2014 DOLPHIN FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Senior quarterback Cole Wilber will step into the role of starter for the Dana Hills football team in 2014. Photo: Steve Breazeale
DOLPHINS ENTERING NEW WATERS Past success has put the Dana Hills football team in position to face new challenges BY STEVE BREAZEALE
When Dana Hills High School head football coach Todd Rusinkovich arrived on campus in 2011, he made it his mission to revamp the Dolphins program. In Rusinkovich’s first year as head coach, Dana Hills, playing in the South Coast League, failed to win a league game. One year later, after moving to the Sea View League, they were crowned co-league champions, touting a 3-1 record and four wins overall. Last season, while playing one of the tougher preseason schedules in the area, the Dolphins finished second in league and went 5-6 overall. The Dolphins upward trend has resulted in them being moved from the Sea View League to the more formidable South Coast League, which features El Toro, Tesoro and Mission Viejo high schools. But the Dolphins have been waiting for this moment. Getting back into the South
Coast League has been the goal all along. “Moving up to the South Coast League was the move that was appropriate for us,” Rusinkovich said. “The kids have experienced great success the past two years in the Sea View League … We know it’s going to be tough but we’re ready to embrace that challenge and get after it.” The Dolphins only have three returning starters on defense and three on offense, which means a lot of those talented returning players will be playing both sides of the ball in 2014. One of those players is returning senior running back and offensive catalyst Brian Scott. Scott averaged just over 81 yards per game and scored eight touchdowns as a junior, missing out on playing time due to injury. Scott, a co-captain, will also play on defense at safety, a position he played fulltime as a sophomore. “Playing both ways just means more
conditioning. You need to focus on what ary for a second consecutive year. The you’re doing,” Scott said. “Simplicity has all-league selection had 74 tackles and one been a factor. You need to simplify things interception as a junior. both ways.” McDermott, Fer and Podgorski will pull Senior transfer and Northern Arizona Unidouble time and start on the defensive line versity commit Cole Wilber will start for the alongside senior Kyle Smith. Fer and PodDolphins at quarterback. Wilber transferred gorski are two physically impressive players from Mission Viejo High School midseason who should be able to cause havoc, accordlast year and spent the offseason learning ing to Rusinkovich. Rusinkovich said that the the Dolphins playbook and getting com6-feet-2-inch 320-pound Podgorski has one fortable with their receiving corps, which of the biggest lower bodies he’s seen on a features returning all-league selection Drew high school player. The junior can squat in Falk and senior Ray Moslehi. the 500-pound range and, along with Fer, Wilber, who is accustomed to South will provide a physical presence up front. Coast League play, has The Dolphins are taka big frame and a strong ing no chances when it 2013 Record: arm and figures to fit in comes to their prepara5-6, 3-1 Sea View League well with the balanced tion for South Coast Returning Starters: Dana Hills offensive League play, which feaOffense 3; Defense 3 attack that has been a tures top-tier programs trademark in years past. in Mission Viejo and Offensive Set: Multiple Senior center Chris Tesoro. They will play a Defense Set: Multiple McDermott is the lone tough preseason slate, Head Coach: Todd Rusinkovich returner on the offensive starting with a season(12-19 overall record) line, which features big, opening game against Assistant Coaches: strong players who are Tustin at home on John Rusinkovich (football mostly untested. Senior Friday, Aug. 29, in hopes operations), Jake Rusinkovich Jonathan Fer, Alec they will be ready for (offensive coordinator/quarBrady, Kyle Wilemon the competition when terbacks), Chad Rusinkovich and Jakub Podgorski league starts. (wide receivers/speed & condiround out the group. Dana Hills has had a tioning), Phil Skinner (assistant On defense, the tough time finding early head coach/offensive line/ Dolphins strength lies wins. The Dolphins are strength), Joe Morris (defensive in their linebackers. a combined 3-12 in precoordinator/defensive backs), All three of Dana Hills season games over the Trent Henson (defensive line), projected starters at the past two years, mainly Stephen McCullough (techposition have startdue to the level of opponology coordinator/running ing varsity experience, sition they have chosen backs), Mike Eaton (quality especially senior middle to play against. control coach), Max Nikolenko linebacker Brett Bill, who But those tests early (athletic trainer). led the team in total in the schedule have tackles in 2013. served them well. The The Dolphins will also Dolphins won league employ rising junior Corey Selenski, a hybrid two years ago and missed out on a repeat by linebacker who switched to defensive end one game last season. halfway through last season. Selenski, who This year they will head into a much more had 57 tackles and a team-high four sacks difficult league, which is a task the players last year, will be used on the line and can are ready to accept. also drop back into coverage at any given “It’s going to be difficult and we need to moment. He will also be used as a fullback put in our time and effort and study these on offense. teams. We know what they’re going to bring “Our linebackers could all be safeties,” so we just need to step up,” Scott said. “It’s said senior safety Jay Schuyler. “We’ll chase the same number of people on the other you down. They’re fast.” side. They have 11 guys, we have 11 guys.” Schuyler will lead the Dolphins secondDP
2014 DOLPHIN FOOTBALL PREVIEW FIVE TO WATCH
OFFENSE
OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART
Cole Wilber
Tackle
QB (No. 3) Sr.
