A team-by-team look at the Citrus Belt League heading into the new season.
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A team-by-team look at the Citrus Belt League heading into the new season.
Beaumont High, after winning its first Citrus Belt League football title last season, seeks a repeat in 2025.
Cajon went unbeaten in league from 2017 through 2022.
Cajon is led by linebacker Taylor Johnson and freshman quarterback Marcus Washington. The Cowboys would love to atone for last year’s 34-31 loss at Beaumont.
Citrus Valley finished first in 2023 and seeks to rebound after finishing third last season and going 3-7 overall.
“Beaumont won the league title last season and so the road to the title goes through them,” Citrus Valley coach Kurt Bruich said. “Cajon is always good.”
Said Yucaipa coach Justin Price, “Beaumont, Citrus Valley, and Cajon are the previous league champs and will be tough to beat in league.”
Yucaipa made it to the CIF-Southern Section Division 7 semifinals last season and is competitive, as always.
Redlands East Valley has a new coach in Kristian King and key returnees in quarterback Isaac Vitela and running back Nathen Lopez.
Redlands won four games last season and has many returning starters.
Here is a look at each team, in alphabetical order:
Coach: Jeff Steinberg
2024: 9-2 overall, 5-0 CBL
Outlook: The quarterback is vital in Steinberg’s spread offense. Beaumont has a great one in Jeremiah Duhu who threw for 2,004 yards and 25 touchdowns last season and rushed for 743 yards and 10 scores.
There is plenty of talent around Duhu with slot receivers Kainalu Johnston (36 catches for 550 yards and eight touchdowns) and Braedon Miller (40-768 or 10 TDs). The wide receivers are Javaan Stewart (20-185, 3 TDs) and Jordan Kelleher.
Beaumont is set on the offensive line with all-league left tackle Cristian Flores Martinez (5-11-245), center Dominick Vargas (5-10, 255), right guard Chase Beckham (5-10, 255), and right tackle Danny McMullen (6-2, 255).
Defensively, the inside linebackers are Matthew Casas and Robert Eason. Casas had 102 tackles, three sacks, two fumble recoveries and two caused fumbles last season.
At outside linebacker the Cougars are stout with Christian Cooper (70 tackles, 2.5 sacks) and Tyler Dyer (64 tackles, 3.5 sacks).
Anchoring the defensive line are Eli DeCastro (50 tackles), Bryan Shatswell, and Brayden Valentich.
Darius Stuart and Adam Palalay are the safeties. Damien Linton and Kheimoni Smith play cornerback.
“We have a lot of returnees on both sides of the ball,” Steinberg said.
Extra Point: Beaumont famously won a CIF-Southern Section small-school title (Division A) 7-0 over St. Genevieve of Panorama in 1967.The Cougars almost made the Division 11 title game in 2018 under Steinberg, losing 35-34 to Western of Anaheim in the semifinals at Beaumont. A late safety was the Cougars’ undoing.
Season Opener: Aug. 21, San Jacinto, 7:30 p.m.
Coach: Nick Rogers
2024: 9-3, 4-1
Outlook: The last time Rogers handed over the keys of the offense to a freshman was in 2015 when Jayden Daniels settled in at quarterback. That turned out well as Daniels led the Cowboys to the state title game in 2017 and later won the Heisman Trophy at LSU. He is now QB1 for the Washington Commanders, in case you do not follow the NFL.
Marcus Washington (6-2, 175) is Cajon’s new wunderkind at quarterback, a strong-armed freshman who can run.
“He’s a dual threat,” Rogers said. “He’s pretty talented.”
Jordan White (5-9, 195) and Maleek Nolley (5-11, 195) will both get touches at running back.
Catching passes for the Cowboys are junior Landon White who has several Division 1 offers and senior Jackson Murray, a 6-3, 200-pound tight end who also plays basketball.
