2023 PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEWS
Editor's note: The U-T is previewing the upcoming high school football season with a conference-by-conference breakdown of San Diego County’s teams. Today: the Desert Conference.
DESERT CONFERENCE Imperial Valley League Brawley
Last season: 8-4
Coaches: Ray Vandiver and Rick Rubio, 1st year
Division: II
Key players: Matt Gutierrez (QB-LB), Brandon Porras (RB-WR-CB), Chris Camillo (TE-LB), Matt Moreno (RB-LB), Robert Duarte (OL-DL), Zane Richards (RB-LB), Abraham Ceballos (WR-CB), Gilbert Valenzuela (TE-LB), Julian Daniloff (WR-DB), JD Arellanes (RB-DB).
Scouting report: With 30 players — 16 of them starters — graduating, virtually every position is up for grabs. Gutierrez was the backup quarterback a year ago, completing 25 of 42 attempts for 373 yards and five touchdowns. Moreno and Richards combined for 373 yards and five TDs rushing in limited action. Porras is the top returning receiver. The sophomore had 18 receptions for 383 yards and two scores. The Wildcats had a lot of players working to get playing time and will have plenty of opportunity to prove themselves. Help is needed most on a light but quick offensive line.
Calexico
Last season: 7-4
Coach: Fernando Solano, 3rd year
Division: IV
Key players: Marco Esquer (WR-DB), Andrew Rivera (WR-DB), Leo Canchola (WR-LB), Luis Alcala (FB-LB), Sean Torres (QB), Franky Loera-Rodriguez (WR-DB), Jonathan Pacheco (WR-DB), Noel Gastelum (FB-DE), Jonathan Guzman (OL-DL), Javier Rodriguez (OL-DE). Scouting report: The Bulldogs are paper thin, with just two starters returning on offense and another two on defense. Torres returns as the starting quarterback after completing 39 passes for 696 yards and 11 touchdowns against just two interceptions. The top returner at receiver is Esquer, who grabbed 24 passes for 349 yards and a team-high four TDs. Although experience is lacking up front, Guzman (285 pounds), Rodriguez (200), Damien Sanchez (210) and Christopher Nunez (215) are ready to move in.
Central Union
Last season: 7-4
Coach: David Peña, 7th year
Division: II
Key players: Jared Martin (OL-DE), Nehemiah Perez (DB), Arturo Estrada (WR-DB), Josiel Rodriguez (WR-LB), Michael Fisher (OL-DT), Emiliano Morales (WR-DB), Nico Viesca (RBLB), Alex Trejo (WR-DB), Russ Butler (OL). Scouting report: One thing you can count on from Central Union under Peña is winning. He has a 50-16 record since 2017 with just two IVL losses. But graduating 31 players isn't easy, even if 13 starters return. Wide receivers Estrada and Rodriguez are getting some college looks. Martin was a first-team allleaguer and Estrada earned second-team honors going both ways. The Spartans must find a quarterback to replace Damian Rodriguez, who threw for 1,888 yards and 19 TDs last season. The same could be said at running back, where 1,347-yard and 19-TD Charlie Sullivan moved on to the next level. Estrada had 27 receptions for 446 yards last season, four going for TDs. Newcomers like RB Matthew Lizaola, Joshua Garcia (WR), CJ Acosta (WR), Ryan Smith (OL), Max Fimbres (OL) and Gavyn Mora (LB) need to step up quickly.
Imperial
Last season: 8-4
Coach: David Shaw, 4th year
Division: III
Key players: Jose Apodaca (OL-DL), Ethan Reeves (RB-LB), Joell Villa-Campos (LB-DB), Julian Jimenez (LB), Maximus Alvarez (OLDL), Gio Robles (WR-LB), Jared Nixon (WR), Ethan Arreola (OL), Jayden Ayala (QB), Andres Castro (RB).
Scouting report: With all-league players like the 260-pound Apodaca, 220-pound Reeves and 195-pound Villa-Campos among returning 10 starters, things are definitely looking up for the Tigers. Imperial has good size virtually everywhere with 6-5, 195-pound Robles and 6-4, 185-pound Nixon huge targets at receiver. Arreola is a 290-pounder and Alvarez is 220. That should help junior QB Ayala and open things up for another newcomer, Andres Castro, a 195-pound RB. The Dorame brothers, junior RB Jimmy and senior WR Alfredo, are ones to watch with 260-pound Jordan Malek, 210-pound sophomore Andres Castro and 180-pound LB Darian Romo ready to contribute.
Southwest-El Centro
Last season: 1-10
Coach: Pete Blincoe, 1st year
Division: V
Key players: Logan Jungers (Athlete), Matai Cervantes (RB-LB), William Lilien (WR-DB), Matt Mills (QB), Andres Lopez (WR-LB), Luca Salcedo (OL-DL), Jonah Estrada (WR-DB), Oleaun Underwood (TB), Abraham Moreno (LB), Kenneth Urquidea (DE).
