The reason is that Charger quarterback Mike Angelovic has the advantage of two of the countys better returning receivers, wide receiver Rick Justice (44 passes for 902 yards last season) and tight end Ken Griggs (14 receptions for 226 yards). El Modena HS Varsity Football. If they remember it at all, the Chargers recall how hot and oppressive it felt as their bus pulled into Orange, and how tiny the visitors quarters at Fred Kelly seemed. Private football Coaches in Utah | CoachUp For the team with the broken-armed quarterback, the mascot that waddles, the set of identical triplets on the line and a 20-pound disadvantage at nearly every position, Sept. 29th still marks the best of the good times. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer), The Villa Park drum major salutes during the playing of the National Anthem before the start of the game against El Modena in Orange on Thursday, September 29, 2022. Dana Hills led 14-10. The drama at the school, located at 3900 block of E. Spring St., unfolded at 11 a.m. on April 23 when the Snitzler's brother -- who was inside the school with him -- called Orange police, Orange Sgt. His brother, Dave, an all-county offensive guard and the senior class president, said, It was comparable to the Raiders playing somebody like the New Orlean Saints.. Its not that it hasnt been a marvelous experience--it certainly has--but Im getting more selfish with my time. When the Dolphins last sniffed playoff contention in 2019, they were fighting for a spot in Division 12. Smith punctuated the possession with a 6-yard TD run and ran in the 2-point conversion after a penalty by San Juan Hills. Califf kicked another field goal, this one from 36 yards, to make it 14-6. El Modena had possession, and Frasco was scrambling near his teams end zone. Grew up in Orange. I think if there was a time that people might have second-guessed me, that couldve been it.. While the ride through the 2021 season was fun, getting off the train this early hurt for a stellar senior class that led the Dolphins to this spot. Trying to steady his left arm, Frasco led the Vanguards down the field. You hate to lose, San Juan Hills coach Robert Frith said before the game of the schedule. . When you had a quality quarterback like Frasco, you probably ignored some of the back-ups.. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer), San Juan Hills fans watch fireworks before the start of the game against El Modena in San Juan Capistrano on Friday, September 23, 2022. The charges Snitzler is facing could result in a more than 10-year prison sentence, according to Rackauckas. CLICK HERE FOR THE EL MODENA FOOTBALL BLAST PAGE. There was pain, and it was just kind of flopping around. Athletics - El Modena High School Subscriptions Speaking of bad luck, the El Modena Vanguards--or the Ducks as their colorful coach prefers--actually had to absorb the majority of it. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or disability. No one was hurt. He specializes in football and all the aquatics but covers many different sports. San Juan Hills entered 0-5 for the second consecutive season. Lesters career coaching record is 213-86-10, for a winning percentage of .706. A client should expect nothing but excellence from me. Team talk with a humble, two-way baller @HitchensMayson of 5-0 @elmodenafb @ElmoHSAthletics @OrangeUnifiedCA @OSmith_5 @elishah_jackett @ocvarsity @SteveFryer pic.twitter.com/XgrWOXB4Ar, Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) September 24, 2022. Brown said the season hit a low point when Orange Lutheran--a longtime rival--defeated Whittier Christian for the second time. I have a passion for playing the WR position and you will get the very best from me. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer), El Modena running back Owen Smith (5) almost breaks away from San Juan Hills defensive back Isaiah Bennett who pushes him out of bounds in a non-league football game in San Juan Capistrano on Friday, September 23, 2022. Two plays later Smith scored on a 1-yard run around right end for a 14-3 lead. Dana Hills football. El Modena Varsity Football Roster | Blast Athletics But in Backstroms first season, the Vanguards failed to advance to the Southern Section playoffs. I love our kids and the time we had together was really a lot of fun.. We sat down every day during our office period and bounced things off each other. People around here expect results, and they expect them quick. His career record at El Modena was 157-58-8. TOUCHDOWN: Dana Hills strikes back. In that time, Errion led Corona del Mar to three Southern Section championship games, of which the school won two. Ask Bob Lester, Vanguard coach. In that sense, my first year was tough.. After El Modernas 14 play drive, Kelly hits Chambers for 56 yards and Black on this 19 yard TD pass. 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Mark that as the first major accomplishment in the Henney's tenure as head coach. CIF-SS D5. El Segundo 4, Torrance 2. . Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. Phone. El Modena senior running back Owen . Before the 1985 season began, Bob Lester, El Modena High School football coach, promised himself that this would be a kick-back kind of year--that he wasn't going to get too excited on. @ElModenaHS @emfb_mitchell @cespybaseball . Lester began his coaching career at La Veta High in Colorado in 1956, where he spent four seasons before moving to Colorados Salido High for two years. Colorful Career Closes as Lester Decides to Retire Of course, youd like to tweak a play here and try to figure out how you couldve won it, but youve got to give the other team a lot of credit for winning it. Honestly, I think Im more happy than sad. "Our negotiators (talked) to him for several hours and finally convinced him to give himself up peacefully," Amat said. Orange Unified School District is committed to providing equal opportunities for all students in all academic programs and school activities. The records--Edison (8-3), El Modena (13-1). . After spending 11 years as his assistant, Bill Backstrom replaced Bob Lester as El Modena football coach in 1985. Frasco attended Weber State for a year before transferring to Santa Ana College and then on to San Jose State. Bob is kind of a classic guy, and his resignation is a loss for Orange County football.. El Modena quarterback Xzavior Guess, center, sprints through a hole in the Villa Park defense in a non-league football game in Orange on Thursday, September 29, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer), El Modena running back Owen Smith tries to get by Villa Park cornerback Mark Meagher for more yardage in a non-league football game in Orange on Thursday, September 29, 2022. Jackson Keays's Football Recruiting Profile - NCSASports.org (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer), El Modena quarterback Xzavior Guess (9) finds his way through the San Juan Hills defense in a non-league football game in San Juan Capistrano on Friday, September 23, 2022. But, after an inspirational post-game talk, which Cuccia attended, Brown said the players were remotivated to win a Southern Section championship--something no Whittier Christian team had done. Casa de Tortuga Is Just Simply Crawling With Tortoises: 450 of Them. The Vanguards went to their ground game to toil through a 14-play, 91-yard, seven-minute drive to retake the lead, 10-7, in the second quarter, but not for long. Back then the CIF-SS divisions were still geographic and league-based, and the Dolphins played in the tough Pac-5 Division. The Vanguards stingy defense almost recorded the shutout but San Juan Hills Sullivan Land scored on a 6-yard TD run with 55 seconds left in the fourth. El Modena outscored its previous four opponents a combined 160-9 and stuck to that script from the start. Dana Hills Football Pushes to Overtime at El Modena, Falls in First CIF-SS Playoff Game in 8 Years. After El Modena, Edison won 34 of its next 35 games, setting the record for the second-longest winning streak in Southern Section history at 32. Add Video. In his 20 years at El Modena, Lester has had just two losing seasons, in 1969 (2-6-1) and 1973 (3-5-1). Last week, El Modena beat La Habra 43-6. Collecting Controversy : The curios and figurines of a racist past are hot properties. Football - El Modena High School @bills_kelly. Dana Hills defense stepped up to force a grinding game from El Modena, but despite a field goal on the Dolphins overtime possession, the Vanguards found the end zone to capture the win, 23-20, in a CIF-SS Division 5 first round game on Thursday, Nov. 4. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Villa Park quarterback Vince Lagatta, left, rolls out of the pocket as he is chased and taken down by El Modena defensive . If we didnt, I think theyd be calling for my neck. To them, it was noteworthy only because it was the second-to-last time they lost a game for three seasons. 866-495-5172. When you talk about legends, as coaches, were all legends in our own minds.. He always made me feel like I was part of the decision making, and kind of groomed me for the job, I think. City News Service contributed to this report. Steve Clark, right, and his son Jamison pose prior to a BYU football game. Menu Join Team. Key to the game--Much will depend on the effectiveness of the El Modena defense, particularly the Vanguards untested secondary. Some people thought it was funny that Lester would even have the audacity to mention winning. Its a good thing though weve had more Ws than Ls, he said. But Backstrom said he never heard any grumbling from the players, their parents or the administration. Sign up here. Smith rushed for 20 and 12 yards on his first two carries, the first two plays from scrimmage of the game. Two days following the April 23 standoff, Snitzler was charged with possessing a firearm in a school zone, discharging or attempting to discharge a firearm in a gun-free school zone -- all of which are felonies -- and possession of ammunition on school property, a misdemeanor, according to Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. El Modena ran the ball 51 times to gain a total of 273 yards, but Dana Hills made them earn every yard on lengthy drives. Went to Orange HS. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer), An El Modena cheerleader entertains the crowd with a series of flips before the start of the game against Villa Park in Orange on Thursday, September 29, 2022. I hate to see it go, but you know it has to happen. Doug Rozsa, an El Modena linebacker, the student body president and one of the Rozsa triplets, remembers fellow students telling him their team would be lucky to score at all against the countrys third-ranked team. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer), El Modena wide receiver Sam Astor celebrates making a touchdown catch against Villa Park in a non-league football game in Orange on Thursday, September 29, 2022. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Dan Albano has been a high school sports writer at The Orange County Register since 1993. Gardening Stuff & Plant cuttings Exchange Feb 11th Irvine Great Park. He always has been the type to joke around at practice, and hes always been a hit with the media, often providing reporters with funny one-liners. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer), San Juan Hills quarterback Michael Butter Tollefson looks to fire a pass against El Modena in a non-league football game in San Juan Capistrano on Friday, September 23, 2022. 1, Santa Margarita girls, Portola boys race to titles at Capistrano Valley swimming relays, Disneyland quietly removes controversial lyric from new parade soundtrack, Fannie Mae halts financing for 6,102 condos in Laguna Woods, Tax filing deadline moves to mid-October for most Californians, 2 arrested in Anaheim on suspicion of possessing $463,000 in stolen merchandise, Baram and Tioumentsev win World Junior title hours after their coach, Todd Sand, suffers heart attack, Lake Forest woman filed restraining order against daughter 8 years before being killed in their home, California weighs $360,000 in reparations to eligible Black residents, Taco Mesita opens flagship location in Old Town Tustin, OC Restaurant Week kicks off Sunday, March 5, Lake Forest man convicted of killing stepmom with pickaxe, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. El Modena Varsity Football (2021 - 2022) | Blast Athletics In other words, dont go out and mess up a good program.. We were terrified going into practice that week. The Vanguard disaster occurred early in the second quarter. The Vanguards begin North Hills League play Oct. 13 against El Dorado. Three years ago, Paul Orris replaced Jack Errion, who retired after 11 years as Corona del Mars basketball coach. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer). "We worked. The Vanguards have 1139 players on their Football all-time roster. El Modena coach Matt Mitchell considered San Juan Hills (0-6) his team's "first challenge" so far but his team easily passed. The Vanguards finished with 209 yards rushing mostly behind left tackle Grant Walker, left guard Roman Lira, center Anthony Lopez, right guard Michael Anaya and Washington-committed right tackle Elishah Jackett. Nowadays, when players from the 1979 El Modena High School football team get together to recall a little of their glory days, that is the night that springs to mind. Fall Sports - El Modena High School If we hadnt had a winning season, Im sure there might have been complaints, Rush said. (Gibbons said his removal stemmed from incidents during a San Luis Obispo baseball tournament last spring in which three Ocean View players were suspended for violating team rules). 90 OT . El Modenas ensuing drive ended on another fourth-down try, this one an incomplete pass on fourth-and-10 at the Villa Park 24. Going forward, this Dolphin team may have changed the path of the Dana Hills football program. Steve's first byline appeared in the Register in 1979. He dodged out to the 20-yard line, where he was hit by an Edison safety. . 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In his 14 years at El Rancho, Johnson had led the school to five Southern Section championship games, winning three. El Modena beats Villa Park in football for the first time in 15 years In his first season, Henney got this Dolphins program to set its sights higher and showed that it belonged with teams of El Modenas caliber. El Modenas game-opening possession ended when the Vanguards failed to convert on fourth-and-2 at the Villa Park 40 when Smith was tackled by Eddie Rodriguez for a 1-yard loss. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer), El Modena wide receiver Blake Armstrong, center, has the pass roll off of his fingertips in the end zone for an incomplete pass as San Juan Hills defensive back Rylan Schafer, left, and defensive back Dylan Wersching, right, apply pressure in a non-league football game in San Juan Capistrano on Friday, September 23, 2022. Steve Clark is the tight ends coach for BYU, while son Jamison is a member of the Utah Tech football staff. Hes had such a good thing going with the parents and the players, its tough to see him leave.. BYU vs. Utah Tech: Father and son coaches on opposite sidelines Villa Park has a nonleague game next week against Canyon, on Friday, Oct. 7 at El Modena. 2019-current Freshman assistant football coach at El Modena HS. El Modena improved its record to 6-0 while Villa Park dropped to 2-4. He returned to watch the game with his arm in a sling. The transition, they say, was surprisingly smooth because they shared many of the same philosophies and strategies as the former coach. SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO El Modena and San Juan Hills each carried questions into their clash of teams ranked in the Orange County Top 25. Dana Hills needed a stop to win its first playoff game since 2009, but El Modena needed just four plays to earn the win. Chief among them was senior quarterback Bo Kelly, who completed 18 of 32 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns. Im serious. The Chargers destroyed Canyon, 43-14. Gardening Stuff & Plant cuttings Exchange Feb 11th Irvine Great Park.]