MaxPreps 2015 CIF Northern Section preseason high school football Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

Video: Syus Tuitele's highlights vs. Chico High School
See the Pleasant Valley High lineman in action against his team's crosstown rival.
 

1. Pleasant Valley (Chico)
Coach: Mark Cooley
2014 finish: 10-3
Team preview

Head coach Mark Cooley was highly successful in the small-school ranks at Hamilton. Now he is doing the same at the large-school level, as he has the Vikings poised to be the favorite to win a Northern Section Division II championship this year. Cooley returns 13 starters from last year, including seven on defense. He also has an undefeated JV team to help fill in the gaps caused by graduation. While his quarterback from last year is gone, Brandt Hughes (6-foot-3, 185 pounds) will likely take the reins of the offense. He's protected up front by Syrus Tuitele (6-5, 275). The Vikings reached the section championship game last year, falling to Enterprise 31-0. However, Pleasant Valley won 10 games for the first time since 2007.

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2. Chico
Coach: Jason Alvistur
2014 finish: 8-3
Team preview

Replacing Clayton Welch, one of the all-time leading passers in Northern Section history with 4,967 career yards, will be the key for the Panthers. Chico does have one of the top all-purpose backs in the section in Cameron Alfaro (542 yards rushing, 608 yards receiving) to lead the offense. The defense should be stellar, with leading tackler Bailey Fritter and section sack leader Nicholas Maximov both returning.

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3. Enterprise (Redding)
Coach: Darren Trueblood
2014 finish: 11-1
Team preview

The Hornets have had a spectacular run over the past three seasons, winning three straight section championships, advancing to a state bowl game and posting a 33-5 record during that span. However, the majority of the players who led Enterprise to those section titles are gone, including two-time All-Northern Section running back Isaiah Matthews and two-time Northern Section Defensive MVP Nick Tomasin. Max Ostendorf is the top returning rusher (228 yards) while Keaton Voorhees will likely take over duties at quarterback. Victor Penn-Nash could take over the role of leader on defense at linebacker.

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4. Sutter
Coach: Ryan Reynolds
2014 finish: 13-1
Team preview

Coach Ryan Reynolds enters his seventh season at the helm of the Huskies and it has been an impressive run so far. While posting a 61-15 record, Reynolds has twice led Sutter to the NorCal playoffs. Last year, the Huskies posted a 13-1 record for the second time in school history (both times under Reynolds), winning 13 straight before falling to eventual state champion Campolindo. Most of the players from that team are gone, including quarterback Randy Post, who set the Northern Section record for passing yards in a season last year. Top returning players include guard Jose Valle (6-1, 270), and running backs Jacob Gildea and Isaac Torres. Sutter has six starters back from last year, four of them on offense.

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5. Shasta (Redding)
Coach: J.C. Hunsaker
2014 finish: 7-4
Team preview

J.C. Hunsaker takes over for longtime coach Aaron Gingery, who was let go midway through last season. Hunsaker inherits a group that returns a number of key players from last year, including quarterback Kyle Catanese. Four of the team's top five rushers also return, although leading rusher Mario Valdez has graduated. The offensive line is also strong with returning all-league linemen Kacey Loh and Kary Kutsch.