2023 WCAL football preview

Walsh, however, is aware both teams will be gunning for Serra, a team that ran the table for a perfect 10-0 regular-season record in 2022, culminating in a Central Coast Section Division I championship, and a trip to the CIF Open Division State Championship Bowl.

“I’m very aware of that, and comfortable with that,” Walsh said, “knowing that we have two of the top teams in California now coming to Serra, knowing what happened last year. They’re not going to be very happy about that.”

The Padres have soared to tremendous heights in recent years, with a senior contingent that includes four four-year varsity players in Joseph Bey, Jabari Mann, Danny Niu and Collin Tahitua. In that time, Serra has dropped just one game in West Catholic Athletic League play, and has reached the Open Division State Championship Bowl in consecutive seasons, with lopsided losses to powerhouses Mater Dei and St. John Bosco.

To start 2023, Serra is the favorite to again reach the pinnacle of California high school football, ranked No. 1 in Northern California by CalPreps.com, and No. 11 in the state overall. Still, Walsh — in his 23rd year as the program’s head coach — has his team focused on the task at hand, that being the powerhouse schedule of the WCAL.

“As long as I’ve been the head coach here at Serra, the most important thing, and I think what we’re judged on each and every year, is our WCAL finish,” Walsh said.

“I don’t care about state playoffs,” He said. “I care about WCAL and prepping our guys for the seven league games that we play year-in and year-out, and that’s always been the case.”

Head coach: Patrick Walsh

2022 record: 7-0 WCAL, 13-1 overall, CCS Division I champs, CIF Open Division finals

Against rest of division since 1967: 194-138-2

Key players: Senior quarterback Maealiuaki Smith has garnered acclaim, being named the No. 1 Metro player by the San Francisco Chronicle. Based his performance last year as a junior — throwing for 2,546 yards with a 67.8% completion mark — the rating shouldn’t come as a surprise.

“He’s healthy, he’s ready to go,” Walsh said. “We’re excited to have him. This will be his second year as a starter here at Serra, so a lot of experience under his belt. And he’s improved in all phases of his game, particularly as a leader and commanding the offense, and that’s what I’m most excited about with him.”

However, the four four-year seniors are the backbone of the defense. Niu and Mann will shore up the linebacker corps, while Bey at free safety and senior strong safety Kyon Loud will feature dynamic pass defense. Up front, Tahitua at defensive end with complement senior nose guard Timo Poloka on a deep defensive line.

“What is very cool is they’re all very humble kids,” Walsh said. “They didn’t come in with any entitlement that they’ve been here for four years and that they should get special treatment, or any of that. As a matter of fact, they’ve been the opposite of that. They’ve been leaders, they’ve been the hardest workers, they’ve been role models, and that’s the recipe of a very, very special group of senior leaders that we’ve never had the luxury of before this year.”

Mann also lends versatility on offense, as he is lines up at quarterback in the Padres’ jumbo package. This look was the key to cracking the Mitty defense in the Central Coast Section Division I championship game last year, and will continue to give the Padres varying looks.

But the precision passing game fueled by Smith’s remarkable completion rate, with slot receiver Jayden Green and tight end Cole Harrison, will be in the spotlight.

Bellarmine Bells

Bellarmine won its last WCAL championship in 2015, but the San Jose program is looking to turn things around with a big change at the top. Two-time Super Bowl champion with the Denver Broncos, David Diaz-infante, was hired as the Bells’ new head coach, taking over after three years with Jalal Beauchman at the helm.

Beauchman did lead the Bells to a strong finish in 2022, storming through the CCS Division II tournament to capture the title with a 21-14 win over St. Ignatius, and falling shy of a CIF Division 3-A title, losing a thriller 28-27 to Laguna Hills.

Head coach: David Diaz-infante

2022 record: 3-4 WCAL, 8-7 overall, CCS Division II champs, CIF Division 3-A finals.

Against rest of division since 2004: 76-47-1

Key players: Senior quarterback Parker Threatt returns after serving as backup last season, when he threw for 558 yards. Senior wide receivers Joe Fuqua and Zayne St. Laurent will be his key targets. On defense, 2022 team interception leader Billy Ladd returns to the safety position.

Season opener: Friday Aug. 25 vs. Menlo-Atherton at San Jose City College, 7 p.m.

Mitty Monarchs

Mitty finished with a flourish last season, stunning St. Francis with an upset in the CCS Division I semifinals, only to fall to the Serra Padres in the championship game. Still, it was marked turnaround for a team that hadn’t won a game in WCAL play since 2019.

“We’re no longer sneaking up an anybody,” Monarchs head coach Danny Sullivan said. “So, everyone we face this year is going to be giving us their best shot. … We’re not secret anymore and that’s a good thing. Now, we have to be ready.”

