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OCVarsity will preview every high school football league and team in Orange County before the season begins.
ALPHA LEAGUE PREVIEW
The Alpha League is a new four-team league that includes Edison, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo and San Clemente.
EDISON
Top players: Julius Gillick, RB, Sr.; Jacob Martin, WR/DB, Sr.; Jake Minter, WR/DB, Sr.; Savelio Niumata, QB, Sr.; Jack Knudtson, LB, Sr.
What you can expect: The Chargers, who finished 6-5 overall and 4-1 in the Sunset League last year, will be good at running the football. Julius Gillick (5-11, 210) was Orange County’s third-leading runner last season with 1,596 yards and 15 touchdowns. Savelio Niumata threw for 1,308 yards and 11 touchdowns in eight games. When he missed a few games due to injury, freshman Sam Thomson filled in well. Jake Minter was the team’s second-leading tackler last season with 77 tackles. Minter and Martin were on the all-league first team last year. Jack Knudtson was on the all-league second team. Edison returns two starters on the offensive line.
THE ALAMITOS
Top players: Tron Baker, WR, DB, Jr.; Alonzo Esparza, QB, Sr.; Beckham Hofland, TE, Jr.; Jackson, Raguse, LB, Sr.; Jerod Terry, RB, Jr.
What you can expect: The Los Alamitos football program, which attracted some standout transfers in recent years, has lost several players to transfers that helped the team to a 5-0 Sunset League record and a 9-3 overall record last season. Quarterback Alonzo Esparza, who was on the All-Orange County First Team last season, is still on the roster. Esparza, who committed to Cal, can throw very well on the move and is a tenacious runner when needed. Jackson Raguse was on the All-League First Team last season. Jerod Terry looked good at running back last season and will see the majority of action this season. Tron Baker, who missed all of last season due to knee surgery, was declared healthy in June, has committed to USC and will be a key part of the offense.
MISSION VIEJO
Top players: Luke Fahey, QB, Jr.; Dijon Lee, WR/DB, Sr.; Vance Spafford, WR, Jr.; Draiden Trudeau, QB, Sr.; Jaden Williams, DL, Sr.
What you can expect: The Diablos, who won the CIF Southern Section and CIF state championships last season, look like the best public school team in Orange County again and are among the best such teams in the state. They return a long list of their standout players from 2023, when Mission Viejo was 13-3 overall and 2-1 in the South Coast League. Like last season, Luke Fahey and Draiden Trudeau will split time at quarterback. Both looked good during the summer passing tournament. Vance Spafford was on the All-County First Team last season when he had 83 receptions, 22 of them for touchdowns. Senior running back Hinesward Lilomaiava ran for 1,152 yards and 16 touchdowns last year. Dijon Lee is one of the better two-way players in the county and is committed to Alabama. All-purpose junior Phil Bell will make significant contributions to the offense by running and catching the football. Jaden Williams, who leads an outstanding defensive line, was also named to the All-County first team last season with 139 tackles and 18.5 sacks.
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SAN CLEMENTE
Top players: Max Bollard, WR/DB, Sr.; Puka Fuimaono, LB, Sr.; Cole Herlean, WR, Sr.; Max Kotiranta, DB, Sr.; Matai Tagoa’i, LB, Sr.
What you can expect: The Tritons beat Mission Viejo last season, won 3-0 on the South Coast and finished the season 9-2. They should have a stellar defense this season. They return all four of last year’s starting linebackers, including Puka Fuimaono and Matai Tagoa’i, both of whom were on the All-League First Team in 2023. Fuimaono committed to Arizona State, Tagoa’i to USC. Another strength of the team will be the secondary, where Max Bollard and Max Kotiranta were named to the All-League First Team last year and senior Riley Kelley was named to the All-League Second Team. Cole Herlean had the most passes on the team last year with 35 receptions. San Clemente will need a solid performance at the quarterback position to succeed in the Alpha League. As the Tritons entered fall camp, seniors Jack Ferguson and Dawson Martinez were competing for the position. If San Clemente gets a good performance at the quarterback position, the 2024 season could be rewarding.
ALPHA LEAGUE SCHEDULE 2024
EDISON
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
| 23.August | At Clovis West | Buchanan High School | 7pm |
| 30.August | In Yorba Linda | Yorba Linda High School | 7pm |
| 6 September | In Lakewood | Lakewood High School | 7pm |
| 13 September | Against Palos Verdes | Huntington Beach High School | 7pm |
| 20 September | Against Fountain Valley | Orange Coast College | 7pm |
| 27 September | Against La Serna | Huntington Beach High School | 7pm |
| October 4 | Against La Mesa Helix | Westminster College | 7pm |
| 18 October* | Against Los Alamitos | Huntington Beach High School | 7pm |
| 25 October* | At Mission Viejo | Mission Viejo High School | 7pm |
| 1 November* | In San Clemente | San Clemente High School | 7pm |
*League match
THE ALAMITOS
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
| 23.August | Against Western | Los Alamitos High School | 7pm |
| 30.August | Against Narbonne | Los Alamitos High School | 7pm |
| 6 September | Against Mililani | Los Alamitos High School | 7pm |
| 13 September | At Santa Fe Springs St. Paul | St. Paul High School | 7pm |
| 21 September | At Clovis North | Buchanan High School | 1pm |
| 27 September | Against Serra | Westminster College | 7pm |
| October 5 | At San Diego Lincoln | Lincoln High School | 1pm |
| 18 October* | Against Edison | Huntington Beach High School | 7pm |
| 24 October* | Against San Clemente | Westminster College | 7pm |
| 1 November* | At Mission Viejo | Mission Viejo High School | 7pm |
*League match
MISSION VIEJO
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
| 17.August | At Kamehameha Kapalama | Honolulu, Hawaii | 10pm |
| 24.August | Against Santa Margarita | Mission Viejo High School | 7pm |
| 6 September | Against Henderson Liberty | Mission Viejo High School | 7pm |
| 13 September | At Palmdale Highlands | Highland HS | 7pm |
| 20 September | Against Chandler Basha | Mission Viejo High School | 7pm |
| 27 September | Against Chaparral | Mission Viejo High School | 7pm |
| October 4 | Against Long Beach Poly | SoFi Stadium | 7pm |
| 18 October* | In San Clemente | San Clemente High School | 7pm |
| 25 October* | Against Edison | Mission Viejo High School | 7pm |
| 1 November* | Against Los Alamitos | Mission Viejo High School | 7pm |
*League match
SAN CLEMENTE
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
| 23.August | At Chaparral | Chaparral HS | 7pm |
| 30.August | Against Oak Ridge | San Clemente High School | 7pm |
| 6 September | In La Costa Canyon | La Costa Canyon HS | 7pm |
| 13 September | At Corona del Mar | Newport Harbor College | 7pm |
| 20 September | Against Chino Hills | San Clemente High School | 7pm |
| 27 September | In the Murrieta Valley | Murrieta Valley High School | 7pm |
| 11 October | Against Coronado | San Clemente High School | 7pm |
| 18 October* | Against Mission Viejo | San Clemente High School | 7pm |
| 24 October* | Against Los Alamitos | Veterans Stadium | 7pm |
| 1 November* | Against Edison | San Clemente High School | 7pm |
*League match
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