CALN – A 7-4 season would be a success to most Ches-Mont football programs – but not at Coatesville.
The 2023 Red Raiders were swept by the Downingtowns and made a first round exit in districts. That’s not going to cut it for anybody associated with the program, including head coach Matt Ortega, who has been at the helm since 2009.
“We kind of lost our identity as a program,” he acknowledged. “Last year’s group took the culture and tradition for granted, so the focal points is to get back to the (Coatesville) mentality.”
Many of his top returning players for ’24 agree.
“Last season we lacked the Coatesville mentality,” said linebacker Josh VanOrden.
“I think this season we have a lot more people that are going to take accountability of their actions,” added fellow junior linebacker Terry Wiggins.
The Raiders are looking to fully return to their roots with a devastating ground game and a defense that stops the run. It’s no coincidence that the roster is built to do both.
“Our 2012 team, when we had (runner) Emmitt Hunt, is similar to what we have this season: physical up front, run the football first, play-action comes off of that, and a good defense,” Ortega pointed out. “The next generation after that, with (son and quarterback) Ricky (Ortega) it was more speed with skill all over the place.
“The last couple years we have reverted back.”
It also helps to have a returning starter at quarterback in junior Matt (Buggy) Ortega, Jr. He’s put on 10 pounds (to 165) in the offseason.
“Our quarterback is more experienced,” Ortega, Sr., said. “And if you look back at the QBs we’ve had here, they have grown and gotten better each year.
“His growth process should be very high this season. We do have high expectations. You can talk about the O-line, but at the end of the day it comes down the quarterback regardless of the level. We are going to put a lot more on (Matt) this year. He’s bigger, faster, stronger and smarter.”
It will undoubtedly help, however, that a huge and experienced group will anchor the interior line on both sides of the ball, and features a trio who have major college aspirations: senior tackle Takiyah Lynch (6-foot-3, 275), and sophomores Max Hiller (6-5, 295) and C.J. Miller (6-3, 340). Ortega called them “three of the better linemen we’ve had here.”
A pair of seniors — Tom McAnally (6-0, 230) and Cole Plant (6-2, 270) — round out the starters along the offensive line at guard and center.
“I think we have the best offensive linemen in the state,” Buggy Ortega said.
A deep stable of running backs is headed by juniors Nasir Jordan and Zayden Green, along with some younger speedsters.
“(Jordan) can be special,” Ortega said. “The expectation is that he’s going to be the top running back in the league. He’s fast and athletic like a lot of backs we’ve had, but he’s physical. He fits the mold of our O-line.”
The biggest question mark on offense is with the receivers, who will need to contribute when opponents are stacked to stop the run.
“As a staff we don’t think our receiving play has been up to par the last couple years,” Ortega said.
The Raiders have two tall wideouts in senior Tristin Jackson and sophomore Jahil Thedford, who has also plays basketball at Coatesville. The top returner in the slot is senior Anthony Kelly, but depth and experience are concerns.
“We feel good about that group, but we have to see it happen,” Ortega said.
The front seven on defense is headlined by Lynch, a four-year starter, at tackle along with Miller and Hiller. Seniors Gerald Cooper and Rami Ayoub are also in the rotation up front.
“We don’t have the luxury of depth that we’ve had in year’s past, but we will rotate guys and try to get 15-18 plays per game from each,” Ortega predicted.
The linebacker corps is solid with Wiggins (6-4, 200) and Zayden Green on the outside, and VanOrden and senior Ivan Demchak on the inside.
“I think we’re going to be pretty good at stopping the run,” said Wiggins. “We have big guys up front, and I trust our linebackers. And we have talent in the secondary. We are always going to have talent at the skill positions with the DBs because there is a lot of speed.”
In the secondary, there are plenty of options at cornerback with Anthony Kelly, juniors Amari Deshields and Qwan James, and sophomore Braheim Lacey. The starters at safety are senior Matis Clouser and junior Elias Hanson, a converted corner.
“We are a little worried about our depth at safety,” Ortega said.
With Garnet Valley and Perkiomen Valley on the pre-conference schedule, Coatesville will be tested early. The Raiders ended last season with a 21-20 playoff setback to Central Bucks South, who went on to win the District 1 6A crown.
“Our first 11 is good, but we have to build depth as the season goes, and we have to stay healthy,” Ortega said.
“We were divided and we had some injuries last (season), but we stayed with the (eventual) district champion,” Buggy Ortega added. “It was, like, one of our worst teams and we still could have won the (district) championship.
“We have high standards here, and this season we are going to get our (revenge) against the teams that beat us.”
