COSTA MESA Mustangs

Barry Faulkner

After a tumultuous 2001 season, a shadow was cast, once again,

over the 2002 Costa Mesa High football program during the offseason.

But this time, it signaled a blessing, in the form of junior Moreno

Valley transfer lineman Luke Sapolu, the son of former San Francisco

49ers offensive lineman Jesse Sapolu.

“(Luke) has been a very pleasant surprise,” said Mustangs Coach

Dave Perkins, who recalled the day he learned of his 5-foot-11,

220-pound two-way starter’s arrival.

“I was sitting in my office, when this huge guy walks in,

darkening my doorway, with a big kid behind him,” Perkins said. “He

said ‘My name is Jesse Sapolu and this is my son, Luke.’

“From Day One, Luke has fit in and he has obviously learned a few

tricks of the trade from his dad.”

Most of the other pieces in the personnel puzzle seem also to have

fit together nicely for the Mustangs, who enter their first season in

the Golden West League as a title contender.

Here’s a position-by-position breakdown:

Quarterback: This is one of few areas of uncertainty, as junior

Brian Knox (6-1, 180) and senior Tim Iller (5-10, 175) are continuing

their preseason battle for the starting nod.

“We’re going to evaluate them through the scrimmage (Sept. 6

against La Quinta and Magnolia) then take it from there,” said

Perkins, who said the battle may extend into the preleague campaign,

which opens Sept. 13 against Corona del Mar.

Neither candidate threw a single varsity pass last season and

whomever wins the job, won’t need to ice their shoulder after games.

“We’re going to run the ball,” Perkins has proclaimed, rendering

his passing “attack” a mere deterrence to opponents who want to load

the box with defenders.

“When people show us a nine-man front, (Knox and/or Iller) should

be able to do some things to make them pay,” Perkins said.

“(Iller) is a quiet leader who is very good at running the offense

and he can get outside the pocket and throw the ball,” Perkins said.

Iller saw some action last year on defense, starting two games at

cornerback and one at end.

“(Knox) is more of a five-step drop guy,” Perkins said. “Both

bring a little something different to the table.”

Ryan French, a rare freshman on the varsity roster, will

quarterback the junior varsity. Perkins said he does not see a more

expanded role for French, unless injuries intervene.

Running backs: Senior Keola Asuega (6-1, 200) rushed for 1,047

yards and 15 touchdowns last season, after posting 834 yards and 13

TDs on the ground as a sophomore. After opening last season at

tailback, he started the last eight games at fullback and Perkins

said he will see time at both positions this fall.

“He’s the guy who is going to make us go,” Perkins said of the

quick and powerful standout, who will also start at outside

linebacker and is being recruited from several Division I-A schools.

Asuega, plagued in the past by foot problems, has been running at

full speed with the help of specially fitted orthotics. Perkins said

he has shown no signs of slowing down during the offseason.

“He’s bigger, stronger and faster than last year,” Perkins said.

“He has really worked hard to prepare himself to have a good season.”

Junior Omar Ruiz, who rushed for 215 yards and four TDs as a

sophomore, is the projected starter at tailback. Though only 5-8,

150, Perkins believes Ruiz will present a problem for opposing

tacklers.

“He’s a little deceptive,” Perkins said. “He reads blocks very

well and he is hard to bring down. He has a knack for bouncing off

people and he’s a lot stronger than he was last year.”

Junior Epenesa, a 6-3, 215-pound junior, and Daniel Cheeseboro

(5-8, 155) , a junior transfer from Eisenhower High in Rialto, are

additional backfield weapons, according to Perkins. Epenesa, who will

start at middle linebacker, is more of a fullback type, while

Cheeseboro is more of a tailback or wingback. In the latter role, he

will get some carries on the Fly sweep, which begins with the runner

in motion, before taking the handoff as he intersects the

quarterback.

Senior Tyler Waldron is the projected starter at wingback, which

will be the featured ball carrier on counter plays, Perkins said. He

could also be a valuable receiver, having caught seven passes for 48

yards as a junior.

Receivers: Senior Nate Hunter was the team’s leading receiver last

season, before being sidelined by a broken ankle in Week 2. He

finished the year with eight receptions for 96 yards.

Perkins said Hunter has sparkled catching the ball in the spring

and summer and views his aggressiveness as a big boost to the

Mustangs’ running game.

“The thing about Nate is that he’s a terrific blocker,” Perkins

said. “He can really ear-hole guys (blindside defenders in the side

of the helmet), so we have to slow him down against some of our

scout-team guys in practice.”

