OCVarsity’s season preview for 2016:
TESORO TITANS
Coach: Matt Poston
Last season: 9-3 overall, 3-1 South Coast League
Scouting report: The Titans surged to second place last year when their only regular-season losses were to Mater Dei and Mission Viejo, and the Mission loss was by only six points. That was a senior-laden Tesoro team that included a senior playmaking wizard at quarterback, All-County first-team selection Devon Modster. “Any time you lose a class as good as that one, you’ve got your work cut out for you,” Titans coach Matt Poston said. “But the younger kids have waited for their time and they’re ready to step in and take over.” Tesoro has a couple of offensive stars in receiver Shane Coleman, a first-team all-league honoree in 2015 who is getting recruited by Air Force, Hawaii and UNLV, and running back Graden Sharpe (393 yards, six touchdowns in 2015). The offensive line should be fine. On defense the Titans have only two returning starters and that could be a concern in a challenging league. But, as Poston noted, “We had only two returning starters on defense going into last year, too.” Defensive lineman Andrew Cohen and Gavin Chambers were all-league second team in ’15.
Bottom line: It looks like a rebuilding year at Tesoro. Even if it’s not and the Titans get to the playoffs, they will be in Division 1 where some of the best teams in California will be vying for a CIF-SS championship.
Players to watch: Gavin Chambers, DL, Sr.; Andrew Cohen, DL, Sr.; Shane Coleman, WR, Sr.; Zach Huff, OL, Sr.
RELATED LINKS
- South Coast League preview
- Mission Viejo preview
- San Clemente preview
- Tesoro preview
- San Juan Hills preview
- Trabuco Hills preview
Contact the writer: sfryer@scng.com