The offensive line is led by Hector Saavedra (6-4, 260), Hunter Berckley (6-0, 280), Corey Reynolds (6-2, 270), and Devin Velasquez (6-4, 280). Saavedra has an offer from Weber State.
The defense is led by linebacker Taylor Johnson, a USC commit who averaged 14.5 tackles per game last season.
De Angelo DeJohnette is a quick linebacker who has transferred from Rancho Cucamonga.
Top linemen are Saavedra and Jackson Brown (6-3, 280). Brown is a transfer from Citrus Valley.
The safeties are Cole Imbriani (74 tackles, one interception last season) and Zion Wallace, and the cornerbacks are Josh Pierce and Aundre Grigsby.
“The defense may have to carry us until we get our offense going,” Rogers said.
Extra Point: Cajon won the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 title in 2017, defeating Downey 54-28 with Daniels at quarterback. The Cowboys also captured the SoCal Regional title that year, routing Rancho Verde 70-23.
Season Opener: Aug. 22, at Norco, 7 p.m.
Coach: Kurt Bruich
2024: 3-7, 3-2
Outlook: Dominic Robles is again the starting QB. He passed for 1,202 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
Tyler Bookman, Jolly Justin and Kameran Shelby share the load at running back.
Wide receiver Jaymie Evans is a key target for Robles. Evans caught 18 passes for 359 yards and two touchdowns last season. The tight end is 6-2 Chase Carpenter who also plays basketball.
The offensive line is led by Preston Lauwers (6-5, 280), Jacob Anaya (6-2, 275), and Jeremiah Ajayi (6-1, 260).
Defensively, linemen David Michaels (6-3, 240) and Brandon Velazquez (5-11 220) return. Bruich thinks he has a special talent on the line in sophomore Garrison Day.
Wesley Wolfgramm starts at linebacker and is joined by returning starter Jolly.
Andrew Ponce is back at safety, while Kameron Garcia shifts from receiver to cornerback.
“I think we could surprise some people,” Bruich said. “You have one down year, and people think you’re not a very good program. But history shows that when we have a down year, we come back strong.”
Extra Point: Citrus Valley’s first on-field victory was a 41-21 win against Shadow Hills of Indio on Nov. 6, 2009. The Blackhawks had only freshmen and sophomores that season.
Season Opener: Aug. 29, Etiwanda, 7 p.m.
Coach: Bob Stangel Jr.
2024: 4-6, 0-5
Outlook: Redlands won four non-league games last season, but its Smudge Pot loss to rival Redlands East Valley cost the Terriers a playoff spot.
Senior Anthony Fraire returns at quarterback after throwing for 1,635 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.
Stangel is enthused about freshman running back Ladale Rogers (6-0, 170) who reminds him of former Terrier star Teddy McGee.
“He’s a lot like Teddy,” Stangel said. “He’s about the same size, is smooth and has good balance.”
Returnee Christian Sturm helps at running back after playing defense last season. Andre Lorenzo gets some touches, too.
Stangel likes his receiving corps of Collier Colbert (17 catches for 220 yards and one touchdown last season), Jaime Moreno, and Junior Sanchez. Sanchez played junior varsity last season after transferring from REV.
Fraire has a big target in tight end Wyatt Brooks (6-4, 185).
Redlands has all five of its starting offensive linemen back – left tackle Noah Smith, left guard Jesus Aguayo (6-0, 255), center Aiden House (6-0, 205), right guard Angel Rivera (6-2, 275), and right tackle Itzael Ventura (6-2, 255).
Standouts on defense include end James Stewart, lineman Dallas Eliu (5-11, 300), outside linebacker Isaiah Rangel (75 tackles last season), middle linebacker Anthony Ortiz who is back from knee surgery, outside linebacker Mike Hodges (31 tackles), and safety Xavier Beck (44 tackles).
“We have better numbers with 110 kids in our program now,” Stangel said. “But we’re still like Vanderbilt playing in the SEC. We’re going to need to go 4-1 or 5-0 in non-league, then beat REV.”
