Valhalla Football 2026 Preview, Players and Schedule | Top 25 Public HSFB
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2026 Teams to Know Season Preview: Valhalla (CA)
A proven transfer quarterback and a young wave of skill talent give Valhalla a real chance to change the direction of a 3-8 program.
Top 25 Public HSFB8/20/20265 min read
Valhalla's 3-8 record explains why change was needed. The players arriving in El Cajon explain why that change could become visible quickly.
Jason Carter and associate head coach Dusty Hefley are building around an experienced transfer quarterback, several young skill players and five returning starters on each side of the ball. The talent is new. The question is how quickly Valhalla can make it function like one team.
Team Snapshot
School: Valhalla Norsemen
Location: El Cajon, California
Head Coach: Jason Carter
2025 Finish: CIF San Diego Section playoffs
Returning Starters: Five offensive starters and three defensive starters
2026 Outlook
Valhalla scored 199 points in 11 games last season and allowed 323. Those numbers put the assignment in plain view: the Norsemen need more sustained offense. Carter though comes in after being the Offensive Coordinator at Lincoln HS the past 7 years. The Lincoln offense ranked towards the top of the state every season he was there, so there is reason to be optimistic about how much he can turn them around.
Jerimiah Loper gives the offense a legitimate starting point. He arrives from Mount Miguel after completing 143 of 259 passes for 2,423 yards and 26 touchdowns, then adding 351 rushing yards and three more scores. Valhalla is not asking a first-time varsity quarterback to organize a new system. It is giving a productive senior a young group of playmakers.
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Tmarrion Williams already has varsity production behind him. He caught 23 passes for 424 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman, an average of 18.4 yards per reception, and now holds an offer from Arizona State. Cameron Conley adds another Class of 2029 receiver, while Jayden Hunter gives Loper an older athlete who can be moved around the offense.
The part I keep coming back to is the line. Kaleb "Tank" Osoimalo and Reily Moore are both Class of 2029 additions expected to take on immediate work. Osoimalo can play center or defensive tackle, and Moore arrives as an offensive lineman from Helix. Their development will decide whether Loper has time to use the perimeter talent and whether Valhalla can avoid asking its defense to protect short fields.
Carter's stated goals reach from the Valley League through the CIF regional and state rounds. His line for the program is, “Drag Them Into The Deep End.” It fits this roster: Valhalla wants to play with an aggressive identity, but several of the players being asked to establish it are still early in their high school careers.
The schedule gives that group a month to grow before the stakes increase. Valhalla opens with San Jacinto Valley Academy, Castle Park, Mar Vista and Kearny, then travels to St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy. October brings Monte Vista, El Cajon Valley, Santana, West Hills and El Capitan. That closing stretch will show whether the new offense is merely more talented or actually more dependable.
Players to Know
Jerimiah Loper, QB, Class of 2027
Loper brings 2,423 passing yards and 29 total touchdowns from his 2025 season at Mount Miguel. His job is not only to produce; he has to give a young offense the calm, protection checks and possession-to-possession consistency it did not have last fall.
Tmarrion Williams, WR/DB/ATH, Class of 2029
Williams is already more than a projection. He averaged 18.4 yards per catch and scored eight receiving touchdowns as a freshman. The Arizona State offer reflects his upside, but his immediate value is the ability to stretch the field and contribute on either side of the ball.
Kaleb "Tank" Osoimalo, C/DT, Class of 2029
Osoimalo is one of the young players who can change Valhalla at the point of attack. Whether he settles at center, defensive tackle or works on both sides, his readiness will affect how much freedom the skill group has.
Reily Moore, OL, Class of 2029
Moore transfers from Helix and enters the competition for immediate work up front. Valhalla needs him to grow quickly because the offense is built to attack downfield, not spend every series recovering from pressure.
Jayden Hunter, ATH, Class of 2027
Hunter gives the Norsemen an older athlete alongside a largely young newcomer group. His ability to handle different backfield and perimeter roles can help Carter keep favorable matchups around Loper.
Cameron Conley, WR, Class of 2029
Conley adds another young target to the passing game. He does not have to carry the offense immediately; he needs to make defenses account for more than Williams when Valhalla spreads the field.
Complete 2026 Schedule
Aug. 21: San Jacinto Valley Academy
Sept. 4: at Castle Park
Sept. 11: Mar Vista
Sept. 18: at Kearny
Sept. 25: at St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy
Oct. 2: Monte Vista
Oct. 9: at El Cajon Valley
Oct. 16: Santana
Oct. 23: at West Hills
Oct. 30: El Capitan
Biggest Question
Can Valhalla's line and defense grow fast enough to support the new offense?
Loper and Williams give the Norsemen production they can build around, but one quarterback and one explosive receiver cannot erase 323 points allowed. The young linemen have to keep the offense out of survival mode, and five returning defensive starters have to turn experience into better early-down football.
The opening month should create opportunities to build confidence. October is where the answer becomes real. If Valhalla can protect Loper and defend the run when Monte Vista, West Hills and El Capitan arrive, this will look like more than a collection of intriguing transfers.
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I have Valhalla finishing 8-2. Loper's experience and the addition of two Division I receivers should raise the offensive floor immediately, while the opening month is manageable enough for a young team to build confidence before league play.
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