Luke Fahey’s college recruitment wasn’t in Hail Mary territory but his game plan certainly involved faith.

By college football’s new recruiting standards, the July 3 announcement by the Mission Viejo quarterback that he committed to Ohio State was somewhat late in the game.

The dead period for recruiting began June 23, and the Buckeyes already had 19 commitments in their Class of 2026, according to 247Sports. The early signing period opens Dec. 3.

For Fahey, Ohio State was his dream school so he kept the faith as the recruiting window narrowed.

“Throughout this whole thing, it’s been a process but I feel like God has a plan for everybody and it’s completely different for everybody,” he said. “(The timeline) was meant to be. They came late but again, it’s Ohio State. It’s a dream school of mine.”

Polished on the field, in the huddle and on the mic … Ohio State commit @LukeFahey03 of @missionfootball offers the complete package pic.twitter.com/eCiD0dJb9m

— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) July 13, 2025

Fahey’s affinity for Ohio State traces to his father Steve’s parents, who met as students at the school.

“A family feeling just because I’ve dreamed about playing there,” Fahey explained. “I grew up watching them.”

Ohio State’s scholarship offer to Fahey coincided with his trip to the Columbus campus on June 20-22, or just before the dead period.

Fahey (6-1, 185) earlier made visits to Stanford and Indiana but after the Buckeyes offered, he knew his direction.

He waited to announce his commitment on July 3 because he wanted to surprise his mother Melanie Perez on her birthday.

“She’s my rock,” he said.

Fahey said the recruiting process was stressful at times but in the end, he leaned on his family and faith.

“It took me a little longer,” he said. “But everything happens for a reason.”

HUNTINGTON BEACH — As Mission Viejo’s football team broke huddle for the final time at the Battle at the Beach passing tournament Saturday, quarterback Luke Fahey congratulated his teammates and offered a challenge.

“This is just the beginning!” he shouted.

The Diablos’ season kicks off in about six weeks, but once it arrives, they’ll have a few additional contributors.

Mission Viejo showcased its depth by capturing the Battle at the Beach despite missing five key players.

Fahey tossed three touchdowns and Jordan Hicks had an interception as the Diablos defeated Mission Hills of San Marcos 23-6 in the championship game at Edison High.

“With all the guys we’re missing, (are) you kidding me?” said Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson, whose team claimed the tournament for the second consecutive year.

“Even though we had a bunch of guys out, when you a run program (in which) we start working with these kids in seventh and eighth grade (in 4 Vertical) … you’re able to (overcome injuries and sickness).”

“You want to develop your depth,” the coach added. “Obviously you don’t want guys to get hurt but because they are, it allows us to get other guys in. … I’m so proud of our guys.”

With Fahey leading the offense and Brady Bowman and Hicks continuing to rise on defense, Mission Viejo won its third tournament title in three months for a 7-on-7 “Triple Crown” of sorts.

The Diablos claimed the Millikan and South County tournaments in May and June, respectively.

Fahey, who recently committed to Ohio State, gave Mission Viejo a 6-0 lead against Mission Hills with a short TD pass to Luke Karby. The 6-foot-4 junior made a diving catch in the end zone.

After Penn State commit Troy Huhn of Mission Hills tossed a touchdown to tight end Perrin Blankenship, the Diablos responded with a blitz of highlights.

Fahey found senior running back Davonte Curtis for a short touchdown strike near the front corner of the end zone.

Hicks, a sophomore cornerback, followed with an interception to push the lead to 16-6.

Fahey recorded his third TD pass by finding junior running back Dallas Miller in the flat. Fahey set up the score with a long strike to sophomore wide out KJ Woodbury.

Mission Viejo raced to the title while playing without wide receiver Vance Spafford (sick), cornerback Jeron Jones (fractured wrist), safeties Sawyer Thomson (knee) and Zachary Foeldi (knee) and wide receiver Max Markofski (hip).

The Diablos revamped secondary featured Myles Lassiter, Colin Burke and Hicks at corner. Ryder Brown, Aidan Smith and JoJo Reed patrolled at safety.

Bowman, a middle linebacker, highlighted a victory against Millikan in pool play with an interception.

The Diablos went 21-0 en route to its Triple Crown of passing tournaments.

