Dos Pueblos is definitely going to turn the heads of fans and opposing teams when it enters football stadiums this season.
The Chargers are big in numbers and size. They’re big on experience, too. Of the more than 60 players on the roster, 34 have varsity experience.
Kellen Roberts enters his third year as the starting quarterback. He took over the reins as a sophomore when the senior starter went down with injury. As a sophomore, he earned All-Channel League second-team honors after throwing for 2,082 yards and 18 touchdowns.
“I feel like it was just yesterday I was a little sophomore on the varsity and scared — just a bunch of nerves,” the 6-foot-2, 185-pound two-sport athlete said. “But now, with 20 games under my belt, I can be calm under the pressure.”
A big offensive line, led by 6-foot-6, 285-pound tackle Nathan Beveridge and 6-foot-4, 260-pound Erick Nisich, can provide calming factor for a quarterback.
Roberts has plenty of weapons around him like wide receiver Blake Erwin (44 receptions, 369 yards), 6-foot-3, 210-pound tight end Marcellous Gossett (29-469) and running backs Irvin Miguel and Chris Noggle. Noggle, a force at middle linebacker (108 total tackles last season), is expected to carry the ball more frequently this season. Athletic Cyrus Wallace figures to have an impact as a receiver.
Noggle, Isaac Lopez, Josh Feldhaus, Gossett, Anthony Meza, Beveridge and Nisich lead an experienced defensive unit.
The team has caught the attention of the CIF pollsters. They ranked DP second in the Division 10 preseason poll.
Roberts said the Chargers have something to prove this season.
“We’re going out there with a chip on our shoulder because the last two years were not how we wanted things to turn out. This is our year to do it.”
League: Channel
CIF Playoff Division: 10
Head Coach: Nate Mendoza
Coaching Staff: Doug Caines, assistant head coach/defensive coordinator; Josh Clayton, Daniel Carpio, Troy Osborn, Dennis Aguirre, Matt York
Returning Starters: Chris Noggle, 6-1, 215, Jr., RB/ ILB (1st Team All-Channel League); Isaac Lopez, 6-1, 185, Sr., ILB; Josh Feldhaus, 5-11, 160, Sr., OLB; Sam Drew, 5-10, 160, Sr., CB; Anthony Meza, 5-8, 160, Sr., Safety (2nd Team All-League); Nathan Beveridge, 6-6, 285, Jr., DT; Erick Nisich, 6-4, 260, Jr., DT/OT (2nd Team All-League); Marcellous Gossett, 6-3, 210, Sr., DE/WR (1st Team All-League); Kellen Roberts, 6-2, 185, Sr., QB (2nd Team All-League) Irvin Miguel, 5-11, 180, Sr., RB; Blake Erwin, 5-10, 175, Sr., WR (1st Team All-League)
Promising Newcomers: Michael Elbert, 6-1, 170, Jr., FS; Matt Molina, 6-3, 215, Jr., DE; Cyrus Wallace, 6-3, 180, Jr., WR; Angel Flores, 6-4, 330, Soph., OG; Anthony Myers, 5-6, 162, Jr., FB.
Defensive Starters: Michael Elbert, FS; Anthony Meza, Safety; Josh Feldhaus, Safety; Sam Drew, CB; Jack Landis, CB; Isaac Lopez, LB; Chris Noggle, LB; Marcellous Gossett, DE; Matt Molina, DE; Erick Nisich, DT; Nathan Beveridge, DT
Offensive Starters: Anthony Blanco, C; Erick Nisich: OT; Nathan Beveridge, OT; Estevan Velasquez, OG; Angel Flores: OG; Kellen Roberts, QB; Irvin Miguel, TB; Isaac Lopez, FB; Blake Erwin, WR; Marcellous Gossett, WR; Cyrus Wallace, WR; Chris Noggle, P; Josh Feldhaus, K; Zach Guttentag, K; Josh Feldhaus, Long Snapper.
Comments from coach Mendoza: Our focus in the offseason was to build depth on this team. We learned that the hard way the last couple of years (with injuries to key players). I feel we’ve built depth on this team. We have 34 returnees; we have players who went through some hardship last year… We’re in a lower division and that’s just the way it is; every team in our league is in a different division, which makes things extremely interesting.
So, it’s going to be a new deal for us this year. … The bottom line is we got to get wins. It doesn’t matter what we do on offense unless we get a W. I don’t care if we get 180 total yards in one game and we get a win, that’s all that matters to me.
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.