SGV/Whittier Prep Sports Zone: 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Pioneer, Wilson (Free Preview)
Pioneer is looking for a turnaround season. Wilson looking build on a huge 2023 season.
Pioneer High School
Coach: Ramon Juarez
League: 605
2023 Record: 2-8
2023 CalPreps Rating: -48.1
2024 Calpreps Preseason Rating: -54.5, 4th best in the league
Number of Returning Players: 28
Number of All-League Players Returning: 5
OFFENSE
Offensive Coordinator: Chuck Willig
Number of Off. Returning Starters: 8
Number of OL Returning: 10
Number of Off Skill Players Returning: 14
Key Offensive Skills Players Returning
Sean Gamon - 12th - 6'0" - 205 - Kick/Punter - 1st team all league
Amiri Resendiz - 12th - 5'11" - 165 - QB/FS - 2nd team all league
Jose Rojas - 11th - 5'10" - 165 - RB/Rec/FS/SS - 1st team all-league
Key Offensive Lineman Returning
Jayson Alvarez - 10th - 5'7 - 210 - DT/OG
Robert Cosio - 11th - 6'1" - 220 - DE/OT
Nathaniel Madden - 12th - 5'10' - 190 - DE/C
Moises Maldonado - 12th - 5'8" - 200 - DE/OG
Mason Rivas - 12th - 6'0" - 265 - DT/OT
DEFENSE
Number of Def. Returning Starters: 24
Number of DL Returning: 11
Number of Def. Skill Players Returning: 13
Key Defensive Skills Players Returning
Eduardo Gonzalez - 12th - 6'0" - 235 - MLB/ TE - 1st team all league
Jose Rojas - 11th - 5'10" - 165 - RB/Rec/FS/SS - 1st team all-league
Key Defensive Lineman Returning
Jayson Alvarez - 10th - 5'7 - 210 - DT/OG
Mason Rivas - 12th - 6'0" - 265 - DT/OT
Nathaniel Madden - 12th - 5'10' - 190 - DE/C
TOP NEWCOMING/TRANSFER SKILL PLAYERS
Amanti McCormick - 11th - 5'10" - 210 - DT/OL
Steven Roman - 11th - 5'10" - 170 - Rec/DB
COMMENTS FROM COACH JUAREZ: “We are going to be a quick, aggressive team. We are still young in some spots, but gained a lot of experience last year when most of the freshman and sophomores had to play due to many key injuries.”
2024 Schedule (with 2023 season records)
Week 0: vs. Santa Fe (9-4, CIFSS Div. 12 Semifinalists)
Pioneer has an 0-15 record against Santa Fe since 2004.
Week 1: (Thurs.) vs. Loara (0-10)
This the first time that both teams are playing each other. In home games since 2004, Pioneer has a 29-60 record.
Week 2: (Thurs.) vs. Magnolia at Western HS (1-9)
This is also the first time that the Titans will be playing Magnolia. In nonleague games since 2004, Pioneer has a 42-63-1 record.
Week 3: (Thurs.) vs. Kennedy at Western HS (7-5, CIFSS Div. 10 Quarterfinalists)
This is the back end of a home-and-home series with Pionner getting defeated 42-7 in 2023.
Week 4: (Thurs.) vs. Bassett (5-5)
This marks the latter half of a home-and-home series, with Bassett securing a 26-20 victory in 2023.
Week 5: vs. Savanna at Glover Stadium (2-8)
This marks the fourth nonleague game that Pioneer is encountering for the first time. Since 2024, the Titans hold a record of 23 wins, 61 losses, and 1 tie in away games.
Week 6: BYE
Week 7: vs. Rowland (2-8)
This is the first time that both teams are playing each other.
Week 8: (Thurs.) vs. Cerritos at Gahr HS (9-6, CIFSS Div. 12 Champs)
The Titans have lost the last 4 games against the Dons that includes a 55-0 loss last year.
Week 9: (Thurs.) at Artesia (8-5, CIFSS Div. 14 Semifinalists)
Since 2004, Pioneer has a 2-6 record against Artesia.
Week 10: (Thurs.) vs. Glenn (6-4)
Pioneer has lost 4 out of the last 5 games against Glenn, the only win coming in 2022 (51-6)
CRYSTAL BALL: After an encouraging 2022 season that saw the Titans going 5-7 with a quarterfinal appearance in the playoffs, Pioneer took it on the chin in 2023 with 2 wins while being slotted in Div. 14 and couldn’t get it. The tough part about the new playoff format is that if you are a team that has a .500 record and in the mix as an At-Large team, it's very tough to get in with all the Automatic qualifiers in the division. And when you are in a four-team league, the threading of the needle is even smaller. The Titans do return a QB in 2nd Team AL senior Resendiz. Friday night experience is key. Depth at the WR is going to be crucial. Most of the OL is back so that means that offensive installation should be smooth during training camp. Besides the fact (at the time of publishing) that the Titans don’t have a defensive coordinator, the back seven is going to be a work in progress. Another key is that Gamon is back at kicker and could be one of the players in his position in the Whittier area. As for the schedule, our computer models have the Titans winning either 3 or 4 games - depending on what we look at. We’ll take the glass-half-full approach with this team and look for growth in 2024.
