Christian moving to City, looks to win D2

By ECS Staff
Updated: August 11, 2015

NOTE: This is the third of a 13-part series that will take a look at each football team that East County Sports.com covers. Each day, we will look at a different school, leading up to the final preview which will be published on the day that most of the teams in East County have their scrimmage leading into the 2015 season. This edition we look at how the Christian High Patriots look as they move to the City League.

By Chris Davis
© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (8-11-15) — You know sometimes people, schools, companies have just an embarrassment of riches. Such is the case at Christian High. By one publication in San Diego, they have one of the top five quarterbacks in DAVID TODD JEREMIAH (see video above), a top five running back in ADRIAN PETTY, linebacker/fullback JOEY MORONES, wide receiver NICK SEXTON, but other than that they don’t have much. (Sarcasm duly noted I hope)

Head Coach MATT OLIVER’s team does have its question marks even with all of the talent that they have coming back. Coach Oliver is concerned, like most teams, about his depth. “Our question is depth,” the sixth year head man said.

Position Breakdown:
Quarterbacks: When you have a returning All-State member, chances are you are set at that position. That is the case with the Patriots as they return Jeremiah, or as his teammates call him DTJ. If the worst happens and DTJ goes down to injury, wide receivers BRANDON HESTER or ETHAN CONTRERAS would be the backup. “We’d stay with the varsity guys and not bring up BRADLEY JEREMIAH from JV,” said the five-time CIF champion coach.

Running backs:
The first two names are obviously Petty and Morones. Below them on the depth chart is senior MICHAEL TOBIASON. “I think he could start for a lot of teams in the county,” Oliver said of Tobiason.

Photo (c) East County Sports.com

Wide receivers:
Speed kills, it also can’t be taught. It is something that Nick Sexton, BEN “THEO” GOODWIN both have that quality in excess. “Theo ran a 4.4 (in the 100 yard dash). Sexton, Petty, Theo and Tobiason are four of the fastest guys in the county,” stated Oliver quite matter-of-factly.

But you also have Hester, JACOB SANDUSKY, Contreras and JASON LYON in on that group.

Photo (C) East County Sports.com

Tight ends/Offensive line:
With the departure of CHAD HUMPHRIES (26-533-8) to graduation, it opens the door for others to step up and take the position.

The offensive line has three returners from a season ago. So there is room for others to catch the coaching staff’s eye. “If we don’t have blocking, we don’t have anything,” the veteran coach said. While the line has some holes, it is a positive thing that the depth is better than in years past.

Defensive line:
With the departure of both defensive ends from a year ago, sophomore GARRET NIELSEN and senior TY NICHOLS will fill in those spots according to the coach. Others on the line include DANIEL GUERRERO, COLE LEHTO, JONATHAN STINE amongst others.

Linebackers:
“Last year linebackers were a weakness for us, but they will be a strength this season,” the coach said. However, with a pair of linebackers coming back that looks to be a strength this season. Morones and NATE CAZARES will be returning to their spots to give some veteran leadership to the defense. Others that look to help out are Hester, ISAAC ROSENTHAL, DAVID MORENO, GARRETT FLETCHER.

Defensive backs:
Contreras returns to his safety spot which he racked up 41 tackles and three interceptions. “It is a pretty athletic group,” said Oliver about the DB’s.

Special teams:
“We have (KYLE THOMPSON) who has been highly recruited, Air Force and all kinds of folks looking at him,” said Oliver of his kicker and punter.

The Schedule:
The season will be challenging. “There are no softies on it,” Oliver said of the schedule. The first road trip will not be a short one as it is all the way out in Brawley. The Wildcats have won the three of the last five Imperial Valley titles and won 21 games over the same period of time.

September starts off with a much shorter trip. Just to West Santee to take on West Hills. A week later a trip to East Los Angeles with a match-up with Salesian High. The bye week comes the third week of the month. The first of four straight home games beginning with Imperial, who has taken the Imperial Valley league when Brawley hasn’t.

October begins with a Saturday contest against La Jolla out of the Western League. Six days later, Patrick Henry comes to Valley Stadium where Christian plays their home games to begin City League action. Homecoming will be on the 16^th when Serra, with their new head coach, comes to El Cajon. The back end of the month sees the Patriots back on the road with road games against Morse (23^rd) and Hoover (30^th).

November’s lone contest is a non-league contest against Scripps Ranch.

Overall, it is going to be tough to match last year’s success (13-1) but this could be a great season for the Patriots.