P’MAR ATHLETIC BUT NEEDS GAME EXPERIENCE

By ECS Staff
Updated: August 29, 2018

Palomar College sophomore Devin Nilson / Hugh Cox photo

2018 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW

PALOMAR COMETS

By Tom Saxe

SAN MARCOS (8-29-2018) – Palomar College has some major reasons for optimism as the Comets prepare to kick off the 2018 community college football season this Saturday evening with a three-hour bus ride north to take on non-conference opponent Moorpark.

Palomar, following a big recruiting year, is talented, athletic, deep and used to playing a steady diet of some of the nation’s best junior college teams year-after-year-after year, the only community college in San Diego County to play in the state’s playoff-eligible top-level division every season since state playoffs were resumed years ago.

But Joe Early, a former Comet player in his 17th season as head coach after earning his chops as an assistant on all three of Palomar’s state and national championship teams, is nothing if he is not a realist. And he is well aware that this talented group, with only 10 returnees from 2017, will have to grow up in a hurry if it intends to reach live up to its extreme potential.

Coach Joe Early talks to the team after Thursday’s scrimmage. / Tom Saxe Photo

“We’re excited to get the season going,” says Early, whose team moves from the National Division South League to the National Division Central League, which includes defending J.C. Grid-Wire national champion Fullerton College. “We have a lot of energy and athleticism. But we don’t have a lot of college-level game experience. That’s an on-the-job training deal. The conference we’re going into is definitely one of the toughest in the nation, top-to-bottom.”

Along with Fullerton and the Comets, the National Central also includes Mt. SAC, El Camino, Cerritos along with San Diego Mesa, coming up to a state playoff-eligible conference from the non-playoff eligible American Division.

The Comets have had a highly competitive battle for the starting quarterback job raging since the summer between former All-CIF San Diego Section selection RODNEY THOMPSON (St. Augustine High School / Northern Arizona University), CONNOR CURRY (former Louisiana 5A Player of the year and a transfer from Division II power Ouachita Baptist) and University of Wyoming transfer ADAM CARR. Joe Early and his brother, Offensive Coordinator Dan Early probably won’t name a starter for the opener until game time.

Mikel Barkley catches a touchdown pass in the Comets’ intrasquad scrimmage. / Hugh Cox Photo

Palomar has what could be one of best big-play receivers corps, led by returnees DEVIN NILSON (Carlsbad High) and ZAC MOREL (Vista High), 6-foot-6 former all-state high school selection LOGAN GAMBLE (Long Beach Saint Anthony High) who is a transfer from Cal Berkeley, MIKEL BARKLEY (Temecula Great Oak High) who runs 4.3 in the 40, and the El Camino High duo of MALACHI RUSSELL and JOHNNY ARMENTROUT. The Comets also have another potentially outstanding receiving and blocking tight end in 6-foot-4, 230-pound WILLIAM GONZALEZ (Murrieta Valley High).

The leader to start at running back is Grossmont High All-CIF-San Diego Section selection SHEVELL STERLING, who is being pushed by DE’VION SNEED (Vista Murrieta High). The fullback is 6-foot-1, 260-pound U.S. Army Veteran ARNOLD YODER.

The offensive line is big and athletic, including returnee JOSH CASTRELLON (6’0, 300 pounds, La Costa Canyon High) and newcomers FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ (6’4, 300 pounds, Sickels High in Tampa, FL), BRIAN LINDHOLM (6’6, 290 pounds, Moses Lake, WA), WILL EOFF (6’6, 290 pounds, Vista Murrieta High), NIKOLAS OLERUSKI (6’3, 298 pounds, Mt. Carmel High) and QUINTON MAXWELL (6’3, 340 pounds, King High in Detroit).

Defensively, some of the key Comets figure to be cornerbacks CHRIS JONES (Lincoln High) and FALAMOE STEFFANY (Vista High), nickel back and converted running back JOSH BERNARD (Oceanside High) who was the Comets’ leading rusher two years ago, linebackers SPENCER KAOANGA (Oceanside High, Air Force Prep), QUINTON GAUDET (Escondido High) and JONATHON SEGI (Oceanside High) and down linemen MARTIN BONACCI (El Camino High), ISAIAH KALEOPA-TUISEE (Oceanside High), KOA EVALU-ROBINSON (Lahainaluna High, in Maui, HI), 300-pound Northeastern State transfer NICK SO’OTO, JAYSON PACE (Temecula Chaparral High), 280-pound VAAALOTASI IEROME (Radford High in Honolulu), YUSUF LEIGH (Temecula Linfield Christian High) and JORDAN DUSON (Oceanside High).

