RB Hosts Del Norte as Prep Football Season Opens

In its effort to avoid being looked at as a stepchild, the Del Norte High football team has high hopes as it invades "big brother" Rancho Bernardo High in the prep football opener for both teams Friday at 7 p.m.

But even with a small group of seniors for the first time, the second-year program will find it difficult to compete on an even keel with its neighbor from the always-tough Palomar League.

The Broncos were the first-ever opponent for Del Norte last September, when RB scored a 38-6 victory on the Nighthawks' field.

Both teams will feature new head coaches. Former on-field standout Tristan McCoy returns to his alma mater to lead RB, while Leigh Cole is now in command at Del Norte, coming over from Mira Mesa High where he was an assistant coach with that strong program.

The Broncos, who lost the core of last year's 9-3 team to graduation, will rely on the arm of senior quarterback Trent Sessions. He'll take over on a full-time basis after showing promise down the stretch last year as a part-time starter.

Junior quarterback Alex Dion (6-3, 180) will guide the Nighthawk offense, hoping to give the attack more consistency. Del Norte scored 86 points in its two wins last year but only 62 in its other eight games, all loses.