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Chargers seek another banner year

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The boys’ and girls’ basketball teams at Edison, Fountain Valley and Marina begin their respective 2011-12 seasons this week in tournament and nonleague play. Below is a capsule look at the three schools.

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Edison Girls’ Team

Head coach: Dan Wiley (fourth year)

Staff: Terry Goddard

Last year’s record: 28-4

League record/finish: 10-0 (champion)

CIF results: CIF Southern Section Division 1A champion

Returning players: Geena Gomez (PG, Soph.); Dolores Gomez (G, Soph).; Rilee Horton (F, all-league first-team, second-team all-CIF, Sr.); Monay Lee (F, all-league first-team, Sr.): Riley Lowe (G, Jr.); Karlie Samuelson (G, co-league MVP, first-team all-CIF, Jr.).

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Outlook: The Chargers are loaded with experience and again figure to challenge for Sunset League and CIF championships. Wiley, who was named CIF Division 1 Coach of the Year last year after leading the program to its first Southern Section title since 1986, must replace two key starters from last year’s team: Edison’s all-time leading scorer Bonnie Samuelson (who is now at Stanford) and first-team all-league and first-team All-CIF selection Christina Marquette (who has taken her game to Oberlin College in Ohio). Wiley has another Samuelson, 6-foot-3 Katie Lou and sister of Bonnie and Karlie, on this year’s roster. Edison will host the O.C. Championships tournament Dec. 26-29.

Season opener: Noon on Saturday vs. Dana Hills at University Tournament.

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Edison Boys’ Team

Head coach: Rich Boyce (16th year)

Staff: Chris Gray; Jeff Harrell; Brian Beerbower; Brandon Casillas; Paul Harrell.

Last year’s record: 26-3

League record/finish: 8-2 (champion)

CIF results: Reached quarterfinal round of 2AA playoffs

Returning players: Dreon Barlett (F, first-ream all-league, Sr.); Cade Hernandez (F, Sr.).

The roster: Allan Bach (G, Sr.); Jimmy Baker-Arend (F, Jr.); Brody Barton (G, Jr.); Harrison Brunelli (F, Jr.); Corey Foster (G, Sr.); Pat Gannon (G, Sr.); Anthony Green (G, Sr.); Josh Haar (G, Jr.); Kevin Johnson (F, Jr.); Derek Molina (G, Fr.); Taylor Nelson (C, Jr.).

Outlook: The Chargers lost several players, including All-State, All-CIF and Sunset League MVP Dylan Garrity from a team that last year won a school-record 26 games. “This year’s team is very inexperienced as we return two players,” Boyce said. “We will have to play very hard and give maximum effort every game.”

Season opener: 7 p.m. Friday, home vs. University.

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Fountain Valley Girls’ Team

Head coach: Saki Takemoto (sixth year)

Staff: Michelle Kravik

Last year’s record: 8-19

League record/finish: 1-9 (sixth)

CIF results: Lost in first round of Division 1A playoffs.

Returning players: Carly Ducat (F/C, Sr.); Toyen Le (G/P, Sr); Jasmine Matar (F, Sr.); Kelcie Mayott (C, J.); Marisa Teng (G, Jr.); Amy Yoshinaga (G/P, Soph.).

Outlook: Takemoto has six returners back from a year ago but must replace second-team All-Sunset League player Leslie La. The Barons host their own Hoop Challenge starting Tuesday.

The roster: Nadine Bautista (G, Sr.); Lora Bender (F, Soph.); Jocelyn Calvillo (G, Jr.); Emily Krause (G/F, Soph.); Ashley Masuda (PG/G, Fr.); Danielle Tran (PG/G, Jr.).

Season opener: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, vs. Costa Mesa at Barons Hoop Challenge.

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Fountain Valley Boys’ Team

Head coach: Roger Holmes (second year)

Staff: Andrew Meyer; Eric Edmunds; Aren Baghdassarian

Last year’s record: 16-11

League record/finish: 4-6 (fourth)

CIF results: Reached second round of 1A playoffs

Returning players: Sean Myers (G, second-team all-league, Sr.); Nathan Moss (F, Sr.), Tanner Trounce (F, Jr.); Josh Armstrong (G, Jr.); Zack Richartz (G, Sr.); Sean Finley (F, Jr.).

