South Coast League Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The South Coast League is one of the top public school leagues in the state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a breakdown of the top teams and players in the South Coast League entering the 2023 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>CAPISTRANO VALLEY</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top players: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='595827' first='Tommy' last='Acosta'], QB, Jr.; Hudson Campbell, WR/LB, Jr.; Ethan Jarvis, WR/DB, Sr.; [player_tooltip player_id='147764' first='Jackson' last='Sievers'], LB, Sr.; Michael Sturdivant, OL, Jr.;&nbsp; Reily Walker, RB/WR/B, Jr</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>Capo Valley is young at key positions and lacks experience, but they are a scrappy team that gave big programs headaches in passing league tournaments this summer. [player_tooltip player_id='595827' first='Tommy' last='Acosta'] started the last two games of the season and is back at quarterback. He has some playmakers at receiver in <strong>Hudson Campbell</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id='595817' first='Ryan' last='Isenhart']. [player_tooltip player_id='147764' first='Jackson' last='Sievers'] is the only player with Division 1 offers so far and is one of the better linebackers in the league. While Capo Valley will not compete for a league championship, they will not be an easy win for the other teams in the league. My bold prediction is the that Cougars will be 7-0 entering league play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/capofootball/status/1690927050390179840?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/capofootball/status/1690927050390179840?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>MISSION VIEJO</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top players: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='581016' first='Travis' last='Anderson'], WR/DB, Sr.; [player_tooltip player_id='282688' first='Phillip' last='Bell'], WR/DB, Jr.; [player_tooltip player_id='723683' first='Dijon' last='Lee'], DB, Jr.; [player_tooltip player_id='195570' first='Jack' last='Matranga'], LB, Sr.; [player_tooltip player_id='943007' first='Titus' last='Miller'], DL, Sr.; [player_tooltip player_id='195576' first='Mark' last='Schroller'], OL, Sr.; [player_tooltip player_id='398456' first='Trey' last='Tolmaire'], DB, Sr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>Mission Viejo lost some marquee players but is once again the class of the league this year. The secondary is stacked with Division 1 talent in Boise State commits [player_tooltip player_id='581016' first='Travis' last='Anderson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='398456' first='Trey' last='Tolmaire'], and elite junior prospects [player_tooltip player_id='282688' first='Phillip' last='Bell'] and [player_tooltip player_id='723683' first='Dijon' last='Lee']. [player_tooltip player_id='195570' first='Jack' last='Matranga'] is a tackling machine at linebacker and the defensive line has [player_tooltip player_id='943007' first='Titus' last='Miller'] and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='841044' first='Jaden' last='Williams']</strong>. Offensively, there is a lot of inexperience at the skill positions. The offensive line is strong with UCLA commit [player_tooltip player_id='195576' first='Mark' last='Schroller'], [player_tooltip player_id='273619' first='Daxton' last='Christman-Gourley'] and three-year starter <strong>Reed Lancaster</strong> at center. The receiving corps is led by Bell and a pair of sophomores in [player_tooltip player_id='283692' first='Vance' last='Spafford'] and [player_tooltip player_id='780469' first='Markus' last='Kier']. Mission Viejo has a strong pair of returning running backs in <strong>Hinesward Lilomaiava</strong> and <strong>Chase Valousky</strong>. The Diablos are the favorite to win the league.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/MaxDrc/status/1679165085023862784?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/MaxDrc/status/1679165085023862784?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SAN CLEMENTE</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top players: </strong>Ben Baker, OL/DL, Sr.; [player_tooltip player_id='398387' first='Connor' last='Bachhuber'], OL/DL, Sr.; [player_tooltip player_id='273584' first='Dylan' last='Mills'], QB, Sr.; [player_tooltip player_id='195580' first='Broderick' last='Redden'], TE/DL, Sr.; [player_tooltip player_id='398445' first='Drew' last='Shanley'], WR, Sr.; Holden Stakston, WR, Sr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>San Clemente is a good mix of returning starters and fresh faces. The Tritons have finally settled on a quarterback in [player_tooltip player_id='273584' first='Dylan' last='Mills'] and converted [player_tooltip player_id='195580' first='Broderick' last='Redden'] to tight end where he is picking up steam as a recruit. Mills has a good receiving corps in [player_tooltip player_id='398445' first='Drew' last='Shanley'], [player_tooltip player_id='270882' first='Max' last='Kotiranta'] and <strong>Holden Stakston</strong>. Running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='976882' first='Lee' last='Fuimaono']</strong> transferred back to San Clemente after spending a year at Santa Margarita. San Clemente also added a major recruit in safety <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='820596' first='Matai' last='Tagoa'i']</strong> from Faith Lutheran of Nevada. San Clemente has the top end talent to compete for a league championship, but depth may be an issue for the Tritons as the season goes on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/Tritonfootball/status/1691802537845031179?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/Tritonfootball/status/1691802537845031179?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>TESORO</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top players: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='482560' first='Cash' last='O'Byrne'], QB, Jr.; Dalton Hurd, LB, Sr.; Roman Mercado, DL/P, Sr. Todd Nelson, WR, Sr.; [player_tooltip player_id='595828' first='Travis' last='Wood'], RB, Sr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>The big star for Tesoro is returning running back [player_tooltip player_id='595828' first='Travis' last='Wood'] who is committed to Air Force. He is a physical runner that wears defenses down and can turn a 3-yard run into a 7-yard run. Wood was the leading rusher in the league last season and should have another big year. [player_tooltip player_id='482560' first='Cash' last='O'Byrne'] is back at quarterback after starting the second half of the season as a sophomore. <strong>Dalton Hurd</strong> and <strong>Alex Zeppos</strong> lead the defense and Zeppos recently got an offer from the University of Chicago. Tesoro lacks the big names on both sides of the ball, but is always well-coached and can hang with most teams in the county. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/TesoroFootball/status/1688547175914184704?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/TesoroFootball/status/1688547175914184704?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->