San Diego Program Preview: La Costa Canyon Mavericks

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>La Costa Canyon finished 7-5 last season with a second-round exit to eventual state champions, Mater Dei Catholic, in the San Diego D-I Section Playoffs. This season, they return important pieces on both sides of the ball with a new full-time starter QB. They open the season with a Thursday night matchup vs. University City on 8/17 before facing tough opponents in San Clemente, Mission Hills, and Carlsbad down the line. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Players: </strong>QB Jack Splavec, RB Andrew Maes, WR [player_tooltip player_id='723763' first='Sergio' last='Garcia'], WR Bode Estabrook, WR Paco Martinez, TE [player_tooltip player_id='683671' first='Trevor' last='Ladd'], OL [player_tooltip player_id='1128275' first='Blake' last='Mazone'], OL/DL Ryan Stonebreaker, LB Trey Blazevich, LB Caden Quinn, DB Kaeden Miller, DB Carter Kermott, EDGE EJ Brandreth</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Schedule</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>8/17 vs. University City&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>8/25 vs. Del Norte&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>9/1 <strong>@</strong> San Clemente </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>9/8 <strong>@</strong> Mira Mesa </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>9/15 <strong>@</strong> Fallbrook </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>9/29 vs. Poway&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>10/6 vs. El Camino&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>10/13 <strong>@</strong> Mission Hills </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>10/20 <strong>@</strong> Carlsbad </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>10/27 vs. Torrey Pines&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Offense</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>La Costa Canyon returns some of their top playmakers from last season and added one of the more underrated WRs in San Diego- [player_tooltip player_id='723763' first='Sergio' last='Garcia']. Garcia's a skilled receiver that shows great hands and body control making contested catches downfield. He's crafty in space after the catch and totaled 37 catches for over 500 yards and 5 TDs as a sophomore. Senior WRs <strong>Bode</strong> <strong>Estabrook</strong> and <strong>Paco</strong> <strong>Martinez</strong> are shifty playmakers out of the slot that excel with the ball in their hands. Senior TE [player_tooltip player_id='683671' first='Trevor' last='Ladd'], San Diego's top 2024 TE, has added over 10 D-I offers this offseason including San Jose St., Cal Poly, UC Davis, and Air Force. He totaled 35 catches for 605 yards and 8 TDs as a junior. Senior RB <strong>Andrew</strong> <strong>Maes</strong> returns to the backfield after posting 1600 total yards and 12 TDs last season. He's a versatile playmaker that can explode through lanes at the LOS, catch out of the backfield or slot, pass-block, and make plays in the return game. Maes is one of the top senior RBs in San Diego this season. Senior QB <strong>Jack</strong> <strong>Splavec</strong> earned valuable experience as a junior- he's a tall, lanky passer at 6'5”/190 that can throw with velocity and get the ball out quick. Sophomore QB [player_tooltip player_id='401286' first='Quinn' last='Roth'] is another lanky passer (6'3”/165) to keep an eye on. Senior OT <strong>Blake</strong> <strong>Mazone</strong> is a leader for the OL unit with an offer from Air Force. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/TrevorLadd87/status/1687929374342078464?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/TrevorLadd87/status/1687929374342078464?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defense</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior LB <strong>Trey</strong> <strong>Blazevich</strong> is one of the top returning tacklers for LCC- he's a versatile defender that can rush the edge or defend the run game as an off-ball LB. He diagnoses run/pass well and attacks blockers with power and leverage. Blazevich has added offers from Adams St., Fort Lewis, and Kenyon this offseason. Fellow senior LB <strong>Caden Quinn </strong>is a strong defender in the interior run game from his ILB spot. Senior safeties <strong>Kaeden Miller</strong> and <strong>Carter Kermott</strong> can make tackles on the perimeter and line up in different areas of the field- Miller picked up offers from Adams St. and Fort Lewis this summer. Senior <strong>EJ Brandreth</strong> is an athletic EDGE defender (6'4”/220) that does a good job of forcing the run inside and making stops at the LOS- he picked up his first offer from USD in July. Senior DE <strong>Ryan Stonebreaker</strong> is a player to watch on both sides of the trenches this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/KUSIPPR/status/1688001065869103105?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/KUSIPPR/status/1688001065869103105?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->