players. The defense is loaded with physical and speedy linebackers and defensive backs like Brad Gerken Brad Gerken 5'11" | 190 lbs | DB San Clemente | 2023 CA , Cole Robertson, Blake Allen, Ryder Insley, Drew Shanley Drew Shanley 5'10" | 180 lbs | WR San Clemente | 2024 State CA and Kyle Yamano Kyle Yamano 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB San Clemente | 2023 CA . Connor Bachhuber Connor Bachhuber 6'5" | 250 lbs | DL San Clemente | 2024 State CA is a big defensive end with long arms and will be tough for tackles to handle one-on-one. The Tritons have played their quarterback competition pretty close to the vest but it seems like it’s down to JSerra transfer Dylan Mills Dylan Mills 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB San Clemente | 2024 State CA and sophomore Broderick Redden Broderick Redden 6'5" | 225 lbs | TE San Clemente | 2024 State CA . Jake Poole Jake Poole 6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH San Clemente | 2024 CA and Reid Kotiranta Reid Kotiranta 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR San Clemente | 2023 State CA are sneaky good receivers who had productive offseasons. Kicker Shane Hill Shane Hill 6'0" | 185 lbs | P San Clemente | 2023 CA is very good when the Tritons get into scoring position too. The schedule has a couple of tough games in the middle with Corona del Mar and Edison but the San Diego teams they play this year are down and shouldn’t be a problem. With this many seniors, this is the year San Clemente can make a Division 2 playoff run.
TESORO
Top players: Owen Burnside Owen Burnside 6'2" | 190 lbs | DL Tesoro | 2023 CA , DL/TE, Sr.; Jack Brundage, Sr, LB; Owen Hernandez, OL, Sr.; Demarco Love, DB, Sr.; Todd Nelson, WR, Jr.; Mason Wolfe Mason Wolfe 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR Tesoro | 2023 CA , WR, Sr.
Outlook: Tesoro had a rough season in 2021 but had a couple of close losses that should have gone their way. They have a lot of returners despite losing their best player to transfer and star linebacker Jake Frey Jake Frey 6'3" | 215 lbs | LB Tesoro | 2023 CA to a possible season-ending leg injury. Tesoro typically has at least one good edge rusher and Owen Burnside Owen Burnside 6'2" | 190 lbs | DL Tesoro | 2023 CA is one of the best in the league this season. One of their defensive coaches raved to be about Jack Brundage as a player and a leader of the defense. They have a quarterback trio of Gavin Shaigineik Gavin Shaigineik 6'1" | 180 lbs | QB Tesoro | 2023 State CA , Evan Pierce Evan Pierce 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Tesoro | 2023 State CA and Kaden Watanabe. My guess is Shaigineik is the starter and we see Pierce as a slot guy who they use in trick plays to throw the ball. Mason Wolfe Mason Wolfe 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR Tesoro | 2023 CA has the potential to be an 800-yard, 8 touchdown guy this season and Todd Nelson is a junior receiver I am really high on. The Frey injury concerns me, but I am higher on Tesoro than a lot of media members (see below).
Predicted league standings:
Mission Viejo (10-0, 3-0)
San Clemente (8-2, 2-1)
Tesoro (5-5, 1-2)
Capo Valley (5-5, 0-3)