MaxPreps 2013 North Coast Section preseason football Fab 5

MaxPreps 2013 North Coast Section Preseason Fab 5 presented by the Army National Guard 1. De La Salle (Concord)
2012 finish: 15-0, NCS, North Region, State Open champion
Head coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Team preview

The Spartans aren’t just the top team in the section and state, but, despite losing legendary Bob Ladouceur as their head coach, they are the No. 1 ranked team in the nation. As if Alumbaugh didn’t have a bigger burden to bear. The 33-year-old inherits a team built around its core, the offensive line led by Larry Allen III (his dad was just inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame) and Sumner Houston. The four-time defending state Open Division champion has two main ball-handlers returning, quarterback Chris Williams and running back Das Tautalatasi, and with Ladouceur simply shifting roles to running backs’ coach, don’t expect De La Salle’s run of 22 straight NCS titles to end in 2013.

See last season's North Coast Section all-league football teams

2. El Cerrito
2012 finish: 13-1, NCS Division III runner-up
Head coach: Kenneth Kahn
Team preview

For sheer top-end talented, nobody has more than the Gauchos, who feature Top 25 California recruits: wide receiver Jalen Harvey (No. 13, Cal commit), defensive back Adarius Pickett (No. 19) and linebacker Derik Calhoun (No. 22, USC commit). El Cerrito has loads of other athletes and should be able to maintain its 46.6 points per game average from last season, especially with the return of quarterback Keilan Benjamin.

See last season's final North Coast Section rankings, presented by the Army National Guard

3. Pittsburg
2012 finish: 8-4
Head coach: Vic Galli
Team preview

The Pirates always look good on paper and in the weight room. Athletes permeate up and down the sideline for one of the Northern California’s top programs that unfortunately has to meet up with De La Salle every season. In fact, the Pirates are the last Northern California team to defeat the Spartans, 35-27 in the NCS 4A title game in 1991. That’s not a misprint. That’s 1991. Pittsburg is led this season by a trio of talent seniors, running back Harris Ross (5-11, 195), receiver Xavier Crawford (5-11, 170) and defensive end Chima Onyeukwu (6-3, 240). Though the Pirates are ranked third, many people think they shouldn’t be even ranked No. 1 in the very tough Bay Valley Athletic League which features Freedom, Deer Valley and Heritage — all Bay Area Top 10 programs.

See all the players from California on NFL rosters last season

4. Marin Catholic (Kentfield)
2012 finish: 14-2, North Region D2 champion
Head coach: Mazi Moayed
Team preview

No one should boo-hoo the Wildcats, who lost the San Francisco Chronicle’s Player of the Year and three-year starting quarterback Jared Goff, now a freshman at Cal. Marin Catholic will insert Morgan Mahaiak, a 6-3, 200-pound senior who has yet to take a varsity snap but has secured a full ride to Oregon. Mahalak was one of the North Bay’s top receivers last year. He’ll also have another talented receiver, Andrew Celis (6-0, 185), to throw to. Celis is one of 10 returning starters — seven on defense. With a 9-1 JV team to draw from, the Wildcats won’t be dropping off much if at all in 2013.

See the top 36 California schools with the most wins since 2008, five of which are from NCS

5. Freedom (Oakley)
2012 finish: 9-3
Head coach: Kevin Hartwig
Team preview

The obvious headliner is running back Joe Mixon — the state’s top recruit — a 6-2, 195-pound senior who can run, catch and block among the nation’s best. He got only about 20 touches last season, but look for that to increase to 30 with first-year quarterback Joe Sweeney, a 6-1, 180-pound sophomore who is a future star. Defensive end Patrick Choudja (6-4, 225) is a late-rising recruit and receiver Aaron Mullins (5-9, 175) is a fast play-maker. The team returns nine starters from last season — six on defense — and its JV team was 8-2.