The Lambda League, a six‑team high school football circuit that stretches across Orange County, is gearing up for another competitive season as clubs transition between leagues and set their sights on the 2026 campaign.
Among the contenders, Calvary Chapel enters the year with momentum after a perfect 10‑0 regular season in 2025. Junior quarterback Colin Wiles, who threw for 1,734 yards and 20 touchdowns last year, returns as the centerpiece of the offense, while senior wideout Jorge Brito, who posted 20 catches for 306 yards and four scores, should remain a primary target.
Team Spotlights
Sonora brings back eight starters and 13 players overall. Senior Rylie Penman and junior Levi Santos headline a group that includes Santos, who amassed 1,154 passing yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, with Matthew Shaw as his top receiver. The team also added six transfers, among them Fullerton standout Daniel Kassel, who contributed 44 tackles and four sacks last season.
Fountain Valley, despite a winless league record in both 2024 and 2025, will rely on senior receivers Raymond Dillon and Drake Robinson, both first‑team all‑league selections, to spark a revamped offense. The Vikings also announced they would sit out the traditional “Battle for the Bell” rivalry with Edison, ending a 57‑year contest.
Key Players to Watch
Westminster returns five starters on each side of the ball after a 3‑7 finish in 2025. The team’s offensive line is viewed as a strength, and returning all‑league players Angel Ramirez and Xxavier Ramirez are expected to anchor the squad.
Woodbridge, the reigning CIF‑SS Division 13 champion, brings back five starters and sophomore quarterback Waylon Stone, who threw for 1,893 yards and rushed for 570 yards in 2025. With the loss of the team’s top six receivers, Stone is slated to lead a pass‑first attack in the upcoming season.
Valencia, which finished 1‑9 overall and 0‑5 in league play, will field a young roster with four returning starters. The team opens the 2026 schedule on August 21 against Beverly Hills, coached by Jeff Bailey, a former Yorba Linda and El Dorado mentor.
Across the league, defensive standouts such as Jett Rauch of Calvary Chapel, who recorded 51 tackles and earned first‑team all‑league honors, and Jeremiah Dempsey‑Frost of Sonora, who finished third in tackles with 62, including 10 for loss, highlight the defensive depth. Meanwhile, two‑way lineman Tanner Barlow of Fountain Valley earned second‑team all‑league recognition.