football field

It’s showdown time in City Section girls’ flag football. Unbeaten Eagle Rock (13-0) plays at unbeaten Panorama (19-0) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Eagle Rock is a little bit of a surprise. The Eagles lost to graduation perhaps the No. 1 player in the City Section, Haylee Weatherspoon, but they are showing they are not a one-person team.

Basketball players Nyla Moore and Kyla Siao have become standouts on the football field. Moore, only a junior, is the quarterback. Siao, a shooting guard, is a top receiver and safety.

Coach Julie Wilkins said, “We don’t have an all-star like Haylee, but everyone contributes.”

Eagle Rock relies on receivers who don’t drop passes. The 5-foot-11 Moore uses her height, mobility and arm to find her receivers.

This will be the first big test for Panorama, which is aiming to be an Open Division playoff team this season.

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Fourth in a series of stories profiling top high school football players by position. Today, Luke Sorensen, Servite tight end.

Wearing size 18 cleats, Luke Sorensen might not be the best candidate to walk across a frozen lake and make it to the other side. Then again, his hands are so large (11 inches wide) he might be able to cling to a piece of ice in an emergency to stay afloat.

What he can do is catch frozen-rope passes from quarterbacks as a 6-foot-4, 255-pound tight end at Servite High. He’s so large you feel sorry for the person who might have to tackle him. Picture his twin sister jumping on his back while pleading for him to fall as what can happen on a football field.

In an era when tight ends at the NFL level are becoming more and more valuable because of their ability to catch and block, Sorensen will provide similar versatility for the Friars. He’s that unique individual with the size and athleticism to create mismatches.

“He’s a unicorn,” coach Chris Reinert said. “There’s probably two or three kids in the country that can do what he does. Most of the time recruiting athletes who are receivers, you need to teach them first how to block. He was reverse. He can physically move people against their will.”

The size 18 cleats of Servite tight end Luke Sorensen.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

This is only Sorensen’s second year playing tight end. He showed up to play football as a freshman at 170 pounds. He was put on the offensive line. Last season as a junior he was switched to tight end. He loves the position because he gets to be Servite’s “Swiss Army Knife.”

“I want to do it all,” he said.

He can be the blocker to open holes at the point of attack or the receiver running over smaller defenders after he makes a catch.

“In the passing game. he’s become a massive matchup problem,” Reinert said. “He’s a great athlete.”

He can dunk a basketball because of his large hands and leaping skills. He was a baseball player growing up with dreams of becoming a major leaguer. But football is the sport that fits him best with the physicality required and his athleticism.

Even though he turns 17 on Saturday, making him a young senior, he welcomes the opportunity to face older players.

“It doesn’t bother me,” he said. “At the end of the day, they’re a player across from me. I think it’s cool I’m younger. I can have a chip on my shoulder and do good stuff against older guys. It gets me ready for the next level because guys there are really good and really old.”

Servite tight end Luke Sorensen makes a catch in a passing tournament game.

(Craig Weston)

Last season he caught 15 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers figure to increase considerably with his experience, strength and importance in Servite’s offense.

“I expect massive things from him,” Reinert said.

As part of the Trinity League, which already has perhaps the nation’s No. 1 tight end recruit in Mater Dei’s Mark Bowman, the idea of Bowman and Sorensen playing on the same field Oct. 18 will be like being in tight end heaven. They also could face off in the Big Ten, since Bowman is committed to USC and Sorensen to Nebraska.

Now if only someone has an extra size 18 cleats, please give him a call.

“I’m always looking for more,” he said.

Saturday: San Juan Hills offensive lineman Cooper Javorsky.

Tight ends to watch

Mark Bowman, Mater Dei, 6-4, 225, Sr.: USC commit is SoCal’s best since Colby Parkinson was at Oaks Christian

Keawe Browne, Corona Centennial, 6-5, 230, Sr.: Has quickness, athleticism and strength

Jaden Hernandez, Long Beach Poly, 6-3, 235, Sr.: Colorado State commit has reliable catching skills

Beckham Hofland, Los Alamitos, 6-4, 230, Sr.: Boise State commit has size and blocking skills

Max Leeper, Claremont, 6-7, 215, Sr.: New Mexico commit has size to be productive contributor

Jude Nelson, Long Beach Millikan, 6-4, 220, Sr. Colorado State commit is strong, agile

Andre Nickerson, Inglewood. 6-3, 235, Sr.: SMU commit is athletic and tough to bring down

Luke Sorensen, Servite, 6-4, 255, Sr.: Friars intend to build offense around Nebraska commit

Caleb Tafua, Bishop Montgomery, 6-5, 220, Sr.: Texas A&M commit caught 10 TDs at Lakewood

Andrew Williams, Fremont, 6-5, 220, Sr.: USC commit is also formidable edge rusher

When 6-foot-5, 315-pound all-league offensive tackle Jorge Gonzalez of Santa Paula High had to take a mandatory two-week break this summer under the Southern Section dead period rules, he didn’t just sit at home. He went to the wheat fields of Santa Barbara and earned money using a weed whacker eight hours a day so he could buy a car.

“My uniform turned green,” he said of his daily work in the fields.

The Santa Paula community is heavily involved in the agriculture business, and football coach Myke Morales said many of his players have worked in the fields.

Gonzalez is a three-year starter with a 3.8 grade-point average and made the trip to Ventura on Thursday for a Tri County League media day that also featured players from Agoura, Hueneme, Dos Pueblos, San Marcos and Fillmore.

Morales and Fillmore’s Charles Weis discussed their 100-year-old rivalry game played at the end of each season. It’s unlike any other as far as uniting both communities.

“It’s the way it’s supposed to be,” Weis said. “It’s a community event. It’s what’s right is for high school football.”

Agoura is ready to welcome back quarterback Gavin Gray, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the fourth game last season. He’ll have baseball standout Tyler Starling at receiver, plus the Chargers have running back George Hastings, who will become No. 7 on the roster.

Dos Pueblos returns all-league receiver Micah Barnhart.

Hueneme has high hopes for running back Jeremiah Alvarado.

San Marcos might have one of the best multi-sport athletes in the state in elite golfer Austin Downing, who’s also a kicker and plays baseball.

Fillmore will rely on four players who will be three-year starters — linebacker Carlos Cabral, receiver Mauricio Ocegueda, lineman Marcus Lechuga and lineman Genaro Villela.

All the coaches are preparing for possible disruptions because of wildfires and have had experiences in the past.

“Every year, we’re problem-solving,” Dos Pueblos coach AJ Pateras said. “We just navigate.”