Wilber, a cocaptain, will take over at quarterback after transferring from Mission Viejo last year mid-season. The Northern Arizona University commit has a large frame (6-4, 205) and a strong arm. He has grown comfortable working in the Dolphins’ offensive system.
Center
Guard
Fer (52)
Tackle
Guard
Brady (61)
Podgorski (68) McDermott (62) Wilemon (77)
Wide Reciever Rogers (12)
MULTIPLE
Quarterback
Wide Reciever
Wide Reciever
Falk (19)
Schuyler (2)
Wide Reciever Wilber (3)
FULLBack
Moslehi (10)
Kicker Grigoriou (9)
Selenski (28)
Punter
Running Back
Villacreses (6)
Brian Scott
Long Snapper
RB (No. 26) Sr.
Scott has been the foundation of the Dolphins run game two years straight and returns to help lead the Dolphins offense in 2014. Scott is a powerful runner who ran for 895 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior. Scott will double as a strong safety on defense. Ray Moslehi WR (No. 10) Sr.
Moslehi broke out during the Dolphins 7-on-7 passing league season, highlighted by his performance in the Oceanside Passing Tournament. Head coach Todd Rusinkovich said that Moslehi has stepped up as a senior and will be among the Dolphins go-to receivers in 2014. Jonathan Fer OL (No. 52) Sr.
Fer will be a physical force for the Dolphins on the offensive line at left tackle. The co-captain is among the strongest players on the team but also has the ability to run conditioning drills with the skill players, according to Rusinkovich. Chris McDermott
Scott (26)
Simmons (55)
2014 DANA HILLS FOOTBALL VARSITY ROSTER No. Name
Grade Position
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 16 17 19 21 22 24 26 27 28 29 31 33
12 12 12 11 12 10 11 11 12 12 11 10 12 11 12 11 10 11 12 10 11 10 10 11
Schuyler, Jay Wilber, Cole Costello, Pierce McCloud, Connor Villacreses, Brendan Bortnick, Charlie Lutton, Glenn Grigoriou, Anton Moslehi, Ray Hadley, Carter Rogers, Brandon Rice, Joe Smith, Kyle Hershman, Evan Falk, Drew Wood, Edward Hanes, Jake Goode, Dakota Scott, Brian Schuman, Zack Selenski, Corey Lynch, Ryder Phillips, Jacob Solakian, Harry
WR / DB QB / DB WR / LB RB / DB P / LB QB / DB WR / DB P/K WR / DB WR / LB QB / WR RB / DB RB / DL WR / DB WR / DB RB / LB WR / DB WR / DB RB / LB WR / DB RB / LB RB / DB WR / DB RB / DL
Height Weight
No. Name
Grade Position
6’2” 6’4” 5’10” 5’6” 5’10” 5’10” 5’10” 6’2” 5’10” 6’2” 6’2” 5’8” 6’0” 5’8” 6’0” 6’2” 5’11” 5’9” 6’0” 5’9” 6’3” 5’11” 5’9” 5’7”
35 44 45 47 51 52 54 55 57 58 59 61 62 65 66 67 68 72 76 77 81 85 95 96
10 12 10 12 12 12 11 12 10 10 10 12 12 10 11 11 11 11 10 12 11 10 12 12
180 205 195 160 175 160 145 180 170 200 175 155 235 170 190 195 155 165 190 145 225 160 135 200
Kotnik, Patrick Bill, Brett Kahal, Nolan Namath, Chandler Justesen, Franky Fer, Jonathan Boyack, Mason Simmons, Ryan Bridgeman, Michael Poching, Jarod Rager, Jack Brady, Alec McDermott, Chris Justesen, Jake Avila, Diego Gault, James Podgorski, Jakub Patton, Dylan Furgeson, Hayden Wilemon, Kyle Cortez, Christian Charles, Trevor Lawless, Sean Lawless, Zachary
RB / LB RB / LB RB / LB RB / LB OL / DL OL / DL OL / DL LS / SS OL / DL OL / LB OL / DL OL / DL OL / DL OL / DL OL / DL OL / DL OL / DL OL / DL OL / DL OL / DL WR / DL WR / DL OL / DL OL / DL
DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART End
Tackle
Smith (16)
Height Weight 6’1” 6’0” 6’2” 5’10” 6’4” 6’2” 6’0” 6’0” 5’9” 5’9” 6’0” 6’0” 5’10” 6’2” 5’5” 5’11” 6’2” 6’5” 6’4” 6’4” 6’1” 6’2” 6’0” 6’0”
170 200 200 190 250 250 205 205 165 205 225 240 280 180 190 230 320 235 225 285 195 185 180 180
MULTIPLE
TACKLE
McDermott (62) Podgorski (68)
End Fur (52)
Cornerback
Cornerback
McCloud (5)
Moslehi (10)
OL (No. 62) Sr.
