James Burns: Prep football 2015 from A to Z

A is for August, the new September. Just as “A” kicks off the alphabet, August kicks off the high school football season.

Big’uns: Escalon boasts a line that could stand up against any in the Mark Loureiro era. The Cougars’ strongmen take their cues from the Capps brothers, guard Bo and tackle Blue, all-Trans-Valley League selections last fall. There’s also guard Logan Widmer, center Daniel Gonzalez, tight end Dustin Lawrence and a battle between tackles Tim Wallace and Marc Camarena.

Crossover talents. Last year, Sierra’s Hunter Johnson (football, basketball, baseball), Sonora’s Kahale Warring (football, basketball) and Gregori’s Tyler Janitz (football, basketball, baseball) were classic examples of the multi-sport athlete. Who carries the torch? Davis’ Talolo Limu-Jones (football, basketball) is the obvious candidate, but here’s a player to watch: Ripon junior Aaron Paschini, a lights-out shooter in the winter who may become a top target for third-year starter Nick Price.

D as in “Death Ride.” Ripon coach Chris Johnson is an avid cyclist and participated in July’s 129-mile Death Ride, billed as the “Tour of California Alps.” Johnson completed all five mountain passes. “It is a great accomplishment,” he said, “but going up Carson pass, I was wondering why I was doing such a dumb thing.”

Encore? Can Oakdale (Division III), Central Catholic (D-IV) and Stone Ridge Christian (D-VII) repeat as Sac-Joaquin Section champions?

F as in forget me not. Remember this name: Andrew Raspo. The Downey wide receiver is built like Wes Welker, with a game to match. He played sparingly last season because of injury but could finish the 2015 season among the Stanislaus District’s leaders in yards and touchdowns.

G oing solo: Riverbank has gone independent, leaving the Trans-Valley League – and any chance at a playoff berth – in the rearview mirrow. The Bruins will play schools from smaller conferences, such as the Southern League, Central California Athletic Alliance and Mother Lode League. Riverbank is 15-85 since its last winning season in 2004.

H ome-field advantage. No place is as hard on a road team as The Corral, Oakdale’s modernized 4,000-seat stadium. Since 2004, the Mustangs are a staggering 63-6 there. Chew on that for a second, and while you’re munching, grab a tri-tip sandwich, too.

nSite Impact Response Helmets, courtesy of Riddell. The helmets are designed to deflect impact but also record and measure every hit. This technology will allow coaches and doctors to monitor impact and assess technique. Modesto City Schools is believed to be the first district in the state to provide its football programs with this technology.

J as in the Joshua Pickard practice jersey. Buhach Colony coach Kevin Navarra will award this camouflage No. 50 top to a deserving player each week, to be worn in practice Monday through Thursday. Marine Cpl. Pickard graduated from Buhach Colony in 2004 and was killed in combat in Iraq in 2006. He was a member of the Buhach Colony football family.

K as in Will Kamps, Ripon Christian’s sack master. Kamps has 36.5 sacks in the last two seasons and was named the Southern League’s Defensive Player of the Year last fall.

Locks: Central Catholic coach Roger Canepa, sitting on 199 career wins, will experience No. 200 sooner rather than later. ... Downey will lead the Stanislaus District in at least one offensive category, likely passing yards. ... A Valley Oak League team will win the Sac-Joaquin Section D-III title. Fun fact: A VOL team has won the last three crowns, and Central Catholic, the three-time D-IV champion, will play up this season. ... One of the following will give me midnight indigestion: a Hilmar Portuguese corndog, a Los Banos burrito or anything off the Ripon Quarterback Club’s end zone grill.

Mountain House will field its first varsity team and compete in the Trans-Valley League. The Mustangs are coached by Jason McCloskey, formerly the coach at Central Valley.

New coaches in the Stanislaus District, in no particular order: Donnie Wallace at Modesto, Casey Kester at Bret Harte, Sean Leeveros at Summerville, Joe Pirillo at Lathrop and Anthony Armas at Denair. Larry Shepherd begins his first full season at Waterford, while Reyn Franca (Hughson) and Rob Cozart (Patterson) return to old posts.

Orestimba returns two 1,000-yard rushers in reigning Southern League MVP Austin Martins (1,406) and quarterback Joe Sheldon (1,163). It was the first time in school history two Warriors topped the 1,000-yard mark.

Point-after pros: Central Catholic’s Bryce Wade (80 of 83) and Merced’s Favian Prado (61 of 66) ranked second and sixth in the section last fall.

Quest: For the fortunate and deserving, the season will end at Sacramento State, the site of the CIF State Bowl games the next three years.

Ripon Christian’s 1,200-seat stadium is designed like Spanos Stadium in Stockton in that it won’t feature a track. This will put the fans on top of the action. A private donor has helped the athletic department purchase a train horn to sound after every Knights score, a nod to the railroad tracks that run along the backside of the visitor’s sideline.

S as in sophomores. Manteca likely will start four underclassmen on defense, one at each level: linemen Justin Kakala and Kyle Reis, linebacker Ferrin Manuleleau and safety Gino Campiotti, who could see time under center.

Title towns, as in which one has it better? Oakdale has won seven of the last eight Valley Oak League championships and two Sac-Joaquin Section titles in three years. Meanwhile, 65 miles south, Le Grand has won at least a piece of the Southern League title since 2009 and four of the last five Division V banners.

Under the radar: Top-flight running backs seem to fall off the assembly line at Oakdale, but the linchpin of the program’s recent success has been quarterback Adam Olsen. The senior begins his fourth year at the varsity level, the last three as the hand-picked starting quarterback.

V as in veteran leadership. Beyer quarterback Nick Trujillo and running back Jay Green return for a third varsity season, but will it be enough to knock resident champ Downey off the Modesto Metro Conference’s pedestal?

What’s in a name: Meet Delhi outside linebacker Scorpio Martinez, a member of the Hawks’ year-round weightlifting club. The junior hopes to give new meaning to “stinger.”

X as in X-factors. Special teams can turn a game in an instant, and some of the top return men in the section call the Stanislaus District home: Beyer’s Trent Baker, Merced’s Ulonzo Gilliam, Pacheco’s Deontae Smith and Turlock Christian’s Manuel Preciado.

Year of the Wide Receiver? The Stanislaus District may finally be heading the way of the NFL and college game. The district features several game-changing wide receivers, a collection that is physical and fast. A name to watch: Austin Miller at East Union. He and junior quarterback Jack Weaver are best friends, and their natural chemistry translates on the field.

Z as in Travis Zuidervaart of Ripon Christian. While he may lack the down-the-field arm strength of his predecessor, Western State Colorado redshirt freshman Billy Marr, the converted wide receiver is accurate and nimble.

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 5:45 PM with the headline "James Burns: Prep football 2015 from A to Z."