KING CITY — A young King City High School football team opened the 2023 season with a squad that had its share of untested and inexperienced players.
This upcoming fall season will be no different for the Mustangs, who will once again be a youthful team that must improve every day to have a winning season.
It’ll be up to longtime head coach Mac Villanueva and his coaching staff to prepare this young herd with six starting sophomores up to speed.
“Our sophomore group is exceptional and they aren’t your typical 10th graders,” he said.
The Mustangs lost seven starting seniors, including Adrian Garcia — the team’s leading receiver with 591 yards receiving on 39 receptions and four touchdowns, according to statistics on the Monterey Bay Preps website.
Yet, Villanueva said the numbers are the same as usual.
One key returner is sophomore Rocky Villanueva — a two-way starter playing middle linebacker and tight end. He led King City with 63 total tackles and five-and-a-half sacks on defense, while racking up 100 yards receiving on 14 receptions and one touchdown.
The All-PCAL First Team honoree is confident they’ll have a spectacular 2024 campaign.
“I think our team can be a serious contender in the PCAL and I believe we have the best run offense in our league,” Rocky Villanueva said. “The games that I look forward to most are Greenfield because they have beat us the past two years. And the game with Gonzales, as we want to continue to keep the megaphone.”
The megaphone is the prize for the winner of the Little Big Game between the Mustangs and Spartans. It is traditionally one of the most important games of the season in South Monterey County.
Generations of King City and Gonzales athletes have battled for the right to carry the megaphone back to their respective schools.
Mac Villanueva expects good things from the offense, especially with returning quarterback Jesus Manriquez under center.
“We have been running a spread offense since 2012 as we try to keep a good balance on offense,” Mac Villanueva said. “It really depends on the game and opponent on a week-to-week basis if we will run or throw the football.”
Manriquez, who finished with 376 yards rushing on 70 carries and three touchdowns in 2023, had high praises for the returners on their abilities on the football field, and sees good things happening for the Mustangs.
“This year I think our passing will be strong, but I do think our run game will be our main strength on offense,” Manriquez said. “I think some teammates that will be key to our success will be Carson Tidwell and Alexander Macias with their speed, as well as Rocky Villanueva and Kody Lambert because of their size and strength, and JC Navarro because of his knowledge on defense.”
Tidwell, a sophomore, finished with a team-best 730 yards rushing on 130 carries and four touchdowns in 2023.
Lambert and Navarro — another pair of sophomores in the starting lineup — have impressed Mac Villanueva with both their improvement and ability to be two-way players.
“Kody Lambert and JC Navarro are a couple of young guys who could open up some eyes this season,” Mac Villanueva said.
Mac Villanueva said he’s already honed in on the season-opener against St. Francis High of Watsonville in non-league action Aug. 31 at 12:30pm.
“St. Francis is always tough and they will present a good challenge in Week 1,” he said. “That game will set the tone for what we can expect from the team this season.”
The Mustangs will travel to Rabobank Stadium in Salinas for a non-league game against defending California Interscholastic Federation State champion Palma High on Sept. 6 at 7:30pm.
King City last season suffered a 42-0 loss to the Chieftains. A few weeks later, Palma had to forfeit the victory due to playing with an ineligible player.
The Mustangs cap off their non-league portion of the schedule with back-to-back games against Marina on Sept. 12 and Gonzales on Sept. 20. Both games are slated to kick off at 7:30pm.
Mission South Division action begins at Pacific Grove High, followed by two consecutive home games against Carmel and Greenfield high schools.
King City will then return to Rabobank Stadium to take on North Salinas High, followed by games at Rancho San Juan High and the season finale at home against Soledad High.
KING CITY HIGH 2024 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Aug. 31: at St. Francis, 12:30pm
Sept. 6: vs. Palma, at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas, 7:30pm
Sept. 12: Marina, 7:30pm
Sept. 20: Gonzales, 7:30pm
Sept. 27: at Pacific Grove*, 7:30pm
Oct. 4: Carmel*, 7:30pm
Oct. 11: Greenfield*, 7:30pm
Oct. 18: vs. North Salinas*, at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas, 7:30pm
Oct. 25: at Rancho San Juan*, 7:30pm
Nov. 8: Soledad*, 7:30pm
*PCAL Mission South Division play
