The Preps Box

Arroyo Grande High receiver L.T. Johnson, shown earlier this month at practice, and the rest of the Eagles were voted No. 1 in The Tribune's PAC 7 preseason coaches poll. — Tribune photo by Joe Johnston ©

Seven Central Coast teams were represented in Tuesday’s CIF-Southern Section preseason media divisional polls.

In the Western Division, Arroyo Grande was ranked No. 9, while St. Joseph and Atascadero were in the others-receiving-votes category. Meanwhile, in the Northwest Division, Templeton was voted No. 1, followed by Santa Ynez at No. 3 and Nipomo at No. 6. Morro Bay also received votes.

In case you missed it, our preseason preview editions began today with the PAC 7, as I outlined in the previous post here.

Six PAC 7 coaches (Righetti didn’t vote) combined to vote Arroyo Grande No. 1 in our PAC 7 preseason coaches poll. The Eagles had 35 voting points, followed by Atascadero (31), St. Joseph (29), Paso Robles (25), San Luis Obispo (21), Righetti (18) and Pioneer Valley (9).

As originally planned, our team and league previews will continue Wednesday with the Los Padres League, and go on Thursday with small schools, concluding Friday with an overall look at various league and divisional changes throughout the Central Coast, The Tribune’s preseason all-county team, complete schedules for each team, and game previews.

Morro Bay High quarterback Sam Crizer passes at a recent Pirates practice. — Tribune photo by Joe Johnston ©

I wanted to let you all know the anticipated run dates for our local prep football preview issues. Of course, for fair warning, things in this business are always subject to some change depending on potentially breaking news stories. Having said that, here’s the overall schedule we’re planning on for now:

Tuesday, Aug. 31: PAC 7 team previews

Wednesday, Sept. 1: Los Padres League team previews

Thursday, Sept. 2: Small-school team previews (Mission Prep, Coast Union, Shandon and North County Christian)

Friday, Sept. 3: A general look at various changes throughout the area this year involving re-leaguing, divisional re-alignment and even one sectional change; The Tribune’s preseason all-San Luis Obispo County team based on input from coaches; complete season schedules for every county team; Central Coast media Top 10 poll; capsule previews of each opening-week game; and a recap of Atascadero’s Thursday-night opener at Salinas.

Also of note lately:

• Thirteen county players were named to the ESPN RISE Cal-Hi Sports all-Ventura/Santa Barbara/San Luis Obispo counties preseason team on Thursday.

Earning first-team offense honors were Morro Bay tackle Jonathan Miller, Paso Robles center Cole Thompson and San Luis Obispo running back Vance Cramer. Making the defensive first team were Atascadero end Spencer Ruggles, San Luis Obispo linebacker Nick Butier, Paso Robles linebacker David Katz and Atascadero cornerback Troy Norris. Templeton’s Tyler Gray and Paso Robles’ Elias Stokes were first-team multi-purpose picks. Second-team distinction went to Paso Robles nose tackle Bo Bonnheim, Arroyo Grande cornerback Garrett Coleman, Nipomo defensive lineman Chris Reed and Morro Bay linebacker Dominic Woods.

• FYI, there has been a shuffle in the radio itinerary for Atascadero football games. Although KIQO 104.5 FM dropped the Greyhounds’ games, they’ll now be carried live by KPRL 1230 AM online at KPRL.com. KPRL will still carry Paso Robles games live on the terrestrial station over the air, but when there’s not a scheduling conflict, and Atascadero games are the only ones going on between the two (such as on Thursday and Sept. 10), the Greyhounds’ games will be broadcast over the airwaves in addition to the Internet.

• The San Jose Mercury News took an interesting look at the treatment of concussions across the state. Last year, several local schools teamed up with Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and San Luis Sports Therapy to bring the ImPACT testing program to their players.

• I may sound like a broken record, but former Templeton star Teddy Dellaganna, now a punter at Rutgers with a plausible NFL shot, was featured again by an East Coast newspaper, this time the Trentonian of New Jersey.

