From L to R: Senior guard Austin Volling, senior quarterback Sam Darnold and senior linebacker Riley Whimpey will be key to the Tritons success in 2014. Photo: Steve Breazeale
LOOKING FOR REDEMPTION San Clemente High School football team prepares to get back on the winning track BY STEVE BREAZEALE
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines redemption as: The act of making something better or more acceptable. This year, the San Clemente High School football team has taken that word, and its definition, to heart, building their 2014-2015 campaign around the slogan “Operation Redemption.” After a year that saw more downs than ups, the Tritons are looking to redeem themselves in a big way heading into the new season. San Clemente started last season with consecutive wins over Jordan of Long Beach and Cabrillo, but following several injuries to key players, their season went off the rails. They lost the next eight games and went winless in league. The struggles of last season can be directly linked to the injury of standout quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold earned the starting job as a junior, flashing his skill and promise as a dual-threat quarterback in the Tritons first three games. He passed for 337 yards and four touchdowns, completing 63 percent of his throws. He ran the ball 35 times, averaging 9.2 yards per carry, and rushed for five scores. The Tritons, with Darnold fueling the offense, were on a roll. But in San Clemente’s third game against rival Dana Hills, Darnold fractured his foot, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. Other injuries up and down the roster followed, which left the Tritons in a state of flux. The changes allowed the Tritons, who were young to begin with in 2013, to put a good amount of sophomores and juniors into the mix to gain experience and learn on the fly. When the team opens their 2014 season against Garfield at home on Aug. 29, they will field 12 returning starters, two more than they had last year. With the confidence placed in their returning depth the Tritons are more determined than ever to right the ship. “We had a tough year on and off the field last year. We had a lot of injuries and we had a hard time finishing games,” head coach Jaime Ortiz said. “Playing so many kids last year as a young group will help us this year. The kids have bought into the mindset that we have something to prove.” The Tritons will head to the Sea View League this season, joined by former South Coast League member Trabuco Hills. San Clemente will have plenty of returning depth on offense, starting with their offensive line. Junior Donté Harrington, a three-year starter, senior Austin Volling and junior Tucker Scott all return to help pave the way for the Tritons offense. 2014 Triton Football Preview
Ortiz likens the offense to a car and the which will allow Darnold to make a lot of keys to that car are being handed over to in-game decisions when he sees fit. Darnold, who had a very busy offseason. “When you work with kids like Sam (DarDarnold’s stock as a collegiate prospect nold) you have to give them a little discrerose exponentially over the summer. His tion and let them make some decisions. I athleticism and arm strength were on think Sam has that ability to make the right display at high-profile events like the Elite 11 decision and read the defense and create quarterback competition and the Openplays,” Ortiz said. “We’re going to move all ing, where he played alongside other top our playmakers around the field and keep recruits. Last month, he committed to play defenses guessing.” football at USC. Senior receiver Jake Russell has big-play For Darnold, this season is very much a capability and has built a strong bond on shot at redemption. He has started under the field with Darnold, according to Ortiz. center only five Russell will also start times in his high at cornerback on Tritons in a Nutshell school career. Now defense. Senior tight 2013 Record: that he is healthy end Cole Harlow will 2-8, 0-4 South Coast League and back to working provide a big, 6-footReturning Starters: with his teammates, 5-inch target. Offense 7; Defense 5 Darnold is lookThe Tritons are ing to reassert the less experienced on Offensive Set: Spread program’s authority defense, having taken Defensive Set: 4-3 in southern Orange a heavy hit from Head Coach: County. graduation. They Jaime Ortiz (7-13 overall record) “I think getting aren’t very big on Assistant Coaches: Leo Barker back on the map is the defensive side of (defensive coordinator/defensive the biggest thing for the ball, either. What backs), Troy Kopp (offensive coorus. Winning games they have is speed dinator/quarterbacks), Jon Hamro is all we need to do,” and chemistry, ac(offensive line), Oscar Montecinos Darnold said. “I was cording to Ortiz. (receivers), Byron Rex (receivers), more disappointed “We’re not huge Joe Wood (running backs/strength with us not winning on defense. We and conditioning), John Allred (tight (last year) more don’t have a 6-4, ends), Brian Batson (linebackers), than my injury. I just 250-pound defensive Chris Culbertson (linebackers/special have to stay healthy end,” Ortiz said. “We teams), John Donnelly (defensive this year and we have a bunch of guys line), Pat Walker (defensive backs). just have to win that play well together some games.” and we have to fly Joining Darnold in the backfield will be around and make plays and swarm the ball.” the speedy tandem of junior running backs The Tritons depth at linebacker got a Vlad Dzhabiyev and sophomore Brandon boost in the form of senior transfer Riley Reaves. Dzhabiyev had a solid sophomore Whimpey, who Ortiz feels has the potential year, rushing for 500 yards and three touchto be an all-league type of player. downs. Reaves will get his first look at real In the secondary, the Tritons will rely on playing time this season and will add to the the experience of Russell at cornerback and Tritons up-tempo offense. Ortiz says both junior safety Tanner Wright. Dzhabiyev and Reaves have the ability to run Time will tell if the Tritons, playing in a and catch out of the backfield and can be new league, will return to form. Their shot at deployed as receivers in certain formations. redemption begins at home on Friday, Aug. The Tritons will run a spread offense, 29. SC
Senior center Colin Lippincott prepares for a play during training camp. Photo: Steve Breazeale www.sanclementetimes.com
FIVE TO WATCH
OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART
Spread
OFFENSE Sam Darnold QB (No. 18) Sr. All eyes will be on Darnold at the quarterback position in 2014. The USC commit had a big, productive offseason and was featured in high-profile camps. Darnold is a legitimate dual-threat quarterback. He’s proven he can run the ball and has worked on his arm strength and accuracy over the offseason. Vlad Dzhabiyev RB (No. 30) Jr. Dzhabiyev burst on to the scene as a sophomore, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Head coach Jaime Ortiz described Dzhabiyev as the team’s most consistent player in 2013 and has added size and strength this offseason. Dzhabiyev is the type of back who can gain the tough yards at the line of scrimmage. Austin Volling OL (No. 75) Sr. Volling will be one of the veteran players on offensive line for the Tritons and will likely start at right guard. At 6-feet-3 inches and 260 pounds, Volling will be a big body making room for the Tritons potent running attack. Volling has garnered the interest of collegiate programs like Air Force and Army. Donté Harrington OL (No. 79) Jr. Harrington is the most experienced player on the Tritons offensive line, touting three years of starting varsity experience. The offensive line assignments might still be in flux, but Harrington will no doubt be a fixture at guard. Brandon Reaves RB (No. 2) Soph. Reaves will team up with Dzhabiyev in the Tritons backfield as a part of a speedy running back corps. The sophomore is one of the top candidates for a breakout season. 2014 Triton Football Preview
FIVE TO WATCH
DeFeNSE Guard
Tackle Scott (53)
Center
Guard
Harrington (79) Lippincott (54) Volling (75)
Tackle Ritchie (72)
Tight End
Wide Reciever
Harlow (82) Fotheringham (14)
Russell (23)
Wide Reciever Quarterback Licht (4) Darnold (18)
Wide Reciever Half Back
Running Back
Mestaz (1)
Kicker Loy (19)
Reaves (2)
Dzhabiyev (30)
DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART
4-3 Defense
End
Tackle
Nose Guard
End
Buhl (11)
Gomez (52)
Rodriguez (56)
Atkins (77)
Cornerback
Cornerback
Russell (23)
Kling (24)
Safety
Linebacker
Linebacker
Linebacker
Mills (44)
Whimpey (7)
Lepley (31)
Wright (29)
Safety Frohner (22) Eldridge (83)
2014 SAN CLEMENTE FOOTBALL VARSITY ROSTER No.
Name
Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
Gr. No.
Name
Pos.
1 2 3 4 6 7 8 11 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 27 28 29 30 31 33
Charlie Mestaz Brandon Reaves Jake Feiner Dean Licht Trenton Baker Riley Whimpey Triston Morgan Liam Buhl Cole Fotheringham Cullen Tayrien Jack Sears Colby Williams Sam Darnold Sam Loy Christian Brown Nate Runolfson Andrew Frohner Jake Russell Kevin Kling Matt Leffler Ryan Russell Tanner Wright Vlad Dzhabiyev Max Lepley Francisco Escobedo
WR RB RB WR LB LB WR DL QB/TE DE QB/WR WR QB K DB DB DB WR/DB DB RB/LB LB DB RB LB LB
5’9 5’9 5’8 6’3 6’1 6’2 5’11 5’9 6’4 6’4 6’3 6’0 6’4 6’0 5’9 5’10 5’10 6’0 6’0 5’9 5’11 5’10 5’11 6’1 5’9
170 170 165 185 210 210 175 175 210 205 185 165 215 165 165 170 170 170 175 160 175 175 185 205 165
11 10 12 12 11 10 12 11 11 11 10 12 12 11 11 11 11 12 11 12 10 11 11 12 11
Carlos Gamboa Jake Montgomery Chase Gutierrez Liam Mills Kiefer Matson Blaze Gonzalez Cody Burner Gerardo Gomez Tucker Scott Colin Lippincott Francisco Romero Chicho Rodriguez Jake Dobson Noah Valovich Shaughn Ritchie Connor Murphy Austin Volling Nate Atkins Kyle McCroskey Donté Harrington Cole Harlow Liam Eldridge Marko Zlatic Miguel Lavin Jack West
DB 5’10 LB 6’0 LB 5’9 LB 6’0 LB 6’0 DL 5’10 DL 6’0 DL 6’1 OL 6’4 OL 6’1 DL 5’10 DL 6’0 OL 6’3 OL 6’0 OL 6’4 OL 6’1 OL 6’4 DL 6’0 OL 6’2 OL 6’3 TE 6’6 WR/DB 6’2 DL 6’1 DL 6’1 Student Manager
34 42 43 44 46 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 61 70 72 74 75 77 78 79 82 83 88 92
Ht.
