GAME PREVIEWS 2023 DANA HILLS

Coach: Vince Mesa

2022 Record: 3-7 (1-2 Pacific Valley League)

2022 vs. DH: DH win, 21-14

Season Outlook:

The Trojans have shown marginal improvement over the past few seasons, boosting their 2022 win total by one from the previous year. They also claimed a signature win in defeating Beckman at home to avoid going winless in the Pacific Valley League. University will also have seniority on their side, as its leading passer, receiver, rusher and tackler all return.

Jai Williams, a senior and two-way player who totaled 420 rushing yards and 75 tackles, will be a player to watch, along with quarterback Koa Saito and receiver Blaine Anderson.

Coach: John Shanahan

2022 Record: 11-4 (3-0 Pac-4 League)

2022 vs. DH: DH win, 28-24

Season Outlook: Laguna Beach followed its 2021 campaign with another strong offensive year in 2022.

The Breakers rebounded from consecutive losses at the start of the season to win 11 of their next 12 games and take home the CIF-SS Division 9 Championship, beating Diamond Bar, 36-28. This year, BYU tight end commit Ryner Swanson and highly recruited junior quarterback Jackson Kollock are back to potentially lead their team to a state title.

Even so, Laguna Beach hasn’t defeated the Dolphins since 2018.

Coach: Scott Meyer

2022 Record: 4-6 (2-3 Moore League)

2022 vs. DH: Did Not Play Season Outlook:

The Bruins from Long Beach certainly experienced the full gamut of emotions during Moore League play last season. Woodrow Wilson was shut out twice by Long Beach Poly and Lakewood in blowout fashion, found itself on the right side of two nail-biters, and put up 57 points on winless Cabrillo. Senior running back Christian Chapman will likely be responsible for most of the offensive success the Bruins see in 2023, as he ran for 1,206 yards and 10 scores last year.

Coach: Jason Presley

2022 Record: 2-8 (0-3 North Hills League)

2022 vs. DH: Did Not Play

Season Outlook:

The Aztecs closed out 2022 with four consecutive losses, with an average margin of defeat of 38.5 points. To find any success this season, Esperanza must find a successor to running back Jesse Deunsing, who totaled 1,582 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022 and has since graduated.

Aaron Forsgren, a senior who rushed for the second-most yards last year, may be the one to pick up the mantle.

Coach: Aaron Craver

2022 Record: 5-6 (2-1 Pacific Valley League)

2022 vs. DH: DH win, 38-26

Season Outlook:

Woodbridge graduated its leading rusher and its top three receivers and tacklers in the spring.

Fortunately, Edward Ma is back for his final season at quarterback, but he’ll need to improve his touchdown-to-interception ratio for Warriors to continue winning games. Ma threw for 1,824 yards and 15 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions in 2022.

Coach: Phil Hughes

2022 Record: 9-3 (2-1 North Hills League)

2022 vs. DH: Did Not Play

Season Outlook:

The Comanches had a successful 2022 campaign, finishing 8-2 in the regular season and making the second round of the playoffs. Christian Lundsberg, who is off to Southern Utah after throwing for 4,066 yards and 54 touchdowns his senior year, leaves behind a gaping hole in Canyon’s quarterback room.

In comes Corin Rynders, who started two games for Canyon in 2021 but otherwise is green, and he will need surrounding help to replace a senior-laden offense.

The Comanches’ coaches will look to linebackers DJ Knupp and Noah Eckenrode for defensive production.

Coach: Tom Ricci 2022 Record: 4-6 (0-3 Pacific Coast League)

2022 vs. DH: DH win, 50-49

Season Outlook:

The last time these two teams met, it was an offensive shootout that saw Dana Hills convert a two-point attempt to end the game in the first overtime.

While Irvine’s bellcow from that season, Evan Hasegawa, has now moved on, quarterback Joseph Tierney returns to lead the Vaqueros. Junior Deacon Moss projects to play a significant role as both a receiver and defensive back.

Coach: John Lester 2021 Record: 15-1 (2-1 Pacific Hills League)

2022 vs. DH: LH win, 42-21

Season Outlook: Laguna Hills running back Troy Leigber’s six-touchdown performance against the Dolphins was emblematic of what he did all year for the Hawks, rushing his way to earning Orange County Offensive Player of the Year. Leigber, now a preferred walk-on at UCLA, was a major contributor to his team’s remarkable run in 2022. The Hawks defeated Golden Valley to claim the CIF-SS Division 7 title and edged Bellarmine by one point in the CIF State Division 3-A championship. Replacing 2,695 yards and 44 touchdowns of production will be a Herculean task.

Coach: Peter Abe

2021 Record: 4-8 (2-1 Pacific Valley League)

2022 vs. DH: DH win, 42-22

Season Outlook:

The Bulldogs were an overtime loss from exiting Pacific Valley League play undefeated, and they overcame some non-league beatdowns to find success in the playoffs. Portola returns its leading passer, rusher, and top three receivers, which should help the team build on last season’s results.

Coach: JC Clarke

2022 Record: 14-2 (3-0 Pacific Coast League)

2022 vs. DH: Portola win, 37-20

Season Outlook: Northwood steamrolled its opponents in 2022 to capture its second straight CIF-SS championship and second title in program history. The Timberwolves relied on senior running back Adam Harper’s 2,020 rushing yards to take them to the State Division 4-AA title game. Now that the Pacific Coast League is without three dominant running backs in Harper, Troy Leigber and Christian Guarascio, defensive coaches can breathe a sigh of relief, and offensive staffs are determining their next move.