They open their season against Santa Margarita on Aug. 22 in one of the most anticipated games of the campaign.

“Seven on seven is just T-shirt and (underwear) as one of my coaches says,” Fahey said. “This is just the beginning for us. We have a whole season ahead of us, and I can’t be more excited to get ready to play tackle football again.”

In the semifinals, Mission Viejo edged Cathedral of Los Angeles 26-25 on a late touchdown pass from Fahey to Curtis.

Corona del Mar and quarterback Brady Annett made a surprising run to the semifinals before falling to Mission Hills 29-24.

The Sea Kings finished 3-1 to take second in their group behind Mission Viejo.

In the quarterfinal, Corona del Mar edged Lincoln — the runner-up at the Millikan tournament — in overtime on a catch by senior Dorsett Stecker.

In late June, Corona del Mar went 0-4 at the Brave 8 hosted by St. John Bosco.

“Our whole team has been balling out,” said Stecker, who emerged as one of the top receivers at Edison. “We definitely had something to prove being underdogs the whole time, and we proved to a lot of people that we’re not a team to mess around with.”

Annett connected with Garrett James on a back-shoulder fade to give the Sea Kings an 18-14 lead against Mission Hills.

Annett, a senior coming off a shoulder surgery, also found success throwing to wide receiver David Soto on Saturday.

“He had a great day,” Corona del Mar coach Kevin Hettig said of his QB. “Our kids are doing a good job of just putting their head down and getting better.”

In the Ocean View tournament, San Juan Hills defeated Downey 28-14 in the final for their second tournament title of the offseason.

The Stallions were led by quarterback Timmy Herr, who wasn’t intercepted and tossed multiple TDs to Luke Frith, Ryan Matheson and Dean Kolasinski.

In May, San Juan Hills won the Air Strike tournament hosted by Dana Hills.

The top passing tournament for summer football in Orange County returns Saturday with the Battle at the Beach at Edison.

Here are seven storylines to follow:

1. How will Santa Margarita look in its first major passing tournament under Carson Palmer?

The Eagles step into the summer spotlight for the first time under new coach Carson Palmer.

They were expected to compete at Mission Viejo’s South County Classic on June 28 but withdrew because of the lack of available players.

The Battle at the Beach could provide an extended look at Santa Margarita quarterback Trace Johnson, a transfer from Florida who is committed to Tulane.

The Eagles open against Edison at 9 a.m. in Pool A.

2. Who will emerge as the playmakers for Edison?

The host Chargers reached the semifinals of the Battle at the Beach last summer behind the two-way contributions of wide receivers/defensive backs Jacob Martin and Jake Minter. Both players graduated so returning quarterback Sam Thomson will be throwing to a few emerging targets.

Edison’s top returning receiver is Ayden Degiacomo, who had 31 catches for almost 600 yards last season. The junior earned second-team All-Alpha League honors in ’24.

Chargers coach Jeff Grady said Teo Hampton is another wide receiver/defensive back to watch.

Edison, the reigning CIF State Division 1A champion, opens against Santa Margarita.

3. How will new Los Alamitos quarterback Colin Creason perform?

First-year starting quarterback Colin Creason has earned strong reviews from Griffins coach Ray Fenton.

“He’s the best-kept secret in Southern California,” Fenton said of Creason, a senior who didn’t play last season. “He throws a great ball and he’s better in 11-on-11 than 7-on-7.”

Creason’s top targets include Boise State committed tight end Beckham Hofland, Army committed running back Lenny Ibarra, Kamden Tillis, Ashton Gogue and Leo Swietlikowski.

Los Alamitos’ young secondary will be tested in Pool B. The Griffins’ strength on defense will be their line, Fenton said.

4. How will new JSerra quarterback Koa Smith-Mayall fare?

Junior Koa Smith-Mayall (5-11, 170) has emerged as the Lions’ QB1 following the transfer of Ryan Hopkins to Mater Dei.

Smith-Mayall was on the Lions’ radar last summer at the tournament but had a knee injury.

He has earned positive reviews this summer and features talented targets such as Columbia committed wide receiver Jarod Sersansie and Clark Cokley.

JSerra coach Victor Santa Cruz said sophomores Sam Fredericksen and Luca Deleon, and junior Dylan Brown are other receivers to watch.

