Vikings want to break through in Turley’s third year

The 2016 prep football season is just a few weeks away and all seven local schools play games before the month of August is complete.

One of those schools is Marina, and the Vikings are in preparations for their Aug. 26 season opener at Dana Hills. Coach Jeff Turley begins his third year at the helm with some key returners, including four All-Sunset League players (wide receiver/defensive back Noah Holmes , running back/defensive back Cooper Malerstein, offensive/defensive lineman Jake Arnold, and kicker Rand Keidel).

During summer ball, which got underway July 5, juniors Ian Green and Vishan Few worked at quarterback for the Vikings.

Marina, which returns seven starters on offense and eight on defense from a 1-9 team, is grouped in CIF Southern Section Division 12 (46 schools) for the 2016 and 2017 playoff seasons.

The Vikings, whom Turley said train on a new field and in a new weight room, started fall camp Aug. 1 and will end it Aug. 19 with a 5 p.m. home scrimmage against Long Beach Millikan.

Marina Vikings

League: Sunset

CIF Division: 12

Head Coach: Jeff Turley (3rd year)

Coaching Staff: Terrence Austin (offensive coordinator/wide receivers); Stephen Austin (special teams coordinator/wide receivers); Marco Diaz (quarterbacks); Shawn Smith (running backs); Carlos Castellanos and Zac Williams (offensive line); Solo Tafua and Tom Herrington (defensive line); Brodie Riederich (linebackers); Mike McMahon and Jeff Turley Jr. (defensive backs).

2015 Record: 1-9 overall; 0-5 league (sixth)

Offensive Scheme: Spread

Defensive Scheme: 4-3; 3-4

Returning starters: 7 offense/8 defense

Returning with Honors: Noah Holmes (wide receiver/defensive back, second-team all-league, Sr.); Cooper Malerstien (running back/defensive back, first-team all-league, Sr.); Jake Arnold (offensive/defensive line, first-team all-league, Sr.); Rand Keidel (kicker, second-team all-league, Sr.).

Newcomers: Josh Stark (offensive/defensive line, Sr.); Levi McCallion (linebacker, Sr.); Mikado Teodoro (defensive line, Sr.).

Coach’s Take: “Win every play, every way, every day,” Turley said.

CIF Division: The Vikings new home for the next two years in the postseason playoffs is Division 12 (46 schools). They are the lone Sunset League team in the division.

“This gives our team motivation to get in the playoffs,” Turley said.

The Schedule: The Vikings play six games on their home field, Westminster High’s Boswell Field, including five of their first seven games and their first two Sunset League games. They play a pair of nonleague rivalry games in consecutive weeks in early-September at Bowell Field against Ocean View and Westminster (the Vikings are the visitors in this one), and begin league play at home against Los Alamitos and another rival, Huntington Beach, the first two weekends in October.

“I feel this year’s team matches up really well with our schedule,” Turley said. “We have games that should prepare us for the [CIF] playoffs and teams we would face in them.”

Season Opener: Aug. 26 at Dana Hills

Vikings Schedule

Aug. 26: at Dana Hills, 7 p.m.

Sept. 2: vs. Ocean View, 7 p.m.

Sept. 9: at Westminster, 7 p.m.

Sept. 15: vs. Santa Ana, 7 p.m.

Sept. 23: at St. Anthony, 7 p.m.

Oct. 7: vs. *Los Alamitos, 7 p.m.

Oct. 14: vs. *Huntington Beach, 7 p.m.

Oct. 21: at *Edison, 7 p.m.

Oct. 28: at *Newport Harbor, 7 p.m.

Nov. 3: vs. *Fountain Valley, 7 p.m.

(home games at Westminster High; *denotes league game)