CIF-SAN DIEGO SECTION BOYS

The Team to Beat: Coronado

Fresh off winning their first San Diego Section championship in school history, the Islanders bring back 18 varsity players who are fired up to defend their title. Coronado did, however, lose some experience. Ten seniors graduated off last year’s team, and there were a couple heavy hitters among that group, so a repeat title run is by no means a lock.

Coronado, which will be led by Vermont-bound senior middie Kodie Englehart, has depth throughout the lineup. Senior goalie Peter Zeller, senior attackman Eddie Vita and junior attackman Kyle Runyon are all impact players.

The Islanders also expect big contributions from senior middie Kevin Seifert, junior long-stick middie Dane Farguson, junior middie Chris Banks, junior attackman Alexander Bookout and junior middie Sergio Flores.

Contenders: La Costa Canyon, Rancho Bernardo, Torrey Pines, La Jolla, Cathedral Catholic, Poway

La Costa Canyon has reached the San Diego Section championship game seven straight seasons, so it would be folly to count them out. The Mavericks return 14 seniors and six starters, including two who have already committed to NCAA Division I programs in Hofstra-bound long-stick middie Steven Bogert and Pennsylvania-bound defenseman Reid Tudor. Backing them up will be a host of talented players. Junior goalie Eric Sanschagrin and senior attackman Timmy Andrews are among the multitude of impact players.

Coming off a semifinal appearance in 2009, Rancho Bernardo appears to have one of its best teams in years. The Broncos, who will be led by Army-bound senior attackman Austin Bokmeyer, have six underclassmen whose names made it somewhere onto the WSL Elite 25 individual player rankings list. Middie Tyler Ekeroth is the No. 1 ranked junior in the West, and goalie Zach Weaver is the No. 4 ranked junior.

Torrey Pines brings back seven starters, including its entire attack, and sophomore attackman Sean Doyle will turn some heads this season. He’s joined by senior attackman-middie Erik Myers, senior middie Sam Anakar, senior goalie Alex Perkins and junior defenseman Max Myrick.

La Jolla returns six starters, including its entire attack. Although the Vikings have some holes to fill in the midfield and on defense, it won’t matter if they can outscore their opposition. It will come down to senior attackman Michael Soumekh, senior attackman Taylor Bourgeois and junior attackman Matthew O’Hara to do just that.

Cathedral Catholic brings back four starters, one at every position, off the team that reached the semifinals last season. The Dons will be led by Yale-bound senior defenseman Alex Moffit, senior middie Patrick Frais and sophomore goalie Michael Henry. But they must replace a lot of scoring.

Poway graduated nine seniors off its 28-man roster, so it should have a lot coming back. The Titans will be led by a pair of junior attackmen, Henry Donahue and Connor Sanit, as well as by senior attackman Jack McGarry.

Sleeper: Patrick Henry

The often-overlooked Patriots bring back seven starters from a team that went 12-7 last season, and they could be poised to make a surprising run. Patrick Henry returns its entire starting defense, as well as two first-line middies and two starters from last year’s attack. Senior long-stick middie Sandro Ballarin, senior middie Scott Ridout, junior attackman Zach Rice and junior defensemen Brian Farley and Grey Owen could lead this group at least to the quarterfinals.

NCAA Division I Recruits: Steven Bogert, LSM, La Costa Canyon (Hofstra); Austin Bokmeyer, Att., Rancho Bernardo (Army); Tyler Ekeroth, MF, Rancho Bernardo (Denver); Kodie Englehart, MF, Coronado (Vermont); Alex Moffit, Def., Cathedral Catholic (Yale); Reid Tudor, Def., La Costa Canyon (Pennsylvania).

Of the eight players selected as U.S. Lacrosse All-Americans from the San Diego area last season, Englehart was the only junior chosen after he helped lead Coronado to its first CIF lacrosse title in school history. Englehart is ranked No. 5 among seniors in the Western United States, according to the WSL Elite 25.

