PHOTOS: Zeta League football coaches, players begin new season with high hopes

Players and coaches from the Zeta League media day get together after the event Friday at Santa Ana Elks Lodge. (PHOTOS: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Football coaches and players from the five-team Zeta League took part Friday in the second annual league media event Friday at the Santa Ana Elks Lodge in Santa Ana.

One of the Elks Lodge trustees Dan Breece, welcomed the coaches and the players to the event and pointed out the club has always been supportive of high school athletes.

Savanna Coach Fred Emmerson was the first of five coaches to speak. Rob Thompson, who led Saddleback to the league title last season, was the last to speak, appearing with four of his players. Two head coaches had other commitments, assistant coaches filled in.

Three OC media members were in attendance.

To see the slide show, click on the first photo:

SAVANNA

Savanna’s second year coach Fred Emmerson said his first season was a learning experience for him but he’s excited about the prospects for 2025.

“We got through it, we had some high moments, we had some low moments,” Emerson said. “One of the highlights this year is very impressive, having 61, 62 kids out there. We had an influx of 30 freshmen come in, so I’m not only excited about the varsity, I’m also excited to see what our younger JV group can do as well. There are high expectations of what we’re looking to do this year.”

Savanna was 2-8 overall and 1-3 in the Zeta League last season.

Returning starters on offense include senior wide receiver/cornerback Julian Martinez, junior lineman Daniel DeAnda, sophomore wide receiver Issic Alonzo, junior defensive back/outside linebacker Ismael Carrillo and sophomore quarterback Nate Eich, who saw some time at quarterback last year and has moved into the full-time spot.

Savanna returns eight starters on offense and six or seven on defense. Emmerson said.

“One of our goals is to improve, last year we didn’t really have a great season,” Eich, the QB said. “We’re looking forward to the week ahead … and just to get better every week.”

Savanna opens the season on Thursday, Aug. 21 at Bolsa Grande.

MAGNOLIA

Magnolia has made some changes, simplifying the offensive schemes and adding a new line coach this season as it tries to bounce back from a tough 2024 season in which the team finished 1-9 overall and 1-3 in league.

“We had a tough season last year and on top of that we lost 18 years,” said assistant coach Allan Sherman, filling in for head coach Poutoa Fuega. “We’re starting a little bit fresh with a young group. We’re hoping to improve the program a little bit, we brought on a new line coach, we’re hoping that will help. We believe our biggest issue last year was our offensive line.”

Among the returning players are senior captains quarterback Nicko Martinez and center Michael Renderos.

“These are the core part of our team,” Sherman said. “They’re both amazing and they’re keeping the team together and doing a fantastic job.”

Martinez, the quarterback, said the team’s goal is “to be more disciplined and responsible at practice. We have multiple core receivers at different positions on the team to help and our main goal is to just come together as a team and dominate the season.”

Martinez said he also expects to be utilized at running back.

“Wherever the coach needs me, I’ll be there,” he said.

The Sentinels open the season on Friday, Aug. 22 at Costa Mesa.

GODINEZ

Godinez coach Aron Kaye said his program continues to make progress but there is work to be done still.

The Grizzlies took major strides last season finishing 5-5 overall and 2-2 in the league and were in contention for a CIF playoff berth up until the last week.

“We’re continuing our rebuilding process,” Kaye said. “It started four years ago when I came back and when the coaching staff came back, we’re up to about 90 plus kids now and we’re really excited. We only have 14 seniors. We’re really young, we’re going to have to start a handful of sophomores, fortunately we’ve got some who can start. We’re getting after it the best that we can and it’s been a good spring and good summer. We’ve done a really good job in the weight room in the off-season.

“Our team numbers (in weight lifting) are finally starting to look like they used to when I was here the first time. We’re excited to play and excited to get after it and see what happens. We’re still trying to teach them how to be tremendous young men and tremendous students and tremendous football players along the way and I think we’re doing a pretty good job of that.”

Godinez returns three starters on offense and four to five on defense, Kaye said.

Godinez is led by junior quarterback Damien Arreola and senior Chris Diaz, who started last year as a defensive end. He is scheduled to be the Grizzlies inside linebacker this year and can also play tight end and halfback.

“One of our goals is to build our discipline and intensity in every practice throughout the whole week throughout the season and push each other to the best of our ability,” Arreola, the QB said.