. Neil P. - I'm a coach that believes in technique and knowledge which allows one to go out and dominate. McWhinney, who two weeks ago was hired to replace Jerry Howell as football coach at Foothill High School, accepted his first head coaching job 20 years ago at El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera. However, with wins over rival Aliso Niguel, dominance of Pacific Valley League opponents and a strong showing in the Pacific Hills League, Dana Hills pushed up to Division 5. Smith, a senior who also is El Modenas leading rusher, on Thursday rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Every time he talks, he makes me feel so good . SCHEDULE Welcome to El Modena Football For questions regarding the El Modena Football Program and getting signed up, please contact Head Varsity Coach Matt Mitchell at mjmitch@orangeusd.org For questions regarding the El Modena Football Freshman team, please contact Freshman Head Coach Chris Esperanza at esperanzachris@att.net The Vanguards Mayson Hitchens had two catches for 44 yards, one of them a reception of a short pass over the middle that he turned into a 38-yard gain by bowling over three defenders. A native of East Lyme, Conn., and a graduate of Cal State Fullerton, he began writing for The Times in 1981. Subscribe now. Black caught three passes for 84 yards. No receivers were available. I am married with 3 children & 1 grandchild. It was a team yearning to be coached, Henney said. Before the 1985 season began, Bob Lester, El Modena High School football coach, promised himself that this would be a kick-back kind of year--that he wasnt going to get too excited on Friday nights, and that he wasnt going to lose any sleep worrying about what play to call on third and short. kelly.bills@dixie.edu. El Monte 17, Rio Hondo Prep 7. Hitchens, a running back/linebacker, capped the march with a 12-yard touchdown run with 7:49 left in the period. ORANGE The Dana Hills football team fought. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Californias snowpack is approaching an all-time record, with more on the way. Coach Esperanza also attended the clinic to learn more about the game of football! El Modenas Mayson Hitchens, left, gets through the San Juan Hills defense to score a touchdown in the first quarter in a non-league football game in San Juan Capistrano on Friday, September 23, 2022. Before the game, Lester had grimly predicted, We dont win if Frasco doesnt have a big game. He was referring to quarterback Bob Frasco, the Ducks main asset. Photo: Zach Cavanagh. The stress never seemed to affect Lester, though. Runs Sex Offender screening on every coach, Ensures high quality coaches with verified reviews, Offers 24/7 support and helpful Athlete Advisors, Easy payments via credit card, no need for cash, Provides convenient scheduling with calendar integration, Enables automated reminders before training sessions, Captures post-session feedback directly from your coach. Zach Cavanagh is the sports editor for Picket Fence Media. You cant put words to how I feel. El Modena 11, Placentia Valencia 1. Jack Elsner, El Modena principal, said that he wont name a replacement until January. He was honored as a Jim Staunton Champion for Character by the CIF-Southern Section in 2017. In 2015, Dan received the Bud Dwyer Jr. media award from the Southern California High School Football Coaches Association. I think everyone understood the situation, he said. OCDA alleges that he initiated the 10-hour standoff with police while armed in one of the school's classrooms in April, when he was being investigated for allegedly engaging in a sexual relationship with a 17- year-old student. The Spartans start Crestview League games at Yorba Linda on Oct. 14. The season, which ended with last weeks 14-13 loss to Santa Ana in the Southern Conference semifinals, had every ounce of stress that his previous 19 at El Modena had. I dont know if you can ask for any more. Father and son will be on opposite sidelines when the two teams meet next Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Guess moved around and outside of the pocket before throwing to the open Astor at the back of the end zone for a 7-3 lead with 5:39 to go in the second quarter. Its my last high school football game. If it did, he masked it well with his sense of humor. Football Recruiting / California / Orange, CA / El Modena High School / Jackson Keays. Their four losses are to teams that entered this week with a combined 17-5 record. El Modena's players approached it differently. David Melendez #64 OG Dylan Leslie Coaches View All Michael Myers Offensive Line Sean Fryer Coach Videos Elmo goes into Victory formation and will win the first round of the Playoffs 15-14 over Pasadena! . I have no industry certifications but I love the game of football especially the WR position. In the second half, it was the defenses that reigned. McWhinney, then only 25, took over for his former high school coach, Ernie Johnson. He then spent a year as a graduate assistant at Colorados Adams State College before moving to Duarte High to become head coach in 1963. Its a tough act to follow..