Comets hoping for diamonds in the rough for 75th season
For the 75th anniversary of Palomar College football, head coach Joe Early hopes he can find a few diamonds in the rough for the 2022 season.
After a pair of scrimmages leading up to the regular season, Early is already seeing some sparkle.
"We're ahead of where we were last year at this time,'' the Comets' longtime coach said a day after his team's Aug. 24 scrimmage against Fullerton which was held on campus before several hundred onlookers. "I'm real pleased with how our guys have responded so far."
Early and his staff watched over an intra-squad scrimmage held four days before Fullerton came to San Marcos. That workout came two weeks before the Sept. 3 season opener at Victor Valley and consisted of 92 snaps.
"We went live on the quarterbacks, and we had never done that before," Early said. "We were able to put them in some pressure situations.
"Going up against Fullerton we didn't know what to expect. Last year our first game against Victor Valley was just our second full day in pads because of the COVID situation."
Early said he liked what he saw from his squad against the Hornets.
"Fullerton is always big and physical, and we matched their physicality," Early said. "We were not outmatched, and the things that we need to clean up are fixable."
The Palomar roster was finalized a week before the Comets kick off their 10-game regular season as a member of the Southern California Football Association's National Division, Central League. Other members of the National Central League include Cerritos, Chaffey, El Camino, Mt. San Antonio and Riverside City.
The Comets are ranked No. 15 in the JC Athletic Bureau's preseason poll voted on by the California Community College Athletic Association football coaches. Four additional Central League teams are also included in the rankings as defending league champion Riverside City is rated No. 2, Mt. SAC is No. 9, El Camino is No. 12, and Cerritos is No. 16.
Palomar opens the season with two road games, including at Victor Valley on Sept. 3 and at Golden West on Sept. 10. The Comets play their home opener Sept. 17 against Southwestern at Escondido High's Wilson Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. for all home games in 2022.
The Comets finished the 2021 season with a 6-5 overall record, culminating the season with a 44-24 victory over Santa Barbara City in the Chick-Fil-A Winter Festi-Bowl at Chick Embrey Field. Palomar had a 3-2 mark in league play, worth a tie for second place with Cerritos.
Riverside City won the Central League and Southern California Regional titles before finishing as the state runner-up to City College of San Francisco.
"Eight of the teams we played last year were either playoff or bowl teams," noted Early, who will oversee another large transition of players for the '22 campaign.
"Last year we were a predominantly freshman team, and a lot of those guys have moved on to four-year schools," Early said. "We have a lot of talent this year, but it's still unproven talent."
One of the many positions with new faces is at quarterback, where the Comets need to replace 2021 league co-Offensive Player of the Year Zeke Payne, who has earned one of the QB roster spots at New Mexico Highlands University, a Division II program.
"Quarterback is a big question mark for us," Early admitted. "Thomas Fishburne has been doing well, but he's being pushed by Isaac Madrigal and Kiah Reid."
Fishburne (5-11, 170) is a sophomore out of Steele Canyon High of Spring Valley, Madrigal (6-2, 175) is a freshman from Tolleson Union of Arizona, and Reid (6-0, 195) is a freshman from El Camino of Oceanside.
In the offensive backfield, "it will be running back by committee," according to Early. "We have eight or nine good running backs."
With 2021 first-team all-leaguer Tawee Walker moving on to play for the University of Oklahoma, two RBs to keep an eye on for the Comets this year are returning sophomores Dorian Richardson (5-9, 230) and Dorian Lewis (5-11, 215). A local incoming freshman to watch is Dez Taua (5-11, 210) from Vista High.
When the Comets throw the ball, they will have returning starter Alex Hill (5-8, 185) in the slot, and Early said he has high hopes for another returning wide-out, Tajae Brooks (6-1, 185), who has shown speed over the top.
Freshman transfers at WR include Chase Cross (5-10, 185) from Hot Springs, Az., and Kyri Shoels (6-2, 170) from Las Vegas, Nev. Another pair of newcomers from area high schools are freshmen Ka'alei Apana (5-11) from Temescal Canyon and Ikaika Bell (5-11, 170) from University City.
On the offensive line, sophomore returnees include Daniel Shelley (6-5, 300) and Michael Donley (6-3, 305). Local freshmen expected to see interior action include Noah Arce (6-4, 295) of Mission Hills, Ricky Johnson (6-2, 275) of San Marcos, Michael Grudek (6-6, 275) of La Costa Canyon, Christopher Vitte (6-4, 320) of Del Norte, Jake Waltman (6-4, 270) of Rancho Bernardo, and Jayden Zavala (6-4, 320) of Rancho Buena Vista.
Early anticipates much improvement on the defensive side of the ball in 2022.
"Defensive breakdowns cost us last year, but we're much more sound this year," Early said. "We're better in the secondary, and we'll be more physical up front."
The Comets need to replace 2021 first-team all-league safety Jalen Dye, now a Kansas University Jayhawk, but family ties remain as younger brother Devin Dye (6-1, 185) is a freshman out of Cathedral Catholic. Returning sophomores in the secondary include 2021 second-team all-league pick Rickie Davis Jr. (6-0, 186), Josh Fletcher (5-10, 175) and Jarvis Davis (5-9, 185).
"We're pretty new at linebacker," said Early, whose early leading candidates include transfers Syrr Jaydn Barnes (6-2, 227) and Dylan Quinn (6-2, 210), and incoming freshmen Jalen Ramsey (6-3, 210) of Oceanside HS and Nate Frankfather (6-2, 205) of Temescal Canyon HS.
On the defensive line, the Comets have Shiloh Seau (5-11, 256) and Jordan Deaver (5-9, 230) returning up front, and another sophomore is Jayson Pace (6-2, 230), a transfer out of Sacramento State.
When it comes to special teams, the Comets have a 2021 second-team all-league placekicker and punter returning in Landon Ogles (6-3, 220).
"Landon has a big left leg that will be a weapon for us," said Early.
Overall, Early said he likes the Comets' chances for the upcoming season.
"Our numbers are up with about 105-110 guys turning out, and that's a good thing, especially coming out of COVID," said the onetime standout running back for Palomar who is now in his 21st year as the head coach. "We can't get ahead of ourselves and we have to eliminate the bad mistakes, but I love the aggressiveness and energy we have shown so far.
"We just need to channel that energy to be more productive in 2022."