WEST RANCH

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Whoever ends up tossing the pigskin, it will be to a new group of receivers. Chaz Hilst, who was an all-CIF Southern Section selection in Division 3 along with Staub, has moved on, as have Maverick Diaz, Isaac Ellis and Will Seidel.

The new group looks to be headed by seniors Obi Ogbuagu and Jack Samuelson, with senior Zehren Hilton, a transfer from Antelope Valley, also a candidate to be the new star wideout at West Ranch. Ogbuagu isn’t sure who will end up as the main man, but if it’s him, he’s ready. If not, he has trust in his teammates to pick up the slack.

“If coach puts me out there, I’ll take that spot,” Ogbuagu said. “But, we have receivers that can catch, that can run, that can fill those spots.”

Samuelson, who got to play with Wyre at times last year when the Wildcats had already blown games open, is putting it on himself to be the star receiver.

“At least 1,000 receiving yards. I want to go over 1,500 all-purpose yards,” Samuelson said of his goals. “Zach’s accelerating super fast, and I’m just super proud of him, excited to see what he does as the starting quarterback.”

Defense is where the Wildcats will be looking for more people to step into big shoes. Ogbuagbu is an option at defensive back, while Varner will be looking for a surprise sophomore to possibly lead the line. He believes that Max Piccolino could be a future defensive stalwart, and that future could be now.

“I just got to live up to the expectations,” Piccolino said. “I’m excited to see what I can do, how I can perform.”

Helping out on the line will be senior Aidan Lombardo, with Varner still looking at the rest of the team to fill in elsewhere. He believes in his team, though, and he believes in the system that he has implemented at

West Ranch to make sure players are ready when called upon — players who know what is expected both on and off the field.

“A lot of teams live and die by who they pick up in the offseason,” Varner said. “I don’t want hired guns; I want West Ranch kids that have bought into what we do. They see the expectation, they understand the academic excellence that we have at the school.”

Senior Chad Langston will be operating on the line on both sides of the ball and, like Varner, understands that people will need to show that they belong, but also that many of the potential starters have been through the system and should know what is expected.

“We know what goes on, what we’re supposed to do, what plays we’re running and how to do it,” Langston said. “So really, there wasn’t much teaching involved. It was a thing we came up kind of knowing what we had to do to win.”

Easier said than done, of course. Even with last year’s special group, Varner said that not everything went as smoothly as it looked from the outside. He’s relishing the opportunity to take a group of relative unknowns and turn them into league champions.

“I always look forward. That’s what I do,” Varner said. “That’s how I approach this, and I got some good kids that are working their butts off, and they never hear me say things like, ‘Well, we’ll see. We lost this ...’ No. This is what we have. This is our team, and they’re working hard and I’m very encouraged by their effort and their accountability to one another. It should be an exciting season. Wins and losses, that takes care of itself.”

West Ranch is scheduled to open up its season on Friday, Aug. 18 on the road at St. Francis. The Wildcats’ home opener is set for Friday, Aug. 25 against Pasadena. 

2023 Roster

Nathan Mugavero

Andrew Hamilton

Jr. 4 Jack Samuelson

Cohen Hernandez Sr. 6 Zehren Hilton

Liam McDaniel

Zach Wyre

Obi Ogbuagu

Jr.

Sr.

Dylan McDonald Sr.

Kyler Garrity Jr. 12 Jett Hilst WR Sr. 13 Gabe Cotti Jr. 14 Sands Alvarez Jr.

Maddux Lomeli Jr. 17 Austin Velicsanyi

A Guide To Food Waste Recycling

It is always best to prevent food waste in the first place by planning out your meals and only buying what you need but sometimes food needs to be disposed of because it spoils, includes inedible peels and skins or you just can’t finish what’s on your plate. In this case, food waste recycling is the best option to keep food out of landfills. Follow the guidelines below to recycle your food waste properly!

Important Information

All food waste must be bagged separately and placed in your green organics cart alongside any loose yard trimmings and other green waste. Sometimes organic materials require different processing methods; such as food waste vs. yard waste, depending on the facility that processes them. At this time, residents of Santa Clarita must separate food waste, into any type of plastic bag that can tie shut before placing it into their organics cart.

DON

DO bag these items, and place them in your green organics cart:

• Fruits and vegetables, including rinds and peels

• Cheese and dairy

• Breads

• Bones

• Eggshells

• Cooked meat and seafood

• Coffee grounds

• Plate scrapings, leftovers and expired foods

• Food soiled paper including napkins, paper egg cartons, non-coated bags, plates or cups and coffee and tea filters

• Pet food

DO NOT include these items as organic materials:

• Pet waste, including cat litter

• Raw meat or seafood

• Liquids

• Recyclable items like hard plastic, cans or plastic bottles

• Hazardous waste

IDEA!

A lot of food and household items like bread, produce and newspapers are packaged in plastic bags. Consider reusing bags that already exist from household products to bag food waste!

ORGANICS

For more information and to watch our Trash Talks series, please scan the QR code below or visit GreenSantaClarita.com