2023 Tulare Union Football Preview: Tribe have high expectations with talented offense

The Tulare Union football team has high expectations for the 2023 high school football season.

Why?

Well, the Tribe are athletic, fast and talented, especially at the spots where it matters — the skilled positions.

Tulare Union is returning its starting quarterback (Jordan Crisp), top two receivers (Sonny Guess and Brayden Stevenson), running back (Tieler Peterson) and top defender (linebacker Dominic Wilson).

Of that group, only Guess is a senior.

Those five helped lead the way for the team during the summer. Under the direction of longtime head coach Darren Bennett, the Tribe won the Atascadero, Hanford and Redwood seven-on-seven passing tournaments and posted a 25-1 overall record.

"It's been pretty exciting," Bennett said. "It's been great because some of our kids, we have a young team, but we're a young and experienced team. You can really see their development. ... It's exciting. It's fun to watch. They have good attitudes. They work super hard in the weight room."

Crisp went 3-1 last season after being named the team's starting quarterback late in the season. He led Tulare Union to the 2022 Central Section Division III playoffs and passed for 734 yards and eight touchdowns against no interceptions.

Crisp had one of his best performances in last season's Bell Game against Tulare Union, completing 10 of 11 attempts for a career-high 238 yards and three touchdowns.

"He had a really, really good summer," Bennett said. "He's got a great arm. A great leader. Works hard. One of the strongest kids on the team."

That type of success will likely continue this season with Guess and Stevenson both a year older.

Guess, a senior, enjoyed a breakout campaign during his junior year. In 10 games, he led Tulare Union in receiving with 33 catches for 506 yards and six touchdowns. Guess was a solid runner, too, bolting for 335 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He averaged 9.6 yards per carry and even posted a 121-yard rushing performance in a loss to Kingsburg.

Guess earned All-West Yosemite League first-team recognition in 2022.

"It's just his ability, knowing what he can do because of last year is exciting," Bennett said. "We have a nice mesh with him and the younger guys."

Stevenson may only be a sophomore this season but he is one of Tulare County's top offensive weapons.

As a freshman last year, Stevenson finished second on the team with 24 catches for 500 yards and four touchdowns in just seven games. A big-play receiver, he averaged nearly 21 yards per reception and earned All-WYL first-team honors.

In his varsity debut versus Kingsburg, Stevenson erupted for 10 catches, 228 yards receiving and a score. He is also a standout basketball player who was an All-WYL first-team performer.

"He looks very explosive," Bennett said. "He's kind of like a combination of Dominique Dorsey and Awan Diles."

That's high praise.

Dorsey is Tulare County's all-time career-leading rusher. He capped off his Tulare Union career with a then state-record 7,761 yards rushing and 118 touchdowns more than two decades ago. Dorsey went on to play in the Canadian Football League and even spent some time with the now-Washington Commanders in the 2009 preseason. Diles suited up at Fresno State.

Peterson should be the featured back in Tulare Union's spread offense after spending the last two seasons sharing the load with former standout tailback K.J. Daniels.

Listed at 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds, Peterson is one of Tulare County's toughest runners. He finished second on the team in rushing last season, registering 374 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry and had one of his strongest performances during his junior year on a 106-yard effort versus Redwood.

Peterson is a weapon catching the ball, too. He recorded 19 receptions for 230 yards and a pair of touchdowns to earn All-WYL second-team choice.

Freshman wideout Demaje Riley is another Tribe player who showed promise in the offseason. Bennett expects him to make an impact at the team's "X" receiver position.

Defensively, Wilson is one of Tulare County's top returning linebackers. During his sophomore year, he racked up a team-high 90 tackles, three sacks and also forced a fumble en route to 2022 All-WYL first-team recognition.

Wilson is also one of the Central Section's best wrestlers. In February, he placed eighth overall in the 220-pound division at the 2023 CIF State Wrestling Championships.

Does Bennett expect big things from the Tribe this year?

"Yeah," Bennett said. "This is one of the best teams we've had in a few years. ... If we can stay healthy, it'll be a fun season, and hopefully, we can make a deep run in the playoffs and make a run for a section title."

Tulare Union Tribe

Head coach: Darren Bennett, 29th season

Coaching staff: Phil Pineiro (defensive coordinator), D.J. Bennett (offensive coordinator), Jacob Fernandez (receivers), Monica Diaz (running backs), Maleek Brown (offensive line), Fernando Valadao (defensive line), Chris Luttrel (middle linebackers), Josh Callanan (cornerbacks), David Alexander (safeties), Daniel Chamalbide (outside linebackers), Anthony Meadows (quality control/video coordinator)

Roster: 51

Base offense/defense: Spread/3-4

2022 record: 4-7 (lost to Sunnyside in the Central Section Division III first-round playoffs)

Impact players: QB Jordan Crisp, RB Tieler Peterson, WR Sonny Guess, WR Brayden Stevenson, WR Demaje Riley, RT Aiden Avalos, MLB Dominik Wilson, SS Jaylen Dominguez, OLB Rashawn Hayes, DT Bryson Vargas

Projected starting lineup

Offense

• QB: Jordan Crisp

• RB: Tieler Peterson

• WR: Demaje Riley

• WR: Michael Soto or Buddy Lockhart

• WR: Brayden Stevenson

• WR: Sonny Guess

• LT: Jakob Avalos

• LG: Avery Moore

• C: Jorge Gomez

• RG: Johnny Arrellanes

• RT: Aiden Avalos

Defense

• DT: Cordarion Franklin

• NG: Bryson Vargas

• DT: Sevyn Strong

• OLB: Matt Jones

• MLB: Dominic Wilson

• MLB: Francisco Fernandez

• OLB: Rashawn Hayes

• CB: Kristian Wood

• CB: Emmanuel Guzman

• FS: Urek Anaya

• SS: Jalen Dominguez

Schedule

• Aug. 18: at Mt. Whitney, 7:30 p.m.

• Aug. 24: at El Diamante, 7:30 p.m.

• Sept. 1: Redwood, 7:30 p.m.

• Sept. 7: at Justin Garza, 7 p.m.

• Sept. 22: Kingsburg, 7:30 p.m.

• Sept. 28: Lemoore, 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 6: Hanford, 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 13: at Mission Oak, 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 20: at Dinuba, 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 27: at Tulare Western (Bell Game), 6:30 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: 2023 Tulare Union Football Preview