So, what will the Jackrabbit defense be looking at on Saturday night at Angel Stadium in the CIFSS Championship game? The short answer: a lot.
The Tesoro Titans offense has scored 524 points (40 per game) and racked up 4622 yards (355 per game) on their way to an unblemished 13-0 record. In the trenches, the Titan dominance has been mostly due to sheer mass (average size on the starting line is 6’2” 256lb). But Tesoro has also made a habit of outthinking its opponents, showing a vaudeville-type variety in offensive formations.
No matter what formation the Titans come out in, they’ll need these players to perform at the top of their game to move the ball on the Jackrabbits:
QB: #13 Robbie Picazo
The 6’4” senior throws the ball like Bernie Kozar, but the sidearm sling has worked to the tune of 2,634 yards, 32 TDs and a 64 percent completion rate. Picazo makes good decisions too, with just 5 INTs on the season. With the amount of different formations and plays the Titans run, the cerebral signal-caller has become an extension of his coaching staff out there on the field. One Pac-5 defensive coordinator called Picazo the most impressive quarterback he’s seen all season. Picazo also can wing the ball to the sideline with tremendous speed—if a Poly DB covering a five-yard out thinks he can jump that route for a pick-six, he could end up in trouble.
RB: #24 Zach Mitchell
This shifty junior has made the most of every opportunity granted to him by the Titans’ massive offensive line. Averaging 7 yards per carry (168 car, 1168yds) is just part of Mitchell’s story for this season. When Tesoro has needed him to carry the load in games against Mission Viejo (29 car, 163yds) and Los Alamitos (22 car, 177 yds) he’s become a workhorse. And even when the air attack is the game plan like against Fountain Valley (16 car) and San Clemente (11 car) he still remains effective (avg. 4.5 yds per carry).
WR: #9 Preston King
Don’t let his 5’10” 175lb frame fool you. The senior has 78 receptions, 1174 yards, and 12 TDs on the year. He is obviously the Titans’ most talented player, and he rarely leaves the field. Rarely meaning he will line up wide, in the slot, in the backfield, as cornerback on defense, as the punt and kick return man, and as the holder for field goals and extra points. Poly will need to keep eyes on him at all times—he’s thrown the ball out of the option and he could be a serious FG-fake threat. As soon as you underestimate King, he’ll burn you.
O Line: #70 Evan Finkenberg, #77 Sil Ajawara, #62 Brad Handfield, #64 Ty Vanderford, #68 Josh Cabral
Just how big are these boys from Tesoro? How about 1,420 pounds of offensive line?! The hogs have shown the ability to run over their counterparts, but the biggest challenge will be trying to stay with the speedy Jackrabbit defensive front. In the O. Lu game last week Cabral regularly, and easily, took on two defenders at a time (and even blocked three guys on one play). Poly will need to run around these guys—locking up with them will be a bad idea.
You may be asking yourself, do these Titans have any weaknesses? Well, King has a habit of not going full speed on run plays, and Mitchell isn’t the best blocker in the world, but other than that… The one thing the Jackrabbits have going for them is that Tesoro hasn’t been hit nearly as hard as they’re going to be hit on Saturday night. Will they be able to hold up against the relentless Poly pressure?