The562’s football coverage for the 2026-27 school year is sponsored by Long Beach Poly alums Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
The St. Anthony Saints are officially kicking off their 2026 season today at home. The Saints will host Canyon Springs at Clark Field set for a 7pm start time.
After a rough 0-6 start in 2025, Head Coach Jeff Magdaleno is hoping to start in the win column this season.
“Hopefully we get some wins early to build some of that momentum and get that positive energy going,” Magdaleno said.
Magdaleno built his team’s schedule with the purpose of playing against teams close to St. Anthony in ranking and skill. The head coach wants to start his season off by facing similar opponents to sharpen up the Saints before they head into Del Rey League play.
One of the biggest challenges for St. Anthony this year will be the size of their program. The Saints have a smaller roster with 42 players, while Canyon Springs is spotting over 50 players on their team.
Despite having less depth, St. Anthony will rely on their veterans to step up and lead the team, especially as younger players get some minutes on the field. Quarterback Aidan Jones will be a key piece of this year’s Saints squad, and he will be looking for fellow senior Dion Myers.
St. Anthony is young this year, and some underclassmen will rotate in to bring some young energy to the game. Sophomore Juice Smith will slot in as a corner and receiver, along with some freshmen who will step up for the Saints all over the field.
Canyon Springs is an experienced team packed with veteran players. The Cougars only have one underclassman on their roster in sophomore quarterback Nathon Martinez.
Martinez will play behind senior quarterback Angel Robles, who already had a good showing in a preseason scrimmage against Rancho Verde. Junior receiver Donte Todd will also be an offensive threat for Canyon Springs, making deep runs as a target for Robles.
The Cougars finished with an 8-2 record, while the Saints were on the opposite end with a 3-8 overall record. But, the two programs have never played each other, so it will be a new challenge on both sides.
Coming into the 2026 season, the teams have a clean slate and are close in the California rankings, with St. Anthony sitting at No. 216 in the Southern Section and Canyon Springs at No. 223 — providing a good matchup to start the year off.