JSerra opens against Palos Verdes and QB Ryan Rakowski at 9 a.m. in Pool B.

5. Can Servite improve on its performance at the Brave 8?

The Friars went 1-2 in pool play before falling to host St. John Bosco 37-14 in the quarterfinals of the Brave 8 on June 28.

In pool play, Servite lost to Carlsbad 30-15 and Serra 7-0.

The Friars are blending new quarterback Kale Murphy, a transfer from Mission Viejo, with a new-look wide receiving corps. The group includes standout sprinter Benjamin Harris.

Speedy Jorden Wells could play running back.

Servite opens against defending champion Mission Viejo at 9 a.m. in Pool D.

6. Can Mission Viejo complete a ‘Triple Crown’ of summer passing tournaments?

The Diablos won Millikan’s Tournament of Champions in May. And they captured the South County Classic in late June. A title at Edison’s Battle at the Beach would cap a “Triple Crown” of sorts for their summer passing season.

Mission Viejo edged St. John Bosco in the finals of the Edison tournament last year.

7. Will St. John Bosco continue to showcase its depth?

The Braves rotated numerous players on both sides of the ball in finishing second to San Clemente at the Brave 8.

St. John Bosco coach Jason Negro said he plans to continue the trend Saturday in an effort to establish culture and seek winning combinations for the season.

One position to watch is cornerback. St. John Bosco features several noteworthy players including USC commit Joshua Holland, Jashaun Shaffer, Jailen Hill, Jacob Whitehead, Dorian Franklin and freshmen Prentice Jones Jr. and Solomon Nash.

The Braves open against Cathedral of Los Angeles at 9 a.m. in Pool C.

A mentor for his players and assistant coaches. A champion under the bright stadium lights, and away from the spotlight. A key figure in one of Orange County football’s biggest rivalries of the 1990s.

The fond memories of former Esperanza football coach Gary Meek flowed eagerly from colleagues and family members Thursday after his death at age 76.

Meek, a CIF-SS Hall of Fame coach, was on dialysis and recently went to the hospital with an infection, his wife Sharon and son Jeoff said. Meek died while in hospice care at a skilled nursing facility in Yorba Linda, his family said.

“He fought hard,” Sharon said of her husband of 56 years, who had faced many medical challenges the past several years.

At Esperanza, Meek expanded on a foundation laid by coach Pete Yoder to lead the Aztecs to two CIF championships, six league titles and 15 playoff appearances in 17 seasons.

Meek compiled a record of 144-50-5, and had only one losing season.

He highlighted his tenure by guiding Esperanza to three consecutive section finals from 1990 to 1992.

The Aztecs beat St. Paul 25-7 in the Division 3 final in 1990 to finish 14-0.

Esperanza faced off against Los Alamitos and Coach John Barnes in the finals the next two years, losing 8-0 in 1991 in Division 3 and tying 14-14 in ’92 in Division 2.

“Great rivalry,” Orange County football historian Dennis Bateman said of Esperanza and Los Alamitos, who later competed against each other in the Sunset League.

During Meek’s tenure, he teamed with assistant coach Bill Pendleton, among other,s to mold a physical team known for its outstanding linemen. Future NFL players Travis Kirschke (UCLA) and Brenden Stai (Nebraska) were standouts under Meek.

“Esperanza was known for strong, physical play,” Jeoff Meek said. “(My father) just led by example.”

While Meek coached plenty of standouts, it was his interaction with all his players that left a lasting impression.

“He was knowledgeable, but his character (stood out),” Yorba Linda football coach Jeff Bailey said. “He treated everyone the same.”

“I pattern a lot of things I do as a head coach after him,” Bailey added. “Missing Coach Meek is a tough day.”

Bailey served as an assistant to Meek for about a decade. He became one of the several assistant coaches under Meek to become a successful head coach.

Meek’s coaching tree includes Pendleton, who guided the Aztecs to a Division 1 runner-up in 2005, Rancho Alamitos’ Mike Enright and Corona Centennial’s Matt Logan.

“He was a very successful coach and had a lot of impact on a huge number of young men and guys who he coached with,” said Pendleton, who spent 35 years with Meek. “He was a better man than he was a coach. He always had the interests of the players at heart.”

