Bryce AldertonBlack and white, night and day,...

Bryce Alderton

Black and white, night and day, hot and cold.

No matter the comparison, these juxtapositions could adequately

describe the Orange Coast College football team’s offensive and

defensive units for the 2003 season.

For every certainty involving Coast’s defense, there is an equal

question marks circling around an offense ranked 10th among 12

Mission Conference teams last season.

Competition for spots heated up in the preseason and now that the

regular season is here, the coaches will be looking ever more closely

at their combatants from week-to-week.

Here’s a position-by-position look at the Pirates:

Quarterback: Freshman Beau Budde, listed at 6-foot-3 and 210

pounds, led San Clemente High to the CIF Southern Section Division II

semifinals last fall as a senior and impressed the coaching staff

enough in two preseason intrasquad scrimmages to earn the starting

nod last week against Glendale.

“Budde is tall and has a strong arm,” Coach Mike Taylor, entering

his fifth season, said.

But lurking closely behind is sophomore Kelika Higa (6-0, 175),

who is not afraid to run the ball in the open field if passing

targets are too closely covered. Higa is active in the pocket while

Budde is more of a true drop-back passer.

Derek Aspinwall, who started the final eight games at quarterback

a year ago, decided to redshirt this season and will transfer to a

four-year school in the fall. Aspinwall completed 42.1% of his passes in 10 games while amassing 930 yards and four touchdowns in 2002.

Ken Valbuena, a backup to Aspinwall last year and a former

first-team All-Pacific Coast League quarterback at Estancia High,

transferred to Golden West along with brother, Danny.

Running backs: A wealth of newcomers at the tailback and halfback

positions give Coast a whole new look for 2003.

Gone are first-team all-state tailback Niles Mittasch, who moved

back to Eugene, Ore., his hometown, and is redshirting at the

University of Oregon while completing his associate’s degree. Steven

Mahelona, a bruising fullback who led Coast with 5.6 yards per carry,

will play for Tusculum College, a Division II school in Greeneville,

Tenn.

The losses don’t seem to bother Taylor, who likes the infusion of

talent.

“We are better at running back than a year ago. We have more

depth,” Taylor said. “But losing Mahelona and Mittasch will hurt.”

Mittasch finished seventh in the conference in all-purpose yards a

year ago, averaging just more than 113 per game.

The tailback position is receiving some international flavor from

Roderick Haynes (5-9, 190), who played for a department of defense

school in Germany. His father served in Baghdad for the United States

Army during the recent war.

Haynes is a physical specimen, according to Taylor. In workouts he

has lifted 225 pounds 16 consecutive times.

“He is flashy,” Taylor said.

Freshman Chris Vega, a 5-10, 185-pound tailback from Wrightwood

High has impressed coaches in preseason workouts and should vie for

the starting role along with Haynes.

Freshmen Jimmy Niutapuai and Tim Ioane bring bulk at halfback.

Niutapuai (6-0, 270) was the leading rusher for Huntington Beach High

before an injury sidelined him last season. Ioane (6-0, 230) is from

Tustin High. Freshman Jamel Foreman attended state-champion Reedley a

year ago, while sophomore Harry Faciane brings an added option out of

the backfield and will see action on special teams, Taylor said.

Freshman Jacob Dutton, from Douglas High in Alaska, didn’t play

last year, but was teammates with guard Emil West as a prep.

Freshman Darrell Hawkins, from Oklahoma City, will compete for

playing time at tailback.

Taylor has been impressed with Hawkins’ moves.

“From the highlight films, he reminds me of Eric Dickerson, a

low-ground guy,” Taylor said.

Receivers: Sophomore Coleman Menke leads returners in receptions

(24) and receiving yards (222) and will see action at split end this

season. Sophomore Jermaine Snell, an Estancia product, backs up

Menke.

“[Menke] runs routes well and is comparable to [Ryan] Partridge at

Golden West,” Taylor said.

Partridge caught 41 passes for 472 yards to lead all Rustlers and

finished fourth in the conference in receptions per game with 4.1.

At flanker, Justin Humalon (6-2, 220), comes from St. Louis High

in Honolulu while Andrew Taylor enters his sophomore season.

Height at receiver excites Taylor.

“We are basically 6-2 across the board,” he said.

Tight end: Duties could fall to one of four players, including

freshman Jon Garcia (6-2, 230), along with Sage Hill product Scott

Cho. Caleb Crow, also at 230 pounds, gives Coast added muscle. Garcia

bulked up after playing at 185 in high school.

“We are better at tight end, but we have to block better [than

last year],” Taylor said.

Offensive line: This may be the biggest area of uncertainty, but

one Taylor believes needs to get good in a hurry if the Pirates are

going to be successful.

Sophomore center Emil West (6-2, 275) and guard Adrian Mejia (6-2,

275) are the only returners among a group that featured four

sophomores a year ago who all are playing at four-year schools this

fall.

“They are our anchor guys,” Taylor said.

