The562’s football coverage for the 2026-27 school year is sponsored by Long Beach Poly alums Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
For the St. Anthony Saints, belief comes with the name. This year, the Saints are carrying a strong belief in themselves as they look to turn things around on the football field.
After a rough 2025 season that saw crucial injuries and a 3-8 overall record, St. Anthony is trying to turn those growing pains into more productive moments of familiar success in 2026.
“Every game, we have an opportunity to win,” Head Coach Jeff Magdaleno said. “Hopefully we get some wins early to build some of that momentum and get that positive energy going this year because anything could happen once you get to the Del Rey League.”
Magdaleno lost a handful of strong seniors last year but still has a good set of veterans that are stepping up to the challenge.
Leading the charge is quarterback Aidan Jones, who is stepping back into the starting position for his senior season. Jones had a successful year as a sophomore when he was thrown into the starter spot and spent his junior season getting more reps on the field.
“One last run with my brothers,” Jones said of his final high school season. “There’s always pressure being the quarterback because everything falls on you, but getting all those nerves out of the way my sophomore and junior year, I’m more excited for this year to go ball out and play to the best of my abilities.”
Jones will serve as one of St. Anthony’s captains this year alongside Dion Myers, who will see time as both receiver and outside linebacker. Magdaleno said these two seniors will be the go-to guys for the Saints this year.
“They’re able to take offense to the next level,” Magdaleno said. “They do everything for us. We’re excited for them as seniors and to have a huge impact on our team.”
Another key player for the Saints this year will be Evan Martinez. The senior will be the team’s running back this year, but he is also a utility player that can step in as quarterback, receiver, safety or linebacker if needed.
“He does a lot for us,” Magdaleno said of Martinez. “He’s going to have a big role in the backfield this year — carrying the ball, also playing linebacker on defense. He’s really stepped up leadership-wise, and we’re excited for him.”
Supporting the Saints with more experience is a strong 2028 class. Marcos Mendoza started as a receiver with his older brother Andres, who has since graduated to leave him as the only Mendoza on St. Anthony.
Miles Anglin is another strong junior returning as an All-League safety.
“He’s the quarterback of our defense,” Magdaleno said. “He’s the communicator and coach on the field on the defensive side.”
At the line, the Saints have some power holding it down on both sides of the ball. Senior Vicente Hernandez and junior Patrick Leon have seen a lot of minutes in the purple and white and will look to lead some of the younger guys stepping up.
“Us being so light on our seniors, we have to rely on our underclassmen, and I feel like we got a really good freshman class,” Martinez said.
One of the biggest additions to the team this year is freshman Lucky Otine who will join Hernandez and Leon on the line.
“He’s an unbelievable talent,” Magdaleno said. “He’s going to put some pressure on and make an impact right away. He’s ready to go.”
Otine isn’t the only young talent on the team this year. Elijah “EJ” Alaelua is a freshman running back who can also play linebacker. Cardai Smith and Juice Smith are both sophomores that could see a lot of playing time in 2026.
“Just being young, having the rust can be a challenge but positive is they’re very coachable and they want to get better. They want to learn, and they’re willing to accept coaching and move forward,” Jones said.
With a young roster, there is a buzz around St. Anthony this year. Magdaleno said the fresh energy these players bring is a good addition to the team, and they will only get better with the more snaps they get.
“It’s just experience,” Magdaleno said. “They’re just going to be more comfortable, more confident. It’s exciting when we think about them because we have something to build on for the future.”
For now, the Saints are putting their heads down and getting to work. After starting the 2025 season off 0-6 and finishing 3rd in the Del Rey League, the program is taking each week as it comes.
“We just want to improve every week,” Magdaleno said. “We want to build the momentum. If we’re on the right trajectory, which we want to be, and improving every week, by the time you get to that point in the season, you’re playing some really good football, and you give yourself a chance to make a run.”
St. Anthony will kick off their season at home next Friday. The Saints are hosting Canyon Springs for their first Friday Night Lights of the 2026 season.
“High school football is the greatest thing. There’s nothing like the lights being on on a Friday night,” Magdaleno said. “Regardless of how many seniors we have and how young we’re going to be, this team is such a joy to coach. It makes me just so excited for this year to go out and compete.”
Projected Starting Lineup:
Offense
QB – Aidan Jones (Sr.)
RB – Evan Martinez (Sr.)
WR – Diego Hernandez (Jr.) / Marcos Mendoza (Jr.) / Cardai Smith (So.) / Dion Myers (Sr.)
OL – Vicente Hernandez (Sr.) / Patrick Leon (Jr.) / Santiago Velasquez (Jr.) / Nasir Aldonza (Jr.) / Lucky Otine (Fr.)
Defense
DL – Patrick Leon (Jr.) / Kahe Olsen (Fr.) / Lucky Otine (Fr.) / Noah Crawshaw (Jr.)
LB – EJ Alaelua (Fr.) / Dion Myers (Sr.) / Evan Martinez (Jr.)
DB – Cardai Smith (So.) / KJ Henderson (Sr.) / Nolan Gedeon (Jr.) / Miles Anglin (Jr.)
2026 St. Anthony Football Schedule
8/21 – vs. Canyon Springs
8/28 – vs. Ontario Christian
9/4 – at St. Margaret’s
9/11 – BYE
9/17 – at Valley Christian
9/25 – vs. Rio Hondo Prep
10/2 – vs. Bishop Alemany
10/9 – at La Salle*
10/16 – at Crespi*
10/23 – vs. Salesian*
10/30 – vs Harvard Westlake*
* – Denotes Del Rey League game
