Godinez football coach sees significant growth after team’s hard work in off-season

Godinez Coach Aron Kaye talks to his players last season. (Photo courtesy Godinez football).

Godinez High School’s football team heads into the 2023 season with some more experience than in previous years under Coach Aron Kaye.

The program has also added more players with 84 now involved in all the levels.

“We have seven returning starters on offense and two quarterbacks (Freddie Aguilar and Kevin Contreras) who both saw playing time last year and each started at least one game,” Kaye said. “Defensively, we six starters returning as well as several players who saw quite a bit of playing time.”

Top returning players include senior running back/defensive back Yahir Ramirez, a first team all-league player and the team’s leading rusher and point scorer last season.

Junior wide receiver/defensive back Juan Memije, a second team all-league player who started both ways as a sophomore and was the team’s second leading receiver and senior offensive/defensive lineman Alejandro Lopez, a second team all-league player last year, are also expected to have big seasons for the Grizzlies. Lopez will be a three-year starter.

New players to watch include junior linebacker Jason Villareal; junior wide receiver Jairo Gutierrez and junior running back/safety Chris Dominguez.

Kaye said he believes progress has been made since he returned to lead the program.

“When we came back two years ago, we knew it was going to be a three to five year process to get the program back on its feet,” he said. “We were honest with our players about the deficits and disadvantages we faced, but immediately got to work to rectify them.

“We have been so proud of our players the last couple of years, much like when we opened the school, our guys knew they were going to take their lumps in order to build the program, and have we.  We’ve now had two great years in the weight room, we are up to 84 players in the program and it really is starting to feel like football again. 

“This is a direct result of all the hard work our guys have done.  We are having a lot of fun with our players and coaching staff who are all alumni and we are excited to get back on the field this year.  This improvement is palpable. We are simply much stronger and faster than we were two years ago and our understanding of the game is growing daily.  We have real competition at multiple positions this year and it’s fun to watch our players respond.”

The quarterback position has not been decided yet.

“Freddie Aguilar and Kevin Contreras are in a knock-down, drag out battle for the QB spot and they are making it very hard for us to decide who the starter will be,” Kaye said. “Lastly, our seniors have really embraced their roll as leaders and we see them applying the lessons we’ve taught them in our senior leadership course on a daily basis. Our league, as usual will be tough so we will have our hands full, just the way it should be.”

Godinez was 1-9 overall and 0-3 in the Pac-4 League last season.

2023 Schedule:

Home games at Santa Ana Valley

Friday, Aug. 18, (H), vs. Saddleback

Friday, Aug. 25, at La Quinta (Garden Grove)

Friday, Sept. 1, (H) vs. Magnolia

Friday, Sept. 8, at Santa Ana Valley

Thursday, Sept. 14, (H) vs. Rancho Alamitos

Friday, Sept. 22 (H) vs. Century

Friday, Sept. 29, at Glenn

Thursday, Oct. 12 (H) vs. Westminster

Friday, Oct. 20 at Laguna Beach

Friday, Oct. 27 at Ocean View

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

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