Marina negotiates deep waters

When it comes to playing some of the best prep football programs in

Orange County, the Marina High Vikings certainly are one team that

doesn’t shy away.

That will be the case again in 2005, when Marina plays a killer

nonleague schedule before heading into one of the premiere football

leagues in the CIF Southern Section -- the Sunset League.

“Again, we will be tested early with a very difficult preseason

schedule,” said Coach Mike Dodd, who begins his sixth year at the

helm.

Marina begins its 2005 campaign Friday in Rancho Cucamonga against

Los Osos.

The Vikings will attempt to tackle that schedule with new faces at

some skill positions, though they are bolstered by experience at

other key spots.

Back for another go-round are six starters on offense and five on

defense.

Senior linemen Tom Chelekis (6-foot-2, 250 pounds), Tommy Burns

(5-9, 250) and John Spiegel (5-7, 237), as well as senior tight end

Alex Cerda (6-0, 210) are expected to lead the offense.

That foursome should get needed support in junior lineman Ian

Cable (5-10, 250) and junior receiver Josh Martinez (5-6, 130).

When it comes to the defensive line, seniors Kurt Willingham (5-9,

180) and John Tran (5-10, 215) are the mainstays, while senior Victor

Ordonez (6-0, 180) brings experience to the linebacking corps, which

lost three all-league players to graduation in June.

Junior lineman Mike Prindle (6-3, 270) and junior strong safety

Josh Jordan (5-9, 150) also bring stability to the defense.

Willingham was a second-team all-league performer last season.

Jordan’s three interceptions led the team last year and Cerda was

the team’s No. 1 receiver.

Cable brings plenty of experience, as he started each of Marina’s

10 games in 2004.

Burns brings quickness and strength to the line, and Dodd said

Chelekis, whose older brother, Chris, was a first-team all-league

lineman as a senior last year, could be a highly recruited offensive

lineman.

With such returners, the Vikings could be formidable along the

line.

“Most of our offensive line returns, along with our defensive

line,” Dodd said of the strengths of this year’s Vikings.

“We are tremendously inexperienced at receiver and in the

secondary.”

The spread offense Marina runs will have to find replacements in

the backfield, as running backs Jason Hayward, a first-team

all-leaguer, and Jerad Gray have departed.

The Vikings will take growing steps as the season progresses, but

they’ll have to grow up fast against a brutal nonleague schedule that

also includes Capistrano Valley, Newport Harbor, Mission Viejo and

Paramount.

Los Osos qualified for the CIF Division II playoffs. Newport

Harbor won the Sea View League title last year and reached the

Division VI title game. Capistrano Valley reached the Division II

playoffs and Paramount earned a Division III playoff berth out of the

San Gabriel Valley League.

Mission Viejo, meanwhile, is five-time defending South Coast

League champion and has won three Southern Section championships in

the past four years.

Two of the Diablos’ victims in 2004 were Marina and Los Osos.

Oh -- and the Diablos have lost just once in the last 58 games and

finished the 2004 season ranked second nationally.

They come into the 2005 campaign ranked No. 1 in a few national

polls.

The Vikings have routinely played Mission Viejo in the last six

years, a stretch in which Diablo teams are a combined 68-10.

Since Marina plays at Los Osos during what is referred to as “zero

week,” the Vikings will enjoy a bye in the fifth week of the season

-- the week after meeting Mission Viejo.

Time enough to lick potential wounds, rest and get ready to

prepare for their final nonleague tuneup at Paramount.

Then, it’s on to the wars of the Sunset League, which begins with

an Oct. 14 away game against Fountain Valley.

Los Alamitos and Esperanza come next, then it’s Huntington Beach.

The Vikings’ lone win in 2004 came against Huntington Beach.

Marina then closes out the regular season at home against Edison.

No, the Vikings certainly don’t shy away from playing the big-name

opposition.

Colors: Navy, Columbia blue and gold.

League: Sunset.

2004 record: 1-9, 1-4 league.

Type of offense: Spread.

Type of defense: 40, 50.

Head coach: Mike Dodd (sixth year, 18-33)

Staff: George Pascoe (defensive coordinator, linebackers); Will

Taylor (offensive coordinator, receivers); Lloyd Vierra (defensive

line); Bobby Anderson (quarterbacks); Cory Clark (secondary).

Returning starters: Six offense, five defense.

Returning with honors: DL Kurt Willingham; SS Josh Jordan.

2004 results

*--*

6 Capistrano Valley 18

0 Newport Harbor 35

0 Mission Viejo 50

7 Orange Lutheran 51

21 Paramount 27

7 Los Alamitos* 56

7 Esperanza* 35

0 Edison* 55

24 Huntington Beach* 14

0 Fountain Valley* 39

*--*

2005 schedule

Friday, Sept. 2 -- at Los Osos, 7

Friday, Sept. 9 -- at Capistrano Valley, 7

Friday, Sept. 16 -- Newport Harbor (at Westminster), 7

Thursday, Sept. 22 -- Mission Viejo (at Westminster), 7

Friday, Oct. 7 -- at Paramount, 7

Friday, Oct. 14 -- Fountain Valley (at Huntington Beach), 7

Friday, Oct. 21 -- Los Alamitos (at Westminster), 7

Friday, Oct. 28 -- Esperanza (at Valencia), 7

Friday, Nov. 4 -- Huntington Beach (at Westminster), 7

Friday, Nov. 11 -- Edison (at Westminster), 7

*denotes league game