Last year’s overall record: 2-8
Last year’s league record: 2-4 (Monterey Bay League Pacific division)
Last year’s MaxPreps state ranking: 900th
Key losses: Joseph Barrios; small but speedy offensive weapon was the Condors’ leading receiver and rusher last season…Jose Flores; quickly turned into a serviceable passer in the pocket and also did damage with his legs when needed…Jose Esparza; excelled as the Condors’ deep threat in the passing game…Ricardo Alfaro; 6-foot-3, 285-pound offensive tackle was the leader of sizable offensive line that opened holes for Barrios.
Key returners: Oscar Munoz (Sr.); Played well at defensive back last season and the athletic 5-foot-10, 170-pounder is expected to take on more offensive responsibility this season with Barrios gone…Izzy Barragan (Sr.); A solid two-way player that can play center or guard on offense and defensive tackle on the other side of the ball…David Guzman (Sr.); A big body at 6-feet tall, Guzman is a sure tackler from the safety position and will also be used on offense in the passing game this season.
Notes: N.M.C. is getting a new all-weather field and track. The project is still several weeks away from completion. The Condors first home game will be against Pajaro Valley High on Oct. 6…Sean Gomes is entering his third year of his second stint as the Condors’ head coach. Gomes had a 17-6 record during his first two-year tenure (2009 & 2010) as the head coach. His hire before the 2015 season was the seventh coaching change for the N.M.C. football program since 2008…The Condors have not finished above .500 since the 2010 season, which was also the last year they made the Central Coast Section playoffs.
•••
PRESEASON
Alvarez High
• When: August 25, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Alvarez High
• Last year’s MaxPreps state ranking: 603rd
• Last year’s overall record: 3-7
• Last year’s league record: 1-5 (MBL-Gabilan division)
• Notes: Head coach Brad Mendes took over the program last March…The Eagles have several of their statistical leaders returning, including senior dual-threat quarterback Matthew Martinez and senior running back Michael Ramirez…Alvarez is 6-12 in league play since moving to the MBL-Gabilan division… N.M.C. has played Alvarez eight straight seasons and it has been a seesaw battle. Each team has won four games. The Eagles, however, have won the last four.
Monte Vista Christian
• When: September 1, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Monte Vista Christian
• Last year’s MaxPreps state ranking: 415th
• Last year’s overall record: 8-3 (CCS Open Division III qualifier)
• Last year’s league record: 4-2 (MBL-Gabilan division)
• Notes: Monte Vista Christian recently hired former Stevenson head coach Bruce Dini as its replacement for David Reese. In Reese’s nine years, the Mustangs went 63-36 overall and earned five CCS postseason berths. Dini was the head coach at Stevenson for the last five seasons, tallying a 27-20 record over that time…Mustangs lost several starters to graduation, including starting quarterback Devon Daich, top receivers Darren Selck and Holden Lukin and two-way star Jackson Collins…N.M.C. nearly upset the M.V.C. last season. The Condors’ furious fourth quarter comeback fell short in a 20-14 loss. It was their fourth straight loss to the Mustangs.
Marina High
• When: September 8, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Monterey Peninsula College
• Last year’s MaxPreps state ranking: 987th
• Last year’s overall record: 1-9
• Last year’s league record: 1-7 (Mission Trail Athletic League)
• Notes: Marina’s lone win of the season came against N.M.C. in Week 2…The Marina football program is one of the newest in the Monterey Bay and the greater CCS, starting in 2010. Since its inception, the Mariners have yet to post a winning record. That, however, could change this season after being placed in the lower level of the restructured MTAL with Gonzales High, Greenfield High, Harbor High, Santa Cruz High, Soquel High and St. Francis High — all seven teams in the division finished under .500 last season.
Carmel High
• When: September 16, 2 p.m.
• Where: Carmel High
• Last year’s MaxPreps state ranking: 384th
• Last year’s overall record: 10-1 (CCS Division V qualifier)
• Last year’s league record: 7-0 (MTAL)
• Notes: The Padres’ hopes of a CCS championship took a hit after star running back Covossay Windham’s season-ending knee injury. They finished the regular season at a perfect 10-0 but lost to Sacred Heart Prep in the first round of the CCS Division V playoffs… Along with Windham, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards for the third straight season before his injury, Carmel graduated several playmakers. The Padres’ top two receivers, Hayden Stachelek and Matthew Luch, and dual-threat quarterback Daniel Higman are all gone along with defensive stars Eddie Osornio, William Lund and Devun Smith…This year’s game will be the first time the Condors have played the Padres since the turn of the century.