Projected Record: 4-6
Wilson High School
Coach: Charles Lewis
League: Montview
2023 Record: 9-2, CIFSS DIv. 12 First Round
2023 CalPreps Rating: -20.7
2024 Calpreps Preseason Rating: -24.5 (Top Ratings in League)
Number of Returning Players: 14
Number of All-League Players Returning: 5
OFFENSE
Offensive Coordinator: Dimitri Mata
Number of Off. Returning Starters: 10
Number of OL Returning: 3
Number of Off Skill Players Returning: 7
Rushing yards: 2,873 yards (8.4 Yards Per Carry, 261.2 YPG)
Passing Yards: 658 Yards (13.4 Yards Per Completion, 59.8 YPG)
Key Offensive Skills Players Returning
Dominic Ezeonye 12th 6’0 227 RB
208 Car 1902 Yards 30TD
Mt. Baldy MVP, All CIF
Brian Silva 11th 5’6 150 Wr
12 Rec 233 1TD
Mt. Baldy Honorable Mention
Josiah Lewis 11th 6’5 175
13 Rec 141
Key Offensive Lineman Returning
Carlos Espinosa 12th 5’10 260 C
Harrie Lee 11th 5’11 250 RG
Ryan Dreisline 12th 6’0 230 RT
DEFENSE
Defensive Coordinator: Charles Lewis
Number of Def. Returning Starters: 4
Number of DL Returning: 2
Number of Def. Skill Players Returning: 2
Key Defensive Skills Players Returning
Josiah Lewis 11th 6’5 175 FS
53 Tackles 6 Ints
1st Team All-Leagues
Rene Catarino 12th 6’0 235 LB
42 Tackles 6 Sacks
Honorable Mentioned
Key Defensive Lineman Returning
Dominic Ezeonye 12th 6’0 227 DE
48 Tackles
COMMENTS FROM COACH LEWIS: “Team has great skill and good size. Always a hardworking team. Weakness Youth.”
2024 Schedule (with 2023 season records)
Week 0: at Los Altos (5-6, CIFSS Div. 11 First Round)
In the annual intracity rivalry game, Wilson has lost 16 of the 18 games since 2004. The last time that Wilson captured a win was in 2010, 33-10.
Week 1: BYE
Week 2: (Thurs.) vs. Rowland (2-8)
Wilson snapped a 12G losing streak with a 14-9 win in 2023.
Week 3: (Thurs.) vs. Montclair (6-6, CIFSS Div. 13 Quarterfinalists)
This is the back end of a home-and-home series that Wilson won, 31-25, last season.
Week 4: vs. Garey (5-6, CIFSS Div. 13 First Round)
This is also the back end of a home-and-home series. Wilson has a 3-0 record against Garey since 2004.
Week 5: vs. Workman at La Puente HS (0-10)
Wilson has a 4-0 record against Workman. The last time that both teams played each other was in 2021 when Wilson captured the win 47-0.
Week 6: (Thurs) vs. Azusa (5-5)
This is the first that both teams are playing each other. In league games since 2004, Wilson has a 17-72 record.
Week 7: (Thurs.) vs. Nogales (2-8)
Wilson has won 2 out of the last 3 games in the series which includes a 16-13 win in 2023.
Week 8: vs. Ontario (0-10)
Ontario has won the last two games in the series. The last time both teams have played each other was in 2022, when Ontario won 53-27.
Week 9: at Sierra Vista (2-8)
This is the third time that both teams are playing each other since 2004. Wilson won last year’s clash, 35-6.
Week 10: at Pomona (4-6)
This marks the first encounter between the two teams since 2013. Wilson last triumphed over Pomona in 2012 with a score of 13-7.
CRYSTAL BALL: The times that are a-changin’ at Wilson HS. With the change of competitive equity and the program getting much-needed league relief, Wilson has now turned the corner. They are no longer the laughingstock of the SGV. And they are doing it old-fashioned - with a punishing running game. Those rushing stats from 2023 jump off the page. The bad news for opposing DCs is that Dominic Ezeonye, the Mt. Baldy MVP, is back. And you can be sure he is striving for a 2,000-yard rushing year. Silva and Lewis are back at the WR position. Whoever is slotted at the QB1 position will have to work the QB/RB exchange a lot during training camp. The defense will be the big question this year with the front seven being under the spotlight early. As for the schedule, it is taylor made for this team to put up some big wins this year. The Rowland game is the obvious first team of a “like” team. And the Garey game will be interesting too. When it comes to league action, the Nogales game should be a doozy as the Nobles have bolstered their defense in a big way. Our computer models have a 7-win season for the Wildcats and that appears to be the right number. You can be sure that we’ll get a look at Wilson during the season.
Projected Record: 7-3