We continue our tour of some of the area’s football fall camps. Today we look at El Rancho.
The Dons, who lost in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division playoffs last year, begin the season as one of the favorites in the Del Rio League.

Here’s what I wrote in today’s paper:

There will be nothing complex about how the El Rancho High School football team attacks opposing defenses this season.
The Dons, armed with two of the better running backs in the area, will run, run and run some more.
“We’ve got a good group of backs,” El Rancho coach Rick Zepeda said. “I have a combination of senior kids and some young guys coming up.
“There’s some speed, and they’re mature and know what to do with the football.”
It starts with senior Ronnel Lone, who rushed for 613 yards and two touchdowns last season, but the Dons also have Josh Lopez, who’s a nice complement to Lone. Lopez rushed for 221 yards during the Dons’ first three games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Together, they’re one of the better tandems in the area.
“It’s exciting,” Zepeda said of the Dons’ prospects this season. “We have enough guys to push everybody. We’re pretty excited. We can’t wait for the season to start.”
The Dons, who were just 6-5 last season and ended the year with a 41-21 loss to Burroughs in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division playoffs, are expected to be one of the top teams in the area this fall, and the chief challenge to rival Santa Fe in the Del Rio League.
The team already is off to a quick start in fall camp.
“This is our second week in pads,” Zepeda said. “The boys are coming along. I like what I’ve seen so far.”
El Rancho begins the season Sept. 2 at Los Altos.