Serra adept at quick turnarounds

So, with Serra graduating 18 starters from last year’s CIF Open Division runner-up behemoth, it begs the question: Can Serra actually sustain and improve upon its success as a state powerhouse?

“We have a group of young players that need to elevate and need to elevate quickly,” Serra head coach Patrick Walsh said. “We’re not a scoreboard team. There’s no shame in being on the wrong side of the scoreboard. Our only goal is to put in the right effort.”

The young Padres — led by inexperienced senior quarterback Andrew Heneghan — will face its most challenging non-league schedule in program history. The 2024 slate opens Friday, Aug. 30, at Folsom with the first of two straight road games, followed by a Sept. 6 trip to De La Salle. Both teams will be looking to avenge getting hammered by the Serra last season.

Then Serra opens at home looking for some vengeance of its own, hosting reigning CIF Open Division champion St. John Bosco, a team that handed the Padres a lopsided 35-0 loss in the 2023 state title game.

“Given what we’ve done in the last 10 years, we should be playing the top teams throughout Nor Cal in the first section (0f the schedule),” Walsh said.

“Ultimately the St. John Bosco game, it’s been very difficult for us to find games,” he said. “I’ve got a young team, an inexperienced team and, for better or for worse, the game plan is throw the hardest schedule at them in the history of the school and to find the strengths we have and the weaknesses we have, and prepare them for WCAL with a schedule like this.”

While Serra has grown accustomed to dominating non-league play in recent years — the Padres haven’t lost a regular-season non-league game since 2018 — it is by no means a marker of success in West Catholic Athletic League play or beyond. Through 2016 and ’17, as a precursor to Serra’s first two state bowl game appearances, Walsh’s squad posted a cumulative 1-5 record in non-league play. The Padres went on to celebrate WCAL championships in each of those seasons.

“A lot of this team is going to be a baptism by fire through the first three weeks,” Walsh said.

Some familiar faces

There are some familiar faces suiting up in the blue and gold at Freitas Field. Not as many as in recent years. But some.

Last year, Serra’s adept defense hit the ground running, dolling out three shutouts through the first six weeks of the season. This year, defensive coordinator Steven Monsef returns just two starters, both in the secondary, in cornerback Jermaine Barrett and safety Teddy Chung.

Senior Tommy Miller, 6-3, 230-pound defensive end who did see plenty of playing time last season, is slated to front the pass rush. The biggest makeover is in the linebacker corps, where the Padres will go from last season’s two-man wrecking crew of Jabari Mann and Danny Niu, to a rotational group consisting of a standard four, with seniors Noah Greenspan, Sepeti Taimani, junior Aaron Maier and sophomore Dylan Modena atop the depth chart.

“The bad news is we lost Danny Niu and Jabari Mann to graduation,” Walsh said. “The good news is we have a ton of depth at the linebacker spot this year.”

On offense, Heneghan’s two biggest targets will be 6-4 wide receiver Charlie Willey and 6-2, 205-pound tight end Clay Hinsdale. The most experienced skill player is senior running back Nano Latu, who balanced the offense last season as Serra’s primary back. This season, offensive coordinator Darius Bell’s crew will be more run intensive, at least in the early going.

“Nano has been patient, waited his turn,” Walsh said. “But he’s going to be a really fun player to watch.”

Where Serra boasts its most experience is in a coaching staff that sees zero turnover from last season.

“We did not graduate our coaches last year,” Walsh said. “So, the standard keepers are still alive and well inside the building here at Serra.”

WCAL outlook

While coaches around the WCAL are buzzing with the potential for more parity in the league, all are expecting Serra to compete for third straight league title.

“Serra is going to be Serra because they have a great coaching staff,” Sacred Heart Cathedral head coach Antoine Evans said. “Any coach in the WCAL that thinks Serra is going to have a drop-off, they’re crazy. Because they have a good coaching staff. So, they’re going to be fine.”

St. Francis and Valley Christian both figure to contend. The Warriors returns senior offensive tackle Champ Taulealea, a University of Washington commit, while the Lancers return the WCAL Running Back of the Year, senior Kingston Keanaaina along with All-WCAL first-team quarterback Andrew Knapp. And no one has more returning talent than upstart Riordan, with former Menlo-Atherton head coach Adhir Ravipati, in his second year running the program.

But neither head coach Greg Calcagno at St. Francis, nor head coach Mike Machado, in his 29th year at Valley Christian, are taking Serra for granted.

“Serra is still up there at the top,” Calcagno said. “I don’t think they’re No. 1 with a bullet like they were last year. There are a few teams that can win the league. But Serra is well coached with Patrick over there … and they’re a tough opponent for whoever plays them, for sure.”

“I think Serra’s going to be good again,” Machado said. “The league before [Serra’s dominance] was the three-team league. The league was Valley Christian, St. Francis and Serra, I mean for a long run. Our kids have been in 14 CCS championship games since 1998. … That’s all great. … But what Serra’s done, playing in the biggest game the state has, is something that program should be and is very proud of.”

Bellarmine Bells

2023 record: 1-6 WCAL, 2-8 overall

The Bells are just two years removed from winning the CCS Division I title over Los Gatos and a win over St. Francis in the Nor Cal regional title game. In the 3-A state championship game, they were clipped at the end by Laguna Hills, 28-27.

In 2023, the Bells beat Menlo-Atherton in the season opener before dropping their next seven games. There could be more growing pains this season as they’ll be replacing their starting quarterback, Parker Threatt, who was also the Bells top rusher and combined for 21 touchdowns.

