Lions to field veterans, youth in fall football

Acorn Sports Writer


The Oaks Christian football team made it to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) semifinals each of the last two seasons, but after last year’s run to the semifinals, four Oaks Christian teams—boys’ and girls’ basketball, and girls’ soccer and softball—have won CIF championships.


"There’s a lot of kidding around here, ‘Hey, this certainly isn’t a football school,’" said Lions head football coach Bill Redell. "They’re all over us, saying, ‘You don’t seem able to win one.’ It’s good natured pressure put on us to try to win a championship."


The Lions return 18 starters from last year, nine on each side of the ball. Summer practice and passing leagues ended last Friday with a team barbecue. Official practice for the fall season begins Aug. 21.


Redell said his team is deep in talent, has good speed, two quarterbacks—one a veteran the other a freshmen, who played very well over the summer—and an influx of four or five freshmen who could contribute.


"We were real pleased," said Redell, assessing the summer. "We thought that we really got a lot accomplished and a lot done. And we’re pleased with both our quarterbacks (Joey Halzle and Jimmy Clausen). Both of them played well."


Halzle comes back a senior after passing for 2,182 yards and 27 touchdowns last year. Clausen is a freshman whose brothers, Casey and Rick Clausen, are both at Tennessee, with Casey being a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate.


"I’m confident with both the quarterbacks," said Redell. "Joey Halzle will be the starter, but the other kid (Clausen) will play a lot, too. They both had outstanding summers."


Halzle is about 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Clausen is about 6-2, 180.


Redell said the Lions weren’t overly concerned with winning the summer passing league games, but instead use summer workouts to prepare offensively and defensively for the season.


"We don’t really gear up so much for these passing games," said Redell. "What we try to do is work on our running game, on special teams, and try to work on the timing of everything that we do, including our running game, draws and screens."


Redell added, "We focus on everything, so when we start Aug. 21 we really have everything in place. Then, starting Aug. 21, we polish up what we did in the month of July and part of June."


Eighteen returning starters bodes well for the Lions. But the team will have to defend better against the run, said Redell.


"Our strengths are depth, speed, leadership and experience. We have a lot of returning players," Redell said. "I really don’t see any glaring weakness in the team, but we didn’t stop the run very well last year. That’s something we’ve got to concentrate on."


Redell added, "I think we’ll do a better job of stopping the run this year because guys are a little bigger and stronger and have more experience."


Aaron Ware, a junior running back, missed a significant part of last season with a hip injury and he also missed most of the summer with a pulled muscle, but Redell said Ware is expected to be healthy when practices start.


Johnny Giangregorio is back as a cornerback/defensive back as a senior. He was All-CIF as a sophomore, but was injured part of last season. He’ll play some at tailback. Marshall Jones and Mark Tyler are incoming running backs, though, and Redell expects them to contribute as freshmen.


Jones, from Agoura, and Tyler, the son of former NFL player Wendell Tyler, Brad Freeman and Shawn Wiser, who missed most of the summer with a broken wrist, join Clausen as Lion freshmen who could make an impact on the varsity.


Redell said the Lions have to shore up their goal-line defense, but added that they accomplished much during summer.


"Basically our whole offense is already in," he said. "It was a little bit easier to get things done because with that many returning starters, they already know what they’re doing."


Oaks Christian made it to the CIF semifinals in Division XIII in 2001 and to the CIF semifinals last year in Division XI and will compete in Division XI again this fall as a member of the Tri-Valley League.


"I think the league will be pretty balanced," said Redell.


Carpinteria was 14-0 and won a CIF championship last year but graduated several key skill players.





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