McDermott will provide much needed experience on the Dolphins offensive line. The co-captain was the team’s starting center last year and, as the lone returning player on the line, will be counted on to provide precision and skill at his important position. 2014 Dolphin Football Preview
Linebacker
Linebacker
Linebacker
Hadley (11)
Bill (44)
Selenski (28)
Safety Costello (4)/ Scott (26)
Safety Schuyler (2)
FIVE TO WATCH
DEFENSE Jay Schuyler FS (No. 2) Sr. Schuyler is a returning starter at free safety, where he locked up All-Sea View League honors as a junior. Schuyler is a standout athlete. He was an all-league first baseman on the Dolphins baseball team and has proven he is capable of controlling the defense. Carter Hadley LB (No. 11) Sr. Hadley got a decent amount of playing time in 2013 as a backup linebacker and will be one of the new faces in the starting lineup. Rusinkovich said that Hadley has put in a lot of time in the weight room over the summer and has gotten considerably bigger and stronger. Brett Bill LB (No. 44) Sr. Bill, the Dolphins leading tackler in 2013, returns to play the middle linebacker position in the Dolphins defensive front seven. Bill racked up 155 total tackles last season, including nine for loss. He will be in charge of organizing the Dolphins multiple defensive looks. Pierce Costello LB (No. 4) Sr. Costello had a good amount of playing time last season and is part of a linebacker trio that has played alongside each other for consecutive years. Costello, who had 34 total tackles last year, brings speed to the Dolphins linebacker group. Corey Selenski LB (No. 28) Jr. The Dolphins coaching staff had a lot to say about Selenski, the rising junior, during training camp. One word that kept coming up when describing him was “physical.” Selenski will serve as a versatile linebacker who can also play on the defensive line. www.danapointtimes.com
2014 DOLPHIN FOOTBALL PREVIEW
SEASON SCHEDULE AND GAME PREVIEWS GAME ONE
AUGUST 29
GAME TWO
SEPTEMBER 4
GAME THREE
SEPTEMBER 12
GAME FOUR
SEPTEMBER 18
GAME FIVE
By Steve Breazeale SEPTEMBER 26
TUSTIN
CORONA DEL MAR
SAN CLEMENTE
VILLA PARK
GARDEN GROVE
Location: Dana Hills High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Winter Welz League: Empire 2013-2014 record: 1-9 (1-5 league) 2013-2014 vs. DH: DNP Season Outlook: Last year the Tillers season took a couple of crazy turns after head coach Greg Gano resigned four games into the season. New head coach Winter Welz was brought on mid-season, but Tustin failed to score points and continued to lose games. Standout senior wide receiver George Wilson will again be a focal point on offense. Wilson has offers from Utah, Massachusetts, Portland State and San Jose State. Tustin had a good amount of seniors on last year’s team that are gone to graduation but will look to improve with a full year under Welz’s leadership.
Location: Newport Harbor High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Scott Meyer League: Pacific Coast 2013-2014 record: 16-0 (5-0 league) 2013-2014 vs. DH: DNP Season Outlook: Corona del Mar was a powerhouse last season, capping off an undefeated 16-win season with a State Division III championship. Dual threat quarterback Luke Napolitano graduated, which means junior Peter Bush will likely be his successor. Even with Napolitano gone, Corona del Mar will still field a variety of weapons, including senior running back Cole Martin. The Sea Kings top two receivers, Bo St. Geme and Cole Collins, return. On defense, senior linebacker Hoyt Crance, senior defensive back Barrett Barbato and senior defensive linemen Justin Hess return.
Location: San Clemente High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Jaime Ortiz League: Sea View 2013-2014 record: 2-8 (0-4 league) 2013-2014 vs. DH: Loss, 38-13 Season Outlook: One of the biggest factors in the Tritons success this season will hinge on the health of senior quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold, who is committed to USC, is a dual threat quarterback who has had a productive offseason rehabbing his injured foot and building arm strength. If Darnold can stay healthy, and the 13 returning starters can mesh together, the Tritons should compete for the Sea View League title. The Tritons backfield will be an athletic, quick bunch. Darnold will be flanked by returning running back Vlad Dzhabiyev and newcomer Brandon Reeves.
