ATTACK THE FUTURE With a group of fresh-faced seniors, San Clemente High School football is eager to prove its worth in the South Coast League and CIF-SS Division 1 BY ZACH CAVANAGH
2018 TRITONS FOOTBALL PREVIEW
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here can they go from here? San Clemente High School football finally climbed the mountain in 2016 with a CIF-SS Division 2 title and State Division 1-A title. In the playoffs, the best they could do would be to repeat the feat. The task was made infinitely harder as San Clemente’s success bumped it up to the exponentially harder Division 1 for 2017. The Tritons fell in the first round to Rancho Cucamonga, who eventually lost in the semifinals to national champion Mater Dei. For 2018, San Clemente held on to one of the last Division 1 spots in the CIF-SS power rankings, No. 15 of 18 teams. So as long as the Tritons finish the season in the South Coast League’s top two and/or above .500, they should be expected to make the Division 1 playoffs again and repeat going up against one of Southern California’s best. So what can they do? Since 2014, the Tritons are 45-10 with Sea View League titles in 2014 and 2015. The one thing San Clemente hasn’t done in recent times is beat Mission Viejo and win the South Coast League title. “It’s up to these players to continue to raise that bar,” San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz said. “We take great pride in our program, who we are and what we represent. It’s important for our players to keep that model going.”
The Tritons are 0-11-1 against the Diablos since 2004. San Clemente has been the perennial bridesmaid to Mission Viejo’s bride in the South Coast League. As long as San Clemente kept up this competitive run, they seemed destined to finish second to Mission Viejo and take an early exit in Division 1. But what if there was an opening? Every San Clemente player and every San Clemente coach will say the platitude that their goal is to win the next game, one game at a time. Usually they’ll add to this mantra that their goal is to win league and win CIF, but this year there might be a little more truth behind the words of winning league than just a positive-mindset saying. “We’ve got some key pieces to the puzzle in place,” Ortiz said. “Whether it’s Mission, Tesoro or Capo Valley, ‘to be the man, you have to beat the man,’ to quote the great Ric Flair.” The current Triton senior class got their first licks of varsity football experience as sophomores as San Clemente made that state championship run. They have the knowledge. They have the feeling. San Clemente has a dynamic quarterback and unique offensive assets that make them dangerous. The Tritons have a speedy defense with plenty of fresh players eager to prove themselves. (Continued) SANCLEMENTETIMES.COM
Attack the Future (Continued) As Mission Viejo goes through a change in eras, is this San Clemente’s chance to burst through and upset the balance of the South Coast League?
Offensive Potential
The focal point for any outside observer of San Clemente football will be under center. Tradition has been established that the Tritons have a bit of a quarterback factory. This is furthered by San Clemente alums being involved in two of the more intriguing quarterback battles in all of football: Sam Darnold with the New York Jets and Jack Sears at USC. Brendan Costello came in as a junior transfer last season and perfectly filled the shoes of next in line. “It’s great to keep the legacy going,” Costello said. “They’ve definitely instilled a very high standard here. I’m just blessed to be a part of it and be in those names.” Costello completed over 64 percent of his passes for 2,132 yards with 23 touchdowns and added 392 yards rushing with five touchdowns. In 2018, Costello will have to repeat those numbers without the aid of his top four receivers and leading rusher from a year ago. However, the new faces aren’t all that new, mostly seniors, and they each bring unique elements. The two targets that will immediately draw the eye are a pair of 6-foot-5 senior tight ends, Jay Baggs and Wakely Lush. Baggs (228 lbs.) caught six passes for 80 yards with two touchdowns last season, and Lush (235 lbs.) was out last season with a torn ACL. “They’re both big bodies that can have a presence on the field,” Ortiz said. “For a defensive coach, it’s a pretty tough matchup. Kids that big going out and running routes against linebackers.” A tall target on the outside is senior wide receiver Jaydel Jenkins. The 6-foot-3 Jenkins and 6-foot-2 junior Cian Smith have put in extra face time this offseason to build a bond with their quarterback. “We’ve definitely put the extra time in working on the chemistry,” Costello said. “We’re still coming along, but it’s getting better. I think we have a lot of potential.” The backfield will be anchored by senior RJ Donaldson and a speedy, physical sophomore in James Bohls. Bohls, a member of the Tritons 4x100-meter relay team as a freshman, has the tools for a breakout season behind an offensive line that’s coming together.
ence, along with senior linebacker Kason Krebs, a transfer from Mission Viejo. “Just trying to find the nucleus of those guys and who they’re going to be,” Ortiz said. “On an average defense, 11 start but there’s 14-15 guys who rotate in. Our job as a coaching staff is to find who those 14-15 guys are. It’s going to be a good mix of sophomores, juniors and seniors.” San Clemente defenses are known for being tenacious, and that tenacity will showcase itself in 2018 with team speed. It’s evident to their practice partners on the other side of the ball. “They are a lot faster than previously,” senior center Brayden Young said. “They fly around. They attack the ball. They chase after it. It’s not just a strength tackle. It’s nine guys on the ball.”
