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JOAO PEDRO continued the brilliant start to his Chelsea career as he sent them on their way against Fulham.

Enzo Maresca‘s men went top of the Premier League table as they made it back-to-back wins.

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Summer signing Pedro gave the hosts the lead with a header in the dying seconds of the first half.

The Blues‘ afternoon was made more comfortable as Enzo Fernandez converted from the spot in the 56th minute.

Fulham did have chances as defender Trevoh Chalobah seemed like a weak spot in the backline.

Here’s how SunSport reporter Jack Rosser rated the Chelsea players…

Robert Sanchez – 6

Sanchez will have been relieved that Josh King’s opening goal was ruled out, given he was made to look rather silly with the near post finish.

Other than that, however, the Spaniard had a very, very quiet afternoon with little to do after the first half scare.

Malo Gusto – 6

A couple of fine, flying challenges to stop Fulham on the counter while also supporting the winger in flying forwards whenever he can.

Given how good he can be, it feels like Reece James may take the right-back spot from Gusto soon but the Frenchman is putting forwards a good case at the moment.

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Trevoh Chalobah – 5

A very difficult first half for the Blues defender.

Chalobah was lucky that VAR intervened in the build-up to Fulham’s disallowed goal after he was easily rolled by Rodrigo Muniz.

He was also easily beaten by Josh King not too long after that. Picked up in the second half.

Tosin Adarabioyo – 6

A tough battle with former Fulham teammates Muniz and Raul Jimenez a times but led the Blues back four well.

Came close to opening the scoring but could not react to get an effort on target after a corner deflected his way off of Kenny Tete.

Marc Cucurella – 6

The Spaniard was fairly untroubled throughout, keeping the danger down his side to a minimum – especially impressive after Adama Traore was thrown on to try and get Fulham back in.

As always, a ball of energy looking to cause trouble going forwards, but little joy on that front this weekend. 

Moises Caicedo – 8

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Despite having trained just once this week since the West Ham game, Caicedo put in another stellar display.

Dominant against a hefty Fulham midfield, the Ecuador international held everything together for the Blues.

And even when the control slipped, Caicedo was there to save the day – making a superb last-ditch challenge to deny Timothy Castange what looked a certain goal minutes before the Blues opened the scoring.

Enzo Fernandez – 6

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A bizarre afternoon for the Chelsea captain, who shushed his own fans and raged at the fitness coach at halftime.

Some sloppy play first half but stepped up and helped Chelsea gain a little more control after the break, before pulling rank and keeping his cool to convert the penalty and double the lead.

Estevao – 6

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Another encouraging afternoon for the teenage winger.

Estevao showed his strength and power with a barge on Ryan Sessengnon in the first half, winning the ball before skipping away and past Calvin Bassey.

End product could do with some work still but plenty to be excited about.

Joao Pedro – 7

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Another week and another goal for Pedro.

The Brazilian found space well and confidently nodded home his second Premier League goal of the season to get things rolling.

Pedro even kept his mouth shut when Enzo Fernandez wanted to claim the penalty and open his account for the campaign, giving his captain a hug for support before the spot kick.

Pedro Neto – 5

A lot of hard work for little reward.

With Alejandro Garnacho watching on and Jamie Gittens already providing competition from the bench – Neto will have to show more if he is to keep his place in the side.

Liam Delap – n/a

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The striker suffered a huge blow as he went off injured early in the first half.

Substitutes

Tyrique George (Delap, 13′) – 5

Thrown in much earlier than expected after Delap’s early injury and asked to lead the line – not his usual position.

It was a surprise George was even turned to given talks progressing over a move to Roma.

his was not a performance that will add any more to the transfer fee as George struggled to make an impact.

Jamie Gittens (Estevao, 67′) – 6

Offered precious little from the bench, although Chelsea were more seeing out the game rather than pushing desperately for a third goal once Gittens was sent on.

Andrey Santos (George, 81′) – n/a

Reece James (Neto, 81′) – n/a

Chelsea’s transfer deals

IN

• Joao Pedro – from Brighton – £60m
• Jamie Gittens – from Dortmund – £52m
• Jorell Hato – from Ajax – £37m
• Liam Delap – from Ipswich – £30m
• Estevao – from Palmeiras – £54m
• Dario Essugo – from Sporting Lisbon – £18.5m
• Kendry Paez – from Independiente – £17.25m
• Mamadou Sarr – from Strasbourg – £12m

TOTAL – £280.75m

OUT

• Noni Madueke – to Arsenal – £52m
• Joao Felix – to Al-Nassr – £43.7m
• Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – to Everton – £30m
• Renato Veiga – to Villarreal – £26m
• Djordje Petrovic – to Bournemouth – £25m
• Lesley Ugochukwu – to Burnley – £23m
• Carney Chukwuemeka – to Dortmund £24m
• Armando Broja – to Burnley – £15m
• Bashir Humphreys – to Burnley – £10m
• Mathis Amougou – to Strasbourg – £12.5m
• Kepa Arrizabalaga – to Arsenal – £5m
• Marcus Bettinelli – to Man City – £2m

TOTAL – £268.2m

TRANSFER NEWS LIVE

Tom Brady will have fewer NFL-imposed restrictions on him this season as he enters his second year as an analyst on games broadcast on Fox.

The restrictions were placed on the legendary quarterback last August when his purchase of a 10% stake in the Las Vegas Raiders was pending approval from the league owners. Brady’s minority stake was approved in October.

One of the so-called Brady Rules enacted by the NFL prohibited the rookie broadcaster from attending production meetings during which the Fox crew meets with coaches and players ahead of that week’s game.

That retriction has been lifted, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed to The Times on Wednesday morning.

There is one caveat, however — Brady must attend those meetings remotely. He is still prohibited from going to a team facility for practices or production meetings, McCarthy said.

Brady is allowed to interview players off site, as he did on occassion last year, McCarthy said.

Like last year, Brady can’t “egregiously criticize officials,” said McCarthy, who added there were no issues along those lines in 2024.

Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was allowed by the league to attend the production meetings ahead of Super Bowl LIX in February.

The Athletic was first to report the loosening of the restrictions on Brady.

There was a large trash can obstructing the view of a Narbonne Gaucho sign on the gym wall, so King’leon Sheard simply picked up the container and moved it out of the way in an impressive display of strength like a WWE wrestler flicking away an annoying opponent.

