“Those guys had a friendly running battle over who would get the most wins,” Bargas said of the weekly exchanges between Chavez and Kirchner.
Such collective good fortune could bode well for a squad that returns starters in half of its 22 positions on both sides of the ball.
Estancia opens its regular season Thursday at home against Trabuco Hills.
Here’s a position-by-position breakdown:
Quarterback: Senior Alek Kirshner threw for 408 yards and two touchdowns in 2008, when he earned his way into the starting lineup after the season began.
Kirshner completed 37 of 75 attempts with four interceptions, as the Eagles’ relied heavily upon a ground game anchored by then-senior tailback Carlos Mendez.
“He throws a nice ball, he is calm and poised,” Bargas said of Kirshner, who started the final six games of last season. “The biggest thing for him this year is that he understands the system. He’ll probably be one of our captains.
Kirshner distinguished himself at safety last season, earning Defensive Back of the Year honors after his 49 tackles tied for second on the team.
Bargas, however, said he would love to allow Kirshner to concentrate on running the offense this season.
John Diego, a junior who quarterbacked the JV last season, and junior Cameron Collins, a transfer from Foothill, are battling for the primary backup role, Bargas said.
Collins did not play football at Foothill last season.
Running backs: Mendez produced nearly 73% of the team’s rushing yards last season, collecting 1,109 yards to lead all Newport-Mesa ballcarriers. Munoz, who finished with a school-record 2,693 yards and 21 touchdowns in a two-season varsity career, obviously leaves a big void.
