Football features top-10 showdown on opening day

The Saddleback football team opens the 51^st season of competition on Saturday when they host College of the Canyons at 6:00 PM at Mission Viejo High School.  The Gauchos and Cougars are both ranked in the top-10 of the California Community College Sports Information Association Preseason Poll.

Saddleback and Canyons both had successful 2017 campaigns as the Gauchos finished the season 8-3 and Canyons 9-2.  Both teams made a post-season appearance last fall with Saddleback falling to eventual state champion Fullerton College (21-33) in the Southern California Regional Playoffs while Canyons defeated Mt. San Antonio College (28-16) in the Western State Bowl. 

Given their successes a year ago, both teams open the 2018 season in the top-10 in the state as Saddleback was ranked No. 9 by the sports information directors and Canyons No. 5.  The two squads were separated by just 10 points in the 16-person poll, with Ventura College (6), Mt. San Antonio College (7) and City College of San Francisco (8) sandwiched in between.  Two-time defending state champion Fullerton College opens the season at No. 1 followed by College of San Mateo (2), Riverside City College (3) and American River College (4).

Saddleback and Canyons have met eight times in the past, with both programs winning four times.  The last time the two programs met was in 2015 when the Gauchos won a defensive struggle (19-3) in week six of the season.  Canyons entered the 2015 game at 5-0 on the season but managed just a field goal in the third quarter against a gritty Gaucho defense.  Saddleback entered that game in a middle of what would end up being a 10-game winning streak en route to an appearance in the state title game.

Having said that, things can change in a hurry at the community college level.  With players having just two years of eligibility, things can change in a flash from campus-to-campus.   Both programs return a number of athletes from last year's teams and hope that their leadership will guide them on opening day.   

Canyons returns two offensive players that made the National Division Northern League All-Conference Team last season in quarterback Andrew Brito and wide receiver Jarrin Pierce.  They also return two starters on defense from the all-conference squad in linebacker KJ Latu and safety Shaddrick Lowery.  A fifth member of the all-conference squad returns for Canyons with punter Brandin Pierce. 

Saddleback is in a similar position, returning five players that have been a part of the National Division Southern League All-Conference Teams.  The Gauchos return offensive lineman Tim Anderson and wide receiver Clinton Allen on one side of the ball with linebacker Zachery Brumbaugh and punter Harrison Avila on defense and special teams.  Saddleback also gets a huge boost from the return on safety Tony Williams, who returns from the 2016 squad after missing the 2017 campaign. 

Saddleback will play its home games at Mission Viejo High School in 2018 due to the construction of a new stadium being built on campus. 

The Gauchos and Cougars are set to kick off at 6:00 PM this Saturday at MVHS.