The Union-Tribune is previewing San Diego’s high school football teams ahead of the Aug. 20 season opener.

We continue with a look at the Grossmont Conference:

Grossmont Conference
Grossmont Hills League
Granite Hills

Last season: 10-4

Coach: Kellen Cobbs, 14th season

Key players: Zac Benitez (QB), Jesse White (WR-DB), Cayden Phillips (LB), Seth Haisch (OL), Landon Hart (DL), Gage Spalding (RB), Eurijah Schutza (DB), Nino Miller-Thompson (WR), Jonah Hamilton (WR), Niko Poolar (DL), Devin Williams (RB), Zedahn Smith (WR).

Scouting report: When you have a QB like Benitez returning, it’s sometimes difficult to recall that 25 seniors have moved on and only eight starters are returning. Benitez threw for 4,009 yards and 42 touchdowns a year ago. The San Jose State-bound player also rushed for 189 yards and has eight career rushing TDs. The top returning receiver is Zedahn Smith, who had 57 catches for 673 yards and four scores. Spalding and Williams combined for almost 1,000 yards rushing. The Eagles are big up front, with all-leaguers Haisch (6-foot-1, 305 pounds) on one side of the ball and Hart (6-1, 260) on the other. Phillips leads the linebacker crew. The secondary, with Willhite and Schutza, is a strength.

Grossmont

Last season: 9-2

Coach: Anthony Lawrence, fourth season

Key players: Tyler Holmes (QB), Corbin Dow (RB), Kaiden Flores (OL), Daniel Vidauri (OL), Dylan Woodward (OL), Jonah Martinez (WR), Jonah Yost (DB), Kaiden Ong (DB), Jackson Baird (DE), Vinny Michelson (DL).

Scouting report: When you graduate 28 seniors, the outlook is often bleak. But, Grossmont lost 29 players the year before and won the Valley League. And when you have Holmes, who threw for 1,848 yards and 25 TDs a year ago, plus Dow, who rushed for 1,002 yards, you can’t be too depressed. Holmes isn’t just a passer; the 6-1, 200-pounder also rushed for 547 yards and nine TDs. Martinez is joined at receiver by newcomers Cedric Norris and Jamar McClendon. The O-line is anchored by all-leaguer Flores, with veterans Vidaur, Woodward and Baird moving up. On defense, junior Diego Encinas is added to the mix with all-leaguers Michelson at defensive end and Ong at defensive back. Junior Mateo Miller is also a key DB.

Helix

Last season: 5-7

Coach: Damaja Jones, fifth season

Key players: Jeremy Davis (TE-LB), Donte Wright (RB-LB), Kaleo Hughes (OL), Jeremy Robinson (WR-DB), Jacob Johnson (WR), Dario Bartoletti (WR), Lamarquis Sutton (DB), Sean Fanua (OL-DL), Nate Mislao (OL), Jace Sells (DB), Caden Thompson (QB), Bryson Calloway (RB).

Scouting report: Helix has talented receivers in Robinson, Bartoletti and Johnson, and getting them involved will be key. Look for all-leaguer Davis to make a big impression at linebacker. Helix is well-armed at running back with the return of Wright (485 yards, 7 TDs) and Calloway (472 yards, 2 TDs). Fanua, who also earned all-league honors, anchors both lines. Hughes, Misilao and Mount Miguel transfers Kiti Fuga and Jordan Fung are fitting right in. Starting DBs Sutton, Sells and Robinson are joined by Lincoln transfer Roderick Aguilar.

Mount Miguel

Last season: 8-4

Coach: James Simon, first season

Key players: Dominic Lopez (RB-LB), Ivan Williams (OL-DL), Cayden Mobley (Ath), Brandon Reed (OL-DL), Kalani Tausaga (DE).

Scouting report: Coach Verlain Betofe moved on and, as expected, many of his players scattered to other schools. Williams, who played linebacker a year ago, will move to the defensive line. Reed and Tausaga are sophomores. The key will be how well the veterans and newcomers mesh while playing a tough schedule. Mont Miguel starts with Montgomery on the road and takes on Torrey Pines, Poway, University City and Patrick Henry in addition to the rugged Grossmont Hills League.

Steele Canyon

Last season: 9-4

Coach: Scott Longerbone, 15th year

Key players: Gavin Caha (QB), Josiah Stocker (WR), Malcolm Ballard (WR), Trevor Zenno (WR), Luke Rode (DB), Jamison Sablan (DB), Marcus Hunt (DB), Gunner Minich (LB), Sebastian Castellon (DE), Isaac Craven (DE), Jackson Turner (DL).

Scouting report: Caha returns after throwing for 2,426 yards and 25 TDs. So do three productive receivers in Stocker, Ballard and Zenno. Hunt gained 321 yards last year. The defense is the real deal: nine starters return, led by Castellon and Craven at the end positions. Turner and Minion lead the linebackers, and Rode, Sablan and Hunt are playmakers in the secondary.

Grossmont Valley League
El Cajon Valley

Last season: 2-8

Coach: Syd Reed, first season

Key players: Amir Miller (TE–DE), Rashaunn Barr (WR-DB), Gavino Kendall-Pinal (WR-RB-DB), Tariq Ibrahimi (QB), Maddox Virgen (WR-DB), Justice Virgen (RB-DB), Janvier Kashindi (RB-LB-DB).