Location: El Modena High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Dusan Ancich League: Crestview 2013-2014 record: 9-3 (5-1 league) 2013-2014 vs. DH: Win, 43-29 Season Outlook: It was no secret Villa Park liked to throw the ball last season, utilizing their efficient quarterback Dylan Osbourne throughout the Spartans’ solid season. Osbourne, who threw for 2,513 yards, has graduated and the experience behind him on the depth chart is limited. Where the Spartans appear to be experienced is on defense, especially at linebacker. Senior Xavier Hernandez (120 total tackles, six sacks) and junior Ramon Chaves (90 tackles, four sacks) will likely return to lead the aggressive unit. Top receiver Kyle Harlin and top running back Michael Vega, return.
Location: Dana Hills High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Willy Puga League: Garden Grove 2013-2014 record: 13-1 (5-0 league) 2013-2014 vs. DH: DNP Season Outlook: Garden Grove ran their way to the CIF-SS Southern Division Championship game last year, where they lost to Corona del Mar. Senior running back Sionne Masoe accounted for 29 touchdowns and 1,479 yards for the Argonauts last season. With Masoe graduated, it will be interesting to see if Garden Grove continues to run the ball at the rate they did last year, when they averaged 223.5 yards per game on the ground. The Argonauts will have an effective returning receiver tandem in Allejandro Ceja and Austin Christian. The two combined for 21 touchdown catches last year.
GAME SIX
OCTOBER 2
GAME SEVEN
OCTOBER 10
GAME EIGHT
OCTOBER 24
GAME NINE
OCTOBER 30
GAME TEN
NOVEMBER 7
CYPRESS
MISSION VIEJO
TESORO
SAN JUAN HILLS
EL TORO
Location: Dana Hills High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Rick Feldman League: Empire 2013-2014 record: 6-5 (3-3 league) 2013-2014 vs. DH: Season Outlook: First-year head coach Rick Feldman will lead the Centurions in 2014, replacing Bob Burt. Feldman was the program’s offensive coordinator under thenhead coach Mike Cobleigh three years ago. The Centurions have a dangerous playmaker in senior wide receiver and defensive back Quinten Pounds. Pounds is also the team’s kick and punt returner. He has offers from Colorado, Utah, Boise State and Washington, among others.
Location: Dana Hills High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Bob Johnson League: South Coast 2013-2014 record: 11-1 (4-0 league) 20134-2014 vs. DH: DNP Season Outlook: Due to a realigning of the CIF-SS divisions, the South Coast League is no longer in the high-profile Pac-5 Division. Instead, Mission Viejo, the perennial winner of league, will compete in the West Valley Division come playoff time, if they make it there. As usual, Mission Viejo will field a talented team that gives them a shot at making it to the postseason. The offense will be led by junior quarterback Brock Johnson and his veteran offensive line, anchored by center Cole Smith. Receivers Connor Hill and Keyshawn Johnson Jr. will be potential breakout season candidates.
Location: Tesoro High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Matt Poston League: South Coast 2013-2014 record: 9-3 (3-1 league) 2013-2014 vs. DH: DNP Season Outlook: The Titans had another successful run last year and return 13 starters to the mix in 2014. Junior quarterback Devon Modster returns and will link up with favorite target, senior receiver Jake Smeltzer. Senior offensive lineman Zach Hickman returns. Senior safety Tristan Kafentzis will anchor down the Tesoro defense. The Titans have a tough preseason schedule that will bolster their chances in the South Coast League, which looks like a twohorse race between them and Mission Viejo.
Location: Dana Hills High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Aaron Flowers League: South Coast 2013-2014 record: 10-2 (4-0 league) 2013-2014 vs. DH: Win, 28-21 Season Outlook: The Stallions may be the victims of their own success in 2014. Following the most successful season in school history, where they captured the program’s first league title, San Juan Hills was shifted to the South Coast League. They will now face a level of competition they have not seen before. The Stallions formula for success last season was the maturation of their inaugural football class coming together and peaking at the same moment. This year’s team will be missing a lot of those key pieces, but return several standouts, like senior running back and receiver Mike Miscione.
Location: El Toro High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Robert Frith League: South Coast 2013-2014 record: 4-6 (1-3 league) 2013-2014 vs. DH: DNP Season Outlook: El Toro will again feature a high-powered passing attack, as quarterback Trey Tinsley returns for his senior season. As a junior, Tinsley passed for 3,059 yards and 32 touchdowns with 16 interceptions. Defenses will have their hands full as El Toro will deploy senior receiver Taylor Dodds, who caught 11 touchdowns last year. El Toro had a down year last year when compared to their lofty standards. Now that the South Coast League has been realigned, they could be a dark horse candidate to finish in the top-2 of the standings and earn a playoff berth.
2014 Dolphin Football Preview
www.danapointtimes.com