By Steve Ramirez
SANTA FE SPRINGS – The book on the St. Paul High School football team is supposed to begin and end with senior running back Michael Ortega.
But the Swordsmen are far from a one-man team.
Ortega, who rushed for nearly 1,200 yards, leads the show, but there is also senior fullback David Cabral, who ran for 828; speedster Marcus Garcia; sophomore Elijah Carter and Savanna transfer Jamari Thompson.
“Everyone of those guys can run and they can fly,” St. Paul coach Marijon Ancich said Tuesday. “It’s rare to have five guys like that. This is the fastest group of guys I’ve had and they might be the fastest group in the history of the school.
“We have five guys who all can run about 4.5 seconds (in the 40-yard dash), which is fantastic for a high school team. It makes a huge difference because they can make a big play. Normally, it would be a 3-yard gain, but they have the ability to explode and they are up field. That’s the key to the thing (this season), their speed and whether we can play defense.”

There’s also the role of quarterback Paul Telles, who if things go as expected, will have plenty of opportunities for some big plays himself. Telles, who threw for nearly 1,000 yards last season, understands his role in the Swordsmen’s weekly game plan, and accepts it.
“We’re a heavy play-action
offense,” the quarterback said. “We rely on those guys to make plays, and when (the defense) bites on Michael or David, that’s when we come with the play-action over the top.
“I accept my role. What (the running backs) do does make (my job) easier.”
PLAYING FOR NOW
This is Ancich’s last season with the Swordsmen. The coach, who is one of the winningest high school football coaches in California history, is retiring after 34 years. But he doesn’t want his players to be consumed by that.
“I’m sure the players are interested in playing for me,” said Ancich, who is 353-137-9 at the school. “But I don’t lean on them or talk to them about it.
“I want to keep that quiet. I don’t want them to think they owe anybody anything. They’ve been pretty good about it. The hardest thing for us to just maintain that (everyone on the team) is all going for the same goal.”
STILL THE ONE
St. Paul has one of the richest histories among CIF-Southern Section football powers.
But while the Swordsmen have dropped in stature a bit while playing a few divisions down from when the program was in its heyday, they still play with a target on their back.
“We’re still the enemy here,” Ancich said. “You beat St. Paul High School, and you get a stripe on your pants or jersey somewhere.
“We got the experience (this season) that enables us to be ready, but the kids have to be ready.”