Scouting report: Reed is the Braves’ fifth coach in the last five years. El Cajon has experience at running back, where Kashindi gained 580 yards on 94 carries last year, scoring four times. Ibrahimi started three games at QB as a freshman. Five experienced receivers return, led by Miller. The Virgen twins, Maddox and Kashindi will get plenty of chances. The improvement of nine sophomores and eight juniors is key.

El Capitan

Last season: 4-7

Coach: Ron Burner, 22nd year

Key players: Dylan Schmidt (OL), Michael Castillo (RB), Ryder Powers (SS), Cota LaChappa (WR), Dominic Megginson (DB), Hayden Passinisi (QB), Ethan Duncan-Celeste (OL), Braden Linder (TE-DE), Kash Ludlum (DB-LB).

Scouting report: With 15 starters back, look for the Vaqueros to rebound. Passinisi threw for 1,014 yards last year, but had as many touchdowns as interceptions (six). Linader, an all-league tight end, will get plenty of chances. Sophomore Shayne Whitmore and senior Elijah Arzu also figure in the mix. The ground attack has another all-league returnee in Castillo, who rushed for 558 yards and four TDs. All-leaguer Duncan-Celeste, Schmidt and newcomer Gabe Wolf lead the line. Ludlum and Robinson Silva anchor the linebackers, while the defensive backfield returns Megginson and Powers and adds Colton Kidd.

Monte Vista

Last season: 6-6

Coach: Paige Culver, second season

Key players: Joshua Hunt (OL-DL), Dion Hunter (RB-DB), Braden Silie (RB-LB), Peter Alhanoush (OL), Deasean Jenkins (RB-DB), Fadhili Ibochwa (TE-LB), Juan Duran (QB), Naithen Smith (WR-DB). Jay’Vion Delaney (OL-DL).

Scouting report: Hunter was the team’s leading rusher with 191 yards on 36 carries last year, while Jenkins played in three games. Culver believes their quickness will produce sizeable gains, especially in small spaces. The line is bigger, with Hunt, Alhanoush and Delaney joined by junior newcomers Patrick Johnston, Leeland Sanchez and Gabriel Lara. Silie returns as an all-league linebacker.

Santana

Last season: 6-6

Coach: Tim Estes, 16th year

Key players: Ethan Miller (QB), Denton Goar (Ath), Kolten Thornton (WR-DB), Izaiah Celindro (OL), Julian Meyers (RB-LB), Tatum Morehouse (RB-LB), Anthony Terry (DB), Silas Walker (OL), Ethan Smith (WR-DB).

Scouting report: Miller threw for 1,285 yards and 12 TDs a year ago. He has three returning receivers in Thornton, Goar and Smith. Newcomers Cameron Cipo and Jack Lord will get some looks. Mayers rushed for 508 yards for a team that only gained 691 yards on the ground. The O-line returns Celindro and Walker. Morehouse and Thornton earned all-league honors on defense, and Goar was selected all-league in 2024.

Valhalla

Last season: 3-8

Coach: Jason Carter, first year

Key players: Jeremiah Loper (QB), Jayden Hunter (RB), Tmarrion Williams (WR-DB), Cameron Conley (WR), Romeo Tepi (WR-DB), Andrew Thomas (RB-LB), Desmond Demara (WR-LB), Amare Young (Ath) Charlie Jones (DB), William Washington (OL), Kaleb Osoimalo (OL-DL), Gavin Dysart (LB), Adrian Rojo-Hernandez (DE), Connor Larkin (TE-LB), Gideon Hypes (RB-DB), David Rivera (RB-LB), Chris Figueroa (LB), Kyle Yousif (OL-DL), Haden Hutchinson (OL-DL).

Scouting report. With nearly two dozen incoming transfers, the Norsemen are positioned to make a run at the Valley League title. They start with Loper, who threw for 2,423 yards and 26 TDs at Mount Miguel. One of his top receivers, Williams, caught 23 passes for 424 yards and eight TDs as a freshman and will be one of Loper’s main targets along with transfers Conley (Mount Miguel), Tepi (Madison), Demara (University City) and Young (Helix). Hunter rushed for 736 yards and three TDs at Mount Miguel. There are some big linemen coming in, led by sophomore Osoimalo (Mount Miguel) and Washington (University City). They’ll join Hutchinson and Yousif. Dysart moved in from Helix and joins returning linebackers Figueroa, Larkin, Hypes and Rivera.

West Hills

Last season: 4-7

Coach: Casey Ash, 13th year

Key players: Evin Dill (QB), E.J. Lee-Fields (RB-LB), Aiden Swiney (OL), Marcus Leath (WR-DB), Zack Waters (TE-DE), Phil Hoadley (OL-DL), Andy Mildenstein (OL-DL), Cole Cota (OL-DL), Chuck Rosolino (WR-DB).

Scouting report: Dill threw for 758 yards and rushed for 407 a year ago. Lee-Fields will step in at running back, sharing time with junior newcomer Evan Dorris. Rosolino leads the Wolf Pack receivers, with Waters a big target as well. The line has veterans like Swiney, Hoadley, Mildenstein and Cota. Lee-Fields leads a defense that includes Leath and newcomer Xavier Moffatt. In all, 16 starters return.

STEVE BRAND