Santa Clarita Valley high school football preview. KHTS Sports previews the 2016 season for all eight area schools. Find all the latest news and updates on your hometown schools at hometownstation.com.

Golden Valley

Head Coach: Dan Kelley

2015 record: 6-4, 2-3 in league

Key returners: KJ Maduike, RB/OLB, Sr.; Fernando Bajo, C/DT, Sr.; Joseph Ibrahim, T/DT, Sr.; Michael Hawley, T/DE, Sr.; Ray Ibrahim, LB/WR, Sr.; Tai Brown, LB/RB, Sr.

The wait was finally over in 2015, and the weight of years of heartache officially in the rear view mirror for the Golden Valley Grizzlies. In one season the Grizzlies doubled their Foothill League win total in the school’s history by defeating big brother Canyon and West Ranch. Now for head coach Dan Kelley, it’s about building on that success and not taking steps backwards.

Golden Valley lost almost all of their offensive production from Class of 2015’s QB/RB running duo Victor Corona and Jesse Camacho, but the 2016 team is senior-laden and returns key offensive linemen that helped the team average 164 rushing yards per game last season. Joseph Ibrahim and Fernando Bajo are both stout along the o-line and d-lines, and they’ll look to create room for KJ Maduike and new signal caller Josh Valano, who backed up Corona in 2015. The Grizzlies remain a power running team with a good back and an experienced offensive line.

Defensively, the Grizzlies have come alive as a play-making team. With 12 interceptions and over 30 sacks last year, Ray Ibrahim and Tai Brown set the tone and linebacker and play makers such as Devin Lewis and Lavelle Calvin will look to take the ball away out of the air.

Dan Kelley has the Golden Valley Grizzlies headed in the right direction and should only go up from here in 2016.

KHTS AM-1220 is your place for the 2016 football season and the Santa Clarita sports report. If you have any news and notes about our teams to share please send them to jp@hometownstation.com and follow us @KHTSSports on Twitter.