Wildcats Have High Hopes for 2016 Football Season

Paloma Valley High School football players are preparing for their Aug. 26 season opener. Menifee 24/7 photos: Doug Spoon

Optimism has never run higher during Bert Esposito's tenure as head football coach at Paloma Valley High School, with preseason practice now in the second week and just over two weeks until the season opener.

Esposito says the Wildcats must still prove themselves on the field, but based on raw talent and a nice mix of returning players, he is excited to see the team in its first game, which will take place Aug. 26 at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista.

"We've pretty much replaced every single position with a guy who is, if not equal, pretty close to it," Esposito said after practice on Tuesday. "But I've seen teams like that come out and lay an egg. You still have to play the game.

"Sometimes you can get too much press, start thinking about yourself too much. This is one of those practices where I had to put them back in their place and make them understand they haven't done anything yet."

Granted, Tuesday's practice ended with Esposito telling his players he hasn't yet seen the type of senior leadership he's looking for. Even so, he can't say enough about one of his starting juniors -- quarterback Chance Nolan (right).

As a sophomore in 2015, Nolan passed for 2,076 yards and 23 touchdowns for the Wildcats, who finished 7-4 after losing to Redlands in the first round of the playoffs. He displayed his talent again in June, leading his team to the championship of the Adidas California 7 on 7 passing tournament.

"He's way better," Esposito said about the 6-foot-1, 180-pound quarterback. "He's so much more mature and he's really grasping the offense. He's grown, he's faster ... It's the just confidence that he can make every throw, every read. He's got really good connection with the receivers."

Speaking of wide receivers, Esposito called that group "loaded", despite the graduation of Cameron Whatley, who caught 42 passes for 671 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. Players like junior Phillip Mills and Jacob Salas lead a group that has more depth than Esposito can recall having before.

"We're seven or eight deep and any one of them can score, run a route and do some damage," Esposito said. "You can only cover so much, and at some point you're going to show us what your coverage is. If our line up front can give Chance the time he had in passing league, it's really gonna be fun."

The Wildcats' top two running backs last year, Demarco Prewitt and Khayrii Joyner, have graduated. Senior Corey Maddox returns with considerable experience, however, while Andre Kirkpatrick, Caiser Leboss and Jacob Salas add depth. Steven Bradshaw, who is perhaps most well known as a linebacker, can also pound the ball inside in short-yardage situations.

Bradshaw leads a strong linebacker corps on defense and the defensive line has strong leadership in Chase Ryther, Maleek Baranauskas and Donald Johnson.

"Overall, this team has more talent and speed than any team I've ever had," Esposito said. "I've had some great players in the past, but as a whole, this team has it. The only thing we're lacking is the size. But we have a solid group of guys up front. Four of them were starters last year and they're a year older. They're a lot more aggressive than last year."

The Wildcats will hold an intrasquad scrimmage Friday night, beginning with the lower levels at 6 p.m. and concluding with the varsity scrimmage at 8 p.m.