The San Diego Section’s 65th season opens this week with the usual fare of nonleague games, intersectionals, and interstates.
Five interesting matchups:
CARLSBAD @LAKEWOOD.
Lancers coach Thadd MacNeal will return to where he had a very successful program in the Long Beach Poly-dominated, Southern Section Moore League, posting a 41-19 record from 2006-10, including 21-4 in his last two seasons.
Why leave Lakewood?
MacNeal is a 1989 Carlsbad graduate. He replaced the retiring Bob McAllister in 2011. The Lancers have done well on MacNeal’s watch, 96-48 overall and 46-6 since 2019.
LONG BEACH ST. ANTHONY @MOUNT MIGUEL
The Saints have not met a San Diego team since 2000, when Marian (renamed Mater Dei in 2007) visited and won, 35-6.
St. Anthony, which opened in 1920, is 7-5 vs. local teams, beginning with a 13-6 loss to St. Augustine in 1935. The two Saints were aligned in the Southland Catholic League from 1945-50.
The St. Anthony Saints beat San Diego High, 20-12, in the first round of the 1948 playoffs as CIF player-of-the-year and future NFL running back Johnny Olszewski rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
Brandon Arrington, who transferred from Helix in time last year to become a double sprint winner in the state track meet, is on the Matadors’ squad.
Torrey Pines vs. Bethlehem Freedom, Pennsylvania, @Staten Island, N.Y., Tottenville.
Freedom is the “home” team, 75 miles from its campus north of Philadelphia.
SAN LUIS OBISPO MISSION PREP @SANTA FE CHRISTIAN
San Diego teams have played Central Coast Section squads in the state playoffs — Scripps Ranch 31, Santa Clara Wilcox 28, in 2021—and Helix won a regular-season game, 45-21, at Mountain View St. Francis in 2023, and plays the Lancers here in Week 2.
The Royals and Eagles are scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m. Friday, meaning Mission Prep, facing a 305-mile trip, likely would leave on Thursday and guessing could stick around Saturday and go to the Zoo… catch the pandas!
‘Prep, with lineage back to 1875, will face one of the San Diego Section’s most successful schools. Eagles coach Jon Wallace embarks on his 13th season in Solana Beach and is 81-41 (.664).
LAS VEGAS ARBOR VIEW, @LINCOLN
The Aggies were only 4-6 in ’23 but are ranked third in the Nevada preseason poll, behind Bishop Gorman and Henderson Liberty.
Lincoln is Cal-Hi Sports’ and Max Preps’ state-ranked No. 9 team and quarterback Akili Smith, Jr., son of the former Hornet and NFL veteran, have become a power under coach David Dunn, 94-58-1 since 2011.
COACHING CAROUSEL
| SCHOOL | IN | OUT |
| Bonita Vista | Jay Hernandez | Tyler Arciaga |
| Brawley | Lawrence Landy | Rick Rubio & Ray Vandiver |
| Calexico Vincent Memorial | David Wong & Fernando Santana | |
| Castle Park | Arrien Smith | Paco Silva |
| Coastal | Stephen Patton | Glen Henton |
| El Cajon Valley | James Simon | Nick Osborn |
| Francis Parker | D.J. Walcott | Stephen Cooper |
| Mabel O’Farrell | Bruce Newland | Jake Passot |
| Mater Dei Catholic | Rashard Cook | John Joyner |
| Mountain Empire | Ben Gooding | Bernard Vann |
| Orange Glen | Santiago Rocha | Tido Smith |
| Point Loma | Ryan Price | Joel Allen |
| Poway | Brandon Harris | Kyle Williams |
| Rancho Buena Vista | Terrence McKinney | Shane Graham |
| Rock Academy | Ben Jameson | Rali Schwartz |
| St. Augustine | Ron Caragher | Ron Gladnick |
| Sweetwater | Brandon Burris | Ervin Hernandez |
LEAGUE CHANGES
| SCHOOL | TO | FROM |
| Bonita Vista | South Bay | Metro Mesa |
| Chula Vista | Metro Mesa | Metro Pacific |
| Classical Academy | Pacific | Coastal |
| Coastal Academy | Sunset | Ocean |
| Coronado | Central | City |
| Escondido Charter | Pacific | Coastal |
| Francis Parker | Pacific | Coastal |
| Mabel O’Farrell | Sunset | Pacific |
| Maranatha Christian | Sunset | Pacific |
| Mission Bay | Eastern | City |
| Morse | City | Eastern |
| Mount Miguel | Grossmont Hills | Grossmont Valley |
| Mountain Empire | Sunset | Pacific |
| Point Loma | Western | Eastern |
| Rock Academy | Sunset | Pacific |
| Santana | Grossmont Valley | Grossmont Hills |
| Scripps Ranch | Eastern | City |
| Sweetwater | Metro Mesa | Metro South Bay |
| Tri-City Christian | Sunset | Pacific |
| University City | Eastern | Western |
| Victory Christian | Freelance | Ocean |
| West Hills | Grossmont Valley | Grossmont Hills |
Happy 20th seasons to Ron Burner at El Capitan and Damon Balswin at Ramona. Said Burner, “It just prove that I’m old!” lol
Two dedicated, veteran leaders. Thanks, Nick.