High school football preview: West Catholic Athletic League
(Predicted order of finish)
No. 1 SERRA
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Spring 2021 record: 5-0
What to expect: More of the same for a program that has won at least a share of the WCAL
championship in four of the past five seasons while also winning three NorCal and one state title over that stretch. Patrick Walsh’s team is once again loaded with talent, starting with last spring’s Bay Area News Group player of the year Hassan “The Missile” Mahasin, a playmaking athlete who is a threat to score any time he touches the ball. Dual-threat QB Dominique Lampkin is explosive as well. The senior burst on the scene as a sophomore, replacing injured starter Daylin McLemore, and led Serra to a NorCal championship. Walsh said Lampkin might also play defense this fall. Tackles Nate Elu (6-5, 295) and Andrew Azzopardi (6-5, 317) are Division I college prospects. Safety Malakai Hoeft is back after moving to Utah for his junior year. He started in the state title game for Serra as a sophomore. Senior Andrew Stewart and sophomore Joseph Bey are
two more talents in the defensive secondary. TE Seamus Gilmartin, a junior, has great hands and can block, Walsh said. The list of highlevel players goes on and on. Season opener: Friday at Pittsburg, 7 p.m. No. 2 ST. FRANCIS Coach: Greg Calcagno Spring 2021 record: 3-2 What to expect: The program has won at least a share of three WCAL championships since 2015 and has plenty coming back to contend again this fall, starting with senior RB/LB Camilo Arquette, an all-Bay Area News Group honoree in the spring. “Leading rusher and tackler. Guy that we have relied on for 3 years,” coach Greg Calcagno said. Senior DB/RB Nico Andrighetto, the youngest of four brothers to play for St. Francis, is a three-year starter. Senior OSLB/DE Clayton Lynam is a San Diego State commit and a three-year starter. Senior TE Dillon Golden is also a three-year starter. He has offers from the three service academies — Air Force, Army and Navy. Twoway lineman Denaris DeRosa is a San Diego State commit. Season opener: Friday at Central Catholic, 7 p.m. No. 3 VALLEY CHRISTIAN Coach: Mike Machado Spring 2021 record: 3-1 What to expect: A perennial WCAL contender, the Warriors have talent but not as much depth as they typically do. Coach Mike Machado said his varsity roster has about 30 players, down from about 50. He noted that the pandemic caused some players
and their families to move out of the state and some parents to not allow their kids to play the high-contact sport. LB/FB/K William Cuddie, a first-team all-Bay Area News Group selection in the spring, is now at IMG Academy in Florida for his senior year. Still, Valley has junior receiver Jurrion Dickey, a first-team all-BANG pick in the spring, and senior QB Jakson Berman was the WCAL’s 100-meter champion as a junior. Senior DL Nehemiah Musika has an offer from Idaho State. Season opener: Friday at Wilcox, 7 p.m.
No. 4ST. IGNATIUS Coach: John Regalia
Spring 2021 record: 3-1
What to expect: The Wildcats claimed a share of the WCAL title in 2019, beating Serra in the season’s final game to grab their piece of the prize. They had a chance to do it again in the spring, but Serra responded with a 34-3 victory. Senior WR/DB Ryan Ivers is SI’s top returning receiver. He has a high football IQ and is a solid athlete, coach John Regalia said. Senior FB/TE/OLB Jackson Muzzy has great hands and instincts, and junior OL/DL Santino Franco is a returning two-way starter who brings a high motor to the field. Sophomore OL/DL John O’Brien played on varsity as a freshman, and senior QB Aidan Smith is a returning starter.
Season opener: Friday at Palo Alto, 7 p.m.
No. 5 BELLARMINE Coach: Jalal Beauchman
Spring 2021 record: 2-3
What to expect: From 20072015, Bellarmine won six WCAL and four CCS championships and played in three state title games. It’s been a steady slide since then. But coach Jalal Beauchman, in his second season leading the storied San Jose program, is aiming to get his alma mater back to those championship days. Last spring marked the fourth consecutive season that Bellarmine finished under .500. Senior QB Wade Smith returns from the spring team that beat Archbishop Mitty and San Benito and lost to Valley Christian, St. Francis and Central
Catholic. He had a strong 7-on7 summer season and is more comfortable behind center in the program’s new offense, Beauchman said. Thomas Di Vittorio, a senior WR/S, is in his third season on varsity. Junior RB/S Ben Pfaff is a big-play threat for a team that plays Menlo-Atherton, San Leandro and Central Catholic before league play begins. Season opener: Friday vs. Menlo-Atherton at San Jose City College, 7 p.m.
No. 6 ARCHBISHOP MITTY Coach: Danny Sullivan
Spring 2021 record: 0-3
What to expect: Since its last WCAL title in 2013, Mitty is 3836. The Monarchs didn’t win any of their three games last spring but losses to Valley Christian and Bellarmine were close, a hint that maybe things will be better this fall. QB Wills Towers is back after gaining valuable experience in the spring as a sophomore. Coach Danny Sullivan said Towers “has taken ownership of the offense and the team to get things turned around.” Senior RB/LB Taron Thang has a no-nonsense attitude that Sullivan said is contagious, and senior DE/WR Dominic Boccabella creates problems for opponents on both sides of the ball. Junior DL Tyler Aremu had success in the spring, and junior LB Diego Aguilar is going to have a substantial role this fall, Sullivan said.
Season opener: Friday at Palma, 7 p.m.
No. 7 ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN Coach: Mark Modeste
Spring 2021 record: 1-3
What to expect: It’s been lean times for Riordan since the program went 9-4 and played for a CCS championship in 2015. In the six seasons since 2015, the Crusaders have a total of nine victories. Third-year coach Mark Modeste’s quest to turn things around will start with two-way lineman Joe Harbert, a senior who is in his third season as a
starter and a Division I prospect. DL/FB Atu Kefu (6-1, 295) is another player to watch. He is a “freakish athlete,” according to Modeste, who will be counted on to dominate on defense and run and block on offense. C/DE Ondre Angeles is a three-year starter who leads the offensive line. “He’s the kind of player a coach wishes he could clone,” Modeste added. “Great allaround player.” SS/slot receiver Chris Murray and WR/CB Zach Jones also are expected to have an impact.
Season opener: Friday at Granada, 7 p.m.
No. 8 SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL
Coach: Barry McLaughlin
Spring 2021 record: 1-3
What to expect: Two seasons removed from back-to-back sixwin seasons, the Irish are coming off a 1-3 spring in which they split two games with Archbishop Riordan and narrowly lost to St. Ignatius. Junior RB Jerry Mixon is rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports and figures to carry a heavy load. SHC also returns WR/LB Bruce Uperesa and DE/ RB Derek Reagans. Another player to watch is junior G/DT Jordan Solofa-Fatu, who is 6-4, 325. Season opener: Saturday at Sacred Heart Prep, 3 p.m.