Proving Ground
So where does this leave the Tritons in regards to the South Coast League and beyond? There are plenty of seniors on the team that were sophomores in the 2016 state title run, but not many that actually got the chance to play. That makes this a group of players who have seen what it takes to win and now have an opportunity to prove that they can as well. “I think we can prove we can compete with anybody,” Jay Baggs said. “There’s a lot of five-star players and teams. It’s not about that. It’s about working together. We’ve got a great town. One town, one team. We’ve got the whole crowd here. We’re going to work together and try to win.”
San Clemente’s nonleague schedule is grueling with some of San Diego’s best before some Orange County tests leading into league play. The South Coast League gets a shake-up as El Toro and Capistrano Valley rejoin the fray from the Sea View League, and reigning league champion Mission Viejo is going through a change in eras. Legendary coach Bob Johnson retired last season, and new coach Chad Johnson, no relation, has a big legacy to live up to. “We like to be challenged,” Young said. “What we’ve got to prove is that we can stand in D-1 football and make a name for ourselves. We can respect the past and attack the future.” San Clemente has the opportunity to rise to the challenge and set its own future.
Fresh-Faced Defense
Graduation truly hit San Clemente on the defensive side of the ball as nine of the top 10 tacklers from last season grabbed their diplomas. The one of that 10 returning is senior linebacker Rob Farney. Farney was third in tackles with 81 and had five sacks. Senior cornerback Ray Ferrell also brings experi2018 TRITONS FOOTBALL PREVIEW
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TRAINING CAMP TRITON TALK BY ZACH CAVANAGH
“RIGHT NOW, WE’RE READY. WE’RE READY FOR THE FIRST GAME. WE CAN COME OUT. BIG PLAYS ARE GOING TO BE MADE.” – Wide Receiver Jaydel Jenkins
“WE’RE JUST HUNGRY. WE’RE AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR. WE HAVE HIGH HOPES. WE’RE GOING FOR MISSION. WE’RE HOPING TO CHANGE SOME THINGS TO GET DEEPER IN THE PLAYOFFS.” – Tight End Wakely Lush
2018 TRITONS FOOTBALL PREVIEW
“Coming into this city, seeing the involvement of the community, it’s pretty cool seeing how loving the city is and how great of a city San Clemente is.” – Defensive Back Ray Ferrell
“I think we can compete with everyone and try and knock off teams higher than us.” – Quarterback Brendan Costello
“BIG HITS DEFINITELY GET ME GOING. WHEN SOMEONE POPS ME, THAT GETS ME GOING, AND I JUST HAVE TO POP ‘EM BACK.” – Defensive Tackle Harrison Thomas SANCLEMENTETIMES.COM
PLAYERS TO WATCH BY ZACH CAVANAGH
FIVE TO WATCH
Rob Farney
Kason Krebs
LB • SENIOR • No. 7
Farney returns to the linebacking corps as the Tritons’ unquestionable leader on defense. Last season, Farney was third on the team with 81 tackles and was the non-senior in the top 10 in tackles for San Clemente. At 6 feet, 180 lbs., Farney is also versatile and quick. He had five sacks last season.
LB • SENIOR • No. 11
Krebs goes from rival to teammate as he transfers to San Clemente from Mission Viejo. Krebs was the leading junior tackler for Mission Viejo last season with 38 total tackles and was fourth on the Diablos with three sacks. Krebs, at 6 feet, 203 lbs., will be another active linebacker for the Tritons.
FIVE TO WATCH
Brendan Costello
DEFENSE
Ray Ferrell
Charles Bein
Thomas will lead things up front on another part of the Triton defense hit hard by graduation. Thomas was the No. 2 junior in tackles last season with 31 on the defensive line. He will provide a quick and physical presence in the trenches at 6-foot-1, 200 lbs.
Ferrell is another of the many seniors stepping in to replace graduating seniors, and he’ll be looked to as a leader of the patrolling secondary. At 5-foot-8, 185 lbs., the speedy Ferrell was the No. 3 junior in tackles last season with 15 solo tackles of his total 22.
A major weapon in the battle for field position, Bein is critical to the Tritons’ special team efforts. The recent Air Force Academy commit averaged 32.1 yards per punt last season for San Clemente, and Bein said he’s looking to up his average to over 40 yards and improve his directionality.
Wakely Lush
Brayden Young
Jaydel Jenkins
Young is the leader up front for the most important unit of any football team. Young believes his offensive line has really improved over the offseason, and they’ll need to be with the strong schedule ahead for San Clemente. The line will protect Costello and open holes for what could be an explosive running game.
