FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Small Schools

By Scott Galetti, Staff Writer

Rio Hondo Prep and Pasadena Poly may be considered small as far as schools are concerned, but they're big when it comes to football. Success has become not only a standard, it's become an expectation.
The Kares have a fairly full trophy case with 11 CIF-Southern Section football championships (nine eight-man, one six-man and one 11-man). They have also been runner-up on six occasions.
Pasadena Poly has won two 11-man championships and has been runner-up twice in 11-man and four times on the eight-man level.
Both teams would appear to be the favorites to slug it out once again for the Prep League title.
Since 1999, both schools have been a near-constant fixture in the CIF-SS Finals.
Rio Hondo Prep won the Division XIII title in 2005 and was runner-up in '04. Poly won the Division XIII title in 1999 and '02 and was runner-up in '00 and '03.
Although Poly, the '06 league champion, will be in a rebuilding stage, both schools have their eyes on another ring.

Rio Hondo Prep

Head coach Ken Drain's Kares have reached the postseason every year since switching to the 11-man game in '02.
The Kares (8-2), with an enrollment of 90 students (45 boys), lack size in the trenches this season.
"The biggest thing is injuries because we're not very deep," Drain said. "We suit up 22 guys, so we don't have a lot of depth or size. If we overcome our lack of size with quickness and speed, I think we'll do all right."
Yet Drain is impressed with his team's speed on defense, led by 6-foot, 235-pound senior offensive/defensive lineman Taylor Dinius.
"I think our defense is extremely important because our offense is inexperienced at some positions," Drain said.
Offensively, Drain, entering his seventh season at the helm, has plenty of experience in the backfield with the return of senior tailback Trevor Finchamp.
Finchamp led the Kares in rushing a year ago with 683 yards and four touchdowns. He was also second in all-purpose yardage with 1,088 yards (353 receiving and 280 on kick returns).
"He's a smart running back who follows his blocks and finds the holes well," Drain said.
After sharing the quarterbacking duties with Josh Hernandez a year ago, senior Dan Castro will be the starting quarterback.
Castro completed just more than 50 percent of his passes last season for 413 yards and a team-high six touchdowns last year.
"He played about four games last year and did well, but his varsity experience is very limited," Drain said.
He'll once again have Tim Esquerra and Alex McNees as primary targets. Esquerra was second on the team with 13 catches for 203 yards and two touchdowns and McNees hauled in eight passes for 111 yards and a touchdown a year ago.

Maranatha

Minutemen head coach Joel Murphy couldn't have asked for a better result in his first season as head coach.
The Minutemen (11-3) finished second in the Alpha League, but reached the CIF-SS Northeast Division championship game before falling to St. Margaret's in a nail-biter, 21-20, in the rain at Pasadena City College.
Murphy has high hopes entering the season, including a league title.
League champion Whittier Christian and Brentwood both reached the division semifinals and should once again give the Minutemen all they can handle.
Senior Alex Clash returns at quarterback after throwing for 1,087 yards and 12 touchdowns a year ago.
Junior Matt Schilz threw for 339 yards and five touchdowns in a backup role.
Senior Mark Love is back after leading the Minutemen in rushing in 2006. Love had 1,659 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also led the team in all-purpose yards with 2,006.

Pasadena Poly

In his fourth season, Brendan McGrail has just three key returning players from a team that went 9-2 and won the Prep League title.
In all, McGrail's squad graduated 17 seniors, a number that will leave the Panthers scrambling to gain experience quickly.
Junior Neil Child is expected to start at quarterback. Senior running backs John Michael Pennington and Andrew Ellingsen and senior wide receiver Matt Zelek will be called upon to provide leadership this season.

Flintridge Prep

In his first year as head coach, Perry Skaggs is grooming junior Gus Herrera at quarterback as the Rebels look to rebound after finishing 4-5 a year ago.
While Herrera may lack experience, he has one thing going for him entering the season: A large offensive line led by 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior tackle Mason Dudas.
The Rebels are expected to spend most of their reps on the ground with the running back duo of Joel Bryant, who has good speed, and junior Adam Ross, a bruising fullback.

Marshall

Jay Taylor enters his first full season as the Eagles' head coach.
Taylor took over in the fourth game of the season as the Eagles struggled through an 0-9 campaign.
Sophomore running backs Tyrone Nash and Ebenezer Haile will be the backbone of the offense.
Taylor said Nash is elusive and able to make tough catches when the ball is thrown his way.
Junior David Morris returns at wide receiver and senior Nick Olmeda anchors the defensive line.
Who will be throwing the football has yet to be determined.
The Eagles have a battle for the starting spot between juniors Adonai Haile and Terrell Burnett.
Taylor said both have shown progress in practice and he'll have a tough decision to make.