Wt.
Gr.
170 200 170 215 180 235 180 225 255 235 225 235 235 245 265 245 245 210 260 255 190 185 180 265
11 12 11 12 11 12 11 12 11 12 12 12 10 11 12 11 12 11 11 11 12 11 11 12 11
Riley Whimpey LB (No. 7) Sr. Whimpey, a transfer from Utah, may be a new face on the field, but the senior middle linebacker has impressed the Tritons coaching staff with his physicality in camp. Ortiz says Whimpey has the potential to be a Division 1 collegiate talent. Look for Whimpey to also be featured as an occasional tight end on offense. Chicho Rodriguez DL (No. 56) Sr. Rodriguez returns to play on the defensive line in 2014. Rodriguez got a good amount of playing time as a junior, where he recorded 16 total tackles and two sacks in nine games played. He will be a big physical presence on the line. Liam Mills LB (No. 44) Sr. Mills was a member of the varsity team as a sophomore but had to sit out last season following shoulder surgery. Now he is back and healthy, joining the ranks of the Tritons linebackers. He can play inside and outside linebacker and will also play fullback on offense. Tanner Wright SS (No. 29) Jr. Wright will provide veteran leadership for a relatively inexperienced Tritons defense. As the 2013 season progressed, Wright saw more playing time, racking up 45 total tackles as a sophomore. Ortiz says Wright will bring a physical presence to the secondary. Max Lepley LB (No. 31) Sr. Lepley will play at the outside linebacker position in the Tritons 4-3 defensive scheme. Ortiz says that Lepley, who also plays for the Tritons lacrosse team, has a good football IQ and couples that with speed. www.sanclementetimes.com
SEASON SCHEDULE AND GAME PREVIEWS GAME ONE
AUGUST 29
GAME TWO
SEPT. 5
GAME THREE
SEPT. 12
GAME FOUR
SEPT. 19
By Steve Breazeale
GAME FIVE
SEPT. 26
GARFIELD
HUNTINGTON BEACH
DANA HILLS
ATASCADERO
NEWPORT HARBOR
Location: San Clemente High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Lorenzo Hernandez League: Eastern 2013-2014 record: 8-4 (6-0 league) 2013-2014 vs. SCHS: DNP Season Outlook: When breaking down Garfield’s roster, the pieces from last year appear to be there, aside from the glaring hole left by graduated running back TyJon Delancy. The Bulldogs liked to run the ball last season and Delancy accounted for roughly 58 percent of their yards gained on the ground and 24 touchdowns. Filling in at running back will likely be senior Franklin Robles (70 carries, 410 yards). Returning junior quarterback Ausencio Navarro and senior Stevie Williams return to battle for the starting job. On defense, the Bulldogs will be led by junior linebacker Joseph Silva, who led the team with 77 total tackles last year.
Location: Huntington Beach High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Eric Lo League: Sunset 2013-2014 record: 9-5 (2-3 league) 2013-2014 vs. San Clemente: DNP Season Outlook: The big question for Huntington Beach this year will be: Can they maintain momentum? The Oilers are coming off a Cinderella run in 2013 that saw them earn an at-large playoff berth, then run all the way to the CIF-SS Southwest Division title. With the loss of standout quarterback Kai Ross, the Oilers will have to regroup for another deep run. Their defense will look new, due to a heavy loss of graduating senior starters. Senior receiver Nolan Thompson (50 receptions, 551 yards), junior running back Hunter Simmons and senior running back Travis Heer (923 yards, 11 touchdowns) will lead the offense.
Location: San Clemente High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Todd Rusinkovich League: South Coast 2013-2014 record: 5-6 (3-1 league) 2013-2014 vs. SC: Win, 38-13 Season Outlook: The Dolphins took a hit to graduation but return several standouts, especially on defense, that will carry them into the new-look South Coast League. The Dolphins secondary will likely be the deepest unit on the field, as seniors Luke Williams (cornerback) and Jay Schuyler (free safety) return. Senior middle linebacker Brett Bill had a breakout season as a junior, racking up 155 total tackles, and will return to lead the veteran defense along with Corey Selenski. Senior running back Brian Scott will be crucial to the Dolphins success. Senior quarterback Cole Wilber will be the starter.
