SGV/Whittier Prep Sports Zone: 2024 Football Preview: St. Francis (Free Preview)
St. Francis returns QB Sanders and six starters on defense; will be counting on young players to contribute.
St. Francis QB John Sanders (Escarcega)
St. Francis High School
League: Angelus
Coach: Dean Herrington
2023 Record: 8-3 (CIFSS Div. 3 First-Round)
2023 CalPreps Rating: 32.4
2024 Preseason CalPreps Rating: 17.2 (3rd best in league)
Number of Returning Players: 8 (6 on defense, 2 on offense)
Number of All-League Players Returning: 5
OFFENSE
Offensive Coordinator: Dean Herrington
Number of Off. Returning Starters: 2
Number of OL Returning: 0
Number of Off Skill Players Returning: 2
Rushing yards: 1,629 yards (5.3 Yards Per Carry, 148.1 Yards Per Game)
Passing Yards: 2,092 Yards (13.1 Yards Per Completion 190.2 Yards Per Game)
Key Offensive Skills Players Returning
QB-John Sanders, 6' 175 Angelus League Most Valuable Offensive Player Rushed for 750 yds and 7 TDs. threw for 2032 yds 21 TDs
DEFENSE
Defensive Coordinator: Mark Gibbons
Number of Def. Returning Starters: 6
Number of DL Returning: 2
Number of Def. Skill Players Returning: 4
Key Defensive Skills Players Returning
Griffin Ulrich, 6'4'' 240 All-League
Thomas Deluccia 6' 200 All-League
TOP NEWCOMING/TRANSFER SKILL PLAYERS
Julian Navarro LB 5'11'' 195 All-League
Tim Murphy SS/OLB 6'2' 190 All-League
Shawn Sanders FS K/P 5'10'' 185
TOP NEWCOMING/TRANSFER SKILL PLAYERS
Mason Maddox 6'1'' 175 WR 10TH Future D-1 player
Brady Cofre 6' 180 WR/DB
Demari Nunley Transfer from St. Pius 11th 6'2'' 185 WR/DB D-1 talent
Daveon Blaylock Transfer from Muir via 10th 5'8'' 160 Rancho Cucamonga (played football there) electric player
TOP NEWCOMING/TRANSFER OFF/DEF LINEMAN
Jayson Garcia Transfer from Franklin, OL 6'1'' 240 Solis player, will be our best O-Lineman
COMMENTS FROM COACH HERRINGTON: Strengths-QB, Kicker, 6 starters back on defense
Weakness-all new Offensive Line, there will not be a senior starter on the O-line
League: with Alemany and Pius coming will be very a very athletic league.
2024 Schedule (with 2023 season records)
Week 0: (Thurs.) vs. St. Bonaventure at Ventura College (12-4, CIFSS Champions)
This first time that SF has played the Seraphs - SF has a 67-40 record on the road since 2004. SB has a 79-31 record in nonleague games.
Week 1: at Mira Costa (6-8, CIFSS D-6 Finalists)
St. Francis has a five-game streak against MC. 34-21 LY.
Week 2: vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (5-5)
ND has won the last six outings since 2004. The last time both teams played was in 2009 with ND winning 28-24.
Week 3: at Muir (9-4, CIFSS D-7 Semifinalists)
In the last two meetings, St. Francis has outscored Muir, 83-6.
Week 4: vs. Loyola (6-6, CIFSS D-4 Quarterfinalists)
Golden Knights are 2-4 against Loyola since 2007 but won 25-21 last season.
Week 5: BYE
Week 6: vs. St. Paul (5-6, CIFSS D-4 First-Round)
St. Francis’ 13-game winning streak against the Swordsmen was snapped in 2023 in a 37-32 loss.
Week 7: at Alemany (1-9)
Both teams have not played each other since 2009. Alemany won the last encounter 13-7 in 2009.
Week 8: vs. Paraclete (7-4, CIFSS D-4 First-Round)
2-2 record since 2018, SF has a two-game winning streak in the series.
Week 9: vs. St. Piux X/St.Matthias Academy (4-6)
Both teams have won at home in the last two encounters.
Week 10: at Cathedral (4-6)
Cathedral won 3 in a row from 2016-2018, SF has won the last three matchups with a 38-0 win in 2019.
CRYSTAL BALL: This figures to be a very interesting year for the Golden Knights. They lose AL OL Ocon to Colorado State and 2way standout Jernigan to Stanford. Herrington welcomes back Sanders (commutes from the high desert) and we all know what a QB whisper Herrington is. Sanders has fresh new targets to use in Maddox (“future D-1 player” Herrington) and Muir transfer Blaylock. Always nice to have a big lineman transfer in (Garcia from Franklin). The defense was solid for most of the 2023 campaign and figures to be much improved for longtime DC Gibbons. Four AL returners in the front seven will anchor the group. Shawn Sanders (Johns’s younger brother) will be playing his usual role as safety and kicker. The schedule is very challenging with St. Bonaventure, Notre Dame, and Loyola in the nonleague slate. The game that could make or break their road to a league title is the W7 road game against Claussen and Company (Alemany). But we like their chances to go 3-0 in the last three games of the year. In the end, we like the upside of this team and you can be sure that when the St. Paul game comes into focus, this team will be more than ready. Several of my models have this team at 6-4 and one has them at 8-2. But it’s not hard to project a seven-win season for the Golden Knights and let’s make them the favorites to win the Angelus.
Projected Record: 7-3
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