At 6 feet 2 and 220 pounds, Sheard had two sacks in last year’s City Section Open Division championship football game against San Pedro. On Friday night, he had two sacks in Narbonne’s 42-6 loss to Los Osos. The fact he’s still walking around Narbonne’s campus in his senior year is a story itself.

After the program was placed on probation and banned from the playoffs for three years for rules violations, there was an exodus of players and coaches. This also happened after the 2019 season when Narbonne was punished for similar circumstances — an ineligible player.

“Now it’s been two rebuilds since I’ve been here,” he said, remembering a 2-9 season in 2022 when he arrived as a freshman.

Sheard is either a glutton for punishment or determined to prove his worth no matter how many times Narbonne has to start over.

“At the root of it, it’s not just about football,” the outside linebacker said. “I made a lot of connections here. I built a nice family here. At the end of the day, it was more about my story, not what everyone else was doing. I always knew I could prevail.”

Football is what Sheard wants to do in college if he gets a chance. Yet academics has been his focus, with a dream of becoming a lawyer.

“I want to go into law,” he said. “It’s always been one of those things I’ve been interested in since I can remember.”

Sheard clearly knows how to investigate facts and make a judgment call. That’s what he did in deciding to stay at Narbonne with four other holdovers.

“I kept my head down,” he said. “My parents stayed out of it. They knew if I stayed, I’d be able to make it. I started here and was going to finish here.”

Not that Sheard didn’t consider leaving. He said he discussed leaving with several coaches. Their big selling point was having a postseason. But Sherard is guaranteed more games this season without playoffs (10) than he had all last season (eight) because of a coaches’ boycott during league play.

“I will admit I had conversations with other coaches when I heard the news that our coaches wouldn’t be with us,” he said. said. “The main talking point was, ‘We have playoffs, we have playoffs.’ You lose one game in the playoffs, you’re out anyways. I was more concerned how as coaches would you be able to help me make it to the collegiate level. How would you be able to develop me as a player.”

Enter Narbonne’s new coach, Doug Bledsoe, who’s been head coach at North Hollywood, Dorsey, Pasadena and L.A. University. Sheard placed his trust in Bledsoe and his staff.

“I formed a good relationship with coach Bledsoe and the position coaches,” he said.

Said Bledsoe: “He’s got real tenacity to get to the quarterback and a quick first step.”

Bledsoe is using a 3-4 defensive front with Sheard scheduled to be his “mini-Lawrence Taylor,” the NFL Hall of Fame linebacker known for sacking quarterbacks.

There could be tough times for the Gauchos, a team with little varsity experience and some tough early-season games.

Since this is his second rebuild he’s experienced, Sheard was asked how is it supposed to go?

“It’s not up to me,” he said. “Most I can do as a player is keep my brothers close to me and tell them, ‘It will be fine. We can do this.’”

With a new coach and new principal, perhaps Narbonne can rebuild the right way — following City Section rules. Good behavior could lead to a reduction in sanctions.

Clearly, it’s a big change because at this time last season, the Gauchos had 27 transfers in the program. This season the number is zero.

Sheard is just glad he can play four Marine League games this season so he’ll have film to show college recruiters. Last year’s league games were forfeits because schools refused to play the Gauchos.

“I felt a little slighted,” he said. “Outside of everything happening, I didn’t care. It was still my season. It was my opportunity to get stuff on film. I feel it was taken away and I had no control. I kept working.”

When it comes to gaining maturity and learning hard lessons, Sheard and his small group of fellow seniors who stayed are in for a challenging season with no playoffs allowed.

It’s a reminder of the line, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

“Ten games are guaranteed,” he said. “Compared to last year, it’s a blessing.”

Daniil Medvedev reacts next to chair umpire Greg Allensworth after a photographer ran onto the court Sunday in New York.

(Adam Hunger / Associated Press)

The rematch initially appeared as if it was going to be a quicker upset than the first time around. Bonzi won the first two sets and was up 5-4 and serving for match point in the third … when all hell broke loose.

Bonzi missed on his first serve and was preparing for his second when he was interrupted. A photographer who apparently thought the match was over had stepped onto the court and was immediately reprimanded over the loudspeaker by chair umpire Greg Allensworth.

Allensworth then announced that Bonzi would be given another chance at his first serve “because of the delay caused by an outside interference.”

The decision appears to be based on a USTA tournament regulation which states that if there is a delay between the first and second serves, “the server gets two serves if the delay was caused by the receiver or if there was outside interference.”

The announcement drew a negative response from the crowd, which Medvedev encouraged by using arm gestures. He then started berating Allensworth, seeming to ask him, “Are you a man?” more than once before leaning into the microphone behind the chair to address the crowd.

“He wants to go home, guys,” Medvedev said. “He doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”

He also yelled, “What did Reilly Opelka say?” at least three times, in reference to the U.S. player who was fined by the ATP Tour earlier this year after referring to Allensworth as the “worst ump on tour. ”

Medvedev later told reporters that he was upset with Allensworth’s ruling because he didn’t think the photographer had caused enough of a delay to warrant a repeat first serve.

As he returned to the court, Medvedev continued to motion for the crowd to voice its displeasure. Many of the fans complied, with TV footage showing a lot of them appearing to be more amused than enraged by the situation.

After about two minutes, Allensworth asked for order so Bonzi could serve. When that didn’t work, Medvedev started motioning for the spectators to quiet down. They didn’t, and Medvedev appeared to enjoy the lengthy disruption, at one point blowing kisses toward the stands.

“I just expressed my emotions, my unhappiness with the decision,” Medvedev said later. “And then the crowd did what they did without me, without me asking them too much. And it was fun to witness.”

Bonzi appeared to be on the verge of serving several times before stopping because of the noise.

“Every time I went on the line to serve and every time I did that, everyone was booing. I felt I didn’t do anything bad in the match to, like, receive this treatment, and I didn’t want to serve in those conditions,” Bonzi said. “So I was waiting.”

After a delay of roughly six minutes, Bonzi finally served — and missed again, much to the audible delight of the crowd. He got the second serve over the net but lost the point after a lengthy volley.

MANCHESTER UNITED’s only ‘big chance’ of their 1-1 draw with Fulham came from a very unlikely source.

Bruno Fernandes’ first-half missed penalty came back to haunt the Red Devils.

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Rodrigo Muniz’s own goal from a Leny Yoro header gave the visitors a lead in the second period.

But the lead was short-lived as Emile Smith Rowe sneaked in front of Luke Shaw to poke home a near post cross less than 15 minutes later.

