The paper stopped by La Serna football practice on Wednesday morning, as the team was preparing for Saturday’s 6 p.m. scrimmage at La Habra.
It was hot but not too hot and Lancers coach Margarito Beltran let his players know he wasn’t happy with their lack of hustle during conditioning.
Other than a small chewing out toward the end of practice, Beltran was pleased with what he saw. Quarterback Andrew Buenrostro has improved on his reads even though his throwing style is a bit unorthodox.
Receivers Connor Burke and Andrew Rosales were flying all over the place and running backs OJ Medina, Richard Alvarez and Tommy Ruiz looked most impressive during the session.
The offensive line has a solid anchor in St. Paul transfer Phil Alonzo and linebacker Jake Houts delivered a couple of solid blows.
We have interviews with Beltran, Buenrostro, Burke, Houts and Alonzo.
Here’s the interview with Beltran –
Here’s the interview with Buenrostro –
Here’s the interview with Burke –
Here’s the interview with Alonzo –
Here’s the interview with Houts –
Please check out this link for the photo gallery – La Serna Football Practice
Here’s my story.
By Andrew J. Campa Staff Writer
WHITTIER — La Serna High School football coach Margarito Beltran isn’t a gambling man.
However, that doesn’t mean the fourth-year coach didn’t recognize a sure thing at La Serna’s Wednesday morning football session.
Beltran was aware his team wanted to avoid conditioning in the 90-degree heat and offered a bet to senior quarterback Andrew Buenrostro.
“I told him if he made a 47-yard field goal that we’d skip conditioning,” Beltran said. “I knew there was no way he could do it but I guess he thought he could make it.”
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Buenrostro did not back away from the challenge.
“I clinched a 50 (yarder) yesterday messing around. So the coaches were like, ‘ah, give it a shot’ and if you hit it then we don’t have to run,” Buenrostro said. “Obviously, that didn’t happen.”
Buenrostro was not a complete stranger to special teams as he attempted five kickoffs last season that averaged out to a distance of 45 yards.
However, the senior couldn’t make the bet interesting, burying his field goal try into the back of an offensive lineman.
“All those guys on defense were trying to make us look stupid but it’s alright,” Buenrostro joked. “I put it in the back of someone but it’s always worth a shot, right?”
Ten minutes later, Beltran cashed in, making his squad run full laps on the upper practice field.
“If I thought he could make those kicks, believe me he wouldn’t be messing around,” Beltran said. “He’d be battling for a kicking job.”
The good-natured ribbing, though, took a backseat to some good old-fashioned butt-chewing near the end of practice as Beltran twice stopped conditioning to criticize his team’s lack of hustle.
The players eventually finished 14 laps, instead of the original mandate of 10.
“Just like everybody else, we want to see improvement every day after every practice and that’s what we look for,” Beltran said.
“There are certain things we look for from certain individuals in trying to go ahead and see what kids are capable of.”
One individual who has looked in tip-top shape was senior wide receiver/defensive back Connor Burke.
The senior, who missed half of last season because of a torn MCL in the right knee and a meniscus injury in his left knee, was making all the right cuts and gyrations Wednesday.
“The knees feel good. I mean I feel at 100 percent right now and am just getting in the swing of things,” Burke said. “I’m finally getting some contact again and it’s going good.”
There was some question whether Burke would even play football this season as the Daily News first-team baseball selection verbally committed to Washington last winter.
However, the 6-2, 180-pound Burke said he never considered taking the season off.
“I came out here because it’s my senior year and I didn’t want to miss it,” Burke said. “I
love playing with these guys.
“I’ve known them since freshman year. Me and (fellow senior wide receiver/defensive back) Andrew (Rosales) have been running around since freshman year. I feel good and I just wanted to play for my senior year with my friends.”
andrew.campa@sgvn.com
562-698-0955, ext. 3061