•••
MBL-PACIFIC
• Watsonville High
• When: September 22, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Emmett M. Geiser Field
• Last year’s MaxPreps state ranking: 814th
• Last year’s overall record: 4-6
• Last year’s league record: 3-3
• Notes: Head coach Ron Myers is heading into his fourth season of his second go-around with Watsonville. He holds an 11-19 record over his first three seasons…Watsonville lost several starters from a defense that allowed only 13 points per game during MBL-Pacific action. The Wildcatz, however, do have more than a handful of offensive stars returning. Running backs Matthew Barcelo, Johnny Bravo and Evan Delozier, whom combined to rush for more than 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns, will lead the multi-headed attack… Watsonville’s win over N.M.C. last season was its first against the Condors since 2013. The two teams have met in every season since 2005. N.M.C. holds a 9-3 advantage in the recent series.
Christopher High
• When: September 29, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Christopher High
• Last year’s MaxPreps state rankings: 704th
• Last year’s overall record: 1-9
• Last year’s league record: 0-6
• Notes: Cougars moved down to the MBL-Pacific division after two years in the Gabilan…Since starting up in 2010, Christopher has won a pair of league championships. It won its first title, a tri-league championship with M.V.C. and Monterey, in its second year… Outside of the teams in the West Catholic Athletic League, Christopher had one of the tougher schedules in the CCS last season. The Cougars played seven playoff teams, including three in preseason action…Last year was the first time in program history that Christopher finished under .500 in back-to-back seasons…The Cougars graduated 26 seniors… Junior quarterback Ben Sanford looks like the next man up in head coach Tim Pierleoni’s spread offense with the graduation of Ryan Adamkiewicz, who passed for more than 1,000 yards last season.
Pajaro Valley High
• When: October 6, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: North Monterey County High
• Last year’s MaxPreps state rankings: 961st
• Last year’s overall record: 3-7
• Last year’s league record: 1-5
• Notes: Kevin Cordova took over the Pajaro Valley program following the retirement of longtime head coach Joe Gregorio. Cordova spent last season as the Grizzlies’ offensive coordinator…The Grizzlies were 2-2 heading into league play last season before losing five straight. They did, however, finish the year with a stunning 3-0 victory over Watsonville in the 10th annual Belgard Kup Game… Two-way senior lineman Irepan Romero, senior safety/running back Jaylen Carreon and senior receiver/corner/kicker Diego Navarro lead a youthful group — only 10 seniors on the current roster…N.M.C. had lost six games to start the season before beating Pajaro Valley, 36-14, for its first victory. Pajaro Valley, however, also has a history of breaking losing streaks against N.M.C. The Grizzlies’ 40-8 win over the Condors in 2013 snapped a 35-game losing streak against league opponents.
Monterey High
• When: October 6, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Monterey High
• Last year’s MaxPreps state rankings: 876th
• Last year’s overall record: 3-7
• Last year’s league record: 2-4
• Notes: Dan Brown is heading into his third season as the Toreadores’ head coach. He has a 5-15 record over his first two years at Monterey…Last season was the ’Dores first stint in the MBL-Pacific division. They spent the first four years of the equity league in the Gabilan…N.M.C.’s 22-14 win over Monterey was its first since the 2009 season. The ’Dores had beaten the Condors three straight times before the loss…Junior quarterback Evans Charles, who threw for more than 1,000 yards last season, returns but the majority of his weapons will be new faces after Monterey graduated its top three rushers and top two receivers.
Alisal High
• When: October 20, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Alisal High
• Last year’s MaxPreps state rankings: 871st
• Last year’s overall record: 2-8
• Last year’s league record: 2-4
• Notes: Head coach Cesar Chaidez started his tenure at Alisal with an eight-game losing streak but finished his first season with wins over N.M.C. and Pajaro Valley… The Trojans have several players back from last year’s team, including senior quarterback Andrew Marquez and senior running back Thomas Martinez… Alisal has not finished with a winning record since 2012…Alisal has beaten N.M.C. six straight times.
Gilroy High
• When: November 3, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: North Monterey County
• Last year’s MaxPreps state rankings: 644th
• Last year’s overall record: 8-4 (CCS Division IV semifinalist)
• Last year’s league record: 5-1
• Notes: Head coach Jubenal Rodriguez’s second season was a smashing success. The Mustangs’ winning record was their first since 2008. Their playoff victory over Gunn High was also the first of its kind since 2007…Junior running back Joseph Barnes ran for 1,633 yards and 23 touchdowns last season en route to MBL-Pacific division Underclassman of the Year honors and figures to be the focal point of a dangerous Gilroy offense which also returns senior quarterback Jonathan Castro, senior running back Dylan Holler and senior receivers Richard Perez Jr. and Max Pierce. Additionally, senior linebacker Antonio Andrade, who measures in a 6-feet tall and 220 pounds, is back to lead the defense…N.M.C. had beaten Gilroy in back-to-back seasons before last year’s 37-14 defeat in which Barnes ran for 127 yards and three scores.
Editor’s Note: This entry is part 3 of 6 in a weekly blog series that will delve in each local high school football program’s schedule. Following alphabetical order, Aptos was part 1, M.V.C. was part 2 and Pajaro Valley will follow N.M.C. next week as part 4.