Sharon Meek remembered her husband once fired an assistant coach because he felt the players weren’t being treated with the level of respect that he wanted.

“He just cared about everybody,” she said. “He never turned anyone away (who wanted to play).”

Meek resigned as Esperanza’s coach after the 2002 season and became one of the school’s athletic directors.

His football journey began at Santa Ana Valley, where he played under legendary coach Dick Hill. Meek went on to play linebacker at Santa Ana College and San Diego State.

Meek served as an assistant at Mater Dei before arriving at Esperanza.

His coaching mentors were Hill, San Diego State’s Claude Gilbert and Don Coryell, and Yoder, Jeoff and Sharon Meek said.

Meek, who resided in Placentia, is survived his wife Sharon, children Jeoff, Melissa and Kristy and six grandchildren.

A memorial service will be planned, Sharon said.

Orange County’s top committed football recruits from the Class of 2026, as of July 8, 2025:

Name, School, Position, Height, Weight, College

Devyn Blake, Edison, DL, 6-3, 280, Sacramento State

Dillon Booth, Crean Lutheran, WR, 5-9, 180, Columbia

Mark Bowman, Mater Dei, ATH, 6-5, 225, USC

James Carrington, Crean Lutheran, DL, 6-2, 257, Florida State

Bryce Coleman, Crean Lutheran, WR, 6-4, 195, Columbia

Jayden Crowder, Santa Margarita, CB, 5-11, 170, Cal

Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Mater Dei, WR, 6-2, 180, Ohio State

Charlie Eckl, Dana Hills, DE/TE, 6-4, 215, Cal Poly SLO

Luke Fahey, Mission Viejo, QB, 6-1, 185, Ohio State

Manoah Faupusa, Santa Margarita, DL/OL, 6-3, 350, Arizona

Dash Fifita, Santa Margarita, LB, 5-10, 185, Arizona

Troy Foster, Huntington Beach, WR, 6-2, 205, Colorado State

Kodi Greene, Mater Dei, OT, 6-6, 310, Washington

Josh Haney, JSerra, OL, 6-5, 290, Fresno State

Chris Henry Jr., Mater Dei, WR, 6-5, 205, Ohio State

Logan Hirou, Santa Margarita, S, 6-1, 185, UCLA

Beckham Hofland, Los Alamitos, TE, 6-4, 230, Boise State

Leki Holani, Santa Margarita, LB, 6-0, 223, Sacramento State

Ryan Hopkins, Mater Dei, QB, 6-3, 195, Wisconsin

Lenny Ibarra, Los Alamitos, RB, 5-10, 185, Army

Cooper Javorsky, San Juan Hills, OL, 6-4, 285, UCLA

Trace Johnson, Santa Margarita, QB, 6-1, 191, Tulane

Anthony Jones, Crean Lutheran, DL, 6-4, 285, UCLA

Jeron Jones, Mission Viejo, CB, 6-0, 175, Washington

Simote Katoanga, Santa Margarita, DL, 6-5, 250, USC

Markus Kier, Orange Lutheran, WR, 6-2, 200, Princeton

CJ Lavender, Mater Dei, DB, 5-11, 175, Washington

Skylar Lendsey, Western, RB, 5-10, 200, UNLV

Trent Mosley, Santa Margarita, WR, 5-11, 175, USC

Javari Nash, Crean Lutheran, S, 6-1, 200, San Diego State

Niniva Nicholson, Santa Margarita, OL, 6-3, 285, Arizona State

Ernest Nunley, Western, CB, 6-0, 180, Cal

Jackson Renger, Los Alamitos, DE/OLB, 6-3, 215, Cornell

Shaun Scott, Mater Dei, LB, 6-3, 230, USC

Jarod Sersansie, JSerra, WR, 6-3 205, Columbia

Jonah Smith, Santa Margarita, WR, 6-0, 175, UCLA

Luke Sorensen, Servite, TE, 6-4 250, Nebraska

Vance Spafford, Mission Viejo, WR, 5-11, 185, Miami

Tomuhini Topui, Mater Dei, DT, 6-3, 320, USC

Sam Utu, Orange Lutheran, OL, 6-4, 320, Alabama

Gavin Wilkins, Servite, OL, 6-5, 260, Montana State

Maxwell “Bunchie” Young, WR, 6-0, 170, Sacramento State

Send football recruiting news to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com or @ocvarsityguy on X and Instagram

The Hawks are supporting the comeback.

