The Birmingham football team has resided atop the West Valley League for nearly a decade, and hasn’t dropped a league game since the 2017 season.

But its league counterparts have been on the rise the last few years.

El Camino Real and Taft both won CIF L.A. City championships in 2021 (the former the Division II title and the latter the Division III crown). Chatsworth made the Division II final last year, losing in overtime.

Cleveland is coming off its best season in recent memory with a 9-3 overall showing that included a 4-1 league record.

And just two years ago Granada Hills outscored its four opponents 212-62 in the City playoffs to win the Division I championship before being moved up to the Open Division last season.

The West Valley League is gearing up to be more competitive than ever this season, with up-and-coming players, new coaches on the sidelines and even a new field.

Here is a look at each team:

Birmingham

The defending West Valley League champs are looking to notch another title under the guidance of head coach Jim Rose, who has been leading the program for 15 years.

The Patriots graduated all five of their starting offensive linemen and superstar Peyton Waters, who is now playing at the University of Washington. But they’re still loaded with talent and just brought in standout running back Darrell Stanley from Granada Hills.

Stanley can pair with Dredon Fowles in the backfield. Fowles, a senior, was second team All-City Open Division last year.

Quarterback Kingston Tisdell transferred to Inglewood, so there will be a new signal caller for the Patriots this year, freshman Daniel KaKooza. Kevin Hawkins, a transfer from ECR, could also see time behind center once he is eligible after the sit-out period.

Eddie Plaza, a four-year varsity player and a first-team All-City Open Division selection in back-to-back years, leads the linebacking group. Andy Bailon, who was named to the All-City Open Division first team last year, is a factor on the defensive line. And Antrell Harris, who is also a track star, will be featured on both sides of the ball.

Birmingham will play its first three games against CIF Southern Section opponents before starting league competition.

Chatsworth

The Chancellors made a run in the Division II postseason last year, but came up just short in the championship game in overtime against Fairfax.

Head coach Marvin Street, who has been coaching at his alma mater for seven years, said this is the strongest team he’s ever coached.

Viewpoint transfer Connor Eagan will take over at quarterback, allowing last year’s quarterback, Jesse Leon, to play his natural position as a receiver and running back.

Without a true quarterback last year, Chatsworth was forced to use a run-heavy scheme, but with Eagan now in the mix, Street can expand the offense and utilize more of the passing game.

“Jesse Leon stepped in and filled that role, even though he’s not a quarterback, but now he’s not coming off the field. We had to pretty much be one-dimensional,” Street said. “I adjust to whatever personnel I have and whatever works best for the kids, and I’m just fortunate to be able to pass the ball.”

Adrian Zarsange, a 6-foot-3 senior who is starting to garner looks from colleges, will be protecting Eagan at the tackle spot. Sophomore Devin Del Toro will get a ton of opportunities out of the backfield and in the slot, and will also play at strong safety.

On the other side of the ball, middle linebacker Nathan Vargas will be a focal point of Chatsworth’s defense.

And while Street will be preparing his team to be at its on the field each week through hard work in practice, in the weight room and in the film room, he’s also preparing his players to be their best selves in the classroom and in the community.

“I still want to win, but focusing just on winning is superficial to me. What really matters is how these kids perform academically,” he said. “Are they enhancing their reading and writing skills? Their math skills? Are they learning to be more disciplined in their everyday life? Those are the things that I’m focused on, because if we do those things it will translate to the field.”

Cleveland

The Cavaliers put together a strong 2023 campaign by winning seven of their first eight games and finishing 8-2 in the regular season. They lost to the eventual Division I champion, Banning, in the quarterfinals of the City playoffs.

Cleveland will look to improve on its success last year but will have to do so without several key players from last year’s squad.

The two leading receivers from 2023 were both seniors, Kory Hall and Usman Ajayi, so look for seniors Omar Alatorre and Julio Saucedo to be key pass catchers. The team’s leading rusher last year, Donovan Powell, is also gone, leaving sophomore Cameron Green as an important player in the backfield.

Cleveland does have depth at quarterback however, with senior Marcello Aguilar and junior Isaac Delgado both having taken snaps at the position last season.

