There’s the normal shake-up in the SCVAL-De Anza as Mountain View and Santa Clara join the division from the SCVAL-El Camino. Meantime, perennial powers Milpitas, Los Gatos and Wilcox are staying put to go along with holdover Saratoga and Palo Alto.
“I think Milpitas will be the frontrunner and us and Paly and Los Gatos will be up there,” Wilcox coach Paul Rosa said.
Santa Clara and Mountain View were successful in the El Camino, prompting their rise to the De Anza.
“I think it’s always tough on those teams because of the grind of the schedule,” Rosa said. “Sometimes they have to play four good teams in a row and they’re not used to it. And an issue is they come up and then go right back down, so they don’t get acclimated. That’s why I always give Saratoga a lot of credit because it battles and stays in the league.”
Milpitas went 6-0 in league last season and, led by versatile Tariq Bracy, will be expected to duplicate that, though several teams will give the Trojans a battle.
“Milpitas is the team to beat,” Los Gatos coach Mark Krail said. “They’re doing good things there and they just seem to re-load with personnel. They do a nice job coaching them up and getting them ready and until someone knocks them off, they’re the team to beat.”
Regarding newcomers Santa Clara and Mountain View, Krail said: “They had some nice years last year, but history tells us its tough (moving up). It seems like in the history of our league it’s always been the same four or five teams going up and down. It’s a grinder, but both those (coaches) do a nice job and they have those programs heading in the right direction.”
Taxed with preparing Mountain View to meet the challenge is veteran Spartans coach Shelley Smith. The Spartans played well Friday night in scrimmages with Mission-San Francisco and host Half Moon Bay, showing an active defense and strong running game.
“The De Anza is always tough,” Smith said. “You have the Big 4 teams and Santa Clara and Saratoga will always give you a game. There is) no easy week for us.”
Here is a look at each team:
Milpitas (10-4) – Milpitas has 10 returning starters off a team that finished went unbeaten in its division in 2015. .
The Trojans return three key players – senior receiver/safety Dion Leonard (6-3, 210), junior running back/defensive back Bracy and junior receiver/defensive end Tuni Fifita.
Milpitas scored an average of 38.6 points per game last season and yielded an average of 15.1.
The Trojans open against visiting Homestead on Aug. 26.
Wilcox (9-3) – The Chargers have nine returning starters, including six on defense and rising players off a 6-4 junior varsity team.
Chargers to watch include tight end/linebacker Tali Finefeuiaki (6-1, 210), two-way lineman Jonathan Tamaka (5-11, 225) and junior quarterback David Hernandez.
Wilcox went 4-2 last season in the division and finished third. The Chargers averaged 46.2 points per game last season and yielded an average of 26.5.
The Chargers’ only losses in 2015 were against St. Francis (41-21), Milpitas (42-34) and Los Gatos (42-32).
Wilcox opens its season Aug. 26 at Monterey Trail.
Los Gatos (7-4) – The Wildcats have 11 returning starters and players rising off an 8-2 JV team.
Wildcats to watch include senior quarterback Kyle Reid, senior tight end/defensive end Jake Tonges and senior two-way lineman Jake Seandel (6-4, 240), senior running back Jordan Howell and senior receiver/defensive back Ryan Wilcox.
Los Gatos went 5-1 in the division last season and finished second, averaging 30.1 points per game and giving up and average of 23.4.
The Wildcats open the season at home Aug. 26 against Pioneer.
Palo Alto (5-7) – The Vikings have a new coach in former Los Gatos quarterback Danny Sullivan and 11 returning starters.
Players to watch include junior running back/strong safety Paul Jackson, junior tight end/defensive end Bryant Jefferson and senior center/linebacker Peter Snodgrass.
The Vikings went 3-3 in the division last season to finish fourth, averaging 32.5 points per game and yielding an average of 37.6.
Paly opens Aug. 26 against visiting Patterson.
Saratoga (4-6) – The Falcons have 12 starters returning, including seven on offense.
Players to watch include senior Kian Ghelichkhani, senior Will Liddle and senior Nolan Chao.
The Falcons averaged 26.4 points per game last season on offense, but yielded an average of 30.8.
Saratoga’s best win last season was a 22-7 decision against Hillsdale.
The Falcons open with a tough game against visiting Half Moon Bay, a defending section champ, on Aug. 26.
Mountain View (7-3) – The Spartans have moved from the SCVAL-El Camino and have 11 returning starters and players rising off a 6-3-1 JV team.
Among the players to keep an eye on for the Spartans are senior running back/defensive back Jai Austin, senior receiver/defensive back Tommy Resnick and junior fullback/defensive tackle Ione Vete, quarterback Colin Dickerson, running back/linebacker Race Moderman and offensive lineman/linebacker Ulysses Gutierrez.
Mountain View went 5-1 last season in the El Camino and finished second, scoring an average of 26.8 points per game and yielding an average of 13.6.
The Spartans open Aug. 26 against visiting Monterey.
Santa Clara (9-2) – The Bruins went 6-0 last season in the SCVAL-El Camino to finish first and have now moved up to the SCVAL-De Anza.
Santa Clara has six returning starters and went 5-5 last season on the JV level.
Players to watch are junior quarterback Chris Brown, senior receiver/inside linebacker Sisipako Vehikite and senior tackle Christian Roudash (6-3, 260).
Santa Clara average 33.8 points per game last season on offense and yielded an average of 18.9. The Bruins’ only losses were to Wilcox (55-27) and North Salinas (34-13).
Santa Clara opens its season Aug. 26 at Gunderson.