Laguna Hills’ football program is raising awareness of a GoFundMe for the veteran coach, who is undergoing spinal rehabilitation in Pomona, his daughter Caitlin and Hawks coach John Lester said.

“His goal is to be back on the sideline,” Lester said of Collins, who coaches linebackers. “His fight is still there.”

Collins, 67, suffered multiple injuries and was left paralyzed from the shoulders down after the crash Dec. 17, Caitlin said.

Collins has regained some movement in his hand, wrist and feet, Caitlin added.

“He’s fighting,” she said. “It’s been a hard couple of months.”

While there have been challenges with insurance and medical setbacks, the GoFundMe aims to help pay for an electrical wheelchair and a wheelchair-accessible van, Caitlin said.

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The campaign has already raised more than $14,000.

Lester said Collins has coached football for more than 40 years, including stints at Trabuco Hills and Corona del Mar.

Collins was part of the coaching staff that guided Laguna Hills to the Division 3-A CIF State championship in 2022.

An offer from reigning national champion Ohio State. Growth as a vocal leader with high school teammates. And the ability to connect with a variety of targets.

Mission Viejo quarterback Luke Fahey is on a roll, and he gained more speed on Saturday despite being without his top wide receiver because of illness.

The senior tossed five touchdowns to lead the Diablos past Mater Dei 35-23 in the 7-on-7 championship of the South County Classic at Mission Viejo High.

“It’s a great time,” Fahey said after helping the Diablos finish the tournament 7-0. “Without (Miami commit Vance Spafford), it does hurt but I feel like we have a great, young receiving corps and a great receiving corps in general. … Jack Junker stepped up today big-time. Hayden Koo stepped up big-time. KJ (Woodbury) stepped up huge today. Carson Vandermade stepped up. Luke Karby stepped up. Max Markofski stepped up. Our running backs played amazing.”

“These tournaments do a great job just getting them excited and ready for the year,” he added. “Those young guys, it showed how much they’ve been working.”

Fahey threw two touchdowns to running back Davonte Curtis, two to Junker and one to Woodbury to cap the scoring.

Junker, a transfer from Santa Margarita, will be a junior while Woodbury will be a sophomore.

Mater Dei led 23-21 after Wisconsin committed quarterback Ryan Hopkins found USC committed tight end Mark Bowman for his third touchdown pass.

But Mission Viejo closed strong to add the South County trophy to the Millikan passing title it won in May.

“With Vance down with an illness, other guys need to step,” Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson said. “Those guys came out today and played really, really well.”

“Look, Mater Dei is missing guys,” the coach added. “Centennial is missing guys. It wasn’t like we’re the only team missing somebody. I got to give credit to all those other teams that are really good — they’re just missing guys.”

Fahey addressed his offensive teammates during and after the final. He credited Draiden Trudeau (San Diego State), whom he split time with the past two seasons, with helping him become more of a vocal leader.

“I take pride in being more of the vocal guy,” Fahey said. “The guys ahead of me did a great job paving that path. I give full credit to them.”

Fahey recently took an official trip to Ohio State. He also has visited Stanford and Indiana.

Hopkins mostly shared time with Furian Inferrera in the championship. The senior also tossed touchdowns to running back Malachi Roby and Georgia committed wide receiver Gavin Honore.

Honore’s catch followed an interception by sophomore cornerback Mykel Ramos and gave Mater Dei a 15-14 lead.

Mission Viejo defeated Schurr and Mission Hills in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.

Washington committed cornerback Jeron Jones had an interception to help highlight the victory against Mission Hills. Fellow cornerback Jordan Hicks, a sophomore, also broke up multiple passes in a matchup against Penn State committed QB Troy Huhn.

Mater Dei beat Capistrano Valley and Centennial in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.

Mission Viejo also captured the linemen competition. The Diablos capped the event by defeating Murrieta Valley in the tug-o-war.

“We make sure we get it done,” Mission Viejo defensive lineman JD Hill said.

In the Brave 8:

San Clemente 25, St. John Bosco 23: Junior Eiler King threw a 6-yard TD to senior tight end Shane Kiley on the final play to lift the Tritons to the championship at St. John Bosco.

