INLAND FIELDHOUSE

THE DETAILS:
Apple Valley vs. Orange Vista
CIF-Southern Section – Week 0
At Perris (Calif.) Orange Vista High School
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT on Thursday, Aug. 22

APPLE VALLEY (0-0 overall, 0-0 Mojave Valley League) is finally under the full leadership of Robert Meras, who took over the head coach position earlier this year after spending nearly two decades as the Sun Devils offensive coordinator. His roster is deep with big bodies. If the team can find an offensive spark, there may be a way out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
HEAD COACH: Robert Meras
ROSTER – QB: #2-Aryav Biswas, Sr. (5-foot-10, 175 pounds); TB/LB: #5-Talan Lively, Sr. (5-7, 165); WR/DB: #3-Dylan Jarrard, Jr. (6-1, 150); WR/DB: #1-Brayden Cady, Sr. (6-2, 190); TE/DL: #18-Dominic Bechtel, Sr. (6-3, 208); DL/NG: #75-Jonah Leaupepetele, Sr. (6-5, 320); LB/TE: #40-Anthony Navarro, Sr. (6-5, 210); DB/TB: #23-Seth Roberton, Sr. (5-10, 175); K/P: #38-Aiden Cardenas, Jr. (5-9, 175)

ORANGE VISTA (0-0 overall, 0-0 Ivy League) climbed to the top of the mountain last season, claiming the CIF-SS Division 5 title. But now the Coyotes have to do try to do it this season without Sire Gaines, an all-CIF-SS Division Player of the Year now at Boise State. Good thing head coach Greg Zomalt has an electric duo in junior QB Khalil Abdul-Aziz and senior WR Dionte West.
HEAD COACH: Greg Zomalt
ROSTER – QB: #1-Khalil Abdul-Aziz, Jr. (6-foot-3, 185 pounds); RB: #26-Jimmy Cruz, Jr. (na); WR: #0-Dionte West, Sr. (6-2, 200); WR/SS: #13-Zayshawn Washington, Jr. (na); DE: #15-Iese Magalei, Sr. (6-1, 240); MLB: #5-Alofa Mageo, Sr. (na); DB/WR: #4-Devin Sandville, Soph. (na); FS: #2-Donovan Morton, Sr. (5-foot-10, 160); K/P: #17-Jacob Zubia, Soph. (5-8, 165)

THE DIFFERENCE:
Khalil Adbul-Aziz should be able carve up Apple Valley in the first game of the season. Not sure the Sun Devils will be ready for a playmaker quite like him.

THE FINAL SCORE (PROJECTED):
Orange Vista 34, Apple Valley 21