Jenkins will be looked at to step up on the outside of the Tritons’ offense. The 6-foot-3, 180-lbs. wide receiver is the only returning wideout for San Clemente. Jenkins caught eight passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns as a junior, and he will get a considerable increase in looks in 2018.
DT • SENIOR • No. 54
CB • SENIOR • No. 1
P • SENIOR • No. 6
OFFENSE
Jay Baggs
QB • SENIOR • No. 3
TE • SENIOR • No. 88
Costello continues the tradition of San Clemente signal-callers advancing to the NCAA Division 1 level with his commitment to Oklahoma State. Last season, Costello threw for 2,132 yards and 23 touchdowns and ran for 392 yards and five TDs. The Tritons will go as the 6-foot-1, 185-lbs. Costello goes this season.
Baggs makes up the first half of the Tritons’ twin-tower tight ends. At 6-5, 228 lbs., Baggs will be a can’t miss target in the Tritons offense that, like quarterback, has produced a string of Division 1 tight ends. Last season, Baggs caught only six passes but two were for touchdowns.
2018 TRITONS FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Harrison Thomas
TE • SENIOR • No. 85
Lush is the second half of the Tritons’ twin-tower tight ends. Lush stands at 6-foot-5, 235 lbs. and will be just as important in the Triton offense. Lush missed his junior season with a torn ACL but has come back strong. Lush currently has college offers from Brown and Cornell.
C • SENIOR • No. 61
WR • SENIOR • No. 2
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GAME PREVIEWS
ALL GAMES BEGIN AT 7 P.M.
BY ZACH CAVANAGH
GAME ONE AUGUST 17
GAME TWO AUGUST 24
GAME THREE AUGUST 31
GAME FOUR SEPTEMBER 7
GAME FIVE SEPTEMBER 14
Oceanside
Torrey Pines
La Costa Canyon
Murrieta Valley
Corona del Mar
LOCATION: San Clemente HS COACH: David Rodriguez 2017 RECORD: 6-7 (1-5 Avocado League) 2017 VS. SC: Loss, 28-18 SEASON OUTLOOK: The Battle for the Base returns for a third round as the two Camp Pendleton-bordering communities meet up. The Pirates rebounded in the San Diego Section playoffs with a run to the semifinals in Division 1. Oceanside lost to the eventual champions El Camino, 49-42. Oceanside’s returning quarterback, Kyrin Beachem, was the team’s best athlete and the main signal-caller to end the season. Beachem threw for 712 yards and five touchdowns and ran for 970 yards and six touchdowns. He also finished as Oceanside’s leading receiver with 28 receptions for 450 yards and four touchdowns.
LOCATION: Torrey Pines HS COACH: Ron Gladnick 2017 RECORD: 7-5 (3-3 Avocado League) 2017 VS. SC: Did not play SEASON OUTLOOK: Torrey Pines enters 2018 as one of the San Diego Section’s elite. The Falcons are ranked No. 2 in the San Diego Section and fell in the semifinals by just three points in last season’s Open Division playoffs. Four teams from the Avocado League qualified for the eight-team Open Division playoffs. Torrey Pines will give San Clemente an interesting look in the wingT offense, and their top performers return. Mac Bingham ran for 1,238 yards and 18 touchdowns at running back, and quarterback Jason Heine threw for 1,064 yards and five touchdowns while also running for 553 yards and six touchdowns.
LOCATION: San Clemente HS COACH: Sean Sovacool 2017 RECORD: 7-4 (4-2 Avocado League) 2017 VS. SC: Did not play SEASON OUTLOOK: San Clemente will make a third straight dip into the Avocado League with another one of San Diego’s finest. La Costa Canyon comes into 2018 as the No. 6 team in the San Diego Section. The Mavericks fell to Torrey Pines in the Open Division playoffs. La Costa Canyon beat Torrey Pines two weeks earlier. La Costa Canyon was a bit mercurial in 2017. The Mavericks scored over 30 points in six games, but they were also shut out twice. La Costa Canyon held opponents to seven points or less in five games, but they also allowed 40 points twice.
LOCATION: Murrieta Valley HS COACH: George Wilson 2017 RECORD: 9-3 (5-0 Southwestern League) 2017 VS. SC: Loss, 62-27 SEASON OUTLOOK: Murrieta Valley has been an inland juggernaut, but San Clemente has been a thorn in its side. The Nighthawks are 0-2 with 107 points allowed against the Tritons the last two seasons, including the 2016 CIF-SS Division 2 championship game. San Clemente returns to the scene this season. Murrieta Valley lost its top rusher and top receiver, but quarterback Hank Bachmeier returns for his fourth season at the helm of the Nighthawks video-game-numbers offense. Bachmeier has thrown for yardage totals of 2,854, 3,892 and 3,255 yards and touchdown totals of 36, 46 and 42 in his three seasons.