Season Opener: Aug. 21, Citrus Hill, 7:30 p.m.
Extra Point: Redlands was an original member of the Interscholastic League of Southern California, formed in 1901. The ILSC became the Citrus Belt League in 1906. The Terriers in 1909 won the state rugby title, defeating Santa Clara 6-0.
Coach: Kristian King
2024: 1-9, 1-4
Outlook: Redlands East Valley won one game last season, stunning Redlands 31-21. Now former Wildcat player Kristian King takes over the program.
King has two vital pieces back in quarterback Vitela (5-10, 155) and running back Lopez (5-11, 200).
Vitela completed 65 percent of his passes last season for 1,913 yards and 22 TDs and rushed for 238 yards and three scores. Lopez rushed for 966 yards and six TDs.
Vitela has some interesting targets in senior Taamir Mack (6-1, 175), sophomore Myles Ray (6-0, 160), and sophomore Nathaniel Williams III. Mack caught 29 passes for 423 yards and four TDs last season. Sophomore Noah Waller (6-5, 180) will be easy to spot at tight end.
The offensive line is anchored by senior Landon Mlotkowski (6-6, 250), senior Robert Morris (6-1, 285), and junior Tyler Huston (6-1, 215).
Top players on the defensive line are senior Jesiah Navarro (6-3, 200), Robert Morris, and Tyler Huston.
At linebacker, REV will lean on senior Lincoln Bunker (5-11, 190), senior Evan Espinoza (6-1, 195), and senior Micah Ley (5-11, 185). Espinoza had 88 tackles last season and Ley 79.
Senior Gabriel Corzo (5-11, 165) is at safety for the Wildcats.
“We want to revitalize that REV reputation and be in the mix when it comes to the CBL standings,” King said.
Extra Point: Redlands East Valley scored its first Smudge Pot victory against Redlands in 2003. The Wildcats defeated the Terriers 24-16, under former coach Kurt Bruich (now at Citrus Valley).
Season Opener: Aug. 22, California Military Institute, 7 p.m.
Coach: Justin Price
2024: 8-5, 2-3
Outlook: Yucaipa advanced farther in the section playoffs than any other CBL school in 2024, making it to the semifinals where it lost 41-17 to Warren of Downey.
Deace Turner returns at quarterback after passing for 1,026 yards and rushing for 1,035 last season. Vying for the starting running back spot are Joey Juarez, Devin Ortiz, Carson Chouinard, Abraham Flores, and TJ Roque.
Transfer Lu Sartin (from Arrowhead Christian Academy) and Travis Streeter are the wide receivers. Luke Giroux (6-2, 210) and Nick Pomfret (6-1, 200) are big targets at tight end.
The offensive line is set with James Ray (6-0, 235), Conor Price (5-9, 225), Daniel Sanchez (5-9, 235), Van Burton (6-1, 275), and Jordan Lemis (5-11, 255). Sanchez made all-league last season.
Josh Heaton (6-1, 210) and Jacob Friend (5-10, 190) are undersized but tough defensive linemen. Heaton had 38 tackles last season.
Juarez (5-10, 175) and Issac Chota (5-10, 180) will plug some holes at linebacker. Juarez had 91 tackles last season and Chota contributed 27.
Price will rely upon cornerbacks Braiden Webb (6-0, 150) and Ethan Ortiz (6-1, 170). Brandon Hickman is at safety.
“We’re a young and inexperienced team with some key pieces returning, including Deace Turner at quarterback and Daniel Sanchez on the line,” Price said.
Extra Point: Yucaipa made the CIF-Southern Section Division 7 football title game in 1997, losing 36-20 to visiting Bloomington before 7,500 fans. Alan Taylor, who rushed for a school-record 2,713 yards for Yucaipa that season, was held to 51 yards and a touchdown.
Season Opener: Aug. 22, Corona Santiago, 7 p.m.
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