This preview is the first in a series of articles highlighting the local 11-man high school football teams ahead of the 2025 season, which begins with Week Zero on Friday, Aug. 22.
While a 3-6 season in 2024 resulted in the Carpinteria High Warriors falling short of the CIF-SS playoffs, it was the first step in a journey to recapture the success and tradition of the program.
Van Latham and Henry Gonzales, both longtime Warrior coaches, are entering their second season as co-head coaches and are already seeing the improvements from year one to year two.
“We’re pleased with the progress we’ve made,” Latham said. “We have more players this year, and we’re way ahead of where we were last year. The players got used to our system, and they bought in… They’ve been working hard and doing a great job, and we’re impressed with where we are.”
Carpinteria High was a football powerhouse in decades past, including winning six CIF-SS championships. However, the program has not been to the playoffs since 2017 and has seen a decline in participation.
Latham and Gonzales took the head coaching positions with the goal to change that, and participation has increased in just one offseason. The program consists of 40 to 45 players, according to Latham, and the plan is to field a JV team alongside the varsity squad.
“A lot of it is bringing back the traditions of Warrior football,” Latham said. “A lot of these kids have lost track of what that is, and we’re working to make sure that they know what Warrior Football was and what it can be again.”
The shift in mindset will also be seen between the lines, as Latham will once again have the Warriors running a more traditional, run-heavy offensive scheme that relies on the offensive line and a strong complementary defense.
The offensive line will be anchored by senior Eli Perez, junior Caleb Kelly and sophomore Erasmo Frausto, who all started on varsity last season. It is a unit that should be much improved, according to Latham.
“We went to a passing tournament in Fillmore earlier in the summer, and the (offensive) line won the line contest, so we were pleased with that,” Latham said. “It showed us how far we’ve progressed in terms of our strength and abilities. I think we’re going to run the football and play action pass when we need to.”
Senior Drew Filippini (5-10, 155 lbs.), who is one of the most experienced members of the team, will be the focal point of the rushing attack as the No. 1 running back.
“I like depending on my [offensive line], they’re nice and strong… It’s just fun relying on them and being able to make good runs,” Filippini said. “I’m more of an elusive runner… I’m not like a strong back or big guy, so it’s fun being able to break tackles and get outside.”
Meanwhile, the Warriors will turn to junior Isaac Neri (5-10, 155 lbs.) at the quarterback position following the graduation of Sawyer Kelly last year. Neri is a dual-threat quarterback who saw some limited varsity action last season.
“[Neri] is inexperienced game-wise, but he’s a really good athlete,” Latham said. “He has good feet, so we’ll be running a little bit of option football. We’ll be shotgun this year, rather than under center. He has an adequate arm, and he sees the field pretty well, so we’re looking for a big year from him.”
With Neri and Filippini leading the offensive charge, the Warriors will look to improve on the defensive side of the ball after allowing 29 points per game in 2024. Despite an increase in numbers, the team will once again lean on plenty of two-way players throughout the season.
Kelly and Frausto will all be playing on the defensive line as well, while Filippini is slotted in as the team’s starting strong safety, along with his running back duties.
“It’s tough, but with the training that we endured during summer, it definitely is just going to keep me active during that process,” Filippini said of playing both ways.
Despite not being the largest team in numbers or size, the Warriors seem to be primed to compete on both sides of the ball.
“We’re not always the biggest, but we’re always gonna be the strongest and have the most heart… The Warrior spirit never dies,” Perez said.
Carpinteria High will bring this Warrior spirit to a slightly reconfigured Citrus Coast League, as Del Sol and Santa Clara are joining the league alongside returning members Grace, Nordhoff and Channel Islands.
This season will be Del Sol’s first in school history, while Santa Clara is making its return to 11-man football.
“I think probably the defending league champion, Grace, is going to be the one to beat,” Latham said. “Nordoff is always going to be tough. They play good football there. I’m hoping we’ll be in that mix to make the playoffs.
“One nice thing about having six teams in the league is now we have three playoff spots, so that’s going to help.”
The Warriors will open their season two weeks later than the rest of the local teams, kicking off the season on the road against Santa Clara for a non-league game on Friday, Sept. 5.
The league schedule then begins on Thursday, Oct. 2, as Carpinteria looks to find itself in the top three of the league and snap a 7-year playoff drought.
Carpinteria High Football Schedule
- Friday, September 5 @ Santa Clara
- Friday, September 12 vs. San Gabriel
- Friday, September 19 vs. Fillmore
- Friday, September 26 @ Santa Paula
- Thursday, October 2 vs. Santa Clara*
- Friday, October 10 @ Grace*
- Friday, October 17 @ Del Sol*
- Friday, October 24 vs. Nordhoff*
- Thursday, October 30 vs. Channel Islands*
* – Citrus Coast League game
All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.