It was an uninspiring performance for Ruben Amorim‘s men, who struggled to fashion chances against the Cottagers’ defence.

This struggle is best illustrated by the unlikely figure who created the side’s only ‘big chance’ of the game.

Goalkeeper Altay Bayindir was the only player to create such a chance, through his repeated use of long balls into the opponents’ half.

That chance came when a long ball from the Turk fell at Matheus Cunha’s feet, but Bernd Leno pulled off a smart save to tip the ball around the post with the Brazilian through on goal.

Fans of the club and neutrals alike were quick to comment on the bizarre statistic.

One X user derided the club, commenting: “When your GK is the playmaker, just know it’s peak banter era.”

Another user piled into the fray on social media, saying: “After spending over 200m on attackers they still need a goalie to create a chance.”

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Bayindir came into the squad following Andre Onana‘s injury issues, with the Cameroonian being left out of the squad for their season opener against Arsenal last weekend.

Bayindir’s howler in that game, which handed Arsenal the deciding goal, was not enough to dislodge the Turk from his place in the starting line-up.

Onana took up a place on the bench, but the uninspiring form of both keepers has prompted the club to look at other options in net.

They are reportedly nearing a deal to bring Belgian stopper Senne Lammens to the club to challenge the existing duo, pushing third-choice veteran Tom Heaton even further down the pecking order.

When will the Dodgers’ hierarchy finally come to the same conclusion as everyone else in Dodger nation? Teoscar Hernández is a hack in right field, Michael Conforto needs a one-way ticket to the waiver wire and the Dodgers are a better team with Mookie Betts in right field.

Ron Yukelson
San Luis Obispo

Everyone is blaming Teoscar Hernández for the Monday night loss to the Rockies. It’s not Teoscar’s fault. A manager’s job is to put his players in the best position to perform at their best, Teoscar is not a right fielder, he’s better in left field. Everyone thinks that these are professional players and they should be able to play any position. Yeah, they can play any position, but it may not be their best performance. Quit juggling the players around and put them where they will perform at their best.

Paul Kawaguchi
Rosemead

Teoscar Hernández was singled out for criticism over his poor defense in a game the Dodgers lost to the Rockies. Yes, he didn’t do well in that game, but he has been very productive with his bat, with 74 RBIs and 20 home runs. Instead of making him the scapegoat for losing a game, why not point out the often awful bullpen performances. We are ahead in a game, then the relievers come in and blow the lead. They do this far more than Teoscar commits errors.

Deborah R. Ishida
Beverly Hills

If the Dodgers crashed the Little League World Series, no one would blink. Like the kids, their leather is leaky, their arms are toast, their best hitter is their best pitcher, their silly celebrations are pure playground — shimmy shakes and sunflower seed showers. What’s missing? A team mom and the minivan for postgame DQ runs.

Steve Ross
Carmel

I think the heat is getting to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Not only was Michael Conforto in the lineup on Thursday with his .190 batting average but he was batting cleanup with his nine home runs and 27 RBIs while Andy Pages was further down the batting order. Since Shohei Ohtani was not in the lineup, I was shocked that the Dodgers scored nine runs.

Jeff Hershow
Woodland Hills

For all the warnings, lectures and advice given to high school football players before their first game of the season to hydrate so they can avoid cramping, it still happens. For whatever reason, the pain begins, gets even more painful, then walking off the field becomes a chore.

“Game 1, for some reason in football, they cramp,” said Loyola High athletic trainer Tim Moscicki, in his 37th year. “Whether it’s lactic acid building up, anxiety or excitement, I’ve seen it for years.”

North Hollywood players were cramping repeatedly in their opening game on Thursday night against Granada Hills. Certainly hot weather doesn’t help, but everyone seemingly has a different strategy for dealing with cramps. There are so many supplements people could try a different one each day of the week.

“Once they start to cramp, it’s usually an uphill battle,” Moscicki said. “I don’t think it’s just the weather. I’ve seen cramps in cold weather, hot weather, in rain. Everyone has their own list how to treat — coconut water, bananas, pickle juice, mustard, Gatorade.”

St. John Bosco is using a supplement added to water called Lytening Hydration during its trip to Florida to help with cramping.

“There’s no cure-all for cramps,” Moscicki said.

He advises players prepare two or three days before games with hydration. Just starting on game day won’t work.

What’s certain is players cramping on opening weekend and coaches asking their athletic trainers, “Why are we cramping?”

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].

By Tuesday, NFL teams must cut their rosters to 53 players.

So the Rams’ third preseason game against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday in Cleveland is the final opportunity for coach Sean McVay and his staff — and other pro teams — to evaluate players.

“We have a good idea of what a handful of things look like,” McVay said of the roster, adding, “while also knowing that hey, things can change with the snap of a finger, if you will, just because of injuries and some of the uncertainty.

“I’m looking forward to watching a handful of guys compete because there are still some spots to be determined.”

Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who practiced for the first time this week, will rest his back and not make the trip. McVay said he was still determining which other players would not make the trip.

Here are five things to watch when the Rams face the Cleveland Browns on Saturday at 10 a.m. PDT (ABC):

This is an unfamiliar playbook for Carson Palmer.

Sure, he has the NFL pedigree and the Heisman Trophy, and a staff of assistant coaches loaded with pro experience. But he’s the first-year coach at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, his alma mater, and stepping into an elite league of schools while studying not just game tape but reels of red tape.

“This is harder than I thought,” said Palmer, 45, sitting in his office above the practice field. “Year One is tough. The NFL is fast and responsive. Here, changing the playbook software takes an act of Congress. But I’m learning every day.”

Not that he’s complaining. He knew when he took the job eight months ago that his path would be littered with challenges and obstacles. Along with some satisfying successes.

The Heisman Trophy winner and former No. 1 overall pick has spent his adult life in that wafer-thin line at the top, the lofty latitude occupied by the best players in the game. Now, he’s getting back to basics.

“I enjoy seeing a kid make a mistake, then understand the why and fix it,” he said. “You don’t get that in the NFL. There, it’s just a job. Here, there’s joy in learning.”

The Eagles, ranked No. 7 in the Southland by The Times, open their season Friday against No. 6 Mission Viejo.

Said Palmer, engrossed in preparing the program for the last eight months: “It’s time.”

Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer watches over practice on Wednesday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

He will have his hands full in the Trinity League, easily among the most competitive leagues in the country and featuring football powerhouses such as Mater Dei and St. John Bosco.