Hunter, an outside linebacker, is another of the Mustangs’ two-way

starters, but Perkins believes an offseason emphasis on conditioning

will allow his athletes to withstand the rigors of such double duty.

Junior Al Rodriguez (5-7, 135) and sophomore Garrett Walthers

(6-2, 185) are backups.

Tight end: Junior Gary Gonzalez (5-11, 200) has asserted himself

as the starter after displaying talent and a solid work ethic over

the spring and summer.

“He’s come 100 miles from where he was last year,” said Perkins,

who cites Gonzalez’s ability to find the seams in a defense as one of

his strengths.

Jeff Waldron, a 6-3, 195-pound sophomore, and Daniel Cooper, a

6-2, 185-pound junior, provide depth.

Offensive line: Sopolu’s skills help make this group, which

includes three returning staters, one of the team’s strengths.

Senior Andrew Carich (6-0, 260), was a first-team All-Pacific

Coast League and All-Newport-Mesa performer at left guard last season

and should be a dominant force in his third season as a varsity

starter.

Senior Paul Martin (6-3, 280) started all 11 games at left tackle

last year and will be much improved after an impressive offseason,

according to his coach.

The Carich-Martin duo should make the left side a frequent

destination for Mesa backs.

“Those two guys are experienced and they really come off the

ball,” Perkins said.

Junior Brett Via (6-0, 210) , shifts to right guard after starting

virtually all last year at center. He will be joined on the right

side by Sapolu at tackle, while senior Chris Reed (5-9, 205) is

projected to start at center.

“We moved Brett to guard, because he runs so well and getting our

guards out on the corners (pulling) is a big part of our offense.”

Sapolu opened practice with a cast over a broken right thumb, but

Perkins anticipates no problems with the injury.

Junior David Vernotico (5-8, 240) is the primary backup at guard

and tackle, Perkins said.

Sophomore Rodrigo Gutierrez (6-1, 260), junior Marc Daniels (5-10,

215) and sophomore Carlos Soto (6-1, 220) will back up at tackle,

while sophomore guard Joe Ortiz (6-0, 215) and center Bryce Carich

(6-0, 225) also add depth in the trenches.

Defensive line: The noseguard duo of junior Borotha Pov (5-11,

315) and senior Omar Ixta (5-7, 140) provide a stark contrast, and

potentially a confounding night, for opposing blockers.

“They’re both difficult to block for different reasons,” said

Perkins, who will rotate the two in the double flex scheme.

Pov started seven games up front last fall.

Martin and Sapolu are projected to start at the end spots, where

Andrew Carich may also see action, according to Perkins. Perkins

cites Sapolu as the best pass-rusher among this group.

Ortiz and Daniels are additional backups at end.

Linebackers: Asuega and Hunter outside, as well as Epenesa in the

middle, give the Mustangs “skill-position” talent at linebacker.

Via will start at one inside spot, while Gonzalez is the

front-runner at the other in the five-linebacker scheme.

Perkins, entering his 20th season as a head coach, said this group

may be the best he has ever coached.

“One of the reasons we went back to the double flex was that we

had so many good linebackers this year,” Perkins said.

Jeff Waldron will back up Asuega and Cooper does the same for

Hunter, while inside-middle backups include Walthers, senior newcomer

Robert Rodriguez and junior Cole Edwards.

Secondary: Senior Luis Gonzalez, who started all 11 games at

cornerback as a junior, will handle the wide side of the field this

fall, while Al Rodriguez is projected to start at the other corner.

Tyler Waldron steps in at free safety for graduated Freddy

Rodriguez, an all-league and all-district performer who collected

five of his 12 career varsity interceptions last season.

In all, the Mustangs intercepted 17 passes last season, but only

Tyler Waldron, Gary Gonzalez and Ruiz (one each) are back after

contributing to that total.

Cheeseboro could fill in at corner or safety, while Ruiz and

sophomore Jamison Morris provide depth at cornerback. Junior Chris

Johnson is a backup safety.

Perkins believes this collection of athletes, almost exclusively

trusted with man coverage, will allow him to blitz more than last

season.

Kicking game: Hunter is the front-runner to handle field goals,

PATs and kickoffs and should also open the season as the punter,

Perkins said. He booted two conversions last fall in the season

opener, before getting hurt.

Tyler Waldron and Gary Gonzalez could also help out in the kicking

department, if need be.

Asuega, Sapolu and Epenesa are all quality long-snappers, while

Cheeseboro, Ruiz, Tyler Waldron and Al Rodriguez are among the

candidates to return punts and kickoffs.

Perkins also said Ortiz and Morris will be counted upon to fill

large roles on many special teams.