Valley View Eagles: Division 6 Southern Section football preview

With 10 starters back on defense, Valley View should be much improved this season.

With 10 starters back on defense, Valley View should be much improved this season. Here's an inside look at the 2019 Eagles.

Links: Valley View team page | 2019 schedule | Roster

2018 IN REVIEW

Overall record: 3-7 (1-2 in the Ivy League, 3rd place).

HEAD COACH

Daniel Barlage has been the head coach of Valley View since 2015.

TOP PLAYERS

DE/FB Jalil Laflora, 5’9”, 225, Sr.

LB Quintana Quinton, 5’9”, 180, Jr.

DT Diego Linares, 6’0”, 255, Sr.

CB/FS Jacob Parrot, 5’7”, 150, Sr.

OUTLOOK

Valley View is in a transition period as they adjust to Division 6. The Eagles went from playing in Division 10 in 2017 to being in Division 6 in 2018 and playing against the likes of Corona Centennial. Last season featured huge wins over inferior opponents and huge losses to nationally renowned programs. 

Valley View played a whopping eight playoff teams last year, many of which were in higher divisions, and finished 3-7. They finished on a strong note, beating a very good Paloma Valley team. According to coach Barlage, right now their sole priority is “to continue to grow the program and keep getting better each week."

The Eagles are returning only three starters on offense, and none of them are at the skill positions. They will likely need the early part of the season to iron things out offensively and establish an identity.

The Eagles’ defense, however, should be good enough to keep them in a lot of games. Ten starters are back on the defensive side, which makes them one of the most experienced defenses in D-6. Among them are Jalil LaFlora (DE), Quintana Quinton (LB), and Diego Linares (DT), all three of whom were key contributors last season. Jacob Parrot (CB/FS), Tristen KeoPhommachak (LB), Nasir Muhammad (CB), and Norman Zapata (DB) are all expected to play big minutes as well.