— Nathan Mollat

Mitty Monarchs

2023 record: 2-5 WCAL, 5-6 overall

Playoffs: Lost CCS Division II opener to Christopher 32-28

Head coach Danny Sullivan is relying on a youth movement, promoting three sophomores — linebacker Ethan Chase, cornerback Isaac Turner and two-way lineman Chase Graft — to the varsity squad. Senior linebacker, 6-3, 220-pound senior Owen Harrington, will be the anchor.

“[Harrington] is going to be a guy we’re going to rely on,” Sullivan said. “Owen saw a ton until halfway through the season, he had an injury and missed the second half of the year. ... When he was with us, he had like three interceptions in five games.”

Senior quarterback Jonah Kroenung took some snaps last year, including against Serra. Junior running back Lazaro Faraj-Washington will look to prove himself after missing time last year due to transferring from Soquel, and enduring a late-season foot injury.

— Terry Bernal

Riordan Crusaders

2023 record: 5-2 WCAL, 7-4 overall

Playoffs: Dropped Open/Division I opener to Los Gatos 28-14

A longtime WCAL doormat, the Crusaders, under new coach Adhir Ravipati, exploded on the scene in 2024 with a high-octane offense that led them to a third-place finish.

Mike Mitchell, a junior, enters his second season as a varsity starting quarterback. He thew for nearly 3,000 yards as a sophomore last year, with 31 TDs and just six INTs.

He has his top three of his top four receivers from a year ago all returning. Chris Lawson, who has verbally committed to University of Washington, led the team in receiving last year, catching 68 balls for just under 1,000 yards, with 11 scores. As a sophomore, Cynai Thomas hauled in 41 passes fro 679 yards and seven scores, while Wesley Winn Jr. had 300 yards on 33 catches — as a freshman.

The offensive line will be anchored by a pair of senior college recruits: 6-5, 330-pound Peter Langi and 6-2, 275-pound Losipini Tupou. Langi is being recruited by a number of Power 5 schools.

The Crusaders’ defense was one by committee last season, but it was a sophomore who led the team in tackles as Skylar Tiatia finished with 44 stops. Another sophomore, Tommy Tofi, was second on the team with 36. David Lee, a freshman, made 26 tackles — with a team-leading 3.5 sacks.

Lawson also showed he can be a difference maker on the defensive side of the ball. In addition to his 26 tackles at cornerback, he also picked off three passes, broke up two more and caused two fumbles.

— Nathan Mollat

Sacred Heart Cathedral Fighting' Irish

2023 record: 0-7 WCAL, 0-10 overall

In his third season as Sacred Heart Cathedral’s head coach, Antoine Evans is optimistic with this year’s group, a junior-heavy roster that arrived the same season he took over the program. Evans has just five seniors on roster this season.

“I’m feeling great,” Evans said. “The one thing I can say about this group is we have more leaders. They’re holding each other accountable, and they put a lot of work in in the offseason. So, I’m feeling really good about this group.”

Junior quarterback Michael Sargent returns after winning the starting job midway through the 2023 season.

“He’s the man,” Evans said. “The guy put in so much work this offseason. He is so determined to get back and get going this season. So, I’m excited for the kid.”

Junior running back Legend Williams is one to watch, while the backfield is balanced with senior Obryan Flanigan, an All-WCAL first-team player last season who Evans said will be a contender for WCAL Player of the Year honors this year.

— Terry Bernal

St. Francis Lancers

2023 record: 6-1 WCAL, 7-4 overall

Playoffs: Lost CCS Division I opener to Wilcox 52-28

With Keanaaina and his 1,530 rushing yards returning from last season, it is no secret what the Lancers’ primary mode of attack will be.

“For us, we’re going to run the football,” Calcagno said. “So that’s key, getting our guy back there.”

St. Francis boasts plenty of experience at the offensive skill positions though. The Lancers return their three top receivers from 2023 — junior Perrion Williams, and seniors James Jordan and Joey Paulson — giving Knapp, a surefire QB who completed 59.2% of his passes for 1,388 yards last season, plenty of targets.

“I think we can be a little more sophisticated,” Calcagno said. “I think we can do more things. I think that experience ... it should help us for sure, and we should be a little bit more diverse.”

— Terry Bernal

St. Ignatius Wildcats

2023 record: 4-3 WCAL, 8-4 overall

Playoffs: Lost CCS Open/Division I second round to Los Gatos 21-17

Head coach Lenny Vandermade returns for his second season, and has plenty to be optimistic about with his defensive depth. His son, sophomore defensive tackle Isaia Vandermade, is the returning WCAL Freshman of the year. Daniel Leupold, a 6-2, 230-pound linebacker is committed to Holy Cross. The Wildcats added depth with defensive tackle Manoah Faupusa, a 6-2, 310-pound transfer from Los Alamitos.

St. Ignatius did lose All-WCAL second-team tight end Mana-omia Tito, who transferred to St. John Bosco.

— Terry Bernal

Valley Christian Warriors

2023 record: 3-4 WCAL, 6-5 overall

Playoffs: Lost CCS Division I opener to St. Ignatius 21-17

The Warriors graduated All-WCAL second-team quarterback Joseph Stephens, and are going the opposite way in terms of experience by turning to sophomore Kaden Hill, who was the starting QB for the freshman team last season.

“He’s got big shoes to fill,” Machado said.

He’s also got some big shoes to protect him. In addition to Champ Taulealea, junior guard Andrew Latu and 6-6 junior offensive tackle TJ Williams will anchor the line, both of whom have Division I college offers on the table. The Warriors have depth at tight end as well in 6-5 senior Jerod White — “good hands, good blocker,” Machado said — and 6-3, 225-pound junior Colton Hider.

On defense, watch for senior edge rusher Micah Mosley.

— Terry Bernal