Blake Sorber, a 322-pound tackle from Huntington Beach High who

played in the Orange County All-Star game in July, leads the pack in

the battle for the other tackle spot with Hoku Van Den Handel right

behind.

“[Sorber] is the best incoming freshman on paper,” Taylor said.

West may move to center, but freshmen Kyle Collins (6-3, 307) from

Trabuco Hills and Jesse Glover will also vie for the spot.

A.J. Paulino and Evan Carl, both freshmen, can play guard and

Ricky Mercado (6-0, 311) out of Saddleback High, returns after

grayshirting last year. Sophomore Ryan Pahua ( 6-5, 305), gives Coast

another option at tackle.

Taylor said he and his staff should solidify the lineup after the

first two games.

“The line is young, but will have to progress quickly,” he said.

“The early games will allow them to solidify as a group.”

Defensive line: Taylor said the front four could be the best Coast

has had in a long time.

Four sophomores return from a defense that allowed a little more

than 136 yards a game on the ground, fourth-fewest in the conference.

Leading the charge will be tackle Jesse Mahelona (6-2, 295), a

first-team all-state honoree as a freshman who tied for the team lead

with six sacks and finished first with nine tackles for a loss.

Mahelona has received scholarship offers from UCLA, Washington,

Arizona State, Oregon and Oklahoma.

He will be joined on the line by fellow sophomore tackle Nick

Moghaddam, a Newport Harbor High graduate, along with ends Ryan

Miller, a second-team all-conference pick a year ago, and Bryan

Meers.

Competition figures to come from freshman end Justin Williams, a

member of Mission Viejo’s CIF Southern Section Division II

championship team last fall. Williams was Most Valuable Defensive

Player in Orange County All-Star game in July. Freshmen Ikaika

Medrano and Charles Luna impressed Taylor in the early practices.

Linebackers: The linebacking corps is just as tough as last

year’s unit and features a blend of speed and power.

Returning is Dallas DeFries (6-0, 215) along with middle ‘backers

Chris Cassidy, Beau Gertz and Andy Howe.

“Howe is the speed guy on defense,” Taylor said.

Freshman Joe Mitchell, a 210-pound outside ‘backer from El Modena,

earned second-team all-county recognition a year ago, Taylor said.

Taylor said Howe and Mitchell have speed and he expects big plays

from Cassidy (6-1, 215). Duke is eyeing Cassidy, Taylor said.

“Cassidy would have to be the guy starting at middle backer,”

Taylor said.

Sophomore Sherrod Guidry gives Taylor, the team’s defensive

coordinator, an added weapon stopping the run.

“We need six guys to make plays,” he said.

Freshman Scott Drake from North Tahoe High is just “learning the

system and gotten stronger in camp,” Taylor added.

“He is one of those tough guys who just wants to play.”

Secondary: This unit made its share of key interceptions last year

(11) and has a wealth of players jockeying for spots this fall.

Sophomores Una Latu and Nick Dominelli lead the cast at the strong

and free safety, respectively. Dominelli, first-team all-conference a

year ago, led in both yards per interception (42.8) and in

interception return yards (171). He had a team-leading four

interceptions. Dominelli enters his fourth year after redshirting his

freshman season at Division I-AA Youngstown State before transferring

to Saddleback, where he didn’t play after losing a year of

eligibility.

“If I had to pick four leaders on the team, Dominelli would be one

of them,” Taylor said.

Kelvin Beatty returns as a starting cornerback while freshman

Marcus Angeles leads the pack on the opposite side. Freshman Brandon

Price is also an athletic corner out of Oklahoma. Freshman John

Jenkins is from the same Eugene, Ore. school that produced Niles

Mittasch, Miller and Jason Brooks. Brooks intercepted two passes as a

Pirate a year ago, but is ineligible this season and returned to

Oregon to continue his studies.

Stiff competition at corner will likely come from freshmen Andy

Avila and Josh Cronkite.

Freshman David Mendoza, a walk-on at Washington State last year

who suffered a groin injury and didn’t get significant playing time,

will vie for a safety spot while Taylor is high on freshman Chuckie

Linman, who sat out last year after competing at Edison High.

“[Linman] is the strongest and fastest guy on the team,” Taylor

said.

Linman overpowered his teammates at Coast’s fall testing last

month when he bench-pressed 225 pounds 27 times, edging Mahelona by

one.

“The sky is the limit for [Linman],” Taylor said.

That phrase could apply to the entire defense, as long as it can

stay healthy.

“Across the board we have more athletes and that is important

because you have to be able to cover,” Taylor said. “We have to do

things the right way with attention to detail.”

Kicking game: Mike DeHart, a sophomore who attended Huntington

Beach, leads the battle for kicker with sophomore Kevin Ramsey close

behind.

Bryce Sheridan, a Costa Mesa High grad, returns after averaging

37.1 yards per punt last year, with a long of 61. DeHart, who did not

play last year, could be the backup at punter.