Are those opposing coaches looking for their Carson Palmer pelt on the wall?

“It’s not about the coach,” Palmer said. “Programs where the coach is the focal point don’t work. It’s about the players 100% of the time. I can help them because I was taught by great minds, but I’m just passing it on.”

Santa Margarita has standouts in brothers Trent and Grant Mosely, both wideouts and Trent committed to play at USC. At quarterback is Trace Johnson, who played high school football in Florida before transferring to spend his senior season with Palmer. His father, Doug Johnson, is Santa Margarita’s quarterbacks coach and played the position in the NFL.

Cornerback Jayden Crowder is heading to California, safety Logan Hirou to UCLA. Dash Fifita, a first-team All-Trinity League linebacker last season and nephew of Santa Margarita’s defensive coordinator, is committed to Arizona, and fellow linebacker Leki Holani is going to Sacramento State.

Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer instructs his players during practice.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Palmer has several assistant coaches with NFL and/or major college football experience, among them running backs coach Mike Karney, a bruising fixture at fullback for the New Orleans Saints; receivers coach T.J. Houshmandzadeh, one of Palmer’s standout targets with the Cincinnati Bengals; offensive line coach Lenny Vandermade, among Palmer’s blockers at USC; defensive coordinator Steve Fifita, a standout at the University of Utah who later played in the NFL; and linebackers coach Rob Thomas, who was Pac-10 defensive player of the year as a UCLA linebacker and played eight NFL seasons with four teams.

“It’s been awesome,” Karney said. “Carson’s been running the program the way it should be run but putting his own twist on it, making it his own. From how we run practice to what we’re doing schematically, there’s a lot of carryover from the NFL.”

Palmer said it isn’t necessary to have a staff with so much playing experience, but it’s helpful.

“These guys know the importance of staff chemistry,” he said. “I’ve heard high school coaches say the hardest part isn’t the kids or the parents, it’s the adults and their egos. That’s why I was intentional about picking guys who get along. No one’s doing this for the money.”

Before accepting the job, Carson frequently consulted with Pete Carroll, his legendary coach at USC who is now leading the Las Vegas Raiders.

Carroll believes Palmer will be successful in this endeavor, but that it will take time.

Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer instructs a player during practice.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

“He’s going to take his knocks, I’m sure,” Carroll said. “He’ll have first- and second-year issues like all the coaches do — just getting your act together and trying to figure yourself out.

“We went extensively into that when we got together — helping him understand some of the questions that will be raised: What am I standing for? How hard am I? How tough am I? How open am I? All of those kinds of things that come into coaching.

“He’s tough, he’s demanding, and he has high expectations for anybody that plays — just like he held himself to all those years. I think he’ll do a wonderful job. He has a great love for the school and the setting, and he was really excited about the opportunity to go back. He’ll put his best foot forward, but it’s a challenge now. He’s got good guys working with him, too, so that’ll all help out. He’s going to do just fine.”

Palmer said he frequently gets phone calls from Norm Chow, his offensive coordinator at USC, who delivers a simple and powerful message.

“He keeps calling me and saying, ‘Culture before Xs and O’s,’ then hanging up,” Palmer said. “That sticks with me. It doesn’t matter what you run. It’s, do they believe in it? Do they trust each other? Is there an environment for growth? We don’t haze. We respect each other.”

That meant showing some players the door.

“Some kids didn’t fit culturally with what I envisioned,” he said. “This is the Trinity League. It’s big-boy ball.”

Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer speaks to his players during practice on Wednesday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

And that also means coaching some sophisticated concepts, which he said his players are grasping to a surprising degree.

“I’m just giving them what I was given,” he said. “I use Bruce Arians’ short passing game, Norm Chow’s trick plays, the play-action stuff of [Steve] Sarkisian and [Lane] Kiffin.”

He borrowed, too, from Greg Knapp, the longtime NFL offensive coordinator who died in 2021 after a bicycle accident.

“Greg was a master installer,” said Palmer, who played for him in Oakland in 2012. “He’d give surprise quizzes in the meeting room to keep you awake. ‘What’s the capital of Nevada?’ I do that now. Meetings aren’t sit and stare. We’re on the move.”

How will that translate in terms of wins and losses? We’ll see. One of his old and beloved coaches is optimistic.

“The respect for him is automatic, right?” Chow said. “Just because of who he is. … When you’re coaching, you need to be able to run the room. With Carson, young people say, ‘OK, I’m going to listen.’”

Then, perhaps the highest praise.

“I’d absolutely want my kid to be coached by him,” Chow said. “Because of the human being that he is.”

The Liverpool star is the first three-time winner of the annual award, given to the best player in English football, as adjudged by the Professional Footballers’ Association.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was named the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Player of the Year on Tuesday, with the Egyptian becoming the first player to win the award three times.

Salah, who joined Liverpool in 2017, was the Premier League’s top scorer last season, with his 29 goals, along with 18 assists, playing a key role in the club winning the league title, finishing 10 points ahead of runners-up Arsenal.

The 33-year-old had already clinched the Premier League Player of the Season award, the Golden Boot for most goals scored and the Playmaker award for most assists, making him the first player to win all three awards in the same season.

Salah first won the PFA award in 2018 after his first season at Liverpool, and again in 2022, and this year came out on top of a six-man shortlist, voted for by PFA members from the 92 Premier League and Football League teams.

That shortlist included his Liverpool teammate Alexis Mac Allister, along with Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.

Salah signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool in April, ending months of speculation linking him with a move to the Saudi Pro League.

Aston Villa and England midfielder Morgan Rogers was voted Young Player of the Year, after the 23-year-old scored eight league goals in his 37 starts last season and netted four goals in the Champions League including a hat-trick against Celtic.

Arsenal midfielder Mariona Caldentey was named Women’s Player of the Year. The Spaniard scored nine league goals in her first season with the club, along with eight goals in the Champions League where Arsenal beat her former club Barcelona to win the trophy.

Canadian 21-year-old forward Olivia Smith, Liverpool’s leading scorer last season across all competitions with nine goals, picked up the Young Player of the Year award.

Smith has since joined Arsenal for a reported fee of one million pounds ($1.35m), making her the first female player to break the seven-figure barrier.

Liverpool had four players from last season, including Salah, named in the Premier League team of the year, along with new signing from Bournemouth, Milos Kerkez.