• Recently graduated UC Davis-bound Morro Bay golfer Matt Hansen missed the cut to advance to match play at the U.S. Amateur Championships in Chambers Bay, Wash. by four strokes. Hansen, of Los Osos, finished in a 118th-place tie overall, carding a 10-over two-round total of 153.

Paso Robles' Josh Weferling runs against Santa Ynez in 2007. Budget cuts in Paso Robles recently raised questions about future funding for the Bearcats' programs. — Tribune file photo by Joe Johnston ©

I got an interesting e-mail from a reader this week in response to an article I wrote about the increasing difficulty of funding prep sports at public schools in California, in light of the state’s ongoing budget shortcomings.

For quick background: As I’m sure all of you know, many schools across the state are increasingly asking students’ families for handouts to continue fielding teams like they have in the past. For instance, at Paso Robles High — whose sports programs have been hit the hardest in San Luis Obispo County — students’ families were asked to chip in a voluntary $60 per student per sport last year. But after the school had its sports transportation funding slashed 50 percent in April (totaling 62 percent over the past two years), programs are expecting to need about $20 to $40 more heading into this year. Templeton and Coast Union, for further example, similarly asked for contributions of $100 and $50 each last year.

Several commenting at SanLuisObispo.com have voiced a line of reasoning of, ‘If people want to play it, make them pay it.’ The reality of the matter, however, is not quite that simple. A 1984 California Supreme Court case, Hartzell v. Connell, forbids the explicit imposition of mandatory fees as an outright requirement to belong to teams. No child can be excluded from participating if he or she is unable or unwilling to make a financial contribution. In other words, if the program is offered, it has to be open to everyone — period. Voluntary contributions, however, are indeed legal. (Here’s more on the situation in San Diego, which has become a hotbed for news on the topic. The issue is also coming to a head in the Los Angeles and Fresno areas, in particular.)

But schools are increasingly left feeling as if they have few options. Over the past two years, California’s public education funding has been cut roughly $17 billion. Unless things change, the situation has put the long-term survivability of public-school sports on shaky footing. Or, as a Paso Robles coach once put it to me, “nebulous.” That’s where the e-mail I mentioned comes in — an idea I hadn’t considered.

Bill Fazekas, 87, of Los Osos, wrote the following:

“In our state of California we have over 2,031 high schools. And admit or not, along with our colleges, they are the true minor leagues of major sports. Let’s get our young people though school, and at the same time support our pro teams.

Here is how I would like to see it accomplished. In our state we have (12) pro teams (NFL, MLB and NBA), all of which pull from these young people to help make up their teams. To help get us out of this budget problem, I would like to see each of the major teams donate $1,000,000 to the California Board of Education’s sports programs for one year. This would be a write-off for the teams and would have to go to pay coaches who are being asked to coach without pay.”

(Paso Robles coaches also saw their stipends eliminated.)

There is one occurrence of this on a regional scale. Also in April, a group that included the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chivas USA donated $1.4 million to the Los Angeles Unified School District, which was about to cut its sports funding by 25 percent. On a statewide level, though, such charity hasn’t happened yet. What do you think of Fazekas’ suggestion? In terms of the positive publicity pro teams could gain from it, do you think it could be a practical solution if budget-cutting continues? According to Forbes, the 12 NFL, MLB and NBA teams in California have a net value of just over $6.5 billion. Or do you expect the budget situation to stabilize soon regardless?

Meanwhile of late:

• As I’ve said, thanks for sitting tight on our comprehensive prep football team and league previews. They’re slated to print starting at the end of the month, and I’ll keep you posted as the exact sequence of run dates become clearer.

• Former Templeton football star Teddy Dellaganna, now a fifth-year senior punter at Rutgers, was featured this week by The Daily Targum, the school’s student newspaper. Dellaganna, who earned a Big East Conference Special Teams Player of the Week award last year, is the Scarlet Knights’ all-time leader in punting average.

