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Sports

Murrieta Valley, Vista Murrieta Prep for Varsity Football Season

A look at how Vista Murrieta and Murrieta Valley teams are shaping up for the upcoming season.

In this second of two installments on area varsity football, Patch takes a look at how the Vista Murrieta and Murrieta Valley teams are shaping up for the upcoming season.

Murrieta Valley

Murrieta Valley’s varsity is led by head coach Greg Ireland. The Nighthawk’s spread-style offense returns several key players from last year’s 6-5 team (3-2 league).

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Among those to watch include junior quarterback Andrew Blake, coming into the year with 189.8 passing yards per game, 1,708 yards passing, 17 touchdowns and 110 yards rushing; and senior running back Jack Magpusao, coming in with 5.2 yards per carry and 9 yards per catch.

It's predicted that Magpusao will be the primary back and get the brunt of the carries, according to Athletic Director Darin Mott.

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Defensively, keep an eye on senior Noah Johnson, who brings 4.7 tackles per game, senior Samuel Allen with 4.0 tackles per game, and Charlie McKee, who was ranked fourth in league for interceptions.

“Noah is probably our top college prospect,” playing at defensive end, Mott said. “He’s great off the ball—a great pass rusher. He’s...the mainstay on the interior defensive line.”

Brandon Moore will handle the punting duties once again.

The Nighthawks open up their 2011 schedule by hosting Tahquitz at 7p.m. Sept. 2. The Red and Black see their first league action six weeks later on Oct. 14 at Temecula Valley.

Vista Murrieta

In athletic director Ray Moore’s office, there are two walls full of Vista Murrieta team photos and patches from the 2010-2011 sports season.

In the school’s gym, banners grace much of the wall space, noting their league, CIF-Southern Section, and State championship triumphs since the school’s inception in 2003.

The Broncos’ focus this year is to once again stress the team approach to a successful football program.

Last year, “it wasn’t until about the fourth week of the season before we knew what kind of team we had,” Moore said.

Head coach Coley Candaele guided last year’s team to a 12-2 record (5-0 league). The Broncos made it all the way to the CIF-SS Championship game in December against Corona Centennial, losing in a heartbreaker, 45-21.

Statistically speaking, leading returners for the Broncos are all on defense.

These include senior defensive lineman Jeremy Castro, with 9.1 tackles per game and 2 fumble recoveries, senior defensive back Darion Williams with 7.9 tackles per game, junior linebacker Sua Cravens with 6.9 tackles per game and five fumble recoveries, senior linebacker Randy Perez with 6.2 tackles per game and 112 interception yards, and senior defensive back Elijah Brown with 4.9 tackles per game and one touchtown.

Kicker/punter Tyler Rausa returns for his senior year, having recorded 68 points-after-touchdown during last season’s campaign.

Fall practice begins today. The Broncos begin their 2011 conquest hosting Etiwanda at 7 p.m. Sept. 9. Their first league game is at Chaparral, Oct. 14.

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