Premier League Team of the Year:

Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest); Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth), William Saliba (Arsenal), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal); Declan Rice (Arsenal), Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool); Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Alexander Isak (Newcastle United), Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest).

Arsenal and Spain midfielder Mariona Caldentey says “there is nothing better than when your opponents recognise your job” after receiving the PFA women’s player of the year award in her debut season in the Women’s Super League.

READ MORE: Caldentey and Smith win PFA player of the year awards

Wolves have signed defender Jackson Tchatchoua for 12.5m euros (£10.8m) on a five-year deal from Serie A side Hellas Verona.

The Cameroon international can play as a right-back or wing-back and was last season named the fastest player in Serie A with an average top speed of 34.88 kmph., external

Wolves said the 23-year-old produced a top speed of 36.3kmph last season.

Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven was the fastest player in the Premier League in 2024-25, reaching a top speed of 37.1 kmph and the Dutch defender holds the league record of 37.38kmph.

Belgium-born Tchatchoua started his career at Belgian club Charleroi before spending a year on loan at Hellas before joining them permanently in 2024.

Last season he scored twice and registered three assists in 37 games for Hellas.

He is Wolves’ fifth signing of the window as they secured the permanent transfer of forward Jorgen Strand Larsen for £23m after a successful loan spell, plus forward Fer Lopez for £19m, winger Jhon Arias for £15m and defender David Moller Wolfe for £10m.

There were some breakdowns before UCLA broke training camp.

Don’t worry, these were the poignant, bring-everyone-together kind.

As part of coach DeShaun Foster’s efforts to connect a team featuring 55 new players and eight new assistant coaches, everyone participated in a series of brotherhood meetings over the last two weeks at the team hotel in Costa Mesa.

Coaches stood before the entire team, sharing anecdotes about their experiences in the game. Players told their stories in more intimate position-group settings run by a coach from a different position.

“A lot of tears,” Foster said Saturday before his team’s final camp session. “So I just like that the players were being vulnerable and letting their guard down because they saw the coaches do it. So, you know, I just think that really brought us together and we’re gonna see if it worked.”

One of the more stirring stories came from tight ends coach Jerry Neuheisel, the former Bruins quarterback. Neuheisel talked about his anxiety after leading UCLA to a come-from-behind 20-17 road victory over Texas in 2014. He had come off the bench to replace injured starter Brett Hundley.

Foster said Neuheisel relayed how he was “kind of nervous just for another opportunity to happen and not being as successful the next time, you know? So that was huge because you would have never thought that with Jerry with how he is as a person.”

Offensive line coach Andy Kwon told players that regardless of the situation, they needed to finish what they started.

“Nobody cares if you’re tired, nobody cares if you’re hurting, nobody cares if you have an injury that’s pushable,” guard Julian Armella said. “Like, you can keep going, therefore you have to have a mentality each and every single day that you know that there’s going to be somebody that lines up across from you that wants your position, that wants to take the food off your family’s plate to be able to go and provide for theirs.

“So, I think just having that mentality of being able to finish, come out each day — whether it be recovery, whether it be in the classroom, off the classroom, on the field — all of these things build up in order to have that finish mentality.”

Offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri’s message — stop thinking about what other people think about you and focus on yourself — resonated with veteran tight end Hudson Habermehl.

“You don’t want to let others’ input affect you,” Habermehl said, “because at the end of the day, all we have is each other.”

The collective mindset has resulted in a new motto for 2025: We over me.

Back at it

UCLA tight end Hudson Habermehl smiles after a touchdown catch against Boise State in the L.A. Bowl in December 2023.

(Ryan Sun / Associated Press)

As soon as he went down in the spring of 2024, his anguished screams carrying across the practice field, Habermehl had one thought running through his mind.

Am I going to be able to play again?

His coach running over to check on the player who had just torn his anterior cruciate ligament, Habermehl repeatedly yelled five words that reflected his love for the game.

“I just want to play!” he said. “I just want to play!”

Some 15 months later, a rehabilitation that included plenty of doubts and a second surgery to clean up debris in his knee finished, Habermehl is on the verge of completing his comeback.

“It really made me step back and think,” Habermehl said, “how bad do I really want it?”

A lot, it turned out.

Along the way, he had more than a little help from his friends. Teammates and coaches constantly checked in on him and drove him to rehabilitation appointments at a time when he couldn’t put any weight on his leg for two months. Former UCLA linebacker Josh Woods, who persevered through his own devastating knee injury, was especially helpful in offering advice, telling Habermehl that he would learn a lot about himself during his recovery.

A symbolic change came over winter break when Habermehl trimmed his long, flowing locks, leading to a much more streamlined look. Foster had to check with another coach to ask who Habermehl was after walking past him in the weight room.

“He comes up and he’s like, ‘Huddy?’ ” Habermehl said. “And I was like, ‘What up?’ He’s like, ‘I didn’t even recognize you. I thought you were an alum.’ ”

Calling his new hairstyle “aerodynamic,” Habermehl looked incredibly sleek while making one of the highlight plays of camp when he sprinted to the corner of the end zone to make a leaping catch. He figures to be the team’s top tight end during a final college season that will also make him possibly the most educated player on the team.

Having completed a bachelor’s degree in geography and environmental studies, he’s also earned master’s degrees in legal studies and transformative coaching and leadership. This fall he’s taking extension classes in project management, though he conceded maybe he’s lost an opportunity.

“If you had told me I was going to be here this long, I would have started the doctorate right away,” Habermehl quipped. “You could call me Dr. Habermehl.”

Etc.

Safety Key Lawrence returned to individual practice drills Saturday, one week after suffering an apparent right leg injury. Foster said Lawrence would be eased back into practices. … UCLA will hold a mock game open to the public on Aug. 23 at the Rose Bowl. Foster said it was intended to help the team’s newcomers experience the logistics of a game one week before the season opener against Utah. … Foster confirmed that the team’s new grass practice field would not be ready for the resumption of on-campus practices next week, forcing it to use Drake Stadium. The team will shift to the intramural fields, which feature artificial turf, ahead of its Sept. 6 game at Nevada Las Vegas to prepare for the same playing surface inside Allegiant Stadium. … UCLA’s weight room renovations have been completed, Foster said, providing more modern equipment and better spacing.

It was football media day for six West Valley League teams on Saturday at Granada Hills, and as a unit, the coaches and players are convinced they have a chance to be the best league in the City Section in terms of competition.

