It was a brand new era of Mary Star High football in 2015.

New coach, new system, new attitude, and yes... even a new moniker.

No, the Stars didn't abandon their running game that they prided itself on in years, they enhanced it with a no-huddle style which produced staggering results. Under the first year of coach Jason Gelber and an entirely new staff, the Stars rushed for 3,097 yards and 45 touchdowns last season, while also providing a stingy, hard hitting defense which was worthy of their new moniker 'Home Of The Hitters'.

Mary Star would finish 6-5 with a return to the CIF-Southern Section East Valley Division (Division 13) playoffs, also going 2-2 in the Santa Fe League, with a heartbreaking one-point overtime loss to eventual champion St. Monica of Santa Monica as part of it which showed the valuable improvement and desire of the program.

A senior-laden club will look to add on to their success for 2016, if not continue its upward climb, but to do so, they must navigate through a tough nonleague slate and produce in a league that provides no margin for error.

Mary Star will compete in the now four-team Santa Fe League and is the only team from the league in Division 13 via the new CIF-SS realignment, while the others (St. Monica, St. Anthony of Long Beach & St. Genevieve of Panorama City) are in higher divisions. St. Anthony looks to be the dominant team in the league, and it's the only team the Stars get to host on October 28 at Daniels Field in league play.

There are 84 schools in Division 13, but only 16 of them will qualify for the playoffs.

The Stars will also engage in a tough nonleague schedule featuring the likes of a road game at CIF-SS runner-up Linfield Christian of Temecula (September 9), and home games against Pasadena Poly (September 16) and Morningside of Inglewood (September 30). Of course, the Stars will get another crack at ending a long losing streak to Bishop Montgomery of Torrance on September 23, also at Daniels Field.

The majority of last year's dynamic offensive assault, primarily at running back, spearheaded by All-CIF selection William Davis (San Jose State), Vinny Lauro and Jarod Alves (Long Beach City College), the latter of whom also handled all the kicking and punting duties, are gone, leaving the Stars with a brand-new set of thoroughbreds in their stable.

Senior RB/LB Jasen Watanabe, talented sophomore RB/LBs Luke Sabra and Nathan Trudnich, also junior WR/DB D'Andrew Lopez, will all get their lion's share of the handoffs which will be coming from three-year veteran senior quarterback Robert Enciso. 

The Stars don't go to the air often, but when they do, Enciso will have viable targets in seniors Jaime Casiano Jr. (All-Santa Fe League returner), Hunter Bjazevich and Xavier Martinez to throw to. In spite of the focus on the run, Enciso still threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns on 29-of-49 passing while also rushing for 164 yards on 31 carries and four touchdowns as a dual threat for the Stars last season.

Another good news for the offense is that the line has ions of experience, as they will return All-Santa Fe League returners Izzy Amalfitano and Daichi Kusunoki, along with Matt Sestich, who will all be entering their senior seasons for Mary Star. Also featured on the line includes senior tight end Nathan Linayao and junior tackle Troy Sestich.

Most of the team will be playing both ways, and Kusunoki is the most feared of the defensive line, as he led the Stars in tackles for loss with nine, and 35 tackles overall. Amalfitano is very athletic at defensive end, as he registered 30 tackles, 3.5 sacks, a blocked punt, an interception and two fumble recoveries.

Linayao, Matt Sestich and junior defensive tackle Kaze Hayashi will also be part of the line. Enciso, Watanabe, Trudnich and senior Adrian Rodriguez all will see time at linebacker, while Casiano Jr. (2 INTs), Martinez (3 INTs), Lopez and Bjazevich will be the main starters in the secondary.

The graduation of Alves will leave a huge hole in special teams, as the Stars don't have a kicker as of yet in their 31-player roster.