High Desert Football Preview: Oak Hills is gunning for fourth straight league title

Karson Cox is ready for his final season at Oak Hills and if his 2023 junior campaign that earned him the 2023 Daily Press Football Player of the Year is any indication of what’s to come, this one promises to be a special one.

Days before schools in Hesperia resumed courses, Cox took some time to think about his upcoming senior season. His response to a question about the coming season centered around his team and the quest to repeat as Mojave River League champion for a fourth straight season.

“Man, I am excited for this upcoming season, we are gelling together really well and have some new additions that are going to show once the season starts,” said Cox, who earlier this year committed to UCLA. “The main goal is, of course, staying healthy but what is also major to me is going for the 4-peat and winning MRL every year that I have played varsity at Oak Hills since my freshman year.”

Oak Hills head coach Robert Metzger isn’t surprised.

It’s just Karson being Karson.

“Karson is just all about the team,” Metzger said. “Of course, Karson wants to have a great senior year, and I think he’s going to have one of the better years. But all he really wants is to do well as a program. He’s never worried about Karson’s stats.”

As for the stats, Cox has racked up 2,564 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns over his two seasons as the starting running back at Oak Hills.

He ended the regular season in 2023 with 1,349 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns, which earned him the MRL and Daily Press Football Player of the Year awards, as well as All-CIF-SS recognition. For good measure, Cox added five more touchdowns during the postseason, including a three-touchdown performance in a heartbreaking overtime loss to Warren in the second round.

More: Desert Sky League: 10 things to know before the season starts, and a look at past champs

Loaded with talent

Over the last decade or so there have been insanely talented teams churned out within the Oak Hills football program.

Some more than others but there’s constantly been a group of talented players that put the program head and shoulders above the rest of the local squads. This year’s squad could be the most talented group the Oak Hills program has seen in program history with four players that are currently committed to NCAA Division I programs — Cox, LaMason Waller III, Joseph James and Dajhon Hall.

Five if you include Jacob Webster, the starting quarterback, who is committed to playing baseball at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Webster enters his junior season with the keys to the offense in his back pocket, and a little bit of varsity experience as a sophomore last season after Diego Lopez dealt with a knee injury.

As a sophomore, Webster completed 18 passes for 364 yards and three touchdowns, while also scrambling 18 times for 163 yards and two touchdowns. He led the Bulldogs to victory in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division playoffs and also gave them a shot in a heartbreaking second-round loss to Warren.

“Webster is really progressing and is kind of right now exactly where we want him to be in working on his progressions and being more of a leader on the field,” Metzger said. “We really like what we saw from him in that Warren game; as the game went along, he loosened up and was able to manage the game and that comes from him playing a high level of baseball. Webster just doesn’t crack under pressure.”

Waller joins the Bulldogs

Webster’s junior year looks promising with a disposal of weapons around him such as Royalton Allen, a sophomore with varsity experience, and a pair of transfers in JJ Kavanaugh, who formerly played quarterback at Serrano but is transitioning into a slot receiver at Oak Hills, and Waller who committed to Brigham Young University.

Over three years of being a varsity starter at Sultana, Waller has racked up 2,490 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns.

“It’s been really cool getting to know (Webster),” Waller said. “He’s a really good dude and we’ve been doing good this summer. We’ve been getting a lot of extra routes in this summer just building that connection with each other. He’s progressed a lot. I’m excited for this season.”

More: 25 Desert Sky League players to watch during the 2024-25 season

Waller’s transition has been seamless, according to his new head coach as well as teammate Cox.

Metzger believes that Waller has really accepted the culture and practicing against arguably the best group of defensive backs in the High Desert will pay dividends this season.

“I think that helps push him to be the best he can be,” Metzger said. “He's really improved his route running and brings a different dynamic to this team. I’m really pleased with how he has adapted to how we do things. He’s going to be fun to watch.”

As for Cox, he’s enjoyed getting to know Waller after three seasons competing against him.

He agrees with Metzger in believing Waller, known as “Threezy,” quickly bought into Oak Hills’ culture.

“One thing that I quickly learned about Threezy is that he is a hard worker, never coming last in reps and will push you to your limits,” Cox said. “You can tell he has accepted the culture we have at Oak Hills, especially while we are going 11-on against each other. He’s a great motivator, always hyping up everyone after a great play and talking to players after they make a mistake and telling them ‘next play.’ He has had a positive impact on the team and can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Defensive dogs

Oak Hills returns eight starters on defense from last season, including John Swain IV, Jeffery Johnson and Hall patrolling the secondary.

Swain recorded five interceptions last season, including a pick-six in that overtime loss to Warren in the playoffs. Johnson added two interceptions during the season and Hall had one.

Jacob Macias figures to take the leadership role in the middle of the field, leading the linebackers, while Sione Felila, a sophomore, will anchor the defensive line.

Macias was second on the team last season as a junior with 57 tackles, including 25 solo. As a freshman, Felila tallied 33 tackles, including 13 solo.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: High Desert Football Preview: Oak Hills is gunning for fourth straight league title