There has been improvement, Diaz said.

“Our secondary and our routes and our passing are so much better than it used to be,” Diaz added.

Godinez opens the season on Friday, Aug. 22 hosting Loara.

CENTURY

Century had a memorable 2024 season, finishing 7-5 overall and 2-2 in the Zeta League. The Centurions had one victory in the CIF Division 14 playoffs (the first for the program in about 30 years) before losing to Ganesha 43-42 in the second round. It was the first time since 2004 Century advanced to the CIF playoffs.

Century loses some key players off that team but is looking forward to more success under Coach Lance Neal.

“We had a really good year comparatively to what Century is used to,” said offensive coordinator Kevin Nichols, filling in Friday for Neal. “Lance runs a tight ship over there, being able to instill discipline and toughness in these kids has been our key point going into the year. The last two years have been about growing the program and getting the numbers up, they’ve gone up. We’re at 55 I think now, including bringing in baseball kids.

“Our baseball program here has been extremely successful and working with our AD (Theo Cortes) who is our baseball coach and being able to bring those kids in there, especially our outside running back and outside linebacker Derek Carrillo, who is the captain of our team.

“Going into this year, we lost a lot of seniors. We had a lot of leaders who did a lot for us, we lost them. So we are rebuilding.”

Four starters return on offense and two on defense.

Century’s standouts also include senior lineman Alex Alonso and senior tight-end/outside linebacker Julian Servin. Sophomore Leonardo Mendoza, who started on the JV level last season, is expected to start at quarterback for the Centurions. The JV team went undefeated last year.

Carrillo said he’s optimistic about the season.

“We’ve had improvement on defense, our offense is also good, we just need to focus on being more leaders and we will be pretty good on both sides,” Carrillo said.

Alonso said his personal goal is to win offensive and defensive lineman of the year for the Zeta League “And our team goal is for our offensive line to communicate better as well as our defensive line and one of our goals as an offensive line is to give up less sacks than we did last year.”

Century opens the season Thursday, Aug. 21 at Gabrielino.

SADDLEBACK

Coach Rob Thompson’s Roadrunners had a break-out season in 2024, winning the league title and advancing into the CIF playoffs. Thompson and his players are looking to keep rolling this year. Saddleback was 6-5 overall and lost to La Quinta, 21-20 in the opening round of the CIF Division 14 playoffs last season.

Last season, Saddleback won its first league title since 1986 and first trip to the CIF playoffs since 2015.

Saddleback returns eight starters on offense and eight on defense.

“What I like about this team is their confidence,” Thompson said. “Once they come together and focus on being a team, I think we’re going to have a great season. I think our defense is going to be the best defense in the league, maybe in the division. We’re very aggressive on defense, our guys hit hard and we’re not afraid to play and we have a lot of speed. We’re excited about this year.”

Thompson, who is also the athletic director, was thrilled with the turn-around last year and wants the success to carry over.

“It was exciting, I quit coaching 2016 and I had four head coaches between 2016 and last year when I came back, and honestly those teams were not good and as an athletic director when you’re standing on the sideline watching bad football, it’s irritating. Last year, I told the principal I would come back and coach until I retire which is going to be two years or so from now.

“I just want to get the team back to a respectful level, I think we did that last year but you got to have more than one year, we need to be a lot more consistent. We don’t want to be one and done.”

Saddleback’s top returning players include junior quarterback Andre Scott, lineman/linebacker Josiah Pedroza, junior tight end/defensive end Christopher Cortez and junior tackle Ralph Vargas.

Scott is looking forward to leading the Roadrunners passing and running when needed to help them win another league title.

“I look forward to doing both, I would like to pass for as many yards as I can, but if have to, I can run the ball as well,” Scott said.

“My goals for the season is to take it one day at a time, considering we are seniors ….. we sometimes forget to stop and reminisce about playing football with our brothers,” Pedroza added. “Our goal is to take it one day at a time and one week at a time.”

“My goal for this year is to break the Saddleback sack record and to lead the league in sacks again,” Cortez said.

Cortez said he believes he’s within six of the sack record of 20.

“One of my goals for this season is to work hard not only as an individual, but as a team,” Vargas added.

Saddleback opens the season Friday, Aug. 22 hosting Santiago.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com