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Sports

Spring Football Preview: Capistrano Valley Fights Back

Experienced Cougars return 15 starters, including quarterback Mason Dossey, running back Aurelio Fajardo and linebacker James Benedix, but they will need to cut down on their mistakes in order to compete for Sea View League title.

While during spring practice wearing headgear that made players look like boxers, the Capistrano Valley football team is preparing for an 10-round brawl for its 2011 season.

Coming off a 3-7 overall record and an 0-4 mark in the Sea View League, success this fall could prove to be an uphill fight. In fact, the Cougars have been able to produce only two winning seasons in the past 15 years.

Junior Mason Dossey, who is set to begin his second campaign as the Cougars' starting quarterback, nailed it when he said, “We’re tired of hearing how bad Capo is.”

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If recent media reports are any indication, Capistrano Valley has a shot at quieting its critics. The O.C. Register ranked the Cougars No. 22 among the county's top 25 football programs for 2011.

"I think they know that we are building a program here and that we should have much more success this season," said coach Matt Poston, who will be in his second season at the helm of the Cougars' program after serving as an assistant coach at Tesoro. "We also played a lot of young players last year and, hopefully, that experience will pay off. We want to take a step forward and make the playoffs this season.

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“I think we’re going to have a big year. I think our league’s going to be close in talent. I think we have a lot of experience.”

That they do. Capistrano Valley has nine returning starters on defense and is particularly strong at linebacker, including captain and senior middle linebacker James Benedix. Also returning is linebacker/fullback Michael Gordon and defensive end Patrick Geers. The new starters include weakside linebacker Kevin Knipe, who moved over from corner back and added 20 pounds on his frame, and Mychael Matzek and Cody Bedner, who are competing for the free safety spot.

“We have a lot more returning starters,” Benedix said of the 2011 Cougars. “We need to get more turnovers, score touchdowns, get more three-and-outs.”

Capistrano Valley desperately needs to improve its turnover ratio. Poston estimated that there were at least 25 combined turnovers committed by the Cougars' offense and only seven forced by its defense. “We were our own worst enemy," he said. "We had turnovers at inopportune times.”

Though the Cougars lost three key players to graduation on offense—wide receiver/running back Alex Heineman, wide receiver Cole Winninghoff and offensive lineman Alex Gonzalez—they return six starters, including their leading rusher, senior Aurelio Fajardo, and Dossey at quarterback. Left tackle Jared Giles and center Nathan Johnson help anchor the line, which Poston says is a team strength.

“Getting faster, having better transitions will be key for us,” Fajardo said. “We have more of a drive to win. We’re older and wiser.”

Sophomore Sean Modster has an opportunity at becoming a top receiver. Dossey said Michael Mullen, Code Robinson and Matzek could also step up as receivers, with tight end Darrin Puffer also looking to get some grabs.

“We lost most of our receivers,” Dossey said. “It’ll be whoever steps up. We’re hopeful we can establish the men from the boys. We have a lot more dedication to winning. I believe we can turn things around here.”

Capistrano Valley's 2011 Varsity Football Schedule:

  • Friday, Sept. 2 vs. Trabuco Hills, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 9 at Santa Fe Christian, 7:30 p.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 16 at Cypress, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 23 at Long Beach Cabrillo, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 30 at San Marcos, 7 p.m.
  • Thursday, Oct. 6 vs. Dana Hills, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct 14 at Aliso Niguel, 7 p.m.*
  • Friday, Oct. 28 vs. El Toro, 7 p.m.*
  • Friday, Nov. 4 vs. Laguna Hills, 7 p.m.*
  • Thursday, Nov. 10 at San Juan Hills, 7 p.m.*

* Indicates a Sea View League game

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