The Register’s scouting report for the Sea View League:
OC VARSITY PREDICTS
1. El Toro: The Chargers took an offseason hit when last year’s All-South Coast League quarterback Dawit Wilson departed for Cantwell Sacred Heart of Montebello. They still have enough there to be the favorites as they move to the Sea View League from the South Coast League. El Toro is likely to go 4-0 in the Sea View.
2. Capistrano Valley: This looks like the second-best team in the Sea View League, in which only the top two finishers receive guaranteed playoff berths. The Cougars have the league’s best returning quarterback, Kevin Brown, so they have a large advantage at an ultra-important position. Add their large number of returnees on defense and Capo is a solid team.
3. Laguna Hills: The Hawks are in a good position to challenge for one of the league’s two guaranteed playoff berths. The more they can get the ball to Logan Montgomery, the better their chances. The Capistrano Valley-Laguna Hills league opener on Oct. 7 is big for both teams.
4. Aliso Niguel: Changes abound for the Wolverines. They go from being a throwing team last year to becoming a running team this year. If the defense is as vulnerable as it was last year, Aliso won’t make the playoffs.
5. Dana Hills: After going winless in 2015, the Dolphins can be optimistic about 2016. They bring back plenty of starters on both sides of the ball. Coaches talk about “changing the culture” of a team that’s been down for a while. Sometimes, such a change is very difficult.
LEAGUE COACHES POLL
1. El Toro, 25 points (5)
2. Laguna Hills, 16
3. Capistrano Valley, 14
4. Aliso Niguel, 13
5. Dana Hills, 7
How the poll works: The league coaches do the voting. First-place votes (shown in parentheses) are worth 5 points, second are worth 4, etc.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Kevin Brown, Capistrano Valley QB: The 6-4, 200-pound Brown threw for 1,691 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior in 2015. Brown can run, too, and might be do more of that this season, either by design or on his own. “With our spread system, he’s going to run a little bit,” Capo coach Ernie Bucher said. Brown is getting recruited by several Ivy League schools.
OTHER IMPACT PLAYERS
Corey Cisowski, Dana Hills, QB: The Dolphins should be more optimistic than they’ve been for a couple of years, and having a returning quarterback like Cisowski is a key reason for that.
Andre Cotton, Aliso Niguel, RB: A three-year starter, Cotton is going to be relied upon mightily as the Wolverines transition from being a throwing team last year to a running team this year.
Logan Montgomery, Laguna Hills, RB/WR/DB: Montgomery figures to get the ball often and in various ways in the Hawks’ wing-T offense that will have more passing than most wing-T offenses.
Marcus Blevins, El Toro, RB: If the Chargers run the ball more than they usually have, then Blevins will be play a vital role in the offense. He totaled 227 yards on 51 carries last year as a junior.
MUST-SEE GAMES
El Toro at La Habra, Aug. 26: The league-favorite Chargers open the season at one of the tougher places to play for visiting teams, and against a county top-10 team, too.
Capistrano Valley at Laguna Hills, Oct. 7: This league opener will prove crucial a few weeks later when the playoffs race is settled in a league in which only the top two finishers receive guaranteed playoff berths.
El Toro at Capistrano Valley, Oct. 14: El Toro is favored to win the league championship, according to the league coaches poll that has Capistrano Valley finishing second.
Laguna Hills at Aliso Niguel, Nov. 4: This one on the final night of the regular season could be a must-win game for both teams’ playoff chances.
RELATED LINKS
Contact the writer: sfryer@scng.com