El Camino Real

The Royals haven’t been able to play a home game since November of 2021. The team had to prepare on the school’s baseball field and practice on outfield grass that wasn’t the length of a typical football field. Little details like lining up correctly became difficult without the proper space to practice.

A nearly three-year project to install a new turf field was finally completed this summer with a new scoreboard to boot. El Camino Real will finally be able to host a game on Aug. 30 against Heritage Christian.

“When I took over it was during the pandemic and then we come back, we win a City championship and then the field melts,” ECR head coach Jason Sabolic said.

“We’re left literally out in left field. Now we’re back to normal, but it’s weird. Normal feels weird. You always feel like there’s something that’s missing. I’m forgetting the stresses that went along with not having a field. To finally have a home game here, it’s kind of going back to normalcy a little bit.”

Taking the new field will be a handful of players with varsity experience under their belt.

Javan Kaggwa, who sealed an ECR victory over Chatsworth last year by stopping running back Isaiah Rameau at the 1-yard line, will start on both sides of the ball this season.

Kona Malig is another player who will play on both sides of the ball at running back and at linebacker and safety.

Lance Wilson, Nick Genovese and Julian Pezqueda are three seniors who are going to be relied upon in the secondary and at linebacker, particularly with a young defensive line.

And the Royals also welcome back senior wide receiver Rafa Cortez, who spent the last couple of seasons at St. Genevieve. He had 600 receiving yards as a freshman for El Camino Real and scored two touchdowns in the DII championship game in 2021.

With experience under their belts and the opportunity to finally play and practice at home, Sabolic thinks this year is as good as any to reach the league’s mountaintop. And if nothing else, his team will be ready to compete in a hard-nosed fashion.

“If there’s ever a year … we have a schedule that I think suits us and I like our chances,” he said. “No matter what, we’re going to fight. We’re going to come prepared and ready to go. Throw the kitchen sink at us, doesn’t matter, we’re good. We’re old-school home cooking.”

Granada Hills

After a Division I championship season in 2022, the Highlanders went 3-8 overall with a winless league record last season.

Darrell Stanley led the team on offense in 2023 with over 1,200 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, but he transferred to Birmingham this summer to finish his high school career.

Nasir Enilolobo should take on the bulk of the workload in the backfield this year in Stanley’s stead. He ran for over 500 yards and six touchdowns as a junior last year.

The Highlanders have been known as being a run-heavy team over the last few years, relying on their rushing ability and using the passing game minimally.

Taft

There is a new head coach, Thomas Randolph, leading the charge for the highly-regarded Taft football program.

Randolph has been coaching at the school for the last four years. He was originally hired by longtime Los Angeles area coach Aron Gideon after the shortened COVID-19 season, and was tasked with building the JV program along with being an assistant coach.

Now the freshmen he started with back in 2021 are seniors, ready to suit up to play for their new head varsity coach and for an esteemed program that has produced some of the best football players in the area.

“It’s kind of a full circle that I am taking over at this particular time with guys that were with me from day one. They know what I’m looking for and I’ve kept it consistent with them,” Randolph said. “Taft has existed long before any of us got here and will be existing long after any of us leave. So that’s the slogan on the back of our shirts right now: ‘Respect the program.’ ”

Leading the way for the Toreadors is Ledgend Wilson, a 6-foot senior who can do it all on the field. He’ll be featured in the offense and play on the defensive side of the ball as well.

Dakota Garner is another senior who will rarely come off the field. He can play strong safety, cornerback and linebacker and will also have several plays installed for him on offense.

Junior quarterback Nathan Swinson will be tasked with getting the ball into the hands of Wilson and Garner as well as other players like Erik Koron, running back Darnell Berry and Darrius Taylor, a starting defensive end who will be featured on offense more this season.

Nicholas Liguori, described by Randolph as the “heart and soul of the entire program,” will also be a key contributor.

The new varsity coach has been stressing consistency and building a foundation based on teamwork and respect.

He’s teaching his players the right way to play on the field, but more importantly, how to conduct themselves off it.

“I want us to be a program that develops high character, supportive and loving individuals. Friday nights, we know that’s what we get graded on, but that’s a fraction,” Randolph said.