2013: Mission Hills Our Choice in Preseason Poll

Chants of “We’re number one!” followed by “Why aren’t we number one?”  will be heard in a few days when UT-San Diego’s first football Top 10 will signal that games are just days away.

With a little help from UT-San Diego’s John Maffei, who emailed  his annual request with some brief team rundowns a few weeks ago, here goes:

(2012 records in parenthesis)

2013

 Team

2012

1

 Mission Hills (7-4-1)

5

2

 Oceanside (12-1)

1

3

 Cathedral (0-11)*

9

4

 St. Augustine (10-3)

8

5

 Helix (10-2)

6

6

 Poway (10-3)

2

7

 Madison (14-1)

4

8

 San Pasqual (7-5)

nr

9

 Ramona (8-5)

nr

10

 Del Norte (6-6)

nr
*8-3 without forfeits.

WHY THE GRIZZLIES?

Coach Chris Hauser’s San Marcos-based team struggled early last year with a killer schedule but it brings back 10 starters, including veteran presence at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and placekicker.Mission Hills logo

The Grizzlies won the summer’s North County passing tournament, defeating Oceanside, and believe they have at least four Division-I prospects.

EARLY DELIGHTS

Some teams have lined up impressive, outside  opposition, led by Oceanside’s monster nonleague schedule: @St. Augustine (Mesa College), Gardena Serra, Temecula Chaparral, Poway, and @Mission Hills.

Cathedral will be host school to four other San Diego teams as part of the Under Armour “Brothers in Arms” classic involving more than 40 teams nationally, with games in California, Maryland, and Louisiana.

Play begins Aug. 29 and extends through the weekend.

Games at Cathedral:

Eastlake versus Chandler Hamilton of Arizona.

Mission Hills versus Phoenix Desert Vista.

Helix versus Honolulu Punahou.

Vista versus Whittier La Serna.

Cathedral versus Sandy of Jordan, Utah.

Gardena Serra versus Corona Centennial.

Helix  takes on the legendary Buff ‘n Blue of Honolulu Punahou, one of the country’s top teams and one with a legendary history.  Punahou already owns a 24-14 victory over Honolulu Mililani.

The two Arizona schools are among the best in that football-fertile state.  Cathedral will play a team that was No. 1 in Utah with a 12-1 record in 2012 and Vista, hoping to rebound from a 2-8 record that was the Panthers’ worst since 1988, meets the defending Del Rio League champion from the Southern Section.

QUICK KICKS–Del Norte may be ready to make a run in  its fourth season, having  improved from 2-8 in 2010, to 4-7 and 6-6…the Nighthawks return 16 starters, including their quarterback and a 1,200-yard rusher…Del Norte is in its third season under coach Leigh Cole…Helix should be very good but pundits in the foothills say the Highlanders are a year away from doing  big things…Cathedral returns nine starters and newcomers from a 10-0 junior varsity squad…Madison’s defending state Division III champions will be one of the most watched clubs…the Warhawks lost a lot but 11 starters are back and so is quarterback Kareem Coles…Brawley will get contributions from a 10-0 JV team and 11 starting veterans…