The roster: Mitchel Price (G, Sr.); Jeff Law (G, Sr.); Jackson Gatlin (C, Jr.); Joey Petersen (F, Jr.); Danny Chamaa (G, Jr.); Thomas Le (F, Sr.); Daniel Beidokhti (C, Sr.); Jacob Meyer (F, Soph.).

Outlook: In his first season as head coach of his alma mater, Holmes — who is entering his 33rd year in coaching — took the Barons to their first playoff appearance in 10 years. The squad has six returners, including second-team all-league guard Sean Myers. Two other second-team all-league players, Judd Chamaa and Zach Matar, graduated in June. During the winter holiday break, the Barons will travel to Orlando, Fla., for the KSA Holiday Classic at Disney Wide World of Sports Complex.

“This year’s team gained valuable experience last year,” Holmes said. “ With six returning players, we have a solid core that did some good things last season. All of our players have worked hard in preparation for this season and we are eager to get started. We have a lot of potential as a basketball team.”

Season opener: defeated Rancho Alamitos, 78-46, Monday at La Quinta Tournament.

Next game: Thursday at La Quinta Tournament

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Marina Girls’ Team

Head coach: Dean Katayama (first year)

Staff: Eric Peterson; Kurtis Kanemaru; Ann Pacheco; Carol Osbrink; Wendy Malot; Kyle Crumly; Charisse Lee.

Last year’s record: 16-11

League record/finish: 6-4 (third)

CIF results: lost in first round of 2AA playoffs

Returning players: Madison Yutkins (G, Soph.); Lauren Dorame (G, Jr.); Jennifer Chau (G, Jr.); Melissa Lindquist (G, Soph.); Natasha Mangham (G, Soph.).

The roster: Jenny Leung (G, Sr.); Jessica Tran (G, Sr.); Nancy Ward (G, Sr.); Kasey Cutchshaw (P, Jr.); Haley Cutchshaw (F, Jr.); Emily Taylor (C, Sr.); McKenzie McCollum (C, Sr.).

Outlook: Katayama, who replaces long-time Marina Coach Butch Fredlow, begins his first year with five underclassmen in the starting lineup. Katayama calls 2011-12 a “rebuilding year,” where three sophomores and a pair of juniors make up his starting five. The Vikings welcome back Leung, who is “coming back to basketball,” after having major surgery last year, Katayama said.

Season opener: 4:30 p.m. Saturday at University Tournament.

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Marina Boys’ Team

Head coach: Nick Racklin (first year)

Staff: Adam Ellis

Last year’s record: 7-19

League record/finish: 2-8 (fifth)

Returning players: JJ James (G, all-league, Sr.); Jordon Adnams (Wing, Sr.); Jared Oda (PG, Sr.);

The roster: Jordan Koontz (F, Sr.); Michael Livingston (G, Sr.); Kevin Nguyen (G, Sr.); Alex Waked (F, Sr.); Brandon Funai (G, Sr.); Gary Hodge (G, Sr.); Casey Hayes (F, Jr.); Josh Calkin (F, Sr.); Kwame Yeboah (F, Sr.); Brandon Tran (G, Jr.).

Outlook: Racklin starts his first year at the helm with three returning players, including JJ James, who is the third James brother to go through the Marina program.

“If we can limit teams to one shot per possession, realize how important our defensive effort is and understand what a good shot is and what each other’s roles are, we will be very successful,” Racklin said. “Guys play hard all the time and are working hard to buy into a new system, and a new coach. They’ve never really been pushed or forced to do all the little fundamental things that win games and once they get used to that, they will be very good.”

Season opener: Defeated Calvary Chapel/Santa Ana, 66-50, at Coaches for a Cure event Saturday.

Next game: 7 p.m. Friday, vs. Aliso Niguel

michael.sciacca@latimes.com

Twitter: @MikeSciacca

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