While defending league champion Birmingham has an overall 49-game winning streak against City Section opponents, Cleveland, Granada Hills, Chatsworth, Taft and El Camino Real hope to be factors in the playoffs.

Cleveland is making strides to challenge for second place with a group of talented juniors, including two Nigerian-born players, running back Moyosoreoluwa Odebunmi and linebacker Oluwafemi Okeola.

Odebunmi, in his first varsity carry in a scrimmage against Van Nuys on Thursday, ran for a touchdown.

“When I scored, I was like, ‘Oh wow,’” he said. “But I know it’s not going to be easy.”

Birmingham has an offensive line filled with 300 pounders, and when 6-foot-5, 260-pound quarterback Kevin Hawkins plays tight end, the Patriots are truly giants up front. Coach Jim Rose said of Hawkins running the ball: “It’s like tackling a lineman. He’s a huge guy out there.”

Birmingham held a pizza eating contest this past week, and the winner was lineman Pablo Granados, who ate 10 slices in seven minutes. Hawkins was runner-up with seven.

Chatsworth offensive lineman Pablo Escobedo is known for riding his horse in his Chatsworth neighborhood. “It’s pretty cool,” he said.

Chatsworth should have one of the league’s best running backs in junior Devin Del Toro, who has been playing running back and linebacker since his freshman season. Coach Shawn Johnson said he has made “a huge jump.”

There are two players in the league who are outstanding two-sport athletes in football and baseball. That’s Taft quarterback/catcher Nathan Swinson and El Camino Real defensive back/center fielder Shane Bogacz.

Both try to find time to hit the batting cages to stay sharp during football season.

Granada Hills will continue to run the double-wing attack, focusing on running the ball, but the midseason availability of transfer quarterback Taiyo Dorio from Crescenta Valley could cause coach Bucky Brooks to try a pass or two.

Wingback Myles Cross drew laughter when he said, “I caught a pass.”

Brooks offered praise to all coaches and players in the City Section.

“I applaud all those who opted to stay in the neighborhood and play for neighborhood schools,” he said. “I want to salute everyone. I love the competitiveness.”

Fifth in a series of stories profiling top high school football players by position. Today, Cooper Javorsky, San Juan Hills offensive lineman.

It wasn’t until last March when 17-year-old offensive tackle Cooper Javorsky of San Juan Hills High received his first football scholarship offer.

By May, there were 15 and counting. Any college recruiter who dropped by spring practice to see his size or view his game film from 2024 when he didn’t give up any sacks immediately knew what they were witnessing.

In the recruiting world, it’s called “blowing up.”

“He’s had a tremendous offseason,” coach Robert Frith said.

By early June, he had committed to UCLA with the outlook to one day play center.

He set a school record by bench pressing 405 pounds. He grew to 6 feet 4 1/2 and 295 pounds. He made it to the second day of CIF wrestling in the heavyweight division and competed in the shotput and discus during the track and field season.

“I’ve been lifting two to three times a day,” Javorsky said. “I’ve been trying to eat right. I haven’t had much time with friends, but at the end of the day, I’m working toward a goal, and I want that really bad. I’m working really hard to play in college and hopefully going to the league.’

He certainly has college sports success in his family. Older brother Jake, who was a standout linebacker for San Juan Hills, plays for Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. Two older sisters played softball and soccer for Northern Colorado and UC Irvine, respectively.

Cooper Javorsky of San Juan Hills has grown to 6 feet 4.5 and 295 pounds and become a college football line prospect.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

As the “baby” in the family, Cooper got lucky.

“I definitely got the size genetics,” he said.

He got to play with Jake when he was a sophomore and admires his determination as a linebacker.

“He’s nuts,” Javorsky said. “He’s knocked out kids before. It’s hard to beat him.”

Jake used to “whip him” if there were any family squabbles. “I’m only recently bigger,” Javorsky said. “He was always so strong.“

As San Juan Hills’ starting right tackle, Javorsky has the assignment of protecting the blind side of left-handed quarterback Timmy Herr. The responsibility came even though he’s only been playing tackle football since he was in eighth grade.

All those other sports he plays helps in football.

“With shotput, it’s a pure explosion sport,” he said. “In discus, you have to learn technique. It helps with footwork and the mental aspect. Wrestling is footwork and hand placement and overall knowledge of where your body is and where your feet are.”

Frith sees a player with a bright future in football.

“I’m really proud of him and his hard work,” he said. “He did a phenomenal job last season but wasn’t done physically. He’s still growing.”

As his college options increased, Javorsky planned to embrace any and all opportunities.

“I want to meet everyone,” he said.

Then he decided to end the recruitment on June 12 with his commitment to UCLA, the same school where former San Juan Hills and NFL lineman Sean Rhyan came from.

To see his hard work pay off and see college recruiters validating his growth as a player and person is what Javorsky is most grateful for.

“It was a dream and now has become reality,” he said. “I’m thankful for my dad, my brother, my coach. It’s a very humbling moment.”

Sunday: Sierra Canyon defensive lineman Mikhal Johnson.

Offensive linemen to watch

Elisha Faamatuainu, Murrieta Valley, 6-5, 300, Sr.: Cal commit proved himself last season with versatility

Kaden Franco, St. John Bosco, 6-4, 295, Jr.: He’s finally healthy, so beware next two seasons

Blake Graham, Leuzinger, 6-3, 280, Sr.: Cal Poly commit has the size and athleticism to dominate

Kodi Greene, Mater Dei, 6-6, 320, Sr.: Washington commit was top linemen in Trinity League last season

Josh Haney, JSerra, 6-4, 280, Sr.: Fresno St. commit fits well with JSerra’s tradition of producing top linemen

Cooper Javorsky, San Juan Hills, 6-4, 295, Sr.: UCLA commit keeps growing and improving

Lucas Rhoa, Orange Lutheran, 6-4, 280, Jr.: Making impressive strides to improve

Sam Utu, Orange Lutheran, 6-5, 295, Sr.: Alabama commit is nasty blocker

Elisha Mueller, Servite, 6-4, 300, So.: College coaches will be standing in line to recruit him

Malik White, Rancho Cucamonga, 6-5, 310, Sr.: San Diego State commit has great work ethic

Aug. 16 (UPI) — Police in Britain have arrested a man from Liverpool who is accused of shouting racist comments at a player during a Premier League soccer game this week.