Other Top Players: Sam Anakar, MF, Torrey Pines; Timmy Andrews, Att., La Costa Canyon; Sandro Ballarin, LSM, Patrick Henry; Christian Ballow, Att., Eastlake; Chris Banks, MF, Coronado; Zach Bannon, MF, Eastlake; Jeremy Best, LSM, Hilltop (Mesa State); Alexander Bookout, Att., Coronado; Taylor Bourgeois, Att., La Jolla; Joseph Bridgeforth, MF, Foothills Christian; Warren Brody, Att., Francis Parker; Chase Brokaw, Att., San Dieguito Academy; Joe Cardona, Att.-MF, Granite Hills; Matthew DeJesus, MF, Scripps Ranch; Tyler Dennis, Att., Helix Charter; Henry Donahue, Att., Poway; Sean Doyle, Att., Torrey Pines; Jackson DuPont, G, Santa Fe Christian; Dane Farguson, Def., Coronado; Sergio Flores, MF, Coronado; Patrick Frais, MF, Cathedral Catholic; Michael Gennuso, MF, La Costa Canyon; Keaton Giannotti, MF, Santa Fe Christian; Jonathan Haeling, Def., Bishop’s (Roanoke); Jake Hamilton, Def., La Jolla Country Day; Ian Hare, MF, La Costa Canyon (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo); Andrew Hayden, MF, La Costa Canyon; Blake Heidrich, Att, Rancho Bernardo; Michael Henry, G, Cathedral Catholic; Jeremy Hutchens, Def., Rancho Bernardo; Mike Ketteringham, MF, Westview; Kurt Luedtke, MF, Santa Fe Christian; Mitch Mathai, MF, San Marcos; Jason McCallum, MF, La Jolla Country Day; Jack McGarry, Att., Poway; Aaron Morgante, Att., Grossmont; Erik Myers, MF-Att., Torrey Pines; Max Myrick, Def., Torrey Pines; Nick Nacrelli, G, Serra (Seton Hill); Zach Negroni, Att., Bishop’s; Matthew O’Hara, Att., La Jolla; Grey Owen, Def., Patrick Henry; Jeremy Paluch, Def., Francis Parker; Alex Pardieu, MF, La Costa Canyon; Ruben Pena, LSM, Rancho Bernardo; Alex Perkins, G, Torrey Pines; Zach Rice, Att., Patrick Henry; Scott Ridout, MF, Patrick Henry; Michael Riis, Def., La Costa Canyon; Kyle Runyon, Att., Coronado; Connor Sanit, Att., Poway; Eric Sanschagrin, G, La Costa Canyon; Devon Schuppert, MF, Grossmont; Kevin Seifert, MF, Coronado; Michael Soumekh, Att., La Jolla; Robby Stiefler, MF, Bishop’s; Seth Stowell, Att., El Capitan; Eddie Vita, Att., Coronado; Zach Weaver, G, Rancho Bernardo; Peter Zeller, G, Coronado.

Preseason Top 10: 1. Coronado, 2. La Costa Canyon, 3. Rancho Bernardo, 4. Torrey Pines, 5. La Jolla, 6. Cathedral Catholic, 7. Poway, 8. Bishop’s, 9. Patrick Henry, 10. Santa Fe Christian.

Notes: Two-time defending Grossmont Conference champion Grossmont enters the 2010 season on a 17-game winning streak against its league. Grossmont has gone unbeaten in league play two straight seasons and hasn’t lost against an in-conference rival since May 10, 2007. Grossmont is the early favorite in its conference again this season after it graduated just six seniors. The Hillers return six starters, including their entire starting defense....This will be a rebuilding year at Bishop’s, which graduated 13 seniors, including its top scorer and a standout goalie....Francis Parker graduated all but three of its starters from last year’s team, but it does have two returning from the attack unit....San Dieguito Academy brings back half its starting lineup, including two from the attack and two from the defense.