• St. Joseph announced it will host an inaugural National Prep Classic basketball tournament from Dec. 18-22 in Santa Maria. The tournament, much like the Mission Prep Christmas Classic before it, will feature elite programs such as White Station of Memphis, Tenn., as well as in-state powerhouses like Westchester of Los Angeles.

• In a footnote about this blog, I’ve updated the all-league tab at the top of this page so that various all-league teams from all of last year’s seasons should be able to be publicly downloaded and printed in their original formats, as they were sent to us, for safekeeping.

Templeton High's Daniel Wheeler looks for extra yardage against Los Padres League rival Morro Bay in 2009. — Tribune file photo by Joe Johnston ©

This past offseason’s re-alignment of CIF-Southern Section playoff groupings for football seems to have left the Los Padres League in a somewhat favored, perhaps targeted spot.

CalPreps.com’s preseason statewide power ratings have Templeton and Nipomo pegged as the top two teams in the new-look Northwest Division, which saw an exodus of heavy hitters find new homes after last year — most notably Serra of Gardena (ranked No. 16 in the nation), which is now in the Western Division. The website has the Eagles tabbed No. 249 in the state overall, followed by the Titans at No. 318.

Of course, these are just preseason numbers at the moment. But outside of the LPL, only one team that made it beyond the first round of last year’s Northwest Division playoffs — El Segundo — still remains in the division. (Other outside contenders figure to be Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Montebello, Nordhoff of Ojai, South Torrance, Verbum Dei of Los Angeles, North Torrance and Compton Centennial.) Coincidentally, with regard to Serra, the Western Division is also now the home of the PAC 7. The first PAC 7 team to check in at CalPreps’ statewide ratings is St. Joseph at No. 149 overall (11th in the Western Division), with Paso Robles slotted No. 150 (12th).

Again, our comprehensive team and league previews are planned to run together at once toward the end of this month. As we build up to those, though, in the mean time, how would you assess LPL teams’ chances to win a Northwest Division championship? Do you agree with the ratings and also consider Templeton and Nipomo the top two teams?

Elsewhere recently, in case you missed it:

• Recently graduated Morro Bay golfer Matt Hansen upset the top seed at the Northern California Golf Association Amateur Championships on Thursday before falling in the semifinals at Spyglass Hill in Pebble Beach. The eighth-seeded Hansen — a Los Osos native and incoming freshman at UC Davis — ousted 51-year-old Randy Haag 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals. He then lost to Scott Hardy, 34, in the semifinal round 3 and 2.

• San Luis Obispo sophomore-to-be pitcher Andrea Reynolds helped lead the San Jose Sting 14-and-under softball club to the ASA national championship last week. The Sting defeated the Corona Angels 1-0 to win the 156-team summer tournament title. On Aug. 5, Reynolds tossed a one-hit shutout in a win over the Georgia Academy Power Red. She also had a double in that game.

• Recently graduated Nipomo baseball star Jeff McNeil was highlighted by Presidio Sports for his play with the Santa Barbara Foresters in the National Baseball Congress summer collegiate World Series (where the Foresters finished third). In the Aug. 12 article, which focused on the Foresters’ 8-3 win over the Haysville (Kan.) Heat, McNeil — a Long Beach State signee — was praised by manager Bill Pintard after coming up with a single, an RBI, a run scored and a sacrifice bunt.

Nipomo High senior running back Devonte Jackson (1), shown as a junior, will look to be one of the Central Coast's most productive offensive players this year. — Tribune file photo by Joe Johnston ©

The wait is just about over, as high school football training camps open throughout San Luis Obispo County this week.

So who do you expect to look good coming out of the PAC 7 and Los Padres League?

On paper, there don’t appear to be outright favorites in either. I’ve already gotten some feedback from local coaches and am going to start visiting practices this week as we prepare our annual preseason coverage, which runs in print toward the end of August.

