Mother Lode League outlook, coaches’ picks, schedule

▪ SONORA WILDCATS

Coach: Bryan Craig

Year/record: 7th, 43-26

Key returners: QB Sammy Page (5-8, 180); RB/DB Wyatt Faughnan (6-2, 190); FB/LB Bradley Canepa (5-9, 220); OL/DL Blake Graham (6-2, 245); RB/DB Jayden Estrada (5-8, 155).

Key newcomers: DL/FB Nate Gookin (5-9, 165); OL/LB Killian Roscoe (6-2, 220).

Key losses: RB/LB Billy Kiriluk; OL/DL Zerek Saldivar; RB/DB Bryce Sanguinetti; WR Kahale Warring.

Stadium: Dunlavy Field

Rivalry: Oakdale

▪ CALAVERAS REDSKINS

Coach: Jason Weatherby

Year/record: 8th, 48-24

Key returners: QB Dylan Byrd (6-3, 195); TE/OLB Shane Torres (6-3, 220); OT/DT Garrett Heffington (6-5, 275).

Key newcomers: RB/FS Anthony Giangregorio (5-10, 165); OG/ILB Nick Quinday (5-8, 200); C/DT John Kelly (5-9, 200).

Key losses: RB Connor Hamilton

Stadium: Frank Meyer Field (1,500)

Rivalry: Bret Harte

▪ SUMMERVILLE BEARS

Coach: Sean Leveroos

Year/record: 1st

Key returners: S/ATH Jake Fulkerson; DL/OL Kole Elkins; LB/RB Nathaniel Ulvevadet; DL/TE Kenny Warnock; DB/WR J.T. McCready; DB/WR Ryan Whalen.

Key newcomers: DB/ATH Travis Rodgers; DB/WR Eli McLauren; DL/OL Rhett Oellrich.

Key losses: DB/QB Brice Ferrell; LB/RB Humphrey Quire; DB/WR Darren Warnock.

Stadium: Thorstead Field (1,100)

Rivalry: Sonora

▪ AMADOR BUFFALOES

Coach: Bill Baker

Year/record: 6th, 34-29

Key returners: WR/FS Arik Williams (6-1, 195); OT Tommy Lepisto (6-0, 290); G/LB Tyler Bardin (5-10, 190); LB Cole Murphy (5-11, 185).

Key newcomers: RB Daylan Thetford (5-9, 165); RB/DB Eric Moreno (5-10, 155); LB/G Logan Hawkins (6-0, 190); LB/TE Dustin Martin (6-0, 180).

Stadium: Amador High Stadium (2,000)

Rivalry: Argonaut

▪ ARGONAUT MUSTANGS

Coach: Gary Landergen

Year/record: 2nd, 2-8

Key returners: RB/DB Jared Coppock; QB/DB Chad Floyd; OL/DL David Crowhurst; RB/DB Mikey Vierra; OL/DL Ryan Sober; OL/DL Derrick Fleming.

Key newcomers: OL/DL Billy Hpoo; RB/DB Gio Casillas; RB/DB Johnny White; QB/TE/DE Ryan Albiani; RB/DB Andrew Hernandez; RB/DB Trevor Rampage; WR/DB Cade Collins.

Key losses: Andrew Deason; Joey Guidi; John Schaller; C.J. Wynne.

Stadium: Dan Barnett Field/Fran Vaira Complex

Rivalry: Amador

▪ LINDEN LIONS

Coach: Mark Miller

Year/record: 28th, 141-121-4

Key returners: QB Anthony Craven (6-0, 190); OT/DE Nikolas Esposo (6-0, 227); WR/DB Max Nicol (6-0, 150); RB/DB Cody Johnston (5-9, 140); C/NG Brent Humphrey (6-3, 253); OG/DL/K Maximo Rodriguez (5-10, 200); OT/DL Francisco Angeles (5-10, 220); WR/DE Marc Jarrett (6-0, 160); OG/NG James Mamaril (5-11, 288); OT/DL Garrett Gallagher (6-0, 231); OG/DL Don Vaughn (5-11, 175).

Key newcomers: WR/DB Hunter White (5-10, 150); RB/LB Eduardo Lima (5-10, 165); RB/LB Angelo Lopez (5-10, 185); WR/DB Scott Hushaw (6-0, 150); QB/RB Clinton Sizuela (5-9, 145).

Key losses: RB/LB James Berg; WR/DB Ryan Alegre; TE Grant Winters; DL Jose Ledesma.

Stadium: Lion Stadium (2,500)

Rivalry: Summerville

▪ BRET HARTE FROGS

Coach: Casey Kester

Year/record: 2nd, 2-8

Key returners: QB Mike Ziehlke; DL/TE Colin Preston; SB Brady Westberg

Key newcomers: QB/WR/S Luke Pinney; LB/RB Anthony Howard; WR Bucky Sewell; QB/SB/OLB/DE Joey Kraft; DE Hunter Van Vliet.

Key losses: RB Eric Diep; LB Logan Lowe; RB/SB Austin Miguel.

Stadium: Dorroh Field

Rivalry: Calaveras

▪ COACHES’ PICKS: 1. Sonora. 2. Calaveras. 3. Amador. 4. Summerville. 5. Argonaut. 6. Linden. 7. Bret Harte.

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 1:05 PM with the headline "Mother Lode League outlook, coaches’ picks, schedule."