Fall football season is just a couple weeks away and Los Alamitos High’s football team, the defending Sunset League champs, is gearing up for another successful season.
The Griffins are pouring talent out from every corner of the squad and they will be the frontrunner to win this year’s Sunset League.
“I will be disappointed if we don’t win the league,” said Head Coach John Barnes. “It will still be a battle though.”
Barnes even after 45 years of coaching is still heavily involved in the day-to-day activities, and he says to expect big things from the Griffins this season.
Quarterback Jack Telenko gives the Griffins strong leadership at a vital position in their offense.
“You’d be hard pressed to find a better quarterback in the league,” said Barnes about Telenko.
Telenko, who’s last year’s Sunset League offensive back of the year, is just getting better and better. He’s tacked on some weight and is improving all aspects of his game, said Barnes.
“He’s a lot bigger and stronger. He’s phenomenal,” said Barnes. “His deep ball is much better.”
In front of Telenko will be returning starters Sean Tulette and Jacob Keller on the offensive line. Both players made second team All-League last season and will be the backbone of a line that has impressed Barnes.
“Our offensive line is as good or better than last year’s,” said Barnes
On the flipside of the football, the Griffins lost a leader in defense in the form of Matt Locher, who was awarded the title of League MVP along with also graduated senior Denzal Brantley.
Replacing Locher in the middle linebacker position will be Schuyler Whitehead, who played safety and, at times, running back last year.
Whitehead is expected to perform just like Locher, Barnes says, and he will also be looking for Whitehead to help with the run game duties.
“He needs to be a leader,” said Barnes.
Whitehead will have help from returning All-League defensive end Will Armstrong.
Armstrong recorded 61 tackles last season and 24 of those were unassisted.
The Los Al squad look to be gelling together nicely so far. Los Al had a few strong showings at passing tournaments during summer.
Recently, they took first at the Orange Coast passing tournament and reached the final of the highly-touted “Battle at the Beach” passing tournament at Edison High School, the Griffins’ biggest rival in the Sunset League in recent years, and the team that could spoil Los Al’s league run.
Twenty of the top rated teams in the area participated in the event and Los Al ended up taking second place in the tournament.
The Griffins fell short in the championship game against Narbonne High School. Last season, the Griffins lost in their final preseason game to the Gauchos from Harbor City, and this year Los Al will face them in their final preseason game on Oct. 1.
After going undefeated in pool play, 3-0, the Griffins got a bye in the first playoff round of the tournament and had a definite spot in the quarterfinal.
Pool play wasn’t as easy as the record might indicate. Los Al defeated the likes of Centennial High out of Corona, who were last year’s CIF PAC 5 division champions, and Valencia High who went undefeated in League play in 2014.
Telenko helped lead his team to final with a fine showing that Barnes will hope carries over in the regular season. They will need to hit the ground running when regular season games starts. Edison will be their first league game of the season, which is debatably the toughest game on their schedule.