Barry Faulkner COSTA MESA -- As the...

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA -- As the featured weapon -- perhaps target would be a

better word -- in a struggling offense, and with a nose for the ball

on defense, it would not be a stretch to estimate Estancia High

senior Lewis Bradshaw spent about half of last season at the bottom

of the pile.

A look at Bradshaw’s No. 12 jerseys (home and away), brand new to

start 2001 but now hopelessly stained with grass dirt and a few other

shades the weekly struggles under stadium lights produce, would

clearly confirm this hypothesis. Bradshaw himself commented on the

rather dingy state of his game gear when presented with his red home

jersey for a recent preseason photo shoot.

Second-year Estancia coach Jay Noonan would like nothing better

than to diminish the wear and tear on both Bradshaw and his laundry

this fall. But, if that means taking his two-way standout off the

field, Noonan would rather recommend Eagle equipment manager Tony

Cabassa use a fortified detergent and/or a pre-wash liquid-stain

remover.

“Lewis doesn’t want to come off the field and, frankly, I like him

on it, too,” said Noonan, who believes the talented 6-foot-3,

183-pound quarterback and safety has a set of skills so ample, they

could translate into a handful of other positions, as well.

“He would be our best receiver,” said Noonan, who, in other

circumstances, might have tried his college prospect at running back,

tight end, defensive end, linebacker, even the offensive line.

Alas, others will have to man those battle stations for the

Eagles, who, return four starters on offense and four on defense from

last year’s 0-9 unit.

Here’s an early position-by-position review of this year’s

Estancia depth chart:

Quarterback: Though sacked 19 times and buried dozens of others as

the trigger man in the Eagles’ split-back veer option, Bradshaw

managed to not only survive, but sparkle in his first season as a

varsity starter. He completed 77 of 165 pass attempts for 788 yards

and eight touchdowns, while throwing only four interceptions. He also

wound up with 171 rushing yards, despite the aforementioned sacks, on

122 attempts, en route to All-Newport-Mesa honors.

Under the tutelage of new quarterback coach Josh Tribe, Bradshaw

has improved his footwork and mechanics and aims to cash in the

experience he gained last year.

“Lewis understands the game a lot more this year,” said Noonan,

who believes Bradshaw will also benefit from a more experienced

offensive line, which has been well fortified by an offseason

weightlifting program. “He’ll be able to focus more on technique this

year, whereas, last year, he was just trying to do anything he could

back there to survive.”

Bradshaw’s improved passing skills were apparent over the summer,

when he helped the Eagles win the consolation championship of the San

Marcos High passing league tournament.

Brad Young, a junior transfer from Fountain Valley, is the backup

and Noonan said he will give him a taste of game action at some point

in the preleague season.

“Brad will play some this year,” Noonan said. “He could also play

in order for us to use Bradshaw at receiver in some situations.”

Running backs: Bobby Estrada, who played his first two seasons at

Estancia, before spending last year at Saddleback, may end up being

the featured back in league play. But, still recovering from a broken

collarbone sustained during the summer, the 5-8, 180-pound tailback

will likely be held out of the first few games, in order to insure

his health for the more critical league portion of the schedule.

While Estrada heals, junior Kyle Allen (5-7, 170), a transfer from

Newport Harbor, will get the chance to spearhead the running game.

“Bobby is a slasher who is 180 pounds of solid muscle and Kyle has

the ability to run away from tacklers and run over them,” Noonan

said.” Both like contact and both are very quick.”

Junior newcomer Art Harris (5-6, 150) and sophomore Geo Macias

(5-10, 185) are also in the tailback mix.

Macias, the fastest player on the team (4.5 seconds in the 40-yard

dash), was the featured ball carrier on the freshman team last

season. He also saw spot duty on the varsity as a part-time kicker.

The fullback position will be handled by committee. Junior Bubba

Kapko (5-10, 195), a returning starter at inside linebacker, junior

Mater Dei transfer Mike Cahill (6-1, 215) and junior Cullen Crom

(5-11, 185) will all get opportunities to run the dive play.

“When the fullbacks don’t get the ball, they’re hammering someone

as a blocker,” Noonan said.

Receivers: Senior Erik Andersen (6-1, 185), who started last

season at defensive end, and senior Marco Villalvazo, expected to

recover from a torn meniscus that left him on crutches the first day

of pads, should be Bradshaw’s leading receiving targets, while senior

Javy Ramirez (5-9, 155), senior Louis Valdes Jr. (5-8, 140) and

sophomore Dwight Horton (5-10, 150) have also shown the quickness to

get open.

Jason Johnston, an athletic junior expected to shift from

quarterback to receiver, underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason

and is out for the year.

Macias and sophomore Ryan Sanford could also supply depth here.

