RBs list thin in numbers but not in quality
As running backs go, 2008 was a tough year to follow, what with nearly every team in the area having at least one bonafide ball carrier and many of the locals boasting of having two .
This season, the numbers have thinned a bit but not necessarily the quality.
Again, without statistics, here is a look at a potential Top 5 list:.
1. Joshua Quezada, La Habra, 6-0, 209, senior. A dozen or so of the country's top colleges want him, and that says it all. The complete package. Can run inside, outside and/or over people. Can catch the ball. Could also be one the area's best defensive backs if the Highlanders needed him.
2. Terris Jones, California, 5-8, 165, senior. Outstanding speed and soft hands for catching passes. Another of the area's outstanding two-way players and also ranks among the area's most dangerous special teams guys.
3. Alex Gonzalez, Whittier, 5-11, 190, senior. Was matching Cardinals' all-area selection Daniel Enriquez yard-for-yard last season before suffering a knee injury early on. People tend to forget about him when remembering Enriquez, but Gonzalez is special in his own right. Speed, size and attitude, all good stuff.
4. Jonathan Pinedo, Santa Fe, 6-2, 205, junior. Appears ready for a break-out season. Shouldered the load when all-area pick Aaron Turner was sidelined with an injury late in the season. Has added some weight without losing any speed. Will help make Chiefs' efficient passing game more effective.
5. Joseph Marron, Montebello, 5-9, 185, senior. A legitimate big-play guy, the speedy tailback's versatility provides first-year coach Pete Gonzalez additional options and will key a ground game that will be critical in giving the Oilers' passing game time to develop.
Among others deserving of close attention are California's Dudley Gamino and Schurr's Nick Castillo.
28 Comments
Leave a comment
About this blog
Roger Murray is the prep sports editor for the Whittier Daily News.
no one can compare to Aaron "touchdown" Turner
SWORDSMAN!!!!!
I have nothing against St. Paul! As a matter of fact I used to have "great respect" for the school's athletic programs, but lately the players have blogged nothing but junk on here!! All they do is talk!!
And I firmly believe "TALK IS CHEAP!!!!! ACTION SPEAKS A LOT LOUDER THAN WORDS!!!!!
That is why I have lost respect! Examples are on these football blogs. Players are cheap talking La Habra, which is one of the best programs in all of CIF!!!!! The baseball blogs over the past couple of years are ridiculous also!! They earned the CIF Finals in Division V. But there are much better divisions and baseball out there.
Listen to much of the older and wiser ALUMNI!!!!! Even they are tired of the "talk"!!!!!
Let your play do the talking, because if you talk and do not do it, then you will be sorry!!
It is like the talking on another blog today (I think) from some Cal Hi player predicting 10 and 0!!! Cal has never gone 10 and 0!!!!!
JUST PLAY AS HARD AS YOU CAN AND LOVE FOOTBALL!! EVERYTHING ELSE IS BOLOGNA!!!!!
OK the final score says l.m won; but the officials were paid by l.m. so sports fan original they have to play us next year. And we’ll see. So you are saying ST.Paul is not a smart team? Why because of the coaching or the type of kids?
keep talking it St. Paul. La Mirada put you in your place; and it was a lot worse for you than the score indicated. Your officials just could not do it for you!!
I have not read any sh_ _ from La Mirada on these blogs!! I guess La Mirada, like all good and smart teams would rather prove themselves on the field than "talk a good game"!!
Congratulations Coach Muschetti!! It appears you are building it!!
You know nothings: Community college football is damn good, especially if the program is a winning one. Plenty of players get full rides out of the JC. One reason the quality at some schools is so good is because many division 1 caliber players do not have the grades to get in the 4 year school so they play at the JC first and try to improve as a student.
JC football beats Division 3 anyday and some programs can beat some D2 programs
SF:
"Happen" or "Happened"? May I recommend enrolling in a few JC courses yourself?
Maybe you should worry about making out of the first round for a change- and maybe you won't be standing in line to watch a Cal High game in December wondering what "happen"? LOL
Is there a brain-drain corroding the area? I'm looking at you too SP faithful. Jeese..
sp 09..
I know/played w drake before,, He isa really good player..
But if he's gonna be playing mike backer for SP like in the past.Especiall Against the teams u play this year There's no way he'll be able to Play a whole game on D and have a impact on Offense..
He needs to be Be one or anothe
He's a beast a LB. They should let him stick to Backer
Dion Williams, Jared Morales, and Drake Griffin in the Swordsmen backfield this year. Enough said. So enough said means you clowns wont win a game? I'll ask, will these guys graduate and not end up at JC wondering what happen?
Dion Williams, Jared Morales, and Drake Griffin in the Swordsmen backfield this year. Enough said.
Well said Big Oso to Cal Hi Alum…… It starts in the home and with all of one’s family members. I believe someone said it take a village. Does anyone know the status on the young La Serna kid? Hopefully he’s on the fast track to recovery. My thoughts on Coach Arnold he is a great person and cares for the kids even beyond football.
So SP; what do you mean?.... RACE TRAITER said: like the movie said "you got some explaining to do" What are they teaching at St Paul. I guess with the kids in juvenile hall from SP, we can only know whats being taught.
