The open job to be Bishop Amat High School’s next starting quarterback just got more competitive.

Steven Nava, who started at quarterback last season for Rosemead, left the Panthers this week to transfer to Bishop Amat.

Nava threw for 1,199 yards and 13 touchdowns in eight games last season as a sophomore. He will join juniors Damien Garcia and Ryder Ruiz in the battle to replace two-year starter Koa Haynes.

Garcia, who was Haynes’ back up last season on the varsity team, appeared to be the favorite this offseason. Meanwhile, Ruiz guided the Lancers’ junior varsity team to a 10-0 record last fall.

Whomever the starting quarterback is, he will have a loaded cast of receivers to work with led by senior Brandon Arconado and juniors Tyler Vaughns and Tre Sidney, who both already have multiple college offers.

Nava’s transfer is just the latest blow to a Rosemead program that last offseason saw two of its top players leave for Cathedral. Sophomore Isiah Ah-Hing, who got playing time last season, will take over as the starter at quarterback.

The Panthers still boast a plethora of returning starters and are many pundits’ early favorite in the Mission Valley League after going 8-3 last season.

Aram’s Take: One Rosemead insider told me that Nava is the best QB in the Valley. Hard to believe that when there’s someone like Glendora’s Matt Fink around. But point taken. They think he’s good. We’ll see if he’s Amat good.