JACK DUFFY
Prep2Prep Senior Editor

August 15, 2014

Reigning Mission Valley Athletic League champion Washington of Fremont will look to take back its crown. With only one loss to a league opponent in the last two seasons the Huskies have to at least be in contention for the top spot this season.

Moreau and American appear to be the toughest contenders for Washington. Both squads return healthy amounts of starters and bring up solid players from their successful 2013 JV squads.

Specifically, Moreau Catholic returns record-breaking running back and defensive back Jason Hinton (6-0, 200), who totaled 2,300 all-purpose yards and 31 touchdowns last season. His best performance came in the final game last year for Moreau, a 54-50 loss to Piedmont, when he scored five times and rushed for 473 on 51 carries, breaking the single-game NCS rushing record.

Newark Memorial, the 2012 league champions, will also make a run for the title. The MVAL is a league that always seems up for grabs, with just about anybody capable of ascending to the top spot.

[body]AMERICAN (7-4, 4-2) [/body] : The most patriotic team in the league (at least by name) -- which also had the most wins in the league last season -- returns five offensive and three defensive starters. Junior running backs Jared Luty and Trevon Jones will take most of the carries for the Eagles. Luty, also a defensive back, rushed for 976 yards and 13 touchdowns, while Jones, also a linebacker, posted 267 yards and six scores in 2013.

Senior Deangelo Cox is by far the biggest two-way threat for American though. In two seasons as a wide receiver and defensive back, Cox has caught 25 passes for 384 yards and five touchdowns, in addition to four career interceptions.

The Eagles begin their season on August 30 against Arroyo. American has won two consecutive openers against the Dons.

IRVINGTON (5-6, 4-2): New Irvington coach Ross Eddings will look to improve from last year’s sub-.500 season, which concluded with a tough 47-13 loss to Pittsburg in the first round of the NCS Division I playoffs.

Kennedy (4-6, 2-4)

David Damewood’s Titans return five offensive and eight defensive starters from last year's team. Big two-way starters Jacob Murrieta (6-3, 215) and George Vehikite (6-3, 270) will take up the reins at tight end/linebacker and offensive/defensive line respectively.

Kaleem Abubukari, who gained 724 yards and eight touchdowns last season, looks like the go-to back for the Titans.

Kennedy opens its season on the road against San Lorenzo on August 29.

MISSION SAN JOSE (1-9, 0-6): With two wins combined from the varsity and junior varsity, there is lots of room for improvement for the Warriors. Coach Samuel Baugh will have to look to 5-8, 160-pound quarterback Jacob Walter, who split time last year under center, and running back Eric Chaing, who rushed for around 200 yards last season.

The Warriors also return an entire offensive line from the class of 2016, which Baugh says has, “vastly improved.” 6-0, 205 pound junior linebacker Bubba Guzman will lead Mission defensively.

This is the best team we’ve had in a long time,” said Baugh. There isn’t a standout player, but it's a good team all around. People will really be impressed with the tenacity of this team.”

Fans will get to see just how improved this squad is when the Warriors take on Albany on September 5.

MOREAU CATHOLIC (5-6, 1-5): In addition to Hinton, the Mariners return four other offensive starters and five defensive starters. Sophomore 5-7, 175 pound running back Booda Ison will get some carries and also play defensive back. Hadari Darden, a 6-2, 200 pound linebacker and defensive lineman, leads the way on defense.

A 10-0 junior varsity from 2013 will also benefit a Moreau squad trying to replace key starters such as middle linebacker James Schreckengost.

The Mariners open up their season on August 30 at St. Mary’s Albany.

NEWARK MEMORIAL (6-5, 4-2): Newark Memorial had its share of highlights last season and will now try to elevate to its lofty 2012 level when it won the league title.

The Cougars are settled in under second-year coach Ralph Meredith who replaced the late Rich Swift after the 2012 campaign. Last season was an emotional one for the Cougars, given the memories of Swift, and now this season the program keeps moving forward.

Players to watch include offensive lineman/middle linebacker Thor Thorenstein, two-way lineman King Slocum and offensive lineman/linebacker Nicholas Poole.

Defense will be a priority for Newark Memorial, which yielded 24.5 ppg. last season.

The Cougars have a difficult test on Sept. 12 against visiting Milpitas.

WASHINGTON 6-5, 6-0): Washington will miss the graduated Nate Woudstra whose rushing led the Huskies to the MVAL title last season.

The Huskies marched through the MVAL season unscathed last season, with its only losses being outside of league against California (46-20), Campolindo (28-14), Logan (41-14), Las Lomas (29-23) and Windsor (29-23). Washington has won two MVAL titles in the last seven years.

Players to watch include junior running back/cornerback Mark Colbert, junior receiver/cornerback Trevon Gibson, senior two-way lineman Erik Kabigting and senior two-way lineman Jalen Peats (6-5, 280).

The Huskies' second league game, against visiting Campolindo on Sept. 12, should be revealing. Logan on Nov. 1 also looms as a difficult test for the defending MVAL champs.