LOCATION: San Clemente HS COACH: Dan O’Shea 2017 RECORD: 10-2 (5-0 Pacific Coast League) 2017 VS. SC: Did not play SEASON OUTLOOK: Corona del Mar is ranked No. 4 in the CIF-SS Division 4 preseason poll and faces a new challenge as it moves to the revamped Sunset League in 2018. They’ll have to do this with a newlook offense as the Sea Kings lose their starting quarterback, leading rushers and one of their 1,000-yard receivers. Junior Ethan Garbers, the younger brother of former Sea King and current Cal quarterback Chase Garbers, is set to take over at quarterback. His main target will be junior John Humphreys. Humphreys led Corona del Mar with 55 receptions for 1,110 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.
GAME SIX
GAME SEVEN
GAME EIGHT
GAME NINE
SEPTEMBER 20
SEPTEMBER 28
OCTOBER 5
El Toro
Capistrano Valley
Mission Viejo
LOCATION: Huntington Beach HS COACH: Jeff Grady 2017 RECORD: 8-4 (4-1 in Sunset League) 2017 VS. SC: Loss, 23-20 SEASON OUTLOOK: Edison and San Clemente have produced a small classic series with two games in two years decided by a combined seven points. The Chargers will have some new faces for the third edition as Edison loses its starting quarterback, top three leading rushers, top five leading receivers and six of their top eight tacklers. Seniors Luke Hoggard and Cameron Eden led the Chargers in tackles as juniors and form part of the new leadership group. Senior Patrick Angelovic steps in at the quarterback spot to take over from the school’s all-time leading passer, Griffin O’Connor.
LOCATION: Tesoro HS COACH: Matt Poston 2017 RECORD: 5-6, (2-2 South Coast League) 2017 VS. SC: Loss, 30-14 SEASON OUTLOOK: Tesoro finish squarely in the middle of the South Coast League last season as the Titans went through a season of growing pains. Tesoro finished ahead of the two teams that fell to the Sea View League, San Juan Hills and Trabuco Hills, but behind the two Division 1 teams, San Clemente and league champion Mission Viejo. Tesoro lost in the first round of the Division 2 playoffs and is ranked No. 9 in the division’s preseason poll. The Titans have a quarterback battle going on as they lost their star quarterback and leading rusher, Chase Petersen. Cameron Lambi will be the running threat.
LOCATION: San Clemente HS COACH: Andy Diaz 2017 RECORD: 8-5 (3-1 Sea View League) 2017 VS. SC: Did not play SEASON OUTLOOK: It’s a whole new world for El Toro as the Chargers make their return to the South Coast League. Andy Diaz takes over the El Toro program after seven seasons as the head man at La Quinta in Westminster. Diaz is an El Toro alum and was offensive coordinator at San Juan Hills before the La Quinta job. El Toro will have to replace a nearly 4,000-yard passer, two 1,000-yard receivers, its top six receivers and its top three rushers from an explosive 2017 offense. That duty will fall to senior Austin Stover who has 16 pass attempts in two varsity seasons.
LOCATION: Capistrano Valley HS COACH: Ernie Bucher 2017 RECORD: 12-1 (4-0 Sea View League) 2017 VS. SC: Did not play SEASON OUTLOOK: Capistrano Valley returns to the South Coast League after back-to-back Sea View League titles. The Cougars advanced to the Division 4 semifinals last season and moved up to Division 3 for 2018. Capistrano Valley lost two major defensive threats and its top three receivers, but dynamic senior Nathan Manning returns at quarterback. Manning led the Cougars with 404 yards rushing and threw for 3,023 yards with 36 touchdowns last season. Lineman Juan Carlos Saldivar and leading tackler James Giles will keep the Cougars defense on track in a strong passing league.
LOCATION: San Clemente HS COACH: Chad Johnson 2017 RECORD: 12-1 (4-0 South Coast League) 2017 VS. SC: Win, 49-21 SEASON OUTLOOK: Mission Viejo returns as, yet again, head of the class of the South Coast League and one of the top teams in Orange County, but the Diablos have one very significant difference. Legendary coach Bob Johnson retired after last season’s run to the Division 1 semifinals. Former St. John Bosco offensive coordinator Chad Johnson, no relation, is the man taking over the high profile position. Arizona State commit Joey Yellen remains at quarterback for Mission Viejo. Yellen threw for 2,439 yards and 29 touchdowns last season. Leading rusher Akili Arnold also returns.
Edison
2018 TRITONS FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Tesoro
OCTOBER 12
GAME TEN OCTOBER 19
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