Kickoff 2010: Empire League preview

COACHES’ POLL

(Click on the links below to go to the individual team previews)

1. Tustin, 11-2 in 2009, 47 poll points

2. Pacifica, 6-5, 37

3. Valencia, 4-7, 34

4. Cypress, 11-2, 28

5. Kennedy, 5-6, 22

6. Western, 2-8, 19

7. Yorba Linda, didn’t field varsity team, 9

*Teams receive 7 points for a first-place vote, 6 for a second-place vote, etc.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT:

Tustin. The Tillers take their bruising double-wing offense to the Empire League. Tustin lost just one game during their last two seasons in the Century League, advancing to the CIF finals (2008) and semifinals (2009). Now, there is a new challenge awaiting the Tillers in the Empire League. Will they be ready? Is the rest of the league ready for them?

UNDER CONSTRUCTION:

Yorba Linda. The Mustangs are fielding their first varsity team. They competed on the junior varsity level last season. Yorba Linda will not have any seniors this season, so the growing pains could be severe, but the experience will set them up to be major players in the Empire League in the future.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Joel Willis, Pacifica, WR/DB: Willis enters this season as one of the best-kept secrets in the county, but not so much to the college coaches across the country. Willis has scholarship offers from Arizona, Hawaii, Nebraska, San Diego State, Utah, Utah State and Washington. He will be all over the field this season for the Mariners.

Faitele Faafoi, Tustin, NG: Faafoi is one of the county’s top recruits, currently receiving interest from several Pac-10 schools, including USC, Oregon, Oregon State and Washington. Has the size and speed to be one of the county's most dominant forces.

OTHER TOP PLAYERS:

Cypress: RB Vincent Rivera; ILB Jorden Pounds; RB/FS Dakota Maldonado; QB Joseph Anderson

Kennedy: WR/FS Eli Pleasant; DE Christian Zamora; QB Beau Salazar; WR/OLB Troy Anderson

Pacifica: QB Mario Nava; RB/SS Cody Johnson; OL Andy More; MLB Ryan Dickison

Tustin: RB/LB Dominique Parker; OL/DL Humana Sasi; FB/DE Denzale Stewart

Valencia: RB Steve Logovii; ILB Greg Hammond; RB/OLB Omar Perez; QB Robert Mata

Western: RB/FS Marcus Hays; G Travis Trujillo; DT Andrew Magallanes; LB/TE Patrick Campbell

Yorba Linda: QB Alex Bernstein; DT Daniel Deedrick; DB Paul Najarian; RB Matt Deedrick

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

Pacifica at Valencia, Oct. 21. The Tigers had won three consecutive meetings until Pacifica’s 28-23 triumph last year.

TOUGHEST SCHEDULE

Tustin. The Tillers open with city rival Foothill, then travel to Upland, the CIF Central Division champion, play host to Orange Lutheran, a lock to be in the county preseason Top 10, and take on Beckman before opening Empire League play with games against Pacifica and Valencia.

See 2010 previews for other leagues.