San Diego prep football is back. After a promising offseason and couple of scrimmages, full of competition and good looks, the defending CIF champion Mavericks are ready to rock and roll.
With one of the nation's highly touted receivers, and a host of offensive players returning from a squad that went 11-2 last the, the Mavericks enter the 2009 campaign looking to defend their title and win the second CIF championship in team history. All signs point to yes.
Its time for the RawHide Nation San Diego section preseason top 10 poll:
10. Mission Hills - (8-4-1 in 2008)
9. Vista - (7-5 in 2008)
8. Helix (10-2-1 in 2008)
7. St. Augustine (7-4 in 2008)
6. Eastlake (9-3 in 2008)
5. Valhalla (11-2 in 2008)
4. Cathedral Catholic (14-0 in 2008) - The Dons are coming off a California Bowl Championship season, but lose one of San Diego's best ever runningbacks, Tyler Gaffney. Gaffney was the heart and soul of their team. The 2009 squad returns with hot college prospect Alex Crosthwaite, a top offensive lineman in San Diego county, ranked #34 in the nation for Guard prospects.
THE TOP 3 
3. Escondido (10-3 in 2008)- Escondido returns after losing to La Costa Canyon in the Division I championship game last year. Top San Diego runningback prospect, Ricky Seale, who broke the San Diego single season rushing record last year with 2679 yards, will lead an athletic backfield. If Seale wasn't enough, Escondido also returns productive runningback Time Zier. Coach Paul Gomes has taken Escondido football to a new level. Escondido plays La Costa Canyon on October 30th. This could be a decisive game for one playoff seeding.
2. Oceanside (12-0-1 in 2008) - Coach John Carroll and the Pirates reload once again, and have not lost in over 23 games. The 2008 squad won the CIF division II title. Senior Quentis Clark steps in for Jordan Wynn, one of San Diego's top quarterback prospects a year ago. Senior Offensive Tackle Thomas Molesi will lead a talented offensive line. Oceanside will host long-time Southern California powerhouse Long Beach Poly on September 25th.Oceanside will field an athletic team capable of another run at the Division II championship game.
1. La Costa Canyon (11-2 2oo8) - The Mavericks take the field with one of the nation's top wide receiver prospects, Kenny Stills, who has scholarship offers from the past 6 NCAA national championship teams. The running game will be led by by Seniors Westin Manor, Seth Hanson, and Junior runningback Erik Nelson amke up a super-talented groups of runningbacks, capable of big plays and downhill running. 6'4" Senior Arron Woffer and 6'1" Senior Corey lamb will lead the "big uglies" on the offensive line. Although the Mavkericks lost SDSU-bound Jacob Driver, key players return on the defense including the nephew of Charger legend, Junior Ian Seau, 6'2" 230-pound Ian Seau. Senior linebacker Dylan Laurino, who punished opponents in 2008, will lead the linebacker corps. Senior Robert Zalud may be San Diego's best kicking prospect. The Mavericks are primed and ready for a repeat at the "Q." The Mavericks are ranked #7 in division I in the state of California by Max Preps, La Costa Canyon's highest pre-season state ranking ever. Darrin Brown has built a juggernaut of a program.
Mission Hills is better than 10. Screw you.
La Costa sux and is overrated this year. Ricky seale is better than stills.
Stills and Seale are both extremely talented athletes (obviously). They've got the great gene's but also killer work ethics from what I've read and seen. I think its hard to compare when they play different positions. I liken Seale to a Marshall Faulk-type and Stills to Randy Moss, break away speed and capable of ridiculously acrobatic catches. Wouldn't be surprised if they face each other in Semis or at CIF again.
Cathedral Catholic is too high in the rankings. Without Gaffney, they won't do as much, although their schedule is week playing division I. If they played division one, the would of been a 2 or 3 loss team last year.