Football preview: Ocean View wants to build on success from last year

The Ocean View High football program is looking to build off a season a year ago that saw the Seahawks come on strong down the stretch of the 2014 campaign, play in the final week of the regular season for a league championship, and clinch an automatic berth to the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

Five starters on offense and defense return from a team that last year won seven games for only the fourth time in program history. Coach Luis Nunez says the program’s success at the lower levels the past few years has resulted in new-found success at the varsity level.

“The best advice I got before taking over at Ocean View was from former varsity head basketball coach Ted Hollister at Long Beach Wilson,” the fourth-year head coach said. “He told me to build up my lower levels. My first year as head coach, I decided to dissolve our junior varsity program because numbers were too low. I was an assistant on staff for two years prior to taking over [as head coach] and during those two years, both of our lower-level programs won a total of three games. I needed to change that, so I hired a great lower-level staff and combined all my freshmen and sophomores together to make a frosh/soph team.

“The decision has helped create a great culture of winning that Coach Hollister talked about. In the last three years, our frosh/soph teams have gone a combined 24-6. I now have a program where all my kids believe they can compete and win.

“We are hoping to field three teams this year because we have the biggest freshman class numbers-wise in the six years since I’ve been at the school.”

Ocean View, which will wear new adidas uniforms this fall, scrimmaged Long Beach St. Anthony Thursday. The Seahawks start their regular season Sept. 4 against city rival Marina.

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Ocean View Seahawks

League: Golden West

CIF division: Southern

Head coach: Luis Nunez (4th year)

Coaching staff: Steve Escobar (offensive coordinator/receivers); Steven Burke (quarterbacks); Andrew Reyes (running backs/safeties); Chris Estrada (defensive coordinator/defensive backs); Peter Kim (linebackers); Lee Afusia (defensive line); Josh Schlichter (defensive line/wide receivers).

2014 overall record: 7-4

2014 league record/finish: 4-1 (second place)

2014 CIF playoff results: Lost first round to Brea Olinda

Offensive scheme: Spread

Defensive scheme: 4-3

Returning starters: 5 offense; 5 defense

Players returning with honors: Blake Meyer, QB, Sr., first-team all-league; Chandler Willis, DE, Sr., first-team all-league.

Coach’s outlook: “The 2015 team is hungry for redemption after coming up short against Westminster in last year’s Golden West League title game,” Nunez said. “Becoming the first team to win a Golden West league title will continue to be the team motivation in 2015. This group knows how to win as everyone on this year’s varsity team has had great success on varsity last year or on the lower levels through the last three years.”

Team tidbits: “We have the potential to put up a lot of points offensively this year,” Nunez said. “Three-year starter Blake Meyer [quarterback] continues to make major improvements in his game and he’s got some big targets on the outside this year. Adel Holmes has potential to be very special at running back as he will be a bruising back that will be fun to watch. The offensive line is young but they are working hard and understand what we are trying to do upfront. Lots of continuity on the defensive side of the ball as all the coaching staff is the same. The defensive line is strong led by Chandler Willis who should be a force this year. Xavier Salgado and Chase Foreman will be fun to watch at the safety positions. Our linebackers have experience and depth. Both cornerbacks are young but have improved greatly through summer.”

The schedule: The Seahawks face the same teams they went up against last year and play four their first five games on their home turf. However, they open Golden West League play with three-straight road tests before finishing with two home games to close out the regular season.

Golden West League: “The league will be tough as Segerstrom has their whole team returning and is very senior-heavy, Westminster is always strong, Santa Ana had a great season last year, Orange hired a young, energetic coach that will have his team well-coached, and Loara hired a coach who’s won a CIF title and has won a lot of games. Westminster is still the team to beat but we will have to be well prepared every week, as I feel everyone will improve significantly.”

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Seahawks Schedule

Sept. 4: Marina, 7 p.m.

Sept. 12: Valley Christian, 7 p.m.

Sept. 19: at La Quinta, 7 p.m. (Garden Grove High)

Sept. 26: Bolsa Grande, 7 p.m.

Oct. 3: Estancia, 7 p.m.

Oct. 9: at *Orange, 7 p.m.

Oct. 17: at *Loara, 7 p.m. (Glover Stadium)

Oct. 25: at *Santa Ana, 7 p.m. (Santa Ana Bowl)

Oct. 30: *Segerstrom, 7 p.m.

Nov. 7: *Westminster, 7 p.m.

(*denotes Golden West League game)