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El Dorado football coach Zack LaMonda knew his program was due for an overhaul after its breakthrough season in 2023.
The Golden Hawks graduated 20 starters following their runner-up finish in CIF-SS Division 7. They also transitioned to new offensive and defensive schemes.
El Dorado slipped to 3-7 last fall and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016, LaMonda’s second season.
“It was an adjustment for everyone,” he said.
But if El Dorado’s impressive victory last week against Redondo Union is an indication, the improvements have kicked in.
The Golden Hawks defeated Redondo Union — ranked at the time No. 5 by the Daily Breeze — 31-6 to improve to 2-0. Last season, El Dorado lost to the Sea Hawks 32-8.
“We have had a good offseason and kids are jelling well early,” said LaMonda, who was selected The Register’s coach of the year in 2023. “The 3-7 record was definitely a motivating factor for players and coaches to get better and play to the standard of football we have set.”
“Redondo is a good team and well-coached,” the coach added. “They will be a force the rest of the season.”
El Dorado’s strides have been on both sides of the ball.
The Golden Hawks’ new-look, 3-4 defense hasn’t allowed any points in two games. They shutout Diamond Bar 30-0 and Redondo returned an interception for a score.
Last week, linebackers Cooper Larson and Micah Cavalluzzi each racked up 10 tackles while sophomore defensive lineman Max Bustamante collected two sacks.
El Dorado held SMU committed quarterback Cole Leinart, formerly of Mater Dei and Newport Harbor, to 82 yards passing.
El Dorado’s multiple offense has been been sparked by sophomore QB Hudson Shaddow and the return of running back Cameron Romero.
Shaddow completed 16 of 22 passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns against Redondo (0-1). He led the freshman team to a 9-1 record last season.
Junior Justin Karg was the top target with 10 catches for 163 yards and three TDs.
Romero, who played at Corona del Mar in ’24 after two years at El Dorado, rushed for 100 yards on 19 carries, and scored.
On Friday, El Dorado plays at El Toro (0-1) for a chance to match its win total from last season. Another victory also would raise the Golden Hawks’ profile as a potential darkhorse in the Epsilon League.
“(Our) offense is playing well and defense is playing lights out,” LaMonda said. “(El Toro is) a good team. Solid running game and OL is good. We need to worry about fixing our mistakes to put ourselves in position to win.”
FUTURE LEAGUE FOES?
Yorba Linda coach Jeff Bailey and Edison coach Jeff Grady both mentioned at their nonleague game last week that their growing rivalry could be headed toward league games in 2026 and 2027.
Before next season, the Orange County Football Conference is scheduled to realign its leagues based on hssratings.com.
And for the two-year cycle, the Alpha League — which includes Edison — is expanding to six teams from four schools, said Ray Elliott of the Orange County Football Conference. Yorba Linda is one of the top teams from the Bravo League, rated one league below the Alpha.
“It’s probably going to happen,” Bailey said of a future league game after the Mustangs defeated Edison 21-17. “There’s a lot of football that has to be played to figure that out.”
Grady said of Yorba Linda, “We really respect what they do, and how they do it.”
SHORT ROUTES
Yorba Linda senior defensive end Tyler Biegler suffered a season-ending knee injury against Edison, Bailey said. “He worked so hard and he was talented, too,” Bailey said. …
Former Edison coach Dave White shared his thoughts about former Esperanza coach Gary Meek, who died in July.
“He was a mentor,” White said. “Just because he won with class. If he lost, which wasn’t very often, he lost with class.”
White added that it was the inclusion of Esperanza and Los Alamitos into the old Sunset League that prompted Edison to schedule Mater Dei and Servite for nonleague games. “When they came in our league, we had to get better,” he said. …
Los Alamitos junior defensive lineman Hunter Eligon had five tackles for loss and returned a fumble for a touchdown in the first half of a 48-0 victory against Narbonne last week. …
The Lambda League is a combined 9-2 with Fullerton (2-0), Kennedy (2-0), Sunny Hills (2-0) and Valencia (1-0) leading the way. Marina and Beckman are 1-1. …
Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson on Folsom QB Ryder Lyons, a BYU commit whom the Diablos face on Friday: “He’s a very, very good high school quarterback in that he can really move. His elusiveness to extend plays is super impressive.”