Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. Let’s examine some top linebackers and running backs to watch.
Speed matters
Los Alamitos’ Kamden Tillis, right, celebrates a touchdown with teammate Ashton Gogue (13) against Edison on Thursday in an Alpha League football game at SoFi Stadium.
(Craig Weston)
Top teams have top linebackers, and representing the City Section is De’Andre Kirkpatrick from Crenshaw, a San Diego State commit who one day has the chance to be compared to former Crenshaw standouts Hayes Pullard and Daiyan Henley.
Kirkpatrick is 6 feet 3, 220 pounds and doesn’t like running backs. He throws them to the turf like a rag doll.
Another outstanding City Section linebacker/defensive end is Elyjah Staples of Marquez, a Cal commit who plays wherever his team needs him.
One school with multiple top linebackers is Servite with Allen Kennett and Isaiah Leilua. St. John Bosco’s Josiah Poyer has improved so much that he’s a USC commit and now covers offensive players going out for passes with expertise and confidence.
Isaiah Phelps of Oxnard Pacifica is a tackling machine. George Hastings of Agoura is only 5-11 but versatile, smart and repeatedly making an impact. Sevelino Taliauli of Long Beach Poly is a Colorado State commit. Noah Curtin of Chino Hills had 122 tackles.
Kane Casani of Loyola has worked nonstop in the weight room to become stronger and faster after averaging 13 tackles a game. Matthew Charles of Chaminade is ready for a breakout junior season, and the Eagles also have Washington State commit Josiah Rand. Wyatt Bogdan, 6-3, 220 pounds, had 81 solo tackles for Laguna Beach as a junior.
Among running backs, Stanford-bound AJ McBean has moved from Mira Costa to Gardena Serra and will have five returning starters up front to help him look good.
Noel Washington of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame showed flashes of brilliance as a sophomore. Malachi McFarland of Damien is going to get the chance to handle the ball much more to take advantage of his speed.
Jaxsen Stokes of Sierra Canyon has convinced his coach that there’s no smarter play call than giving him the ball. Kamden Tillis of Los Alamitos is coming off a 1,500 yards season. Sophomores Adrian Petero of Santa Margarita and Asir Nembhard of Mater Dei picked up valuable experience as freshmen contributors.
Malaki Davis of Corona Centennial is 215 pounds with speed. Maliq Allen of St. John Bosco came back after transferring to Inglewood and adds experience and speed to the backfield. Malaki Buchanan of Victor Valley is a sophomore with a 10.37 100 meters time. Kevika Mata’utia-Martinez of La Habra rushed for more than 1,400 yards as a junior.
Aidan Crecion (left) has grown to 6 feet 5 and passed his father, Gabe, who was a tight end at Chaminade and UCLA. Aidan will be a junior receiver at Oaks Chrisitan.
(Crecion family)
The opening game between Oaks Christian and Chaminade on Aug. 21 will have special meaning for Gabe Crecion, who was a star tight end and baseball player at Chaminade before moving on to UCLA. His son, Aidan, has grown to 6 feet 5 and is a promising junior receiver for Oaks Christian.
Orange Lutheran has recently added two highly regarded transfers in tight end Hudson Ploog from Troy and offensive lineman Austin Attalah from Cajon. But remember, first-year coach Ray Fenton talked last season at Los Alamitos how much fun it was coaching neighborhood kids instead of transfers. Unfortunately, this is what the Trinity League has become known for — transfers. Coaches get fired for losing records in the Trinity League.
Junior receiver and 100 meters standout Benjamin Harris of Servite has committed to Oregon State.
First-year St. Bernard coach Dean Herrington is getting used to his new drive from Valencia to Playa del Rey. Once school starts, he’ll be leaving at 5 a.m. trying to beat the traffic. Asked how his new team was doing, Herrington said, “It’s trying to change the culture and gets to practice all the time.” Herrington’s 13-year-old grandson, Bradley Rees, is a quarterback in waiting and two years away from high school.
Former Edison standout Hunter White has returned to take over coaching defensive backs at his alma mater. It’s the first time he’s been coaching since helping out his father, Dave, some 10 years ago.