The Comets have had a string of outstanding punters, including two that went on to the NFL, and must replace Australian TYSON DYER, now starting at the University of New Mexico who arguably was the best punter in community college football last season. It appears JACOB VOSE (El Camino High) is ready to step into his Dyer’s very large shoes.

The Comets will host Southwestern a week from Saturday evening, on Sept. 8, at Escondido High’s Chick Embrey Field at Wilson Stadium, in their home opener.

PALOMAR FOOTBALL ROSTER 2018 (As of Aug. 28 – 7:05 p.m.)

No.	Name	Pos	Yr	Ht	Wt	Hometown/High School/Previous School
1	Jay Craft	DB	Fr	5’10	170	Cherry Creek, CO/Cherry Creek/Kansas State
2	Mikel Barkley	WR	Fr	5’11	165	Temecula, CA/Great Oak
3	Zach Goodkin	RB	So	5’9	200	Carlsbad, CA/La Costa Canyon
4	Adam Carr	QB	So	6’4	215	Sherman Oaks, CA/Notre Dame/University of Wyoming
5	Shevell Sterling	RB	Fr	5’10	190	El Cajon, CA/Grossmont
6	Logan Gamble	WR	Fr	6’6	200	Long Beach, CA/St. Anthony/Cal Berkeley
7	Bryce Walker	WR	So	6’0	180	Jacksonville, FL/Bartram Trail
8	Shea Morales	QB	Fr	6’4	210	Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad
9	Jihad Hightower	DB	Fr	5’9	171	St. Johns, FL/Creekside
10	Connor Curry	QB	Fr	6’2	200	Shreveport, LA/Evangel Christian/Ouachita Baptist
11	Johnny Arzola	WR	So	6’0	195	Oceanside, CA/Oceanside/Dixie State
12	Rodney Thompson	QB	So	6’2	185	San Diego, CA/St. Augustine/Northern Arizona
13	Devin Nilson	WR	So	6’0	187	Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad
14	Johnny Armentrout	WR	Fr	5’10	175	Oceanside, CA/El Camino
15	Zach Morel	WR	So	6’2	193	Vista, CA/Vista
16	Isaiah Gonzalez	DB	Fr	5’9	175	Oceanside, CA/El Camino
18	Malachi Russell	WR	Fr	6’0	160	Oceanside, CA/El Camino
19	JonPaul Patton	DB	Fr	5’11	195	San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills
20	Kameron Bullock	DB	Fr	5’11	195	Oceanside, CA/El Camino
21	Louie Flores	DB	Fr	5’10	180	San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills
22	Chris Styles	WR	Fr	5’9	190	Modesto, CA/Modesto
23	Adrien Robinson	RB	Fr	5’10	204	Temecula, CA/Great Oak/Mt. San Jacinto CC
24	Damon Wigand	RB	Fr	5’10	180	San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills
25	Emeka Anyanwu	DB	Fr	6’3	205	San Diego, CA/Westview
26	Maxwell Milner	DB	Fr	6’3	205	San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills
27	Chris Jones	DB	Fr	5’11	170	San Diego, CA/Lincoln
28	Lamar Raboteau	RB	Fr	5’8	165	San Diego, CA/Mira Mesa
29	Josh Bernard	DB	So	5’11	205	Oceanside, CA/Oceanside
30	Falamoe Steffany	DB	Fr	6’2	170	Vista, CA/Vista
31	Jonathon Segi	LB	Fr	6’2	205	Oceanside, CA/Oceanside
32	DeVion Sneed	RB	Fr	5’9		Murrieta, CA/Vista Murrieta
33	Giovanni Herrera	DB	Fr	5’9	155	San Diego, CA/Mira Mesa
34	Quinton Gaudet	LB	Fr	6’2	200	Escondido, CA/Escondido
35	Keith Vasquez	DB	Fr	5’9	160	Valley Center, CA/Valley Center
