The Damonte Ranch Mustangs are preparing for their third campaign in the 5A North Division, looking to improve on a 3‑6 record from the previous season. With 17 starters returning, including a freshman‑laden core, the team hopes to translate its growing depth into more wins.
A Young Core With Big Potential
Coach J.J. Milan, now in his third year, brings a 9‑11 overall record and a 4‑5 mark in league play. He will lean on a talented group that features quarterback Christian Diehl, who transferred from Spanish Springs and threw for 1,363 yards and 20 touchdowns last season, and tight end/linebacker Miah Milan, the coach’s son, who earned second‑team all‑region honors as a freshman.
Defensive Chaos Strategy
The defensive line, lacking size, plans to generate ‘chaos’ by pressuring opposing offenses and forcing mistakes. Linebackers such as Milan, Ezra Lanui‑Thomas and Clay Ghisletta are expected to disrupt the backfield and create turnovers.
The returning all‑region players — Bradley Mayville, Amari Nash, Elias Tahu and Russell Stanley — add experience to the mix, while wide‑out/defensive back Shane Stewart contributed 27 tackles, three tackles for loss and an interception on his way to a second‑team all‑region nod as a linebacker.
A Schedule That Tests And Opportunities
The Mustangs will open the season at Paradise, then travel to Carson, Wooster, Galena, Escalon, Douglas, Spanish Springs, McQueen, Reed and Bishop Manogue. Each matchup offers a chance to climb the league standings and prove the team’s progress.
Offseason gains and targeted training have produced stronger, faster players, and Miah Milan’s recent FBS scholarship offers from Nevada, Washington State and Sacramento State highlight the program’s rising profile.
Looking Ahead
If the young core can gel and the defensive scheme continues to produce chaos, Damonte Ranch could finish near the top of the 5A North and contend for a playoff berth. The upcoming season will be a litmus test for the program’s upward trajectory.