With the arrival of quarterback Ethan Grant from Los Angeles, Crenshaw has the luxury of having two competent quarterbacks. Danniel Flowers started as a junior but also could see action as a receiver this season.
The Moore sisters, Nylah (left), a senior, and freshman Cinzia will be standouts at Eagle Rock in flag football and basketball.
(Eristheo Raif)
The arrival of freshman Cinzia Moore to join her sister, Nylah, at Eagle Rock is big news in City Section flag football. Nylah is Eagle Rock’s returning quarterback. Cinzia is 5 feet 9. Both will also be standouts for the girls basketball team.
Here’s the report.
Flag football practices officially begin for Southern Section teams Monday, with first games allowed Saturday.
Sierra Canyon, which has a team for the first time this season, keeps picking up transfers from Orange County (maybe the housing is cheaper in Chatsworth). The latest is sophomore Angelina Dubois from Orange Lutheran. She joins Orange Lutheran teammate, quarterback Makena Cook, at Sierra Canyon, along with last year’s Division 1 player of the year, Ava Irwin from JSerra.
The NFL Chargers are hosting a huge flag football tournament Aug. 14 and 15 that will provide an early look at top teams.
Notes . . .
Jaden Soong of St. Francis High added the Junior PGA Championship on Friday to his golf resume.
(Courtesy Chris Soong)
Jaden Soong, who will be a junior golfer at St. Francis this fall, won the Junior PGA Championship last week, continuing to build upon a resume that’s off the charts. He won the CIF state championship as a freshman. Here’s the report.…
Call it the passing of the high jump torch. Former Olympic high jump Dwight Stones presents JJ Harel of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame the high school player of the year award from the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame .
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame high jumper JJ Harel, the two-time state champion, announced he will compete for Israel at the U20 World Championships. That means he will probably represent Israel for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He will be a freshman at USC this coming school year….
Harvard-Westlake is nearing completion of its $200-million River Park Sports Complex that began construction in 2024. Here’s the report and video...
Rolling Hills Prep, under basketball coach Harvey Kitani, left for China last week for a 10-day trip that will have the team playing three exhibition games….
Narbonne is appealing its three-year playoff ban in football for City Section rules violations. Last year was the first season of no playoffs. The appeal is expected to be heard in September….
Fountain Valley and Edison have played football games against each other for 57 consecutive years. Fountain Valley is pausing that game this season as it tries to build up its program. It’s not unusual. Crespi paused playing rival Sherman Oaks Notre Dame for the last two years and will resume the rivalry this season after going from 0-10 in 2022 to 10-1 last season….
Pitcher Timmy Carey from Cypress has committed to Pepperdine….
Former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and UCLA pitcher Justin Lee signed with the Phillies after being selected in the 20th round of the amateur draft. Former Loyola and USC catcher Augie Lopez signed with the Padres….
Baseball player Grant Horsley from Newport Harbor has committed to Navy….
Camren Hughes of Palos Verdes came on strong last spring running the 200 and 400 and now he’s headed to UCLA in September. He’d be a first-round pick for intramural football.
From the archives: Jaquez brother/sister duo
Jaime Jaquez Jr. poses for a photo with his sister Gabriela Jaquez in 2021.
(UCLA Athletics/UCLA Athletics)
Time is flying by with lots of changes for Jaime and Gabriela Jaquez, the brother/sister duo from Camarillo who became stars at UCLA and are now pro basketball players.
Jaime was was sent to the Milwaukee Bucks from Miami in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. After helping UCLA’s women’s team win the NCAA championship, Gabriela was a first-round WNBA draft pick by the Chicago Sky and is averaging 8.3 points in her rookie season.
Here’s a story from 2022 on how Gabriela would not be denied getting a scholarship from her dream school.
Here’s a story from 2025 of Jaime returning to Camarillo to have his jersey number retired.
Recommendations
From the562.org, a story on Lakewood dropping boys and girls lacrosse after failing to find coaches.
From the Orange County Register, a story looking at JSerra first-year football coach Hardy Nickerson, the first Black head coach in the Trinity League.
From Athlon sports, a story on St. Francis phenom golfer Jaden Soong.
From USA Baseball, a story on Harvard-Westlake pitchers Justin Kirchner and James Venick.
Tweets you might have missed
Until next time….
Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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