The Los Alamitos High football team has essentially had nine months to prepare for their season opener with a new head coach, new system and renewed rigor. They’ve gone through all the off-season work and learning how to run a new system. And in the past few weeks as they went through conditioning, pads and scrimmages, new head coach Ray Fenton has seen a lot that gives him high expectations.
“All those things are pretty much in place now and it’s routine,” Fenton said of the prep work.
The Los Alamitos High football team has essentially had nine months to prepare for their season opener with a new head coach, new system and renewed rigor. They’ve gone through all the off-season work and learning how to run a new system. And in the past few weeks as they went through conditioning, pads and scrimmages, new head coach Ray Fenton has seen a lot that gives him high expectations.
“All those things are pretty much in place now and it’s routine,” Fenton said of the prep work.
Fenton said the players brought a great attitude to the preparation and the players and coaching staff have merged into a single unit. Even before last week’s scrimmage, Fenton said the players were ready to get into game play.
Offensively, the Griffins expect to have balanced attack and that will rely on new starting quarterback Hayden Smith. The senior saw limited play under center last year, but will give the offense a familiar face of leadership.
R.J. Gonzalez takes over the primary running back duties, after rushing for more than 400 yards last year. With just 61 carries, Gonzalez had the highest average yards per carry on the team.
“I think R.J. is outstanding,” Fenton said.
In the passing game, the Griffins will bring back some reliable weapons. Dylan Laurent returns after a solid junior year and should be among the leaders in the receiving corp. Tight end Drew Platt is a big target for Smith and sophomore Keanu Norman has impressed Fenton so far.
“He looks to be a big play guy,” Fenton said of Norman.
On the offensive line, the Griffins will be led by returning starter Andre Leomiti. Six-foot-three James Stanton will anchor the line at the left guard spot. Senior left tackle Kyle Stuart also gives the Griffins experience on the line. James Jobling brings strength to the line and should also be a key part of the line play. Overall, Fenton said the Griffins are deep in talent on the line, which is always a good thing.
On the flip side of the key offensive players is the old adage in football that defense wins championships. And the Griffins certainly seem to be bringing plenty to the table on the defensive side of the ball. Up front the Griffins will be led by defensive linemen Joey Noble and Matthew Faupusa. Noble, a senior, led the Griffins in tackles last year with 80 and had six sacks.
“We’re not afraid of anybody, we’ll play anyone,” Fenton said.
At six-foot-four, Noble is big, but has a lot of speed, off the ball and in pursuit. The first-team all-league pick is getting a lot of recruiting interest. Faupusa, a junior transfer from St. John Bosco, will anchor the inside of the defensive line. At 6-3, 315 pounds, Faupusa has the potential to take away any inside running game.
At linebacker, Drew Platt will move to the middle spot. The senior will also play a lot on offense, but his experience and game knowledge make him a good choice to take over the ‘defensive quarterback’ job.
Junior Issaiah Johnson should also be a big contributor in the linebacker slot. Johnson was a second-team all-league selection last year, with 76 tackles and eight sacks.
Dylan Laurent will give the secondary some experience. Laurent had two interceptions and 32 tackles last year. The CIF-SS re-aligned playoff divisions during the offseason, putting Los Alamitos into the Division 3 field. Mostly, comprised of teams outside of Orange County, the division includes Buena Park, Edison, Villa Park and San Juan Hills from within the OC.
The Griffins open the regular season at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 26, against Long Beach Poly at Cerritos College.
