At first glance, due to what figures to be an inordinate lack of
players returning who can catch the football, it appears area schools
will have to develop their wide receivers early this fall if they are to
have any type of a deep passing game come league play.

Several schools have returnees who have displayed receiving ability,
but they’ll come from tight end or out of the backfield to do it.

La Habra has Ronnie Hillman, who lines up either at running back or
in the slot, Whittier has tailback Daniel Enriquez, La Mirada has
running back Devon Tracy, Pioneer returns tailback Matt Botello and
Whittier Christian has tight end Mark Edwards.

This group represents, at least statistically, their team’s best bet
to catch the ball.

The top returning wide out is Cantwell senior Jeffrey Taylor, a
6-foot-2, 205-pound speedster reportedly being coveted by several D-I
schools. Taylor had 31 catches last season, tops among numbers available
for returning players, and he averaged nearly 20 yards per reception and
scored seven touchdowns.

Several coaches have indicated they have newcomers up from lower
level programs who are having impressive summers but they qualify any
judgment concerning their potential until the pads go on and the game
becomes a contact sport again in the fall.

Anyone have names of players to watch for before the teams begin
practice following the “dead period?”