37	Andre Meiers	DB	Fr	6’4	175	San Diego, CA/Torrey Pines
38	Quest Smith	DB	Fr	5’8	170	Valley Center, CA/Valley Center
39	Cedric Black	LB	Fr	6-0	190	Mira Mesa, CA/Mira Mesa/Southwestern
40	Tyrone Hickson	RB	Fr	5’8	177	Escondido, CA/Orange Glen
41	Efrain Contreras	RB	Fr	5’11	204	Twin Falls, ID/Twin Falls
42	Kaaianoyuikalai Lewis	DB	So	5’9	180	Hilo, HI/Hilo
43	Chris Calhoun	LB	Fr	6’1	210	San Marcos, CA/Mission Hills
44	Arnold Yoder	FB	So	6’1	260	Toledo, WA/Toledo/U.S. Army
45	Spencer Kaoanga	LB	Fr	6-1	220	Oceanside, CA/Oceanside/Air Force Prep
46	Kobe Dominguez	LB	Fr	6-2	205	Valley Center, CA/ Valley Center
47	Chris Murray	LB	Fr	6-2	195	Dallas, PA/Dallas
48	Danzalle Hollingsworth	RB	So	5’9	190	San Marcos, CA/San Marcos
49	Orion Diaz	DB	So	6’0	160	Escondido, CA/Escondido
50	Adam Gunther	LB	Fr	6’0	205	Escondido, CA/Classical Academy
51	Yusuf Leigh	DL	Fr	6’4	220	Temecula, CA/Linfield Christian
55	Donovan Pati	DE	Fr	6’3	260	Vista, CA/Vista
56	Anthony Escalante	C	Fr	6’2	240	Vista, CA/Rancho Buena Vista
57	Ryan McCowan	LS	Fr	5-8	170	Valley Center, CA/Valley Center
58	Edwin Vorachack	LS	Fr	5-10	175	Escondido, CA/Escondido
61	Jacob Vose	Punter	Fr	6’2	195	Oceanside, CA/El Camino
69	Kevin Lopez	OL	Fr	6’2	252	Escondido, CA/Escondido
70	Quinton Maxwell	OL	Fr	6’3	340	Detroit, MI/King
71	Brayton Lindholm	OL	Fr	6’6	290	Moses Lake, WA/Moses Lake
72	Zyon Coplin	OL	Fr	6’2	240	Herriman, UT/Herriman
73	Stephan Samuels	OL	Fr	6’3	240	Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad
75	Francisco Rodriguez	OL	Fr	6’4	300	Tampa, FL/Sickels
77	Nikolas Oleruski	OL	Fr	6’3	298	San Diego, CA/Mt. Carmel
78	Josh Castrellon	OL	So	6’0	300	Carlsbad, CA/La Costa Canyon
79	Will Eoff	OL	Fr	6’6	290	Murrieta, CA/Vista Murrieta
80	Brandon Montes	WR	Fr	5’9	170	Escondido, CA/Orange Glen
81	Chase McNelly	WR	Fr	5’10	165	Seattle, WA/Chief Sealth
82	Troi Fryson	WR	Fr	5’7	170	Poway, CA/Poway
83	James Palmer	WR	Fr	6’0	175	San Diego, CA/Maranatha Christian
84	Mark Meader	K	Fr	5’8	147	San Diego, CA/Del Norte
86	William Gonzalez	TE	Fr	6-4	230	Murrieta, CA/Murrieta Valley
87	De’Von Traylor	TE	Fr	6’4	236	Carson, CO/Fountain
88	Justin Coria	WR	Fr	5’10	160	Murrieta, CA/Murrieta Mesa
89	Jacob Stepanek	Punter	Fr	6’3	205	Lake Elsinore, CA/Temescal Canyon
90	Isaiah Kaleopa-Tuisee	DL	Fr	6’2	290	Oceanside, CA/Oceanside
91	Jayson Pace	DL	Fr	6’3	260	Temecula, CA/Chaparral
92	Koa Evalu-Robinson	DL	Fr	6’3	275	Maui, HI/Lahainaluna
93	Martin Bonacci	DL	Fr	6’1	230	Oceanside, CA/El Camino
94	Nick So’oto	DL	Fr	6’2	300	Bossier, LA/Parkway/Northeastern St.
95	Peter Higgs	DL	Fr	6’2	240	Vista, CA/Rancho Buena Vista
96	Jordan Duson	DL	Fr	6’1	240	Oceanside, CA/Oceanside
97	Vaaalotasi Ierome	DL	Fr	6’0	280	Honolulu, HI/Radford
98	Mason Simeta	DL	Fr	6’3	240	Lacey, WA/Tinberline
99	Isaac Tuia	DL	Fr	6’1	295	Las Vegas, NV/Bishop Gorman