In the PAC 7, Paso Robles returns an area-best seven all-league performers from its overwhelmingly young 5-5 squad in 2009. A year ago, the Bearcats fielded 11 new starters on defense. Among them was Bo Bonnheim, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound tackle who should lead the way up front, with linebacker David Katz and safety Scott Plescia helming their units. Offensively, Paso Robles lost three-year starter Thomas Bernal at quarterback, but incoming senior Jacob Searcy saw significant experience toward the end of last season filling in when Bernal was injured. He’ll have a diverse cast of targets to throw to, with 6-4 red-zone threat Aleksander Koch complementing the shiftier Elias Stokes, who had 31 catches for 501 yards as a sophomore. Jesse Felgenhauer is expected to start at running back.

Arroyo Grande brings back three all-league selections in running back Christian Crichton, tight end Kelly Shepard and cornerback Garrett Coleman. Three others, however, are shaping up as a few of the area’s most sought-after college prospects in junior safety Seth Jacobs, receiver LaTaurus Johnson (who at 6-4 won the county 100- and 200-meter dash titles as a junior) and kicker Garrett Owens. The Eagles did graduate four offensive linemen, as well as their starting signal-caller in Matt McAustin (Jacobs, however, also saw time under center a year ago as a mobile counter to McAustin).

Atascadero took some hits due to graduation along the interior of its offensive line and in its linebacker corps, primarily, but also brings back a bevy of talent in its own right. Local coaches are raving about the potential of 6-4, 235-pound senior tight end Weston Walker, a tenacious-rebounding power forward in basketball. Additionally, dual-threat quarterback Jesse Whitten is back with a complete year of starting experience under his belt, as is running back Tanner Thompson. Defensively, the Greyhounds figure to be led by a pair of all-league seniors in pass-rushing end Spencer Ruggles and playmaking cornerback Troy Norris. (Also, keep an eye out for running back Deonte Barnes, who was one of the league’s most productive JV players last season.)

Elsewhere, San Luis Obispo should benefit immensely from added experience after last year’s trial run of the misdirection-heavy triple-option offense. The Tigers return a physical runner in all-league fullback Vance Cramer, as well as one of the Central Coast’s most underrated tackling machines in all-PAC 7 linebacker Nick Butier. Other players to watch figure to be quarterback Anthony Maez, slotback and defensive back Jake Lacy and two-way lineman Gregg Wright.

While St. Joseph graduated a trio of Division I signees — including the area’s most electrifying scoring threat in all-state running back K.J. Cusack — the Knights have four all-LPL honorees back to help ease their transition into the bigger league. Three of them are on defense, as tackle Matt Spencer, linebacker Jack Donovan and defensive back Kohl Bashline should help form a solid foundation.

Meanwhile, Righetti brings back just one all-league player from its 2009 PAC 7 championship squad in defensive back Tony Velasco. (Among those to have moved on is receiver and defensive back Matt Miller, the league’s MVP.) Pioneer Valley, last year’s LPL runner-up, is working with an even cleaner slate, as the Panthers return literally no all-league selections from a year ago heading into their first season under new head coach Dan Ellington. Most notably, making up for the loss of running back Dan Ando, who had 10.8-second speed in the 100-meter dash, will be one of the biggest challenges.

All the PAC 7 teams will be gearing up for the Western Division playoffs this year for the first time after being moved from the Northern Division this offseason.

San Luis Obispo linebacker Nick Butier (left) and Morro Bay quarterback Sam Crizer are both back after impressive junior seasons a year ago. — Tribune file photo by Nick Lucero ©

In the Los Padres League, Templeton returns arguably the area’s best player in senior linebacker Tyler Gray, who’s reportedly being recruited by a number of Bowl Championship Series-conference programs. Not to be overlooked, he’s joined by a fellow all-league choice at linebacker in Daulton Oropeza.

