The Mission Valley Athletic League (MVAL) football season is set to kick off in early October. For some teams, that means a fresh start. For others, the pressure is on to continue their dominance.
Last season, James Logan won the league championship with a 7-1 record under head coach Immanuel Pride. This season, they’re led by a new head coach, Antoine Brown.
Brown has been with Logan since 2021, serving as their defensive coordinator. He retired in 2024, but Pride called him back to be on his coaching staff in January of this year. Pride stepped down from the position this offseason, which opened the door for Brown to step up.
“I’m back, I’m here, let’s do it,” Brown said. “That one year of recharging my batteries was all I needed.”
The Colts’ roster is led by senior quarterback Kamari Robinson and classmate linebacker Teddy Gaoteote. They are two of just six players who have taken a varsity snap. Robinson and Gaoteote will step into bigger roles this season, with more eyes on them as leaders.
“We have a young team, and I’m excited to see them grow and learn,” Robinson said. “The leaders we had last year, they taught me to be a leader, so they prepared me to come into this season.”
Logan will take on Moreau Catholic at 7pm on Oct. 16 at the Al Vermeil Field in Hayward. The marquee matchup will be a defining game for the Mariners as they look to return to their 2024 CIF Championship ways. Last year Moreau finished 4-6, its first losing season since 2021.
Head coach Keith Minor’s squad has experience with 12 seniors. Senior offensive and defensive lineman Taopa Fehoko, who recorded three sacks last season, is expected to be a big part of the trenches. Junior running back/defensive back Zion Dysart, who rushed for 620 yards last year, will look to be as explosive as ever and continue to be a pivotal piece for the Mariners.
Moreau has a young face steering the ship, sophomore quarterback Kimoni Brown, who turned heads last year as a freshman on varsity, where he threw for 719 yards.
Newark Memorial will welcome a new head coach this season after Bradley Tubbs retired after 20 years. Andrew Alvarez was promoted after working under Tubbs’ staff since 2024.
The Cougars went 0-10 last season, their first winless season since 2005. To improve last year’s record, Alvarez wants his players to believe in themselves. “They can be as good as they want to be,” he said. “They just have to believe that they are as good as I think they are.”
Senior wide receiver/defensive back Zavier Johnson returns to the team after taking a year off football to rest and recharge.
At 6-foot-4, Johnson’s size and athletic skill set makes for a serious offensive threat for Alvarez.
The team has 11 seniors rostered, leaning on the leadership of senior quarterback Derek Tellez and classmate offensive and defensive lineman Wali Salemi is vital to the success of the season.
“Leadership is crucial, and they’re doing a really good job with it,” Alvarez said. “They’ll keep players after meetings sometimes and talk to them.”
Washington finished 5-4 last season. Senior quarterback Bryan Bullock returns under center, hoping to get the Huskies over the hump this year.
They found success on the ground last year with junior running back/linebacker Giovanni Scilacci-Braziel, who recorded 572 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He also added on 33 tackles and one interception on the defensive side.
The Huskies will clash with John F. Kennedy at 7pm on Oct. 23 at Tak Fudenna Stadium. Washington has gotten the better of the matchup for three of the past four seasons, but the Fremont schools have played each other closely in recent years.
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