Havent we learned that sports fan original obviously rights these blogs late night after he gets back from the bar and fall off his stool. Grigsby wasn't even 2nd team all pac 10. This guy just spouts utter garbage like its fact. Never has anything but his own opinion to back it up. Grant it Grigsby a very good player. But Sports Fan Original continues to spew utter nonsense from his mouth. Please give Jacquizz Rodgers, Jahvid Best, Toby Gearheart and Jerimiah Johnson there due respect. The actual all pac ten team members. But good to know Nicholas Grigsby was all - sports fan original back of the year.
To Cal Hi Alum, What are you talking about? Coach Arnold is doing a great Job! My Son is in the program and Coach Arnold has been nothing but a positive influence on him. Now, I have to disagree with you about teaching kids about self control. I believe that is the parents job! I allow coach Arnold to teach my son about football. If my son picks up any positive influences from Coach Arnold that is fine. However my Son is my responsibility. I am the one that is going to show him how to be a man and how to interact with society. I will die in hell before I let any part of the school system teach my Son what is right from wrong! That is the Job of my wife and I! Schools are for educating!
Hey sports fan original,
Grigsby Pac 10 back of the year? You sure? Check again.
http://www.pac-10.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120808aaj.html
Santa Fe is an average team at best put them in a real league and they would be .500 or worst iam not bashing or talkin crap just honesty.Maybe they should get rid of the dinasour.
So why are the kids complaining about the coaches. They know and say they perform poorly at the SF combined. That the coaches don’t have a cue on proper form. Because they don't know. These coaches are wasting the kids they have.
Coach Arnold is probably as good as many! They did advance past the 1st round the year they won league!! Get your facts straight! They lost to La Habra in the Semi's, which means they beat 2 teams in the playoffs: Santa Ana and South El Monte before getting killed (a nice term considering the results) by the best team in the area La Habra by an embarrasing score, something like 44 to )!
"ANCICH LOVERS": Remember his team that won league on the field but ended up second because Santa Fe protested an "illegal player" and won. On the field I think it was Cal 21 Santa Fe 20. I think. That team, with GRIGSBY lost in the second round in the playoffs to (guess who) La Habra by about 4 touchdowns.
La Habra was very kind and "CLASSY" by putting in all reserves after they had the "game in hand" ahead (I think) 28 to 0 early.
SO: Grigsby and ANCICH'S team were slaughterred just as bad as "Arnold's League Championship Team"!!
One difference: GRIGSBY = THE PAC 10 BACK OF THE YEAR!
Both teams lost to La Habra, but unfortunately for Ancich, his team faced La Habra one week earlier than Arnold's team did!!
So if you are comparing "playoff success" the two are similar!
Let me ask you again. What did Ancich do that Arnold hasn't besides cheat & get himself fired? Arnold was there before & after your daddy. Is Arnold or any other coach for that matter ultimately responsible for the actions of their players off the field?
Arnold take the advise and dump them, they don't know what their doing. There are more coaches available. Look at your QB's and no coaching.
Anonymous
When you win league, you are suppose to advance past the first round moron. #1 plays #3, got it?
Pay back is coming 11/13
Absolutely you have no problem with them because you are one of them. Cal Hi didn’t have the numbers or support from the community until Ancich. We were the doormat of HS football. The last few years’ the players were and are Ancich players, if you don’t know that, you don’t know Cal Hi history. I can understand that because you are an Arnold import. Viera Zamora, Ramirez, Morales get out of town!!!!!! We finally get out of the dark ages and you fools show up.
with out a strong coach cal high will never win anything arnold cant control his players egos
The players that were involved from the football team were the Meza brothers. Jasper is 2 years removed from school & Arnold kicked Christian off the team last year for being a knucklehead. I didn't know that the coach was everyone's daddy. It starts at home Cal Alum, Arnold doesn't teach nonsense.
Football strong? When the current staff got there, that team was a bunch of softaxx whiners. What exactly did Ancich do that Arnold hasn't, except for tarnish the school's image with the win at all cost mentality? We don't need or want the St. Paul influence.
The program is healthy with a good staff of quality coaches, I have no problem with them.
i wouldnt talk cal fan. i didn't see you making it past the first round in CIF either.... in fact only one team from the DRL did... oh ya La Serna!
Cal Hi fan, what about your coaches teaching CHC's players self control, because the players involved were football players? Arnold and fat coach Ramirez don't seem to care? Our school wont win a CIF championship with these coaches. When I played for coach Ancich we were all football strong!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SFcondom
We will take TJ regardless of what size he is. The kid has skills & is a great young man.
Since your talking about the past, I seem to remember 2 out of the last 3 going in our favor with an absolute AXXWHIPPING at your place 2 years ago.
Remember this, if you take league (which you won't), try to represent better than your sorryaxx did last year & make it past the first round!
Terris Jones 5'8"...HA! More like 5'5". We saw him in passing league several times, not real impressed. Quezada's a beast. I would probably put Pinedo ahead of Jones though. Cal with the #2 and an honorable mention? Won't mean anything when the chiefs take league, again...
I think they didn't give nick castillo the benefit of the doubt he missed the first 2 games and than got hurt week 6 prepare for him to let lose and schurrs quest to cif no tadlking just look at him how are you gonna rank maron over him as a sophmore he managed to get a first team all league mention marons best is 2nd team we will se with in time whois the better back of the 2