Sullivan’s squad will return the fly offense, something the fourth-year head coach instituted prior to taking over the program in two years at Mitty’s offensive coordinator. And the team will get a rematch with St. Francis right out of the gate, with the two meeting in the WCAL opener Friday, Sept. 22.

Head coach: Danny Sullivan

2022 record: 4-3 WCAL, 9-4 overall, CCS Division I finals

Against rest of division since 2004: 58-64-3

Key players: Joey Campagna and Johan Cronig will compete for the quarterback job, but AJ Cenizal will be a shoe-in at starting running back after leading the team with 561 rushing yards in 2022. Tight end Caden Allard figures into a key blocker in the run game as well, and also notched 28 catches for 296 yards last year.

Riordan Crusaders

Riordan is off and running under second-year head coach Adhir Ravipati. The Crusaders have won just five games in WCAL play since 2016, and no more than two in a single season. But Friday’s non-league opener saw Ravipati and company triumph 36-17 over reigning PAL Bay Division champion Sacred Heart Prep.

Head coach: Adhir Ravipati

2022 record: 1-6 WCAL, 3-7 overall

Against rest of division since 2004: 16-106-2

Sacred Heart Cathedral Fightin’ Irish

Sacred Heart Cathedral had a massive turnover from last year’s team, one that posted a 4-3 WCAL record, its best league mark since 2008. The caveat is two years ago, when the Fightin’ Irish bulled its way through the postseason and snuck away with a CIF Division 4-A state championship in former head coach Barry McLaughlin’s final game before retiring.

“The turnover process has been tough,” said Antoine Evans, ShC’s second-year head coach, “but the state year we had probably 20-something sophomores that played on that state team, so it’s their time now.”

Head coach: Antoine Evans

2022 record: 4-3 WCAL, 6-5 overall, CCS Division I first round

Against rest of division since 2008: 24-76

Key players: Senior quarterback Aidan McGrath returns for his second year as a starter, giving Evans’ squad a big leg up in the leadership department.

“He got even better this offseason,” Evans said. “He worked tremendously hard, got himself better and mentally prepared.”

Senior two-way lineman Benny Hatch also returns as a two-way starter and will look to continue a tradition that saw three seniors from 2022 go to Division I programs. Hatch currently has a college offer from Weber State.

St. Francis Lancers

St. Francis has been Serra’s main foil in WCAL play I recent years, handing the Padres their only post-pandemic league loss in 2021. The Lancers fell short of the state playoffs last year, seeing their season end in the CCS Division I semifinals with a stunning 42-41 overtime loss to upstart Mitty.

Head coach: Greg Calcagno

2022 record: 6-1 WCAL, 8-4 overall, CCS Division I semifinals

Against rest of division since 2004: 80-42-2

Key players: Junior running back Kingston Keanaaina returns to the backfield this season after leading St. Francis with 780 rushing yards as a sophomore. But the defense is also the key to the Lancers’ success. Look for senior defensive tackle Siaosi Tonga Jr. to draw double teams to free up junior linebacker Jackson Cahoon.

St. Ignatius Wildcats

St. Ignatius is already in the loss column, falling 42-14 to San Ramon Valley in Friday’s non-league season opener. The Wildcats have a new head coach this season in Lenny Vandermade, who takes over for longtime coach John Regalia. SI will look to return to 2019 form, when it split the WCAL championship three ways with Valley Christian and Serra.

Head coach: Lenny Vandermade

2022 record: 3-4 WCAL, 6-7 overall, CCS Division II finals

Against rest of division since 2004: 50-73-2

Key players: Senior quarterback Luke Bianco is the ranking player under center, with sophomore quarterback Brandon Mann also on roster. Senior middle linebacker Atticus Moustakas returns after garnering a All-WCAL honorable mention last year.

Valley Christian Warriors

Valley Christian was admittedly decimated by the pandemic. With an exodus on players leaving to play out of state in 2020, the Warriors were left with just five seniors on the 2022 roster, and two of them missed the season due to injuries.

As a result, the sophomore class got more reps than any of head coach Mike Machado’s teams have ever seen.

“We started 10 sophomores,” Machado said. “Whether we like it or not, we have a lot of experience coming back in that department.”

Losing certainly isn’t Valley’s style, so last year’s 0-7 WCAL record was an anomaly for a team that hadn’t posted a losing league record since 2012.

Head coach: Mike Machado

2022 record: 0-7 WCAL, 1-9 overall

Against rest of division since 2004: 82-42-1

Key players: Despite their struggles, the Warriors earned the WCAL Running Back of the Year award in Uchenna Eke, who returns this year as a senior. He rushed for 923 yards as a junior.

“He’s our back, our playmaking back in the backfield,” Machado said. “We have some younger guys that are also playing there.”

Junior offensive tackle Champ Taalialiau figures into the rushing equation as well, and has multiple Division I offers on the table, said Machado, including from Texas and Oklahoma.