Morro Bay’s linebacking corps should also be among the best in the county, with two all-leaguers back in Dom Woods and Darek Mendoza. The Pirates also have back one of the area’s most productive, versatile quarterbacks in incoming senior Sam Crizer, who missed the second half of last season due to an injury after earlier ranking among the state’s leaders in rushing yards by a signal-caller. (He’ll also benefit from the return of standout offensive lineman Jonathan Miller, a 6-3, 285-pounder who started as a sophomore.)

Nipomo, just like St. Joseph, graduated three Division I signees, not to mention a recruited walk-on at that level, but does return a dynamic offensive weapon in running back Devonte Jackson. The Titans also welcome back two veteran defenders in 6-3, 265-pound lineman Chris Reed and ball-hawking safety Joe Gutshall. All will be invaluable in compensating for graduating 17 starters from 2009.

Santa Maria brings back three all-league honorees, including a particularly underrated athlete in 6-2, 265-pound pass-rusher Mershad Dillon, while Cabrillo brings back a pair of all-LPL selections, Santa Ynez one and Lompoc none.

In the small-school ranks, Mission Prep and Coast Union are both entering seasons of change. It’ll be the first year in the Southern Section for the independent Royals, who graduated an all-state safety in Cornell recruit Kevin Laird. They’ll test the recent strides their program has made with tough nonleague dates at Nipomo and Santa Maria. Coast Union, conversely, has welcomed first-year head coach Ron Garcia and is looking to field a squad with more depth after going 1-9 a season ago. At the 8-man level, Shandon will be looking to build upon its 4-4-1 improvement in 2009, while North County Christian is seeking to rebound from an uncharacteristic 1-8 stretch.

Arroyo Grande High senior-to-be third baseman and pitcher Kyle Raubinger was featured online in the Los Angeles Times this week as he prepares for the prestigious Area Code Games showcase. Raubinger will play for the Milwaukee Brewers’ blue team in front of hundreds of college and professional scouts at the six-day event starting Thursday at Blair Field in Long Beach.

According to the article (which we’re tentatively planning to run in print in Thursday’s Tribune), Raubinger — a reigning all-CIF Southern Section Division 2 second-team honoree — is being recruited by a who’s-who of West Coast powers including UCLA, Fresno State and Cal State Fullerton.

It should be interesting to see how scouts will like to utilize Raubinger, who came into this past season as more of a known commodity offensively, but arguably turned more heads on the mound, where he won PAC 7 Most Valuable Pitcher acclaim and tied for second in wins among Southern Section juniors, with nine. What do you think? At the next level, is Raubinger better suited as a pitcher or as a position player?

He’s the second area talent over the past year to be extensively spotlighted by the king of all regional newspapers, joining recently graduated St. Joseph football speedster K.J. Cusack, an Arroyo Grande resident who was an ESPN RISE Cal-Hi Sports medium-schools all-state pick before signing with Cal Poly.

Elsewhere over the past couple days in a relatively busy offseason:

• Recently graduated Morro Bay golf standout Matt Hansen qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship for the second year in a row, carding a two-round 140 total at San Luis Obispo Country Club. Hansen, a Los Osos native and UC Davis signee, shot an opening-round 5-under-par 66 before following it with a 74 to tie two others for the top sectional qualifying draw. The championship will be held Aug. 23-29 in Chambers Bay, Wash.

Morro Bay High's Matt Hansen, a UC Davis signee shown last year, qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship for the second year in a row this week. — Tribune file photo by David Middlecamp ©

• The Central Coast Crushers summer tennis club opened 1-1 Tuesday at the three-day, 16-team, coed World Junior National Invitational held at Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego. The Crushers began the day falling to the Midwest Charging Colts, 39-37, before downing the Reckless Rebels, 41-30. Their roster is made up of Arroyo Grande’s Eli Whittle and Sean Hollister, as well as San Luis Obispo’s Joshua Milla on the boys side, and Victoria Troesch and Abigail Will of San Luis Obispo, as well as Atascadero’s Amber Petersen on behalf of the girls.