Chargers prepare for fall football in passing leagues

Charlie Wegher will be head coach of the Agoura Chargers varsity football team for a 10th season this fall. Agoura has taken part in summer league passing tournaments and Wegher is pleased with his team’s effort.

"I thought we came a long way and made a lot of progress this summer," Wegher said. "I’m happy where we are."

Wegher said the Chargers are looking good on both sides of the ball.

"I think our defense has made great strides from where they were last year, and where we were at the beginning of the summer," said Wegher. "And I think the offense has also come a long way. We found some kids who can play receiver for us and I’m happy with our two quarterbacks."

Bryan Walker, a senior, and junior Cory Smits both played well in the seven-on-seven passing games over the summer.

"Bryan right now is our starter," Wegher said. "But I’m real impressed with both of them. They’ve really come a long way."

Braden Lepisto, a senior who Wegher said should be a college prospect this season, is a player the Chargers will rely on.

"I think he’s definitely a Division I player," Wegher said of Lepisto. "Stanford’s very interested in him and the Ivy League schools are very interested in him. He’s got a really good grade-point average (around 3.8) and 1300 SATs. He caught 49 passes last year, kicked extra points and returned kickoffs.

"(Lepisto) did everything last year," Wegher added. "He should have an excellent senior year. He’s one of the team leaders, he works hard and sets a good example for the younger kids."

Lepisto is recovering from a broken bone in his leg, suffered the first day of summer football practice, and he had offseason surgery on his shoulder, but Wegher said he’ll be healthy for the season.

Wegher said the Chargers lost big-time performers, quarterback Dustin Croick and wide receiver Bryan Huston, to graduation, but that Agoura has enough returning players to succeed.

"We lost Croick and Huston, and those were All-CIF players for us," Wegher said. "But otherwise, we were a pretty junior-dominated team last year. For the most part, our defense was juniors. I think we return seven starters on defense and five starters on offense."

Summer preparation is a key factor, he said, leading up to the varsity season.

"We try to get everything installed, as far as what our offense and defense is, as well as our special teams," said Wegher. "So when we get to pads in the fall, we can just learn how to hit, block, tackle and get in condition. The mental part of it should be minimal (because of the work over the summer) and we just have to get repetitions, and get our timing squared away and ready to go."

On another positive note, the Charger coaching staff has been bolstered.

Clay Mathews is back as defensive coordinator and Sid Mills is returning with the defense. Ryan Dirtz, previously defensive coordinator at Chaminade, will be a cornerback coach. Mark Llwellyn, an Agoura assistant previously, is back to work with the secondary.

Former Thousand Oaks player Chance Redmond will work with the defensive line along with Mike Volk; Jon Nekovar and James Tarver will work with receivers. A running backs’ coach is Jack Briscoe; Myron Gibford, previously head coach at Chatsworth, is the line coach and Jim Ptascenski is back with the defense.

"I think it’s an excellent staff," Wegher said.

The head coach said a strength of next season’s Chargers will be team chemistry, something that he noticed building this summer.

"Our team chemistry has been great," Wegher said. "A lot of that is because we have so many starters coming back, a real good senior class, a great work ethic and good leadership. I think our defense is going to be much improved."

Wegher said the team’s offense also began to shine the last two weeks of summer passing league games, particularly at the tournament recently at Cal Lutheran University.

"I was real happy with where we were at offensively at the end of that tournament," Wegher said.

The Agoura head coach said he’s ready to get the new varsity season started. He said his troops have held up well despite high temperatures this summer.

"I’m just anxious to get going," Wegher said. "As far as work ethic and chemistry, the summer is a really good indicator of where you are. The kids have worked hard, never complained, haven’t missed very many practices and they’re anxious to get going, too."