Barons Look to Bounce Back This Season

This year’s move from the private school dominated CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division to the more public school friendly CIF Southwest Division may be a blessing for Fountain Valley.

With 12 returning starters back from last season’s 4-6 team, the Barons have the experience and talent in key positions—but not necessarily the depth—to finish with a winning record and get back into the playoffs this season.

“I do think it’s going to be good for us to be in the Southwest (Division),” said John Shipp, who is entering his ninth season as the Barons head coach. “We definitely have some very, very good competition this season. We open against Foothill (sixth in the pre-season Southwest Division rankings), then Dana Hills and Corona, which has a new coach and plays in the same league as Centennial, then Downey and Trabuco Hills. There is not a weak team among them. And in the Sunset League, every team is solid.

Click here for the Barons complete 2012 schedule

“We have some good players back this season, but I’ve never had this many two-way guys (playing offense and defense). We don’t have a lot of depth. I told (starting wide receiver and middle linebacker) Wyatt (Christensen) that he isn’t coming off the field. We have to play the players who can play now, and hopefully the back-ups can do a good job competing. I think we’ll be fine as long as we stay healthy.”

Christensen, a 6-1 and 215 pound senior, is an All-Sunset League returnee and the Barons top receiver who is being recruited by several colleges. He is one of at least seven players who is expected to play on both sides of the ball this season.

Throwing him the ball again this season will be Chris D’entremont, a 6-2 senior, who Shipp insists is one of the best quarterbacks in Orange County.

“He has the intelligence and experience to be a really good quarterback,” Shipp said. “Because of him, we may be more of a passing team this season. We want to take advantage of Chris’ ability to move the ball down the field."

Joining D'entremont in the Barons’ shotgun offense is senior tailback Steele Escobedo, an All-State wrestler, who gives the team quickness in the backfield. At receiver, along with Christensen, will be junior Jacob Church, an all-league player last year who also will start at free safety; Jason Baker, another all-league returnee who will start at cornerback on defense; and sophomore Ryan Finley, a two-year starter and one of the fastest players on the team.

The offensive line will be anchored by senior J.D. Hinnant at left tackle. At 6-4, 270 pounds, Hinnant is being recruited by every college team in the Pac-12 Conference and the University of Nebraska, Shipp said. Next to him will be senior Tyler Argy at left guard, who at 5-8 and 170 is nicknamed “Pit bull;” sophomore Cole Chambers at center; and on the right side junior Diego Perez at guard and senior Sean Finley at tackle. Perez was hurt last season but may be the strongest player on the team, while Finley, who also plays linebacker, is an all-league player who has drawn interest from Arizona State and South Dakota.

On defense, the Barons will deploy a “high-pressured” defense up front and man-to-man coverage in the backfield, Shipp said. They hope to take advantage of their athleticism and ability to make big plays in order to get the ball back to the offense quickly.

“We are still trying to find our identity on defense,” Shipp admits.

Christensen, Finley and senior Jeff Smolkin (5-11, 200) will start at linebacker, Argy at nose tackle, Hinnant and senior Nick Tipple at defensive end, Church and Escobedo at free and strong safety, respectively, and Baker and Finley at cornerback. Sophomore Sal Ochoa also will see plenty of playing time at free safety.

However, the most valuable player on both offense and defense this season could be four-year starter Derek Huynen, who does kickoffs, field goals, extra points and also punts. At 6-0, 185 pounds, Huynen kicked a 47-yard field goal in a playoff game as a freshman and kicked a 57-yarder in practice on Wednesday. He also regularly puts the ball in the end zone on kickoffs, which will be important to give the Barons' two-way starters some rest.

“He should win some games for us this season,” Shipp said of Huynen. “If we get the ball on the other side of the 50, I wouldn’t hesitate using him. He can kick it from 60 yards.”

This season, a couple of big victories could go a long ways for the Barons.