Marina to sport “new” look in 2000 season

Mike Sciacca, Independent

There will be some new faces - a few from familiar places - doting

the Marina High varsity football roster in the 2000 season, but, mixed

with the return of some key veterans, the ingredients are there for the

Vikings to continue upon last season’s success.

The “new” starts right at the top with the arrival of Mike Dodd as

head coach, trickles down to a coaching staff that, despite a few

veterans, also has some new names, and continues to a roster that must

fill the void left by the departure of a successful talented offensive

line, and the Sunset League’s 1999 Most Valuable Player, running back Ray

Mietkiewicz.

“There is a lot of newness to this season,” said Dodd, who spent the

last 19 years as the varsity baseball coach at Huntington Beach High. “We

have a new (coaching) staff, new offensive philosophy, and some new

linemen. But, this team is excited. We’ve worked hard in the weight room,

and I think that if we stay injury-free, we could be a good football

team.”

Right off the bat, opponents might be surprised by the absence of the

graduated Mietkiewicz, who left Marina with 11 school records in tow.

But while most opposing teams were focused on Mietkiewicz last season,

the 2000 Vikings, as a whole, might be tougher to contain.

Simply put, Marina possesses great team speed. It starts in the

offensive backfield with quarterback Beau Brown and running backs Kevin

Rodriguez and Turill Engelman, and spreads to two-way players wide

receiver/cornerback Aaron Williams, and linebacker/tight end Inoke Tukia,

and linebacker/running back Adam Hayward.

Seniors Brown, Williams, and Tukia, along with junior Hayward, return

with honors.

“We really do have great team speed,” Dodd said. “Our quickness

definitely is the best asset of this football team.”

Also one of the team’s strengths is at linebacker with Tukia and

Hayward leading the charges. Most of the Vikings secondary returns,

giving Dodd, what he feels, is a “good defensive team.”

“I really do feel that we will be a good defensive team,” he said.

“The key to this team’s success, however, will be our offensive and

defensive lines. They both must be ready to play, and staying injury-free

will be vital to that success.”

Marina posted a 5-5-1 record in ‘99, but that record is deceiving. The

Vikings drew larger than normal crowds last year, and school spirit

soared with the team’s success, which included victories over Edison and

Fountain Valley in consecutive weeks, a third-place finish in the Sunset

League, and a berth in the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.

The 2000 Vikings will find out right off the bat just where they

stand, as a formidable nonleague schedule features four teams that

reached the playoffs in their respective divisions a year ago.

Marina opens by hosting San Gabriel Valley League runner-up Paramount,

as Dodd returns to his former stomping grounds, Huntington Beach High,

for the Sept. 8th opener at Sheue Field. Next comes a huge road test at

defending Division VI and Sea View League champion Newport Harbor,

followed by an equally stiff challenge at reigning Suburban League champ

Mayfair. The Vikings then take on neighborhood rival Westminster, before

closing their nonleague schedule with a home game against El Toro, the

South Coast League runner-up in ’99.

“It’s a very challenging nonleague schedule, so we’ll have to be

prepared from the very first game,” Dodd said. “A schedule like that can

only get us ready for league play.”

Marina jumps from the fire into the frying pan in the sixth week of

the season: Sunset League play opens for the Vikings on Oct. 12 at

Veterans Stadium in Long Beach against defending league champion and

Division I semifinalist, Los Alamitos.

“I feel that the Sunset League will be as balanced a race as ever,

with Edison and Fountain Valley being tough, along with powers Esperanza

and Los Alamitos,” Dodd predicted. “Huntington Beach also will be better

than last year, but all we can do is worry about Marina.

“We know how tough the Sunset League is, but we think we can be a very

competitive team. But for now, our concern is Paramount.”