O.C. football Top 25: No. 5

August 27th, 2010, 11:20 pm · · posted by Steve Fryer

5. La Habra
(13-1 overall, 5-0 in the Freeway League last year)

The Highlanders won their third consecutive CIF championship last year, the second-most in county history (St. Margaret’s won its fourth in a row last year). All-County running back Joshua Quezada, also the Freeway League’s 2009 MVP and perhaps the team’s heart and inspiration last year, graduated. But coming back are excellent players all over the field.

Senior quarterback Cody Clements, all-league last year, committed to Washington State. There are two all-league linemen back – Kevin Casey and Kyle Peko – and junior receiver Brett Bartolone was all-league last year, too. Ahmad Avery replaces Quezada at running back, as he did briefly when Quezada was ill for a couple of ’09 games; Avery rushed for 399 yards and five touchdowns. The defense should be fine, with all-league returnees Will Peppard and Mike Sparling in the defensive backfield, and linebacker Aaron Porter. La Habra toughed up its nonleague schedule, adding Trinity League teams Orange Lutheran and Servite.

UPDATE: La Habra transfer Drake Griffin ruled ineligible by CIF-SS

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2002tony says:

August 28, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Well Steve, I think you really have gone out on a limb here. I do want La Habra to play well and to be very competitive with Olu Servite and SJ Bosco but to pick LH over OLu has got to be just hunch call (gut call) or one from your heart, because I dont see any logic (using your head) in it at this point.

I wont count them out( LH) because I know a good lower div team can be a team to be reckoned with, however this also putting them in the top 5 teams in the pack 5, and they dont have the track record for that one. It is not like they beat a Div 1 league champion or even a top contender last year or any year before that, If LH would have won those games last year handily, and then had the present circumstances, then I could see some of the logic in it.
I can see how they beat a Div 1 playoff team last year, but san clemente was a 3rd place team and a good team, but no where near the top of the pile. I dont see how LH is “that” much better over last years team that they can go from a Great lower div team, that would have been a middle of the road to maybe the lower 1/3 of the Div 1 team most likely, to a team this year is close to the top of Div 1.
I know you can point to all the all league players LH has coming back, however, most if not all of them would not have been all league in the trinity, sunset, or south coast leagues.

As I said in the beginning, I hope that LH is very competitive and has a great showing for themselves against all the Trinity teams on their schedule, they may even beat SJB, ( if you want to consider all previous years records as a logical factor) but to say LH is this high up in the Pac 5 teams in the OC, to me just doesnt make for a good pick or placement

Glen Chervin says:

August 28, 2010 at 12:32 pm

Thankfully in less than a week we will know if Steve has made his first major rankings blunder of the season, or not?
warren says:

August 30, 2010 at 10:52 pm

has anyone notice how much controversy La Habra has created in the past three years? Don’t know why but either you love em, or hate em there seems no middle ground at this blogg.

The Guild says:

August 28, 2010 at 12:31 pm

Concur with Fryer. Outside of LosAl, MD, MV and Servite, there is no reason why the Highlanders should not be rated accordingly. Time will tell soon enough. They have a tremendous benefit of kids going thru their system from PW on and a coaching staff that compares with anybody’s. They’ll prove to be legit.

Steve Fryer says:

August 28, 2010 at 1:16 pm

If I am wrong, it won’t be the first time … nor the last!

fbFan says:

August 28, 2010 at 1:50 pm

At least you go that right!
- warren says:
  
  August 30, 2010 at 10:50 pm
  
  Hate to say this but steve and I agree 90 percent of the time. It is scarry. Of course that mean I am as wrong as often as he also. So I stick up for steve and hope he does well

Stud says:

August 28, 2010 at 8:01 pm

Steve…!!!u ma BOI…!!!les do it this year…CLAN PRIDE

whittier bruin says:

August 28, 2010 at 8:05 pm

looks like their game with st. john bosco looks much harder than they think it will be . Bosco looked pretty good against a big , physical long beach poly team as bosco manhandled poly upfront on both sides of the lines . you might have an “easier” time with olu.

August 28, 2010 at 8:16 pm

And if you dont believe what im saying ,you could ask the lakewood high coaches who were in the stands scouting and couldnt believe that Bosco was putting a major smackdown on their rival team the jackrabbitts.

warren says:

August 30, 2010 at 10:46 pm

the jackrabits were far from their normal great team status last year

Footballdood says:

August 29, 2010 at 9:10 pm

@2002 tony

I beg to differ about what u have to say. those al league returnees are great players, and i would guarantee that they would easily make it in the all league teams in the pac five school. they are going to be the real deal this year. cant wait to watch them go off and win their way to state.

Abner says:

August 29, 2010 at 10:07 pm

Yes baby I agree! La Habra is for real….

UHWarrior says:

August 29, 2010 at 10:18 pm

The problem with St. John Bosco, is that last year they were 5-5. (Yea, I know their record shows 6-4, but they got a win from St. Bonaventure due to forfeit.) It’s hard to judge them, from last years squad because they beat some really lousy teams, and lost to some real good ones. They didn’t surprise anyone. They’ll have their QB returning along with one RB with a little experience. Their “big” play makers (2-leading rushers and leading receiver) from last year all graduated. They had pretty decent running game last year (producing a 1000+ yard rusher), behind a large young OL.

But, the highlanders should still match-up better at the skill positions, and their OL (barring injuries), will be the best in SouthWest Div. I put SJB in the same category as La Mirada, a pretty good team that the Highlanders should beat. Hey, but the only guarantees in life are death and taxes. Peace.

warren says:

August 30, 2010 at 10:35 pm

Orange Lutheran will have their hands full on Friday. If it were played in the “Pit” the odds would swing to La Habra. The good thing is that the place will be packed, and there will be no sleep for eight blocks from the game. La habra tradition is to give the first score to the other side and finish hard and fast in the 4th. Orange Lutheran has a some fade at the end. Love all of the teams but La Habra is the blue collar team that beats up on the rich kid teams (remember San Clementi last year?). On the other hand my son’s memorial fund is at Orange Lutheran. In short, my heart is torn but the game is one of the best ‘game of the week’ picks… see ya there.