Scouting report: It has been awhile — 2017 in fact — since the Eagles have had a winning season. But new coach Blincoe hopes to turn things around behind the versatile Jungers and Cervantes, both returning second-team All-Imperial Valley League players. Jungers completed 62 percent of his passes for 1,522 yards. He had 15 TDs against six interceptions and led the team in rushing with 475 yards. Cervantes was the No. 2 rusher with 283 yards. The 195-pounder figures to carry a much heavier load. Salcedo is the lone starter returning over 200 pounds at 220 but look for newcomers like Urquidea (205), Jesse Arreola (225) and Enrique Terregrosa (215) to make an impact.
Desert League Calipatria
Last season: 0-9
Coach: Tony Leon, 1st year
Division: V
Key players: Caleb Spence (QB-DB), Angel Maytorena (WR-DB), Fernando Cardenas (OL-DL), Juan Perez (RB-DB), Dominic Hawk (RB-DB), Brandon Vargas (OL-DL), Craven Hoyt (OL-DL), Angel Rangel (OL-DL), Scotty De La Torre (TE-LB).
Scouting report: Leon will be the seventh head coach in seven years at Calipatria, and the Hornets only have one way to fly after going winless and being outscored 379-71 last season. Leon welcomes back 10 returning starters who have grown and gotten stronger, led by senior linemen Cardenas (200) and Hoyt (250). Spence, Maytorena, Perez and Hawk are junior returning skill position players to go with Vargas (240) and Rangel (255) anchoring the line. The key will be the immediate impact of sophomore De La Torre and four freshmen — WR Sebastyan Lopez, RB Bernard Thomas, WR Justin Iniguez and TE Robert Valenzuela.
Holtville
Last season: 4-6
Coach: Jason Turner, 7th year
Division: V
Key players: Bryce Buscaglia (QB-DB), Hector Sanchez (RB-LB), Smith Hilfiker (OL-DL), Griffin Garcia (RB-LB), Fermin Velarde (LB), Brook Burnett (TE-LB), Andre Estrada (RBDB), Jaiden Robles (WR-DB), Landon Prather (WR-DB), Devron Gray (WR-DB), Carlos Cancio (OL-DL).
Scouting report: Velarde and Hilfiker are two-time returning all-leaguers and Buscaglia earned honors last year for the Vikings, who won their first three games before dropping the next six and finishing off with a lopsided win over Calipatria. Sanchez, Garcia and Estrada are returning running backs and the 6-2, 180-pound Bascaglia is a veteran QB. Newcomers Robles, Prather and Gray are all WRs to go with the 6-foot, 220-pound tight end Burnett. Hilfiker, at 280 pounds, isn't even the biggest Hornet; Cancio checks in at 300 pounds.
Palo Verde Valley
Last season: 13-2
Coach: Wally Grant, 5th year
Division: III
Key players: Philip Maciel (OL-DL), Andrew Newton (OL-DL), Jaydon Castillo (OL-DL), Jessie Flores (TE-DL), Erico Ramirez (Athlete), Wesley Mays (OL-DL), Ismael Maciel (OL-DL), Jaymien Solorio (RB-LB), Januel Fernandez (RB-DB).
Scouting report: The CIF-San Diego Section Division IV champion and state finalist Yellow Jackets will be hard-pressed to repeat following the graduation of running backs Marcus Macon (2,160 yards, 30 TDs) and Xzavier Bejarano (1,930, 26 TDs). Of the 5,628 yards rushing, only 155 yards return in Fernandez. The team has a huge line, with starters Phillip Maciel, Newton, Castillo and Flores all returning at better than 225 pounds to go with the likes of Ismael Maciel (250) and Mays (215). Solorio, at 205 pounds, teams with Fernandez in the backfield and whoever emerges at QB. The team only attempted 20 passes and every receiver graduated.
Vincent Memorial
Last season: 7-4
Coach: David Wong, 9th year
Division: V
Key players: Esteban Turner (DB), Jacobo Elias (QB), Miguel Ruiz (WR-DB), Diego Cisneros (WR-TE), Pablo Zavala (DE), Lucio Ascolani (RB-LB), Roberto Carranza (WR-RB), Gabriel Tobias Duarte (OL), Manuel Montano (LB).
Scouting report: If Wong can fill a few holes on the line, look for the Scots to roll. That's because Elias, a solid 6-foot, 180-pounder, returns after passing for 2,920 yards and 27 TDs against 13 interceptions. Elias not only won games with his arm, he also rushed for 727 yards and scored seven times rushing. Cisneros (16-342-3) and Carranza (19-235-1) top the receiving corps. Duarte, at 250 pounds, anchors a line that will need others to fill in after 15 seniors graduated. Look for Ascolani, one of four returning all-league selections, to take a bigger role running the ball after leading the team with 74 tackles. Montano, a 6-1,190-pound LB, and Turner, a 6-foot, 175-pound DB, are also major contributors on defense.