The 47-year-old man was identified and removed from stands at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool after yelling racist chants at visiting Bournemouth player Antoine Semenyo, police confirmed in a media release.

Semenyo, who is Black, first reported the incident to the game’s referee who then notified officials.

The game was briefly paused in the 29th minute while the fan was removed.

The game – a 4-2 Liverpool victory – was the first of the season for both teams.

“Merseyside Police will not tolerate hate crime of any form.We take incidents like this very seriously, and in cases like this we will be proactively seeking football banning orders, with the club, against those responsible,” Chief Inspector Kev Chatterton said in the police statement.

“There is no place for racism and it is vital that anyone who witnesses such an offence reports it to stewards, or the police immediately, so we can take the necessary action like we did this evening.”

The Premier League said it would also launch its own investigation.

“Liverpool Football Club is aware of an allegation of racist abuse made during our Premier League game against Bournemouth. We condemn racism and discrimination in all forms, it has no place in society, or football,” the home team said in a statement issued through police.

Semenyo on Saturday addressed the issue on social media.

“Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever – not because of one person’s words, but because of how the entire football family stood together,” Semenyo, who is from Chelsea but represents Ghana internationally, wrote on Instagram.

“To my Bournemouth team-mates who supported me in that moment, to the Liverpool players and fans who showed their true character, to the Premier League officials who handled it professionally – thank you. Football showed its best side when it mattered most.”

Omagh Town were founded in 1962, but their heyday came in the 1990s when they were challenging in cups, in the top half of the league and playing in the Intertoto Cup in Europe.

“We had the good days, the glory days back then,” said former striker Andy Crawford.

“St Julian’s was a fortress when we were going really well. We were a thriving team back then.”

While Gaelic football was the dominant sport in Tyrone, with St Julian’s Road a stone’s throw away from the imperious Healy Park ground that the county’s four-time All-Ireland winners call home, Omagh Town played a key role in the community.

Manchester United’s treble winners, as well as Liverpool and Chelsea, all came to play the club in charity matches in the aftermath of the Omagh bomb in August 1998, in which 29 people were killed and hundreds more injured in one of the worst atrocities of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

The games were a show of the club helping the town to come together, but their financial issues continued into the start of the new millennium and Crawford, who joined Linfield a year before the club’s eventual collapse, said “the cracks were starting to show” by the time of his departure.

Relegation in the 2004-05 season, along with the closure of their social club, were pinned as the reasons for Omagh Town’s demise as more than 60 years of history were gone in an instant.

St Julian’s Road lay derelict for years, and in 2020 it was turned into a public park where there still sits a small memorial to mark the visits of the Premier League teams in the aftermath of the bomb.

The announcement could not have been more unfortunately timed. On the morning after the Dodgers had been swept by the Angels and fallen out of first place in the National League West for the first time in 108 days, the email to media members started this way: “Ever wonder how a player like Mookie Betts gets in the zone for the MLB Postseason?”

This is not on Betts, not at all. He is simply the front man for a campaign in which Corona Beer and its advertising partners had pre-timed an otherwise harmless press release for 6 a.m. PT Thursday. The headline on the press release: “Corona Teams Up with Mookie Betts to Bring the Beach to the Ballpark Through a First-of-its-Kind Soundtrack for the MLB Postseason.”

One of the keys to Betts’ success: an even keel that sometimes frustrates fans who want every player on their team to be as visibly frustrated as they are. In the aftermath of the Angels’ sweep, this is what Betts said Wednesday night: “It is what it is. Can’t change it right now.”

The promotional photo distributed with the press release shows Betts relaxing on a beach towel, next to home plate, headphones on. The soundtrack “fuses the iconic sounds of the ballpark with the relaxing vibe of the beach.”

Betts helped to pick seven minutes and 54 seconds of “home run blasts, in-stadium crowd waves and announcer calls from his most memorable postseason moments … combined with ambient ocean breezes and crashing waves.”

The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts teamed up with Corona for a baseball-themed soundtrack campaign called “Playa Sounds.”

(Corona)

You can hear the soundtrack here. From the press release: “The entire mix is tuned at 432hz — a frequency commonly associated with enhanced clarity.”

“As a player, you need to be in the right head space to show up when the lights are brightest,” Betts said in the press release. “I worked with Corona to make sure this soundtrack accurately captures the energy of the postseason and channels that into something both the guys in the dugout and fans can use to prepare for the season’s biggest upcoming moments.”

In last year’s postseason, Betts batted .290, hitting four home runs and scoring 14 runs in 16 games. After the World Series, on an episode of his podcast, he and several teammates broke down the Dodgers’ championship run, including a discussion of the New York Yankees’ fundamental flaws in the World Series.

The Galaxy are the worst team in Major League Soccer. That’s not subjective opinion, it’s objective fact. Just look at the MLS standings, where the Galaxy are dead last after Sunday’s 4-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders, a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the score would indicate.

But the Galaxy are also one of the four best teams in Major League Soccer. That, too, is not subjective opinion but objective fact because, after an unbeaten run through Leagues Cup group play, the Galaxy are one of just four MLS teams to advance to the tournament quarterfinals.

How can both things be true simultaneously? That’s a good question — and one that can be only be answered subjectively.

“It takes time for a group to come together and a team to find out who they are,” Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz offered. “We had to discover ourselves a little bit.”

The Galaxy’s Mauricio Cuevas lies on the field and covers his face with his hands during his team’s 4-0 loss to the Sounders in Seattle on Sunday.

(Luiza Moraes / Getty Images)

That doesn’t really capture the depth of the Galaxy’s decline. The team had one of the most successful seasons in franchise history last year, matching the modern-era record for victories (19) and going unbeaten in 21 games at Dignity Health Sports Park en route to their sixth MLS Cup.

This season, they got off to the worst start ever for a reigning champion, going 16 games without a win while being outscored 36-13. Since May 31, however, the Galaxy are 5-3-4 in all competition, with two of the wins coming against Mexican clubs Tijuana and Santos Laguna, whom they outscored 9-2 in Leagues Cup matches.

In between there were no trades, no acquisitions and no major lineup or strategic changes. Nor are there likely to be any for the reason of the season; although there are 10 days left in the MLS summer transfer window, Kuntz said “I don’t foresee us doing anything.”

So it’s pretty much been the same players and will pretty much stay the same players. Only now they’re playing (slightly) better.

“The rosters are the same, but the minutes and who’s getting them have maybe changed a little bit. Our start of the season was more of an aberration than where we’re at now,” Kuntz said.

