Sense of urgency

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Estancia High football coach Dave Perkins doesn’t

believe Friday’s 7 p.m. season-opening nonleague clash with Magnolia at

Newport Harbor High is about working out the kinks or answering any

lingering personnel questions.

“We need to win,” said Perkins, entering his second season after a

lamentable 1-9 debut campaign.

The Eagles, with seven returning starters on offense and six on defense,

may be poised to do just that, after sharpening their game with a

full-contact camp in June, as well as last week’s scrimmage with Orange.

“Looking at the (scrimmage) film, I thought we did a pretty good job,”

Perkins said. “We made some mistakes, but our intensity was good and I

liked the way our guys responded to adversity when Orange scored early

(an estimated 70-yard touchdown run on the second play). We’ve had plenty

of time to evaluate; we need to start getting some W’s.”

The Eagles did not experience victory in their final six games last fall,

but did add seasoning for a host of sophomores and juniors who comprise

this year’s leaders.

Among those is an offensive line which returns intact, though junior

Cesar Romero has moved from guard to tackle and Josh Veach from tackle to

guard. Senior tackle Kyle Westman, a second-team All-Pacific Coast League

selection last fall, anchors the front wall, which will attempt to create

running room for some talented backfield newcomers.

Marshall Hendricks, a senior transfer from Edison, is expected to be the

featured ballcarrier this season. He missed a practice, however, and will

not start.

Senior Sean Freeman starts at wingback, with junior receiver Andy Romo

moving to tailback to fill in for Hendricks, who, Perkins said, is

expected to play.

Senior Matt Mueller starts at fullback, where junior Fahad Jahid will

also see action. Mueller is the leading rusher among returners, having

gained 111 yards in 39 carries as a junior.

Jeremy Valdes earns the nod at quarterback, but is expected to share time

with fellow junior Kenny Valbuena.

Valbuena earned second-team all-league honors after throwing for 1,154

yards and eight touchdowns (89 for 215) in eight starts last fall. He

transferred to Fountain Valley and practiced with the Barons in the

spring and summer. He returned to Estancia after three days of fall

drills, but Perkins has opted to reward Valdes for his off-season work.

Valdes is also better-suited to pose a ground threat in the Eagles’ wing

T. He completed three passes for 97 yards and a TD as a sophomore.

Raymond Romua will start at corner for Hendricks on defense, joining

fellow sophomore Freddy Rodriguez (free safety) and senior returning

corner John Alderete to combat a Magnolia passing game triggered by

returning senior quarterback Jacob Davis.

Davis, whom 10th-year Sentinels Coach Bill Friedrich considers among the

top signal callers in North Orange County, is one of six returning

starters on offense for the Orange League representative.

Peter Sekona, a 6-2, 215-pound senior, is the only one of eight

all-league picks back from last season. A second-team choice at defensive

back, he is expected to add offensive duty as the starting tailback.

Among the losses are six first-team all-leaguers, including Orange County

Male Athlete of the Year Asi Faoa. Faoa started at linebacker for UCLA in

his first collegiate game Saturday.

Magnolia comes off a 4-6 season and is nursing a four-game losing streak.

The Sentinels have not made the playoff since 1982, but have won 7 of 10

meetings with the Eagles.

Estancia is 16-18 on opening night, including wins in three of its last

four debuts.