The Calvary Chapel and Ocean View football teams combined to win seven games last season.
This season, Calvary Chapel has already reached seven wins and Ocean View has six.
The two teams might be the most improved teams in the county and they play each other Friday in a Sigma League game at Ocean View High.
“They’re a well-coached team, and you can see that in how prepared and disciplined they are each week,” Ocean View coach Daniel Hernandez said of Calvary Chapel. “Offensively, they’re explosive and have several dynamic playmakers who can impact the game in all three phases. What really stands out, though, is how hard they play, especially considering how many of their players go both ways.”
“Ocean View is a great team,” Calvary Chapel coach Jack McInally said. “They have a great rushing attack and throw a lot of unorthodox formations we have to prepare for.”
Calvary Chapel is 7-0 for the first time in school history. Despite the team’s 4-7 record last season, there were indicators that the Eagles could have a breakout season in the near future.
The Eagles lost four games by one point last season and another by three points. This season, the roster is loaded with returning seniors and have turned around their luck in close games.
Calvary Chapel beat Capistrano Valley Christian by three points earlier this season and beat Estancia by one point on a last-minute field goal last week.
“Our young men had to learn how to win after last year,” McInally said. “Estancia is always a tough game for us. We learned that we can overcome struggles and can win a game in a variety of ways. We have been focused on going 1-0 every week and not getting ahead of ourselves.”
A major part of Calvary Chapel’s success is due to its top players being effective on both sides of the ball. Waldo Castrejon leads the team in rushing and interceptions. Daniel Nieves is the team’s leading receiver and has two interceptions.
Ocean View doubled the size of its coaching staff this offseason and has translated that into wins on the field.
“The coaches we’ve brought in bring decades of experience at various levels and that veteran presence has elevated everything we do,” Hernandez said. “The expanded staff has allowed us to give more individualized attention to our players which has accelerated their growth and confidence on the field.”
A key moment for Ocean View this season was when it beat Buena Park in overtime with a game-winning 2-point conversion from running back Trevor Luapo.
“That game was crucial because it gave our players the experience of being in a high-pressure situation and finding a way to finish,” Hernandez said. “More importantly, it helped build belief. When you’re coming off a season where wins were hard to come by and you’ve got younger players in key spots, confidence can be fragile. It was a big step in our growth process learning how to win, not just play hard.”
Ocean View is averaging 187 yards per game on the ground with Luapo leading the way with 119 yards per game. Its offensive line is led by three-year starter Elijah Armenta and two-year starters Caden Townsend and Brian Alvarez.
QUICK HITS
• Edison beat Los Alamitos 21-10 last season but lost its previous four games against its former Sunset League foe. Teo Hampton had 10 tackles for the Chargers in the win last season and Maddox Thomas had an interception. The two teams meet in an Alpha League game Thursday at SoFi Stadium. …
• San Clemente turned to sophomore quarterback Preston Beck to start its last game against Coronado of Nevada. He completed 21 of 28 passes for 226 yards with a touchdown. Beck appeared at the end of the Tritons’ game against Murrieta Valley and was not even on the team’s MaxPreps roster prior to that game. …
• One of the bigger upsets in the county last season was Aliso Niguel beating Laguna Beach 34-14. The Wolverines held Laguna Beach under 100 yards passing in that game and Carter Vestermark threw two touchdown passes. Laguna Beach quarterback Jack Hurst is averaging 250 passing yards per game and has 30 touchdown passes this season. …
• Villa Park has started Matt Smith at quarterback the past two weeks after the junior observed the sit-out period due to his transfer from Loyola. Smith threw for 206 yards with two touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown in Villa Park’s win over Tesoro last week.