As Aliso’s non-league football games came to an end, a new chapter began for the Wolverines, league play.
Ever since the school’s founding, the football team has played in one of two leagues, the Sea View League or the South Coast League. This season the football team made a change, in which they drifted away from the Sea View League and headed for the Foxtrot League. The Foxtrot league has six teams which include the Dana Hills Dolphins, Laguna Beach Breakers, Orange Panthers, Northwood Timberwolves and the Fountain Valley Barons.
This league move is significant because the rest of Aliso’s athletic teams are members of either the South Coast League or the Sea View League for the 2024-2025 season.
Their first game in league play was arguably the most important game of the season for the Wolverines, the infamous rivalry against the Dana Hills Dolphins.
The Wolverines faced the Dolphins on a gloomy Friday night, with both schools’ student sections showing up to show their support for the rivalry.
The Wolverines battled it out in a tight game, having the ball in Dana’s half most of the game. However, they were unable to capitalize on the great field possession.
The undefeated Dana Hills Dolphins were able to then take advantage of this and put the game to bed in the fourth quarter, scoring one final touchdown to put the game out of the Wolverine’s reach. This could be partly due to Wolverine star center Will Molina (12) suffering an injury that took him out of the game before the fourth quarter. The final score ended up being 20-10 in favor of the Dolphins.
Junior quarterback, Carter Vestermark, went 11 for 14, completing 79% of total passes. Vestermark had a highlight run for 35 yards for a touchdown early in the game.
Jarrett Sabol (12) helped the Wolverines with seven carries for 115 yards.
The following week, the Wolverines hosted the Northwood Timberwolves. This game would prove to be a tough one for the Wolverines, as Northwood only suffered one loss so far the entire season, against the Laguna Beach Breakers.
It did not go well for the Wolverines, with the final score ending 20-12. Vestermark went 18 for 26 passing-wise for the Wolverines.
Sitting at zero and two for the opening two games, the Wolverines needed to make a change in their game against a top 100 team in the state, Laguna Beach the following week.
Defensive player of the game against Northwood, Kaleo Elam (11), speaks his mind on the improvements the Wolverines need to make: “We just have to neutralize their quarterback because their whole offense revolves around him, so if we slow him down in the pass game we should be good.”
Elam was right, with the Wolverines’ defense holding Laguna Beach to only 14 points in a massive win for the Wolverines, with Aliso winning by 20 with a score of 34-14.
Defensive lineman, Brandon Wong, gives his opinion for their postseason push, “We just have to keep on going, if we stay strong and keep injuries minimal, we will be able to go far in the postseason.”
The Wolverines host Orange High School for the Wolverines’ final home game of the season.
