Health key to Eagles’ hopes
A promising run that included an 8-2 regular-season record and an unbeaten Orange Coast League championship campaign, fizzled in a first-round playoff loss for the Estancia High football team in 2014. And Coach Mike Bargas said injuries were a big reason why.
Key contributors Ronnie Urquiza (concussion), Christian Laurent (a nagging ankle sprain), Jason Jones (broken hand) and D.J. Davis (broken toe) were either sidelined or significantly hampered down the stretch last season. Those absences contributed to a surprising 13-9 CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoff loss to Santiago, an at-large entry from the Garden Grove League. The season-ending setback halted a seven-game winning streak that tied the longest for the program since 1989 and resulted in the No. 5 ranking in the division at the end of the regular season.
“We were the walking wounded,” Bargas said. “Otherwise it looked to me, on paper, that we could have made the semifinals.”
Anything resembling similar injury woes could be equally damaging for the Eagles, for whom Bargas said depth, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines, is the leading concern entering the 2015 season that opens Thursday against Loara.
“We’re a couple injuries from devastation,” Bargas said of the offensive front that includes two of the offense’s three returning starters.
Only three starters return on defense, but Bargas believes there is enough talent, if everyone can only remain healthy, to contend for the program’s fourth league title in six seasons.
Here’s a position-by-position look at the Eagles:
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•Quarterback: Connor Brown, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior, returns for his third season as the starter, having produced 2,722 passing yards and 19 touchdown passes the last two years. Brown completed 110 of 199 attempts last season (55.3%) and also rushed for four touchdowns en route to earning Orange Coast League Offensive Player of the Year laurels.
“You can’t dispute the fact that he has a good arm and we’re going to try to capitalize on that,” said Bargas, the team’s offensive coordinator. “Before, we have been known to pass sparingly. But I’m a lot more likely to loosen the purse strings in the passing game this year.”
Bargas said Brown, also a varsity standout in baseball and basketball, has potential to play football collegiately and the University of San Diego is among the Division II and Division III college programs who are showing interest.
Junior Eric Carrasco, a transfer from Costa Mesa, for which he completed 14 of 22 passes for 156 yards as a late-season replacement starter, and junior starting receiver Tyler Ross, provide strong depth.
Carrasco is scheduled to miss the first five games, due to transfer rules.
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•Running backs: Orange Coast League MVP Dylan Laurent, a junior last season, has transferred to Los Alamitos. Laurent, led the Eagles with 758 rushing yards last season and scored 13 rushing touchdowns.
Then-senior Christian Laurent had 741 rushing yards, and others combined for more than 400 more, resulting in only 183 rushing yards being produced by returners.
Of those who have produced, Brown collected 127 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, while Jordan Balcazar, a junior this season, had 56 yards and one TD on 10 carries in 2014.
Balcazar (5-7, 165) is slated to open at tailback, Bargas said, after a standout season with the junior varsity team.
“[Balcazar] has a little burst and he can get through creases,” Bargas said.
Davis, a senior, and sophomore Deshandre Kerkhoff, both of whom are projected starters at linebacker, will share fullback duties.
Seniors Arturo Juarez and Tyler Chacon provide depth at tailback, while senior Alejandro Mondragon is also in the mix at fullback, Bargas said.
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•Receivers: Juniors Tyler Ross and Trevor Brown, Connor’s brother, figure to benefit most from the expanded passing game as projected starters. Both are also expected to start in the secondary, typifying what may be as many as eight two-way starters.
Ross caught six passes for 81 yards last season, tops among returners.
Senior Wilmer Sanchez (5-7, 150) is also expected to be a productive pass-catcher and Bargas said he might be, pound-for-pound, the strongest player on the team.
Senior Juan Colin and sophomore Bennett Goodman provide depth, while Carrasco may also eventually see action as well.
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•Tight end: Sophomore Hunter Mensinger (6-0, 175) has the early edge over senior Konrad O’Daly (5-11, 150) for the starting nod, while junior Kainoa Korionoff (5-9, 205) is also in the mix, Bargas said.
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•Offensive line: Jones (6-4, 230), the primary team captain and a potential college player, is being looked upon to anchor things at left tackle, while also starting at defensive end.
“He could be one of the best guys in the area,” Bargas said of Jones, whose energy and toughness will be valuable on both sides of the ball.
Senior Juan Lozada (5-11, 195) is a returning starter at right guard, while senior Justin Masri (5-10, 205) steps in at center for Dorian Navarrete, an All-CIF honoree who was also the Orange Coast League Lineman of the Year as a senior last season.
Senior Israel Arroyo (6-0, 240) is set to start at left guard after playing primarily on the JV last season.
At right tackle, sophomore Jay Enciso (6-0, 240) is the projected starter after senior Kaius Carroll (6-6, 250) returned Wednesday after being sidelined with a dislocated shoulder.
“Enciso is going to be really good as he develops,” Bargas said. “And he is also starting at defensive tackle.”
Mondragon will contribute at guard, while sophomore Trey Hoot (6-2, 225) is also expected to chip in when he returns from a broken arm sustained during spring practice, Bargas said.
Additional depth may be provided by junior Braxton Leuck, as well as sophomores Jorge Castellanos and Pablo Guerrero.
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•Defensive line: Jones, who made 77 tackles last season, is at left end, while Lozada, a league champion in his first season of wrestling last year, will man the other end spot, Bargas said.
Enciso has assumed the tackle spot, while Arroyo and Masri are projected to rotate at noseguard, Bargas said.
Guerrero is expected to play a role on goal-line defense, Bargas said.
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•Linebackers: Davis made 46 tackles as a starting outside ‘backer last fall, while senior Omar Gutierrez (5-10, 180) made 36 tackles, playing extensively off the bench. Kerkhoff (5-10, 225) and Mondragon (5-8, 190) are expected to handle duties at middle ‘backer.
Mensinger should provide depth at outside ‘backer, Bargas said.
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•Secondary: Trevor Brown and Balcazar are the front-runners at cornerback, where Sanchez and senior Anthony Banos are also expected to see plenty of action, Bargas said.
Ross is the free safety, while O’Daly is slated to open at strong safety, Bargas said, but Banos could also be in the mix there.
Carrasco could also fill a role when he becomes eligible.
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•Special teams: With Moya’s status unclear, senior Toni Hernandez could step up to fill the void, Bargas said.
Senior Daniel Escobar is another option, as is Ross, who is also in line to be the primary kick returner.
“It will be the Taylor Ross show,” Bargas said of the special teams package that was extremely productive last season.
“I think [assistant coaches Chris Bargas and Matt Redding] have a good little system there and they take pride in studying it up and being creative,” Mike Bargas said. “And we spend almost as much time in practice on special teams as we do on offense and defense.”
Sanchez could also be deep on kickoff returns.
O’Daly is a returning long-snapper and Trevor Brown is set to be the holder, Bargas said.