Here is a preview of the Southridge Suns for the 2011 CBBN 3A football season:
Coach: Tony Reiboldt (2nd year, 4-6).
Last league title: 2008.
Last playoff berth: 2009.
Home field: Lampson Stadium.
Projected starters
OFFENSE POS YR HT WT
Matt Mendenhall QB Sr. 6-3 200
Chris Haueter RB Sr. 5-11 170
Kadin Diaz RB So. 5-0 195
Josh Richards WR Sr. 5-10 155
Paul Hamada WR Sr. 5-8 150
Garrett Willard TE Sr. 6-2 210
Gavin Gillespie LT Sr. 5-10 240
Sam Barnes LG Sr. 6-1 240
Dylan Maurer C Sr. 6-1 195
Brody Samples RG Jr. 6-1 215
Matt Gibson RT Sr. 5-11 265
Chandler Mertens K Sr. 5-8 165
DEFENSE POS YR HT WT
Brody Samples DE Jr. 6-1 215
Sam Barnes DT Sr. 6-1 240
Trey Tutt N So. 6-4 260
Garrett Willard DE Sr. 6-2 210
Chris Haueter OLB Sr. 5-11 170
Matt Mahan MLB Sr. 5-10 175
Dylan Maurer OLB Sr. 6-1 195
Quinn Harris CB Sr. 5-9 160
David Mazzei CB Jr. 5-10 150
Adam Sanders SS Sr. 6-1 180
Josh Richards FS Sr. 5-10 155
Chris Haueter P Sr. 5-11 170
Others to watch: WR Sanders, Sr. (6-1, 180); OL Julio Aleman, Sr. (5-8, 220); LB Cole Henderson, Jr. (6-0, 165); DE Kevin Del Angel, Jr. (6-0, 195); RT Tutt; TE Bryce Overholt, So. (6-0, 195); LB Diaz; WR Clay Gonzalez, So. (5-10, 165); WR Brenden Kelly, So. (6-1, 155).
Quick hits
* With Mendenhall, Haueter and Mertens, the Suns return 116 points (more than half last year's total) and 2,900 total yards (84 percent of offense). Mendenhall's 2,602 passing yards were tops in CBBN last season. However, with just three returning starters on offense, a lot of kids must grow up fast under Friday night pressure.
* LB Haueter is the only returning defensive starter. However, Barnes and Maurer would have started last season, Reiboldt said, if they had played.
* Mertens is the best kicker around (21x23 XP, 7x10 FG) and is a boost to the defense with his kickoffs routinely reaching the end zone.
Outlook
Good signs for the Suns are if Haueter gets his 20-25 touches a game, if team's rushing doesn't lag too far behind passing numbers (Suns only CBBN team not to gain 1,000 yards on ground), and if O- and D-lines play as big as their frames.
Bad sign: Mendenhall throws the ball 90 more times than any other QB in league (like last year) but doesn't lead in TD passes.
