Suburban League
La Mirada Matadores
Head Coach: Mike Moschetti
Last Year: 13-1
Last 5 Years: 33-25-1 overall, 21-9 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2009 CIF Finals: Won Garden Grove 49-27
1st Down: Two significant departures will effect the Mats this season; first the departure of three year starter Daniel Poncedeleon at quarterback and Co-Head Coach Ollie Lynch, who was not retained and is now at Buena Park.
2nd Down: Stars? There are a constellation of stars at LM, but the key may be new quarterback Shane Blood.
3rd Down: Still Max Gama (DB/RB), Andrew Bouzos (FS/WR), and Cooper Weatherly (LB) can make a whole lot of wrong right in a hurry.
4th Down: November 5th, that’s the day Norwalk comes to town, and the fate of the world is decided.
Game Plan: Linemen like Isaac Luatua (6’2” 293), Bryan Peters (6’4” 315), Kyle Cook 6’1” 273), Michael Barrett 6’0” 265), along with several skill players make the Mats contenders in their first season in the Southeast.
Non League Schedule: St. Paul, at La Habra, California, La Serna.
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Norwalk Lancers
Head Coach: Jesse Ceniceros
Staff: Ken Mardis DC, Brandon Cariello, Otis Harrison, Derrick Rice, Jessie Ceniceros Sr.
Last Year: 11-2
Last 5 Years: 32-25 overall, 16-14 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2009 Semifinals; Lost Garden Grove 35-23
1st Down: “If the left one don’t get you then the right one will…” This is the one-two punch of Elijhaa Penny and Billy Moore in the backfield.
2nd Down: Quarterback Donovan Gumbs is a playmaker…Just needs some reps.
3rd Down: Gotta love the Vasquez brothers Sal (6’1” 210) and Jose (6’1” 215) who bookend, as tight ends, the Lancers double-wing.
4th Down: Best description of The Walk…is huge and ready to contend for Southeast title.
Game Plan: Now in his third season Ceniceros has turned this program completely into his. Talent is off the charts… Including along the offensive line, which expects to plough the road all the way to La Mirada.
Non League Schedule: Los Alamitos, Cypress, at St. Paul, Morningside.
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Mayfair QB Evan Hunko
Mayfair Monsoons
Head Coach: Mike Fitch
Staff: Pete Montera OC, Woodie Grayson, Frank Montera, Lou Porch, Darrell Turner, Dave Driskell, Anthony Sesma, John Estores, Joe Wiersman, Bryan Kennenbrew, Andrew Nishimoto, Grant Fitch, Ian MacKenzie.
Last Year: 4-7
Last 5 years: 40-19 overall, 28-2 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2009 First Round: Lost Segerstrom 41-35
1st Down: On October 5th, 2001 the Monsoons lost to La Mirada (28-0) and last year on October 23rd they lost to La Mirada (42-12). In between they won 51 consecutive Suburban League games.
2nd Down: Evan Hunko is a big time prospect at quarterback and in Barney Lott, Justin Northern, John Pole, Jarred Cuellar, and Tali Afemata he has the trench warriors to go against Norwalk and La Mirada.
3rd Down: That line will also be opening holes for 1,000-yard back Dominique Small, who scored 15 touchdowns in 2009.
4th Down: There is even talent at middle linebacker in Bryan Kvapil and defensive back Theo Chambers.
Game Plan: Crossroads. This program knows how to win and where it wants to go it has been before. But with La Mirada and Norwalk’s rise to power are the Monsoons just another team in the Suburban Meyer League or was 2009 just a blip, a bad cycle?
Non League Schedule: Chino Hills, at Los Alamitos, at Lakewood, at Valley Christian.
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Bellflower Buccaneers
Head Coach: Derek Brown
Last Year: 3-8
Last 5 Years: 24-30 overall, 18-12 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2009 First Round: Lost Garden Grove 41-13
1st Down: The Bucs are undersized for the Suburban.
2nd Down: Dijon Barnes (WR) and Larreon White (RB) head the offense.
3rd Down: Rodney Purvis and Isaac Lee.
4th Down: Need to settle at quarterback.
Game Plan: It will be tough for the Buccaneers to crack the top three and the season may be measured best by how competitive they are.
Non League Schedule: Montebello, Victor Valley, at Paramount, Troy.
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Artesia Pioneers
Head Coach: Joe Veach
Last Year: 1-9
Last 5 Years: 24-29 overall, 16-14 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2008 First Round: Lost Laguna Hills 17-9
1st Down: Speed but no brawn.
2nd Down: ‘Tesia paid the price last season with its third HC in three seasons.
3rd Down: The pressure will be on offensive linemen Josh Garcia (6’ 270) and Troy Sexton (6’ 245).
4th Down: To improve the overall record the Pioneers will have to do better against their non-league schedule of Edison, Millikan, and Gahr. They were outscored 122-20 by them last season.
Game Plan: Veach deserves a shot, which means throw out last season’s 1-9 record and give him a chance to settle the waters and build. Talent can always and has always been mined at Artesia.
Non League Schedule: Edison, Millikan, at Gahr.
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Glenn Eagles
Head Coach: Anthony Wilson
Last Year: 5-5
Last 5 Years: 12-38 overall, 2-28 league
Last Playoff Appearance: Long time ago, in another century…far, far away.
1st Down: HC Wilson has picked up two league wins in two seasons, not bad when you consider the Eagles went 0-6 for three consecutive years in the Suburban.
2nd Down: Robert Durazo and Anthony Saldana add good size along the line.
3rd Down: Dejon Bernard is critical in replacing 1,000-yard back Brandon Kelly.
4th Down: Could challenge for fourth spot in league.
Game Plan: This program is headed in the right direction. How long will it take to breakthrough? Maybe not until one of the big three stumble.
Non League Schedule: Santa Ana Valley, Pioneer, Villa Park.
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Cerritos Dons
Head Coach: Chad Reed
Last Year: 1-9
Last 5 Years: 7-43 overall, 4-26 league
Last Playoff Appearance: 2001 Second Round: Lost Newport Harbor 36-25
1st Down: Have the kids grown up? The Dons played 16 sophomores last year.
2nd Down: Only two players return from last year weighing over 250-pounds.
3rd Down: Eight years since last post season appearance.
4th Down: 2-28 over last three seasons.
Game Plan: Reed begins his second year as HC and the road is still long.
Non League Schedule: Gabrielino, at Gahr, Los Alamitos.
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