Tight end: Senior Tim Bates (6-5, 255), who gained 70 pounds after

starting one game at tight end last season, has been shifted to the

offensive line, leaving an opening expected to be filled by 6-4,

225-pound senior newcomer Jermaine Young. A former basketball player

with plenty of athleticism, Young is also expected to start at

defense end.

“He did some very good things in our passing league games,” Noonan

said.

Senior Fabrizio Gutierrez (6-2, 195) and senior Roger Bolanos

(6-1, 195) could also see action here, particularly if the two-way

burden is too much for Young, in his first season of football, to

handle.

“(Gutierrez) has really come out of nowhere and stepped up this

year,” Noonan said.

Bryce McKendry, a 6-3, 195-pound sophomore, also supplies depth.

Offensive line: Senior Matt Morrell (6-3, 265), who earned

second-team all-league recognition at right tackle last season after

transferring from Newport Harbor, will shift to right guard, where he

is expected to anchor a unit Noonan considers one of the team’s

biggest strengths.

Junior Gary Strawn (6-1, 280), who split his nine starts last year

between guard and tackle, will start at left tackle, while senior

Joseph Hernandez (6-0, 250) is the returning starter at center.

Sophomore Ian Morton (6-4, 290), begins work on a bright future as

the projected starter at right tackle, while Senior Sergio Arreola

(6-0, 260) will apply his extreme quickness as the starting left

guard.

“These guys have worked very hard and (no-nonsense offensive line

coach Phil Fogelsong, new to the program) has really done a lot to

shape the identity of this group,” Noonan said.

“If you can’t reclaim territory in the trenches, you’re not going

to win and be successful and we weren’t strong enough up front to do

that last year. But we’ll be much more physical and these guys

average about 270 pounds. They finished third behind Edison and Los

Alamitos in an offensive line competition during the summer and I

think that has done good things for their confidence.”

Noonan believes Morrell may get an opportunity to play at the

college level, which was another reason behind his move from tackle

to guard, since recruiters project him at one of the three inside

positions at the next level.

Junior Gary Jones (6-0, 260), a stalwart on the defensive line,

adds quality depth at guard and center, while senior Guillermo Flores

(6-0, 215), as well as Bates, could contribute at guard or tackle.

Junior Abel Bustos (6-0, 230) is a backup tackle and junior Yousif

Muradian (5-11, 190) could chip in at guard.

Defensive line: Noonan terms Jones a rock at tackle, where he

started eight games as a sophomore, while Jermaine Young is a clear

front-runner at one end spot.

“(Young) is going to be a big-time defensive end,” Noonan

predicts.

The second tackle spot could be filled with a rotation, while

McKendry held a slight early edge over Balanos in a spirited

competition for the other starting nod at end.

Among those who figure into the tackle picture are Bustos, Flores,

junior Landon Pulizzi (6-2, 235), Bates, Arreola, Hernandez and

sophomore Mike Jones (5-11, 250).

Morrell, Gutierrez and senior newcomer Oscar Nieves (5-10, 180)

are expected to back Young up at end.

Linebackers: Kapko, who started eight games last fall, and Cahill

are the projected starting duo inside, while Andersen, who started

six games at end last season, is a front-runner at one outside spot.

Brad Young, junior Mike Softa (6-0, 170), Allen and junior Joey

Marin (5-11, 180) are waging competition at the other end spot,

according to Noonan.

Crom should contribute inside, where returning defensive

coordinator Scott Wilkie may enlist a rotation.

“We’re well stocked at linebacker,” Noonan said.

Sean Harriman, who started five games at outside ‘backer last year

as a sophomore, has returned to Texas to live with his mother, Noonan

said.

Secondary: The search continues for someone to fill the big shoes

left by the graduation of Jermaine Snell, an All-PCL cornerback who

led the Eagles in tackles and shared the team lead with two

interceptions last season.

“You don’t replace a kid like Snell and we don’t have anybody

quite that good this year,” Noonan said.

Noonan considers Villalvazo a good tackler with solid coverage

skills. He will receive competition at cornerback from Valdes,

Ramirez, Macias and junior Kendall Meissner.

Noonan said Andersen could also be shifted to cornerback, if the

need arises.

Bradshaw, the only other returner with an interception (one), will

anchor the secondary at free safety, where Brad Young could provide

depth.

Sophomores David Moreno (5-11, 160) and Alex Sotomayor (5-10, 150)

are additional backups.

Kicking game: Ramirez will handle field goals and conversions,

while Macias will probably kick off.

Bradshaw returns at punter and Kapko is the leading candidate at

long-snapper.

Allen, Estrada, Ramirez, Marin, Horton and junior Omar Montillo

form the group from which the kick returners will emerge.