Garey High School hasn’t exactly been a college football factory of late (it hasn’t made the playoffs in nine years, among other shreds of evidence). But the youthful Vikings have, not one, but two Division-I recruits who could come into their own this season.
Junior wide receiver Dominique Williams (6-3, 180) and junior offensive tackle Chris Jimenez (6-4, 285) are drawing interest in Pomona despite a team that has produced seven wins in three years. The scholarship offers haven’t begun to arrive yet but “I imagine it will happen real soon,” says Garey first-year coach Leonard Hudson.
A Garey team returning six starters on each side of the ball has the talent to challenge for a playoff spot in the Mt. Baldy League. Whether that talent can be harnessed remains to be seen.
The bad news was Williams, Jimenez and a host of juniors were forced into action as sophomores when several seniors quit the team. The good news is Williams, Jiminez and a host of juniors were forced into action as sophomores when several seniors quit the team.
Garey didn’t attend any passing tournaments this summer. The Vikings “just concentrated on ourselves,” says Hudson. “We’ve got a lot of young talent, so you’ve just gotta be patient with it and develop it.”
“You’ve gotta be careful with a situation like this,” continued Hudson, who coached for 14 years at Pomona High School before coaching linebackers at Baldwin Park HS last year. “Kids come off a losing season, they’re skeptical about buying in. They want to be sure about what’s going on with the program. Being in Pomona, I’ve experienced kids quitting a lot, so I know you’ve got to be careful.”