Location: San Clemente High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Vic Cooper League: Pac-5 2013-2014 record: 8-3 (6-0 league) 2013-2014 vs. SC: DNP Season Outlook: The tandem of senior quarterback Tommy Carr and receiver Cooper Kuhnle will be the main focus of the Greyhounds offense this season. While Carr got limited playing time last year, Kuhnle returns after a junior season that saw him lead the team in yards (512), receptions (20) and touchdowns (three). Both players attended the Manning Passing Academy in the offseason. Atascadero also has a handful of running backs returning that saw time last season, including Marc Martin and Ethan Hicks.
Location: Newport Harbor High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Jeff Brinkley League: Sunset 2013-2014 record: 8-6 (3-2 league) 2013-2014 vs. SC: Win, 34-13 Season Outlook: One can always count on Newport Harbor fielding a competitive football team and this year is no exception. The Sailors return five starters who helped them advance to the CIF Southwest Division Championship game last season. Quarterback Cole Norris and leading rusher Chance Siemonsma return to lead the offense. Siemonsma rushed for 1,073 yards and eight touchdowns last year as a junior. The Sailors will miss the versatile two-way playmaker Quest Truxton, who graduated, but their returning depth should bolster their chances at another playoff run.
GAME SIX
OCT. 2
GAME SEVEN
OCT. 10
GAME EIGHT
OCT. 24
GAME NINE
OCT. 30
GAME TEN
NOV. 7
TESORO
CAPISTRANO VALLEY
LAGUNA HILLS
TRABUCO HILLS
ALISO NIGUEL
Location: San Clemente High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Matt Poston League: South Coast 2013-2014 record: 9-3 (3-1 league) 2013-2014 vs. SC: Win, 30-14 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: San Clemente High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Ernst Bucher League: Sea View 2013-2014 record: 5-5 (1-3 league) 2013-2014 vs. SC: DNP Season Outlook: Last season was a step in the right direction for the Cougars under then first-year head coach Ernst Bucher, as they improved to a .500 program. This year, they improved their preseason schedule, with games set against El Toro and rival San Juan Hills. Senior running back William Biehn lost much of last season due to injury, but should return to form a formidable backfield alongside fellow senior Jordon Bocko, who ran for 485 yards and seven touchdowns last year. Senior linebacker Jim Grasso returns to anchor the Cougars defense, which was prone to giving up a lot of points in 2013, especially in league play.
Location: Laguna Hills Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Bruce Ingalls League: Sea View 2013-2014 record: 3-6 (1-3 league) 2013-2014 vs. SC: DNP Season Outlook: Last year was a down year for the Laguna Hills football team, which has grown accustomed to winning the Sea View League title in recent years. Their roster was full of sophomores and juniors, who will be called upon to turn things around this season. Junior quarterback Matt Lucero will likely be the man under center for the Hawks, having received extensive playing time as a sophomore. After a rough preseason schedule last year, the Hawks have made life a little easier with their opening stretch in 2014.
Location: Trabuco Hills Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Tony Henney League: Sea View 2013-2014 record: 6-4 (2-2 league) 2013-2014 vs. SC: Win, 21-17 Season Outlook: The offseason was a tumultuous one for Trabcuo Hills. Longtime head coach Scott Orloff was fired and the program has to deal with a shift to the Sea View League. New head coach Tony Henney now steps in to lead what looks like a talented Mustang squad. Trabuco Hills will be deep with returning starters at several positions, especially at the offensive line. Four starters from last year’s unit return. Senior wide receiver Jacob Breeland caught 11 touchdowns last year and will return. The Mustangs preseason schedule is strong, which should prime them for a run through league and possibly into the playoffs.
Location: Aliso Niguel High Time: 7 p.m. Coach: Kurt Westling League: Sea View 2013-2014 record: 3-7 (1-3 league) 2013-2014 vs. SC: DNP Season Outlook: Aliso Niguel struggled to get in a rhythm last season with a young roster, failing to score points against higher-level opponents. That young roster, with another year of experience under their belts, will lead them into the new season. The Wolverines had a balanced offensive attack last season and featured Nick Chapman at quarterback and a solid running game. Chapman, now a junior, will look to build on his 1,173-yard performance from 2013. Junior receiver Alec Stewart will likely return. Stewart caught a team-high five touchdowns last season. Senior Remy Wasserbach figures to be the featured running back.
2014 Triton Football Preview
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