OCVarsity is previewing every 11-man team in Orange County before the 2023 high school football season begins.
GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE PREVIEW
BOLSA GRANDE
Top players: Nathaniel Fiaputa, OL/DL, Sr.; Muhammad Matus, OL/DL, Jr.; David Nguyen, RB/LB, Sr.; Ethan Nguyen, QB/DB, Sr.; Oscar Rodriguez, WR/DB, Sr.
What to expect: Bolsa Grande has nine returning starters on offense and nine returning starters on defense from a team that was 6-6 overall, including a rare playoffs win, and tied for third place in league (2-3 record). Nathaniel Fiaputa was an all-league first-team defensive lineman last season as a freshman and Oscar Rodriguez was a first-team defensive back. David and Ethan Nguyen were all-league second team. “We should be pretty good on offense and defense,” said Matators third-year coach Michael Acosta. “Our strength this year should mostly be on the defensive side.” A position of question is at linebacker, which Acosta calls “an area of opportunity.”
LA QUINTA
Top players: Loc Do, OL/LB, Sr.; Kyle Hoang, WR/DB, Sr.; Steve Mejia, RB/LB, Sr.; Alex Tran, QB, Sr.; Cooper Starnes, RB/DB, Jr.
What to expect: The Aztecs last season beat perennial league champion Rancho Alamitos, then lost its final two games and missed the playoffs. And that leads to La Quinta coach James Stewart’s assessment: “This whole offseason was about being consistent and always playing our best. If we’re not focused and not prepared and not fired up, we don’t do well.” Stewart, in his sixth year of his second stint as La Quinta’s coach, feels the Aztecs have the goods to achieve consistency. With running backs Steve Mejia and Cooper Starnes and QB Alex Tran, their triple-option offense can be difficult for opposing defenses. And there is momentum in the program, with the frosh-soph team winning the league title after not winning a lower-level league game in five years. Stewart said sophomore lineman Edgar Merino is going to be a star player.
LOARA
Top…
Read the full article here
