The one true race in Tri-Valley League football doesn't begin at the top, says Carpinteria High coach John Hazelton.

It's a given that three-time defending champion Oaks Christian and Oak Park are not only the league's top two teams, but deserve to be at the top of the Northwest Division preseason rankings as well.

"Oak Park could be No. 1," said Hazelton. "So could Oaks Christian."

The TVL is one of Southern California's best small-school football leagues. Over the last 20 years, league schools have won 12 section titles and have six runner-up finishes.

While there is always high-profile attention at the top of the TVL standings, what often is overlooked is the rest of the league.

"The league sorts itself not at the top," said Hazleton, "but at the bottom as schools compete to make the playoffs.

"Our schools always schedule teams that are above our divisions and have done real well in the pre-league games."

Although Oaks Christian graduated 11 players to Division I college programs from its team that won a fourth consecutive section title and extended its winning streak to 46 games, the Lions can't be dismissed as the favorite to repeat.

Quarterback Chris Potter, wide receiver Chris Owusu and lineman Trace Biskin have already made college commitments. Throw in a rising star, sophomore running back Malcolm Jones, who made key plays in Oaks Christian's Division III state bowl win over Cardinal Newman, and one has the makings of a team worthy of state rankings.

What many overlook about Oaks Christian's returning cast of players is that many have extensive playing time as backups.

"We're further ahead than we were last year," said Oaks Christian coach Bill Redell.

"Are we going to be physical enough? We won't know that until the first game."

In two years as a backup to quarterback Jimmy Clausen, Potter completed 29 of 42 passes for 446 yards and no interceptions.

Oak Park has had an incredible four-year run.

Since 2002, the program is 43-10 and has made three section championship games. Half of the losses were to Oaks Christian, including three in CIF finals.

Key to the team's success this fall is a veteran defense, led by Kyle Shorten, Sean Westgate and Chris Decar.

Defense will have to carry Oak Park until the offense comes around. Oak Park entered the fall practice with a duel between Nick DiPallo and Kyle Andrus for the starting quarterback job.

"We alternated them in passing league," said Oak Park coach Dick Billingsley. "They were close. We'll see who does the option the best."

Shorten and Westgate combined to rush for more than 1,600 yards last season.

"Our biggest change will be on the offensive line," said Billingsley. "We lost all but one of our linemen."

A playoff qualifier 15 times in the last 16 years, Nordhoff made a significant change to its defensive alignment for the 2007 season.

Nordhoff switched to a 3-5 scheme to utilize its overall team speed.

"It fit into the personality of the team," said Nordhoff coach Cliff Farrar. "We're not real big and we have a lot of kids who fit into the linebacker/free safety mode. It allows our three down linemen to use their quickness to create confusion."

Keys to the Nordhoff defense are linebackers Chris Gibson, Chad Gibson and Damian Kaiser.

Leading the offense is Garrett Graham, who has more than two dozen games of experience as either a starting or backup quarterback.

As usual, Nordhoff's non-league schedule is loaded. Its opponents include Northern Division schools Rio Mesa, Pacifica and San Luis Obispo.

Grace Brethren underwent a major mid-summer coaching change.

Terry Gourley, who led the program to the 2004 CIF Division XII championship and the 2005 XI championship game, stepped down as coach and athletic director.

Defensive coordinator Mark Hoefler was named as Gourley's replacement.

What won't change with the program was the move toward a wide-open offense. Kevin Ramay averaged 37 attempts and 215 yards in seven games before a season-ending injury last year. Travis Sproat, who had 53 catches for 649 yards, and Ryan Curnel lead the receiving corps.

"We will live on the pass 75 percent of the time," said Hoefler.

After a 45-10 record in its first four seasons in 11-man football, Grace Brethren took a hit last year with a 2-8 mark.

"We started six sophomores and one freshman last year," said Hoefler. "It's hard to take a 15-year-old against an 18-year-old man and expect great results. Now that the core has been exposed to the speed of the game and level of competition, I expect that they will be OK."

Leading the Grace Brethren defense are linebackers Max Penich and Brian Bellanca. Bellanca returns to the program after missing the 2006 season when his family moved to Texas to help start a new church.

Like Grace Brethren, Carpinteria relied on a young team. One loss kept the program out of the playoffs for the first time in 25 years.

"In a small town, you ride with the student population and try to uphold the spirit of the program," said Carpinteria coach John Hazelton.

That one year postseason hiatus may be only a slight blip in the program's rich history.

Carpinteria returns most of its starters at key positions.

Freddy Maldonado is back as an H-back and defensive back. So is All-TVL middle linebacker Carson Kump. Linebacker Eric Stein is being recruited by Pacific-10 and Ivy League schools.

"We have great experience on the front seven, led by a strong nucleus of linebackers," said Hazelton.

The Carpinteria camp is buzzing about sophomore quarterback R.J. Roseborough. The 6-foot-3 sophomore is a nephew of former NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham.

Santa Paula began the fall with a crash course for Quinn Pawlick.

Originally pencilled in to begin the season as a running back, Pawlick was moved to quarterback after Aaron Gomez broke an ankle in late summer.

"Aaron had a good spring and summer," said Santa Paula coach Ed Gomez. "We're now hoping to get him back maybe the fourth or fifth week."

Pawlick played one game at quarterback for Santa Paula last season.

"We're not a four-wide offense," said Gomez. "We run straight forward, which will allow Pawlick to do some things."

T.J. Cushing, who started last season at QB, has been moved to tight end.

"We want to get the ball into his hands," said Gomez. "He's big and fast and can make things happen. He's also a very good blocker and will pave the way for some of our runners."

Sophomore linebacker Joseph Camacho projects as someone "who will turn heads on the defensive side of the ball," said Gomez.