Vikings begin winning quest

Experience — there’s nothing like it, especially when a team is trying to move past what had been a rough year.

The Marina Vikings of 2006 indeed have experience at several high-profile positions as they head into the new season, 10 months after the team suffered through the school’s first winless campaign since 1988.

“We will be much better than last year,” seventh-year Marina Coach Mike Dodd said.

In 2005, Marina struggled on both sides of the ball and slumped to an 0-10 mark. In those 10 games, the Vikings offense scored just six touchdowns and was shut out for a stretch of five games. Defensively, they surrendered 30 or more points in six games.

Yet the talent is there for the Vikings who, in Week 3 of last season, nearly knocked off a Newport Harbor team that went on to win the CIF Southern Section Division VI championship.

Marina has scheduled Newport Harbor in nonleague play during the past decade, and almost always seems to give the Sailors fits.

Beginning this fall, Marina and Newport Harbor will go head-to-head annually in a new capacity — as Sunset League rivals. The Sailors replace Huntington Beach in the six-team league.

“We have always played Newport in preseason, so we are familiar with their [coaches’] philosophy,” Dodd said. “Every team in league will be tough. The difference is that we don’t get Newport until late in the season. “They are a team that gets better along the road.”

Marina’s road to redemption begins on Sept. 8, when it plays host to Capistrano Valley in the first of three home games to open the new season.

The Vikings will play six home games and they enter the season with four returning all-league players, experience in the offensive backfield and at two areas on defense.

“We have good team speed, experience at quarterback, on the defensive line and at linebacker,” Dodd said.

The four all-league returnees are strong safety Ian Cable, a 5-foot-11, 260-pound senior, senior Josh Jordan (5-11, 170), senior Josh Martinez (5-10, 155), and junior linebacker Charles Orrison (5-11, 185).

Jordan also returns at quarterback.

Martinez is one of the Vikings’ main ballcarriers, Cable will also play along the offensive line and Orrison will play fullback with senior Neal Wiener (6-1, 220).

“We have to control the ball,” Dodd said of his offense, which he hopes will find more balance. “We have to run the ball with a controlled passing game. We have experience in the offensive backfield.”

At tight end will be seniors Mike Peters (6-0, 190) and Niko Mulkovich (6-1, 210), and other key receivers are juniors Jimmy Irvin (6-0, 170) and Tim Atencio (6-3, 175).

Joining Martinez in the backfield will be junior Justin Steen (5-11, 170) and senior Kirk Sorensen (5-10, 180).

Several other Vikings will play two ways, including Atencio at free safety, Irvin and Steen at defensive back, with Sorensen, Peters, Wiener and Mulkovich at linebacker.

Seniors Kevin Gray (5-11, 205), Mike Prindle (6-4, 280), Eric Grumbaum (6-3, 250) and Dallas Lindsay-McIntyre (6-2, 260) will play on both lines.

Senior Chris Engelmann (5-9, 160) will start at nose guard and senior Dustin Lockwood (6-0, 150) is the kicker.

New players to watch in ’06 are junior offensive linemen Craig Standridge (6-4, 270) and Garrett Clerisse (6-3, 235), receivers Jared Balis, (5-8, 160) , a sophomore, and junior Brad Thompson (6-1, 175), senior linebacker Ian Jahns (5-9, 190), sophomore kicker Chase Robinson (6-1, 165) and senior punter David Harrington (6-1, 160).

In addition to its opener against Capistrano Valley, Marina will play Westminster, Orange, Colton and Paramount in nonleague action.

The Vikings, who have not participated in the CIF playoffs since 2001, open Sunset League play Oct. 13 against perennially tough Edison.

Marina meets Newport Harbor in the ninth week of the season, this time, and wraps up the regular season Nov. 10 at home against Esperanza.

THE VIKINGS

Colors: Navy, Columbia blue and gold

League: Sunset

2005 record: 0-10 overall; 0-5 league

Type of offense: Pro-set, multiple

Type of defense: 40

Head coach: Mike Dodd (seventh year, 18-43)

Staff: George Pascoe (co-defensive coordinator); Will Taylor (offensive coordinator); Cory Clark (co-defensive coordinator); Daniel Falkenstein (linebackers); Mike Oster (defensive line); Chris DeWess (offensive line); Mike Chavez (running backs); Jeff Weber (receivers); Brian Whitfield (kickers).

Returners on offense: Five

Returners on defense: Six

Returning lettermen: 22

Returning with honors: LB Charles Orrison; SS Ian Cable; QB-SS Josh Jordan; RB-DB Josh Martinez.

2005 ResultsOpponentScoreLos Osos34-6 LCapistrano Valley 44-7 L Newport Harbor 21-17 LMission Viejo 56-0 LParamount 26-0 LFountain Valley* 30-0 LLos Alamitos* 26-0 LEsperanza* 63-0 LHuntington Beach* 14-7 LEdison* 31-7 L

2006 ScheduleDateOpponentSiteTimeSept. 8Capo. ValleyWestminster7 p.m.Sept. 15WestminsterAway7 p.m.Sept. 22OrangeWestminster7 p.m.Sept. 29ColtonAway7 p.m.Oct. 6ParamountWestminster7 p.m.Oct. 13Edison*Hunt. Beach7 p.m.Oct. 20Fountain Valley*Westminster7 p.m.Oct. 26Los Alamitos*Veterans Stad.7 p.m.Nov. 3Newport Har.*Away7 p.m.Nov. 10Esperanza*Westminster7 p.m.

* denotes league game