OCVarsity’s season preview for 2016:
CREAN LUTHERAN SAINTS
Coach: Matt Bowman
Last season: 9-4 overall, 2-1 league
Scouting report: Crean Lutheran made waves last season by beating St. Margaret’s, which helped force a three-way tie for the Academy League title, and advancing to the CIF-SS semifinals. Now the Saits are a team without a league, and first-year coach Matt Bowman looks to build on that success. On offense, Crean Lutheran is in good hands as Gavin Folsom returns for his senior season. Folsom threw for 1856 yards, ran for 473 and scored 24 total touchdowns. Jack Johnson will slot in at running back after rushing for 293 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman last season. Johnson will also play at outside linebacker, next to senior Zach Macadam, who registered 95 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions last year. Crean Lutheran will also be playing with the memory of last year’s leading rusher and defensive league MVP, Garret Cox, who died two weeks after graduation.
Bottom line: Folsom will be able to do his part at quarterback to score points, but it will be up to the defense and the players moving up from last season’s undefeated JV team, to fill in the gaps to make a push for an at-large playoff berth.
Players to watch: Gavin Folsom, QB, Sr.; Jack Johnson, RB/OLB, So.; Zach Macadam, MLB, SR.; Robert Briones, DE, Sr.; Patrick McNerney, WR/SS, Jr.
LINKS TO SMALL SCHOOLES PREVIEWS
- Freelance: Brethren Christian preview
- Freelance: St. Margaret’s preview
- Freelance: Crean Lutheran preview
- San Joaquin League: Capistrano Valley Christian preview
- San Joaquin League: Fairmont Prep preview
- San Joaquin League: Saddleback Valley Christian preview
- 8-man: Sage Hill preview
- 8-man: St. Michael’s Prep preview (no information available)