Local football teams ready to open season this weekend

By Paige Mendez, Correspondent

This weekend will mark the first games for local high school football teams. Now that classes have started and practices have been underway for about a month, head coaches from each school have their game plans drawn up and their expectations set for the season.

LIBERTY

Head coach Kraig Broach is looking forward to making history with the first ever varsity season at Liberty High. As the school is only in its second year, there are no seniors on the roster, which means relying on younger athletes to fulfill a greater role than their peers at other schools might have to.

“We’re asking a lot from our junior leadership and let alone sophomores to fill in that gap,” said Broach. “And the kids have stepped up. We’re pushing them and they’re responding to the challenge.”

Of the young roster, Broach said Anthony Ruelas and Eddie Smith are two returning running backs that will lead the team this year. Another leader is Troy Dulyn, quarterback, whom Broach said the team relies on heavily.

It’s not only the kids playing on the field that are new, however. The coaching staff that Broach has surrounded himself with is also a combination of some that have been with him for years and others that he said “bring life into” the coaching staff.

Overall, Broach said he is excited to be part of a new school that is developing an identity all for itself. Outside of football as well as in the game, Broach said, it’s exciting to be in a new school and not know what the future holds.

Liberty will head to Valley View for their season opener on Thursday at 7 p.m.

HERITAGE

Head coach Andre Smith said his team is looking forward to a super competitive non-league schedule to get the team prepped for their league games. After coming into the program part-way through last year’s off-season, Smith said it has been nice to have a full version of that -- rid of COVID closures -- to really develop his team and staff.

“I know the kids better now; we’re starting to create the culture that we want,” said Smith. “We’re ahead of where we were at this time last year because of having the full off-season.

Smith added that a big difference in this year’s squad that could be a challenge is the younger athletes. Having graduated 23 seniors last year, inexperience will be part of this year’s program.

“We’re not everywhere we want to be, but I’m really excited about the direction we’re going,” said Smith. “I’m really excited about our incoming freshmen this year. They’ve got a chance to be really good down the road.”

The culture that he wants to teach his players involves doing the right things on campus and in the classroom.

“The expectation of being a ballplayer is bigger than just on the football field,” he said. “We’re trying to raise our bar GPA-wise. We want to produce student-athletes and college athletes.”

Some athletes he sees that are already implementing that culture include Levi Patton, Akillis Sio, Javan Mills and Aragon Tankink.

Heritage will travel to San Diego to face Steele Canyon Friday night at 7.

PALOMA VALLEY

Head coach Zach Dilley is the youngest of the coaches but has the longest career at his current school, including time as both a player there and now a coach. His goals for this coming season include a lot of ‘firsts’ for the valley’s oldest program.

Winning the league outright, and victories over Heritage and Temescal Valley are among his goals for this year’s team. With players buying into the culture he is creating and the new league being a better fit, Dilley said he thinks they’re in the right position to reach those goals.

Some of the players Dilley said to look out for as they work toward those goals include quarterback Brady Nelson, Stephen Gallegos, Brandon Morris, Nathan Rodriguez and Noah Howard.

Looking forward, Dilley said this year’s team has brought more grit to the game than in previous years.

“We’re going to have an edge that teams aren’t used to from Paloma,” said Dilley. “I think we have a bit of a soft reputation so that’s something that we’re trying to work through. We can compete with anybody.”

The first competition of the season will be at Temescal Canyon Friday night at 7.

SANTA ROSA ACADEMY

The Rangers, who finished last season with a 4-5 record under coach Perry Jones, will open their season at home Friday night against San Jacinto Valley Academy.