All four Menifee area high school football teams will be on the road tonight as the season gets underway.
The two teams playing the closest to Menifee are Liberty and Paloma Valley. Liberty will play at Temecula Valley, while Paloma Valley plays at Temescal Canyon. All games start at 7 p.m
Liberty is coming off a 6-6 season in which the Bison fought back from a 1-4 start, going 4-1 in the Ivy League. They lost to Pacifica 13-7 in the first round of the CIF playoffs.
The Liberty offense will have a strong running attack with senior captain Chris DeBose, Isaac Ayala, and Gavin Ramirez. Gone are graduates Parris Peacock (1,242 yards rushing) and Trent Hallis (901), but DeBose (398) appears ready to carry a bigger load.
The offensive line will be anchored by senior captain Mason Rangel. Quarterback Julian Gallardo will have some talented wideout threats in Riley Silva, Dominicka Hall, and Damian Rowell.
The defense is “big and athletic up front”, says coach Adam Contreras, with Debose, Messiah Stewart, and Jaylen Walker. Also returning are Carson Alvarez and Jaidan Bradley at cornerback.
“Overall, we have a hard-working team,” Contreras said.
Paloma Valley had a rough season a year ago, going 3-7 after losing its last two games by scores of 55-54 (to Vista del Lago) and 41-35 to Liberty in double overtime.
Elsewhere, Heritage will play at Garey High in Pomona. Last season the Patriots finished 3-8 after starting the season 0-5. They lost their last regular-season game to Perris but still finished third in the Inland Valley League, then lost 35-21 to Santa Rosa Academy in the playoffs.
Heritage returns 13 starters, including quarterback Noah Millthon, who passed for 191 yards as a sophomore last fall. Also returning are senior wide receiver and cornerback Drevion Burnett, junior tight end and defensive end Paul Moreno Jr., and senior slot and outside linebacker Jordan Eiberger.
Santa Rosa Academy opens its season tonight at Cathedral City. The Rangers were 9-3 last year, winning the Cottonwood League title. They lost in the second round of the playoffs to Saddleback.
