Faith Baptist, Viewpoint Included in Heritage Haul

The Delphic League no longer exists and the Heritage League has grown from five to eight teams.

Those are two of the biggest changes to the region’s eight-man football scene this year.

Faith Baptist, a charter member of the Delphic League when it began playing at the six-man level in 1968, has moved into the Heritage League.

So has Viewpoint, a freelance team last season, and Windward, previously a member of the Liberty League.

“This is just a great league for us,” second-year Viewpoint Coach Derek McIntyre said. “Not only does this new league make for some great geographic rivalries, but six of the eight teams had winning records last year.”

Although Pilgrim, South Bay Lutheran and Windward are located on the South side of the Sepulveda Pass, the five other Heritage League schools are within a short bus ride.

Faith Baptist is in Canoga Park with Viewpoint in Calabasas, Grace Brethren in Simi Valley and First Lutheran and L.A. Lutheran in Sylmar.

Here is a brief look at the 10 teams in the region who will be playing at the eight-man level this season. The Heritage League teams are listed first in alphabetical order.

Faith Baptist (5-4, 2-2 in Delphic League)--The Contenders lost several talented players to graduation, including quarterback Tim Greer, but Coach Greg Weiss says this year’s team is more balanced.

Wide receiver-defensive back Eujay Masangkay (5 feet 9, 155), tackle-defensive end Sebastian Plourde (6-0, 185) and fullback-linebacker Ben Gonzales (5-9, 165), all juniors, are Faith Baptist’s top returning players.

Masangkay had six receptions for 173 yards and three touchdowns in the Contenders’ 54-8 victory over Spring Mountain (Nev.) last Friday.

Junior quarterback Julio Bautista (5-10, 170), who played on the junior varsity last year, completed 14 of 19 passes for 288 yards and five touchdowns in that game. He also scored on a two-yard run.

First Lutheran (0-7, 0-4 in Heritage League)--Sophomore tailback-defensive back Michael Burris (5-8, 160), junior offensive tackle-defensive end Steven Deanda (6-1, 200) and senior fullback-linebacker Mario Gonzalez (5-6, 160) are returning starters who could help the Falcons end their 24-game losing streak.

Sophomore Sam Hicks (6-1, 220) is a tight end-defensive end who wasn’t allowed to play as a freshman because he didn’t turn 14 until the end of the season.

Grace Brethren (7-2-1, 3-1 in Heritage League)--The Lancers will field an experienced team lead by juniors Robert Serra, Jackson Beauchamp, Johnny Durso and Tyson Larson.

Serra (6-0, 175) will replace Beauchamp (6-1, 160) at quarterback this year with Beauchamp playing tight end and defensive back.

Durso is a 6-5, 210-pound defensive end and Larson is a 5-10, 162-pound tailback-defensive back.

L.A. Lutheran (4-5, 2-2 in Heritage League)--Seniors Ernie Azpeizia and Jordan Anderson are returning all-league players for the Lions.

Azpeizia is a 6-2, 230-pound two-way lineman and Anderson is a 5-9, 175-pound running back.

Senior Mike Coscarelli (5-8, 190) will start on both lines for the second season in a row.

Viewpoint (6-3, freelance)--Sherwin Shilati (5-5, 165), a junior running back and defensive back, is the Patriots’ top returning two-way starter.

Shilati rushed for 1,053 yards and 21 touchdowns in 154 carries last season and had 19 receptions for 266 yards and five touchdowns. He also scored on a kickoff return.

Junior Artin Sedighan (6-0, 170) returns at linebacker and will replace quarterback Tyler Stone, who passed for 1,262 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Antelope Valley Christian (8-2, 2-1 in Agape League)--Seniors Scott Hannah and Chris Machaels are the only returning starters from a team that lost to Cuyama Valley, 43-6, in the first round of the Southern Section small schools playoffs last year.

Hannah is a 5-10, 200-pound guard-defensive end and Machaels is a 5-8, 165-pound linebacker who will play tailback and tight end.

Junior tailback Christian Barrett (5-6, 160) and sophomore fullback Orlando Flanagan (5-10, 195) are talented newcomers.

Bethel Christian (10-1, 3-0 in Agape League)--Seniors Andy Baljet and Brandon Eggerth are the only returning starters from a team that lost to Santa Maria Valley Christian, 52-44, in the Southern Section large schools title game last year.

Baljet is 6-0, 210-pound fullback-linebacker and Eggerth is a 5-10, 170-pound wide receiver-defensive back.

Senior Jamar Culver (6-3, 180) will play quarterback and linebacker for the Eagles, who will be members of the newly formed Four Corners League along with Masada, Rio Hondo Prep and Riverside Christian.

Santa Clarita Christian--Juniors John Meenk and Brandon Buehlman are expected to be the top players for a team playing at the eight-man level for the first time.

Meenk is a 6-foot, 140-pound quarterback and Buehlman is a 6-6, 170-pound linebacker.

Five of Santa Clarita Christian’s eight games will be against junior varsities.

Trinity Christian--This tiny school in Tujunga is in its second year of existence at the high school level and will field a varsity for the first time.

The Knights’ roster is comprised of 12 players or every boy in a 22-member high school student body that includes only freshmen and sophomores.

Scott Solomon, a 5-8, 160-pound running back-defensive back, and fellow sophomore Ryan McKenna, a 5-8, 140-pound wide receiver-defensive back, are expected to be the top players for a team that will play in the Valley View League.

Westmark (0-9, 0-4 in Delphic League)--David Forman, a 6-foot, 185-pound senior running back-linebacker, is one of four returning starters for the Lions, who enter their third season at the varsity level with an 0-18 overall record.

Westmark, a school that works with students with learning disabilities, lost eight games by 44 or more points last year and was outscored, 464-40.

Seven of those games were called because of the 45-point mercy rule, which requires a game be stopped if a team trails by 45 points or more at halftime or in the second half.