San Clemente finished the the tournament 6-0, including a 23-21 win against St. John Bosco in the pool play.

The Tritons defeated La Sierra 32-7 and Carlsbad 28-21 in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.

Last season, King teamed with QB Luke Hardy to help San Clemente’s JV post an 8-1-1 record.

St. John Bosco beat Servite 37-14 and Mater Dei Catholic 35-16 in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

Orange County football’s offseason will pick up speed Saturday with the South County Classic and Brave 8 passing tournaments hosted by Mission Viejo and St. John Bosco, respectively.

Here’s seven storylines to follow:

SOUTH COUNTY CLASSIC

1. How will Mater Dei’s quarterback competition continue to unfold?

The Monarchs have two college-committed quarterbacks who split time at the Western tournament earlier this month. There’s senior Ryan Hopkins, a transfer from JSerra who is committed to Wisconsin, and junior Furian Inferrera, who recently switched his commitment to Minnesota from Boston College. One potential wrinkle to watch this summer is Hopkins’ transfer eligibility. The CIF-SS lists him as a sitout transfer.

2. Who emerges as Mission Viejo’s cornerback opposite of Jeron Jones?

Mission Viejo returns one of the top cornerbacks in Orange County in Jeron Jones, who recently committed to Washington. But with the graduation of Dijon Lee Jr. (Alabama), the Diablos remain in search of a cornerback to pair opposite of Jones. “We have been working on a lot different players at that spot,” Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson said.

3. Will San Juan Hills and Capistrano Valley stay hot?

San Juan Hills and Capistrano Valley reached the finals of the Air Strike passing tournament on May 17. The Stallions defeated the Cougars 24-12 in the championship after Capistrano Valley won the teams’ pool-play game 21-18.

San Juan Hills was led by returning quarterback Timmy Herr and wide receiver/safety Dean Kolasinski, Stallions coach Robert Frith said.

In an intriguing pool-play opener, San Juan Hills is scheduled to face Huntington Beach at 9 a.m.

Capistrano Valley will be without two-way junior Talon Spencer because of the 16-and-under USA Baseball championships, coach Sean Curtis said. Look for Tyler Gonzalez, a sophomore transfer from Servite, to play QB.

Spencer and Gonzalez both played well at the Air Strike.

The Cougars are young and won’t feature a senior on offense Saturday, Curtis said.

Capistrano Valley opens at 9 a.m. against Schurr, a late replacement for Santa Margarita. The Eagles withdrew because several of their key players would be unavailable.

4. How will La Habra’s wide receivers progress?

Returning junior DJ Mitchell is La Habra’s clear QB1 but the Highlanders are developing new targets.

They return productive junior Blake Rogers and have new wide receivers to follow, coach Frank Mazzotta said. The group includes juniors Barrett Blied and Bryce Vasquez and senior Landon Coyne.

La Habra won the San Jacinto passing tournament in May.

5. How will Crean Lutheran fare without QB Caden Jones?

Crean Lutheran quarterback Caden Jones has recovered from his season-ending knee injury last fall but won’t be at Mission Viejo because of a basketball commitment, Saints coach Rick Curtis said. Crean Lutheran will turn to freshmen quarterbacks Lucas Wong and Jaxson Algaze, Curtis said.

“Feet to the fire for our young QBs,” Curtis said.

BRAVE 8

6. How will San Clemente’s quarterbacks continue to grow?

San Clemente will rotate quarterbacks as it aims to replace a pair of graduates.

Look for senior Luke Hardy and junior Eiler King to share time, Tritons coach Jaime Ortiz said.

Both helped San Clemente’s junior varsity post an 8-1-1 record last season.

While Hardy and King are gaining experience, they could target players such as Jaxson Rex (6-1, 190) and Josh Kerst (6-4, 220).

7. What steps will Corona del Mar’s Brady Annett make in his comeback from injury?

Corona del Mar senior QB Brady Annett will play as he continues his return from offseason shoulder surgery.

“(His) recovery has been awesome,” Sea Kings coach Kevin Hettig said. “He’s pretty much all the way back.”

Annett’s top targets could be Dorsett Stecker — the team’s leading receiver — and emerging Garrett James, David Soto and JJ Haley. Stecker, James and Soto will be seniors.

