Some longtime returning coaches will be joined by some new faces on the playing fields and courts in Escalon, as teams are gearing up for a full slate of fall action.

Escalon High School has football, volleyball, cross country, girls golf and girls flag football on the schedule, with new coaches for cheerleading as well.

Returning for varsity football is head coach – and EHS Athletic Director Andrew Beam – with Brant Rose returning to lead the JV team and Joey Costa back as head coach at the freshman level.

Varsity assistants include Brandon Hoover, Joe Cowan, Jacob Caton, Daniel Gonzalez, Derek Scott and Frosty Van Houten, with new addition Phillip Kimble, an EHS grad and former Cougar quarterback.

“We’re super excited to have him,” Beam said of adding Kimble to the coaching ranks.

Travis Bartelink and Bob McCune return as trainers, praised by Beam for their efforts in keeping the team as healthy as possible during the season.

Jonathan Costa and Josh Hiatt will serve as assistant coaches for the JV team; Nate Caton and Roman Gonzalez will assist with the freshman team.

Cheerleading coaches are Emme Altamirano and Jacqueline Davis.

Volleyball coaches include varsity head coach Shay Beam and assistant Stephanie Ceja; Alyssa Cogburn is head coach at the JV level and Kaitlyn Davis will lead the freshman team.

Cross country will feature head coach Arend Jones and assistant Erik Flores, while Chris Casazza returns to lead the girls golf team.

“They’ve been out there working really hard this summer,” Beam said of the Lady Cougar golfers.

Entering its second year, the girls flag football team will have Steve Largent as head coach for the varsity, Joe Dalpogetti as JV head coach with program assistants Steve Riesenbeck and Dirk Northcutt.

Teams could begin formal fall workouts on Monday, Aug. 5 with scrimmages and non-league action to follow later in the month.

For varsity football, the Cougars are defending undefeated Trans-Valley League champions and also earned a Section title in 2023.

And while it’s always tough to repeat – especially after graduating some key seniors – Beam said this season got tougher when they lost two-way starter Sam Jimenez during the summer. The incoming senior, selected as one of the team captains, suffered a season-ending injury at a summer camp and Beam said as difficult a loss as that is to handle, the team – and coaches – don’t have any choice but to move forward.

“Without a doubt he is one of the best two-way players in our league and this summer he was working so hard,” Beam said of Jimenez. “But nobody’s going to feel sorry for us … I know some teams are giving a big sigh of relief knowing that guy’s not going to be there.”

As the varsity football Cougars look ahead, Beam said it will have to be a collective effort to make up for the loss of Jimenez, who figured heavily into both the offensive and defensive schemes for Escalon in a record-setting junior campaign. He said Jimenez will remain a team captain and be with the squad, offering advice and encouragement on the sidelines.

“We might be a little more generic,” admitted Beam. “It’s going to be a test every week.”