Defender Mauricio Cuevas, for example, started just two of the team’s first 24 MLS games, but he started two of the Leagues Cup games and contributed three assists. The Galaxy were winless in league play when forward Matheus Nascimento made his first start; with Nascimento scoring six goals, they’ve lost just four of 13 games in all competition since then. And winger Joseph Paintsil, who appeared lost early in the season, has found his form from a year ago, notching six goals and an assist in his last eight matches.

Still, Kuntz’s subjective analysis feels like a bit of a cop-out since the Galaxy returned 10 of the 14 players who appeared in last year’s MLS Cup final, a game midfielder Riqui Puig, the team’s most indispensable player, missed with injury.

But it’s not so much how many players left as it is where they played that matters, the GM said. Two of the three players he traded — Mark Delgado and Gastón Brugman — were midfielders. And with Puig yet to play this year, the Galaxy started the season missing three of their top five midfielders in terms of minutes played in 2024.

“The midfield is the heart of any team,” Kuntz said. “That’s not to say we haven’t had some players who underperformed or took longer to get to speed than we thought. But the midfield consistency also impacts guys. Everything’s sort of interrelated.”

Coach Greg Vanney agreed. His team’s decline, he said, can’t be blamed on one thing.

“There are a lot of things,” he said. “I don’t think we have a super deep group when it comes to a lot of games in a short period to match some of the physicality.

“We haven’t executed. We have given up goals soft. We’ve never been able to catch any sort of consistent sort of form and rhythm inside of the league and gotten results out of it and closed out games when we need to.”

And that’s just the short list.

The Galaxy’s tepid turnaround — “We’ve been a lot better over the last stretch,” Vanney said — hasn’t been nearly good enough to lift the team out of the deep, deep hole it dug in the first three months of the season since their 3-15-7 record has them buried at the bottom of the MLS table and their 52 goals allowed are most in the league.

Cruz Azul forward Carlos Rotondi and Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec fight for the ball during a Leagues Cup match on Aug. 3 in Carson.

(Eric Thayer / Associated Press)

Yet a win over Mexico’s Pachuca next week, at home, would leave the Galaxy a win away from a berth in next season’s CONCACAF Champions Cup and two victories away from raising the Leagues Cup, giving them a second major title in nine months.

And they have another chance at hardware in October’s Campeones Cup against Mexican champion Toluca, whom they could also face in the Leagues Cup final.

“It is important to compete for trophies, right?” Kuntz asked. “The other thing you’ve see in this tournament is a bit of a fresh start for us. And guys kind of embrace that. It’s like this is what you’d see if the MLS season started today. This is kind of where we’d be.”

Where they are is last. Winning a trophy while finishing at the bottom of the MLS standings has been done before; in 2013, DC United set an MLS record for fewest wins in a season with three and broke the record for fewest points in a 34-game season with 16.

“Hey, you can still qualify for Champions [Cup]. Pretty incredible,” Kuntz said. “You need to be a goldfish, right? Have a short memory. It’s important that you not dwell on what’s already passed.

“Because the most important stretch is what comes next.”

That’s not subjective opinion. It’s objective fact.

⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.

Players from six Valley League football schools came to Granada Hills Kennedy High on Monday for a media day, and you can say without any doubts that Van Nuys senior quarterback Carlos Herrera has been changed by his experiences.

When he decided to try football for the first time as a freshman, he said he knew little about the sport such as putting on shoulder pads. By last season, he was the City Section Division III offensive player of the year after passing for 2,158 yards and 23 touchdowns and running for 807 yards and 12 touchdowns.

“It never crossed my mind,” he said of his football success. “It’s changed my life physically and mentally. It helps me mentally. When I go into the real world, nothing will be as tough a challenge.”

Cousins Diego Montes (left) and James Montes of Kennedy.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Defending league champion Kennedy has the Montes cousins, quarterback Diego Montes and defensive lineman James Montes. Diego has a 4.6 grade point-average, made All-City and is known for his versatility.

“Every time I try to sack him, he runs away,” James said.

Kennedy lineman Lazara Barajas has made big changes physically.

Last season he weighed 298 pounds. Now he’s 262 pounds after he stopped eating chips and used better cardio techniques to drop weight.

First-year Reseda coach Ed Breceda is a Reseda grad and former Regent assistant.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

First-year Reseda coach Ed Breceda, who graduated from the school in 2006 and was an assistant coach under former head coach Alonso Arreola, is going back even further, bringing back smash-mouth football from the days of coach Joel Schaeffer. He brought three running backs to the media day — Innis Marquez, Erick Figueroa and Jonathan Orantes.

Many of Reseda’s players are enrolled in the school’s police magnet program. Orantes also is part of the school’s cheer team.

Canoga Park coach Lucius Mills has spent months trying to convince one of his school’s top soccer players, Gabriel Trigueros Estrada, to join the football team. He finally arrived this summer and is showing promise as a senior safety with no football experience. Mills is hoping if Estrada has a good experience, other soccer players will follow in future years.

San Fernando coach Charles Burnley played for the Tigers and is always reminding his players about their strong football tradition. San Fernando produced a Heisman Trophy winner, Charles White.

The Tigers have been strengthened by two transfers from Heritage Christian, quarterback Julian Zarzo and running back Brandon Marshall. But the player to watch could be 6-foot-4, 290-pound junior tackle Paul Villegas.

San Fernando 6-4, 290-pound junior Paul Villegas.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Only 16 years old and part Samoan, he’s gaining physicality and adding strength. And what about his eating skills?

“What didn’t I eat,” he said.

San Fernando plays Sylmar at the Coliseum on Oct. 17.

Brothers Rayleo (left) and Elizeo Reyes of Sylmar might be small in stature but they play with heart and toughness.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Brothers Rayleo and Elizeo Reyes are key players for Sylmar as defensive backs. Never doubt their toughness, for Rayleo is a 5-6, 150-pound senior and Elizeo is a 5-5, 149-pound junior.

“We like to fly around and hit people,” Rayleo said.

Both can’t wait to play at the Coliseum. “I’ve always been a USC fan,” Elizeo said. “It’s a dream come true.”

Panorama is excited about sophomore safety Brandon Hernandez, who ended up starting as a 14-year-old freshman last season.

Asked how do you get someone so young ready to play on varsity, coach Adrian Beltran said, “You make them be best friends with the linemen. He hung out with them at lunch, after school.”