Corona del Mar and San Clemente clash in a pool-play opener at 9:30 a.m.

Orange County’s top committed football recruits from the Class of 2026, as of June 23, 2025:

Name, School, Position, Height, Weight, College

Devyn Blake, Edison, DL, 6-3, 280, Sacramento State

Dillon Booth, Crean Lutheran, WR, 5-9, 180, Columbia

Mark Bowman, Mater Dei, ATH, 6-5, 225, USC

James Carrington, Crean Lutheran, DL, 6-2, 257, Florida State

Jayden Crowder, Santa Margarita, CB, 5-11, 170, Cal

Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Mater Dei, WR, 6-2, 180, Ohio State

Dash Fifita, Santa Margarita, LB, 5-10, 185, Arizona

Troy Foster, Huntington Beach, WR, 6-2, 205, Colorado State

Kodi Greene, Mater Dei, OT, 6-6, 310, Washington

Josh Haney, JSerra, OL, 6-5, 290, Fresno State

Chris Henry Jr., Mater Dei, WR, 6-5, 205, Ohio State

Logan Hirou, Santa Margarita, S, 6-1, 185, UCLA

Beckham Hofland, Los Alamitos, TE, 6-4, 230, Boise State

Leki Holani, Santa Margarita, LB, 6-0, 223, Sacramento State

Ryan Hopkins, Mater Dei, QB, 6-3, 195, Wisconsin

Lenny Ibarra, Los Alamitos, RB, 5-10, 185, Army

Cooper Javorsky, San Juan Hills, OL, 6-4, 285, UCLA

Trace Johnson, Santa Margarita, QB, 6-1, 191, Tulane

Anthony Jones, Crean Lutheran, DL, 6-4, 285, UCLA

Jeron Jones, Mission Viejo, CB, 6-0, 175, Washington

Simote Katoanga, Santa Margarita, DL, 6-5, 250, USC

CJ Lavender, Mater Dei, DB, 5-11, 175, Washington

Skylar Lendsey, Western, RB, 5-10, 200, UNLV

Trent Mosley, Santa Margarita, WR, 5-11, 175, USC

Niniva Nicholson, Santa Margarita, OL, 6-3, 285, Arizona State

Leki Holani, Santa Margarita, LB, 6-0, 223, Sacramento State

Ernest Nunley, Western, CB, 6-0, 180, Cal

Jackson Renger, Los Alamitos, DE/OLB, 6-3, 215, Cornell

Shaun Scott, Mater Dei, LB, 6-3, 230, USC

Jarod Sersansie, JSerra, WR, 6-3 205, Columbia

Jonah Smith, Santa Margarita, WR, 6-0, 175, UCLA

Luke Sorensen, Servite, TE, 6-4 250, Nebraska

Vance Spafford, Mission Viejo, WR, 5-11, 185, Miami

Tomuhini Topui, Mater Dei, DT, 6-3, 320, USC

Sam Utu, Orange Lutheran, OL, 6-4, 320, Alabama

Gavin Wilkins, Servite, OL, 6-5, 260, Montana State

Maxwell “Bunchie” Young, WR, 6-0, 170, Sacramento State

Please send football recruiting news to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com or @ocvarityguy on X and Instagram

Bolsa Grande has hired Doug Cooper as its football coach, he and Garden Grove Unified School District athletic director Dave Mamelli said Wednesday.

Cooper, a teacher at the school, served as the Matadors’ coach in their 1-9 season in 2016.

The team’s lone win that fall — a 27-6 triumph against Century — snapped a 17-game losing streak.

Since the 2016 season, Cooper has coordinated the defense and assisted with the offensive line.

His ties to the Bolsa Grande program began in 2009 as the head freshman coach.

Cooper replaces Michael Acosta, who led the Matadors the past four seasons.

Last fall, Bolsa Grande made its third consecutive postseason appearance. The Tango League member finished 5-6 overall and fell to Ganesha 35-28 in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 14 playoffs.

In 2022, Bolsa Grande reached the playoffs for the first time since 1987, snapping an Orange County-record playoff drought at 34 seasons. The Matadors lost in the quarterfinals.

Bolsa Grande held its first practice with Cooper on Monday.

Please send football news to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com or @ocvarsityguy on X or Instagram