Prep Rally: The Top Linebackers And Running Backs To Watch This Season

Hi, and invited to different version of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. Let’s analyse immoderate apical linebackers and moving backs to watch.

Speed matters

Los Alamitos’ Kamden Tillis, right, celebrates a touchdown pinch teammate Ashton Gogue (13) against Edison connected Thursday successful an Alpha League shot crippled astatine SoFi Stadium.

(Craig Weston)

Top teams person apical linebackers, and representing nan City Section is De’Andre Kirkpatrick from Crenshaw, a San Diego State perpetrate who 1 time has nan chance to beryllium compared to erstwhile Crenshaw standouts Hayes Pullard and Daiyan Henley.

Kirkpatrick is 6 feet 3, 220 pounds and doesn’t for illustration moving backs. He throws them to nan turf for illustration a rag doll.

Another outstanding City Section linebacker/defensive extremity is Elyjah Staples of Marquez, a Cal perpetrate who plays wherever his squad needs him.

One schoolhouse pinch aggregate apical linebackers is Servite pinch Allen Kennett and Isaiah Leilua. St. John Bosco’s Josiah Poyer has improved truthful overmuch that he’s a USC perpetrate and now covers violative players going retired for passes pinch expertise and confidence.

Isaiah Phelps of Oxnard Pacifica is simply a tackling machine. George Hastings of Agoura is only 5-11 but versatile, smart and many times making an impact. Sevelino Taliauli of Long Beach Poly is simply a Colorado State commit. Noah Curtin of Chino Hills had 122 tackles.

Kane Casani of Loyola has worked nonstop successful nan weight room to go stronger and faster aft averaging 13 tackles a game. Matthew Charles of Chaminade is fresh for a breakout inferior season, and nan Eagles besides person Washington State commit Josiah Rand. Wyatt Bogdan, 6-3, 220 pounds, had 81 solo tackles for Laguna Beach arsenic a junior.

Among moving backs, Stanford-bound AJ McBean has moved from Mira Costa to Gardena Serra and will person 5 returning starters up beforehand to thief him look good.

Noel Washington of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame showed flashes of brilliance arsenic a sophomore. Malachi McFarland of Damien is going to get nan chance to grip nan shot overmuch much to return advantage of his speed.

Jaxsen Stokes of Sierra Canyon has convinced his coach that there’s nary smarter play telephone than giving him nan ball. Kamden Tillis of Los Alamitos is coming disconnected a 1,500 yards season. Sophomores Adrian Petero of Santa Margarita and Asir Nembhard of Mater Dei picked up valuable acquisition arsenic freshmen contributors.

Malaki Davis of Corona Centennial is 215 pounds pinch speed. Maliq Allen of St. John Bosco came backmost aft transferring to Inglewood and adds acquisition and velocity to nan backfield. Malaki Buchanan of Victor Valley is simply a sophomore pinch a 10.37 100 meters time. Kevika Mata’utia-Martinez of La Habra rushed for much than 1,400 yards arsenic a junior.

Aidan Crecion (left) has grown to 6 feet 5 and passed his father, Gabe, who was a tight extremity astatine Chaminade and UCLA. Aidan will beryllium a inferior receiver astatine Oaks Chrisitan.

(Crecion family)

The opening crippled betwixt Oaks Christian and Chaminade connected Aug. 21 will person typical meaning for Gabe Crecion, who was a prima tight extremity and shot subordinate astatine Chaminade earlier moving connected to UCLA. His son, Aidan, has grown to 6 feet 5 and is simply a promising inferior receiver for Oaks Christian.

Orange Lutheran has precocious added 2 highly regarded transfers successful tight extremity Hudson Ploog from Troy and violative lineman Austin Attalah from Cajon. But remember, first-year coach Ray Fenton talked past play astatine Los Alamitos really overmuch nosy it was coaching vicinity kids alternatively of transfers. Unfortunately, this is what nan Trinity League has go known for — transfers. Coaches get fired for losing records successful nan Trinity League.

Junior receiver and 100 meters standout Benjamin Harris of Servite has committed to Oregon State.

First-year St. Bernard coach Dean Herrington is getting utilized to his caller thrust from Valencia to Playa del Rey. Once schoolhouse starts, he’ll beryllium leaving astatine 5 a.m. trying to hit nan traffic. Asked really his caller squad was doing, Herrington said, “It’s trying to alteration nan civilization and gets to believe each nan time.” Herrington’s 13-year-old grandson, Bradley Rees, is simply a backmost successful waiting and 2 years distant from precocious school.

Former Edison standout Hunter White has returned to return complete coaching protect backs astatine his alma mater. It’s nan first clip he’s been coaching since helping retired his father, Dave, immoderate 10 years ago.

With nan presence of backmost Ethan Grant from Los Angeles, Crenshaw has nan luxury of having 2 competent quarterbacks. Danniel Flowers started arsenic a inferior but besides could spot action arsenic a receiver this season.

The Moore sisters, Nylah (left), a senior, and freshman Cinzia will beryllium standouts astatine Eagle Rock successful emblem shot and basketball.

(Eristheo Raif)

The presence of freshman Cinzia Moore to subordinate her sister, Nylah, astatine Eagle Rock is large news successful City Section emblem football. Nylah is Eagle Rock’s returning quarterback. Cinzia is 5 feet 9. Both will besides beryllium standouts for nan girls hoops team.

Here’s the report.

Flag shot practices officially statesman for Southern Section teams Monday, pinch first games allowed Saturday.

Sierra Canyon, which has a squad for nan first clip this season, keeps picking up transfers from Orange County (maybe nan lodging is cheaper successful Chatsworth). The latest is sophomore Angelina Dubois from Orange Lutheran. She joins Orange Lutheran teammate, backmost Makena Cook, astatine Sierra Canyon, on pinch past year’s Division 1 subordinate of nan year, Ava Irwin from JSerra.

The NFL Chargers are hosting a immense emblem shot tourney Aug. 14 and 15 that will supply an early look astatine apical teams.

Notes . . .

Jaden Soong of St. Francis High added nan Junior PGA Championship connected Friday to his play resume.

(Courtesy Chris Soong)

Jaden Soong, who will beryllium a inferior golfer astatine St. Francis this fall, won nan Junior PGA Championship past week, continuing to build upon a resume that’s disconnected nan charts. He won nan CIF authorities title arsenic a freshman. Here’s the report....

Call it nan passing of nan precocious jump torch. Former Olympic precocious jump Dwight Stones presents JJ Harel of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame nan precocious schoolhouse subordinate of nan twelvemonth grant from nan Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame .

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame precocious jumper JJ Harel, nan two-time authorities champion, announced he will compete for Israel astatine nan U20 World Championships. That intends he will astir apt correspond Israel for nan 2028 Olympic Games successful Los Angeles. He will beryllium a freshman astatine USC this coming schoolhouse year....

Harvard-Westlake is nearing completion of its $200-million River Park Sports Complex that began building successful 2024. Here’s the study and video...

Rolling Hills Prep, nether hoops coach Harvey Kitani, near for China past week for a 10-day travel that will person nan squad playing 3 accumulation games....

Narbonne is appealing its three-year playoff prohibition successful shot for City Section rules violations. Last twelvemonth was nan first play of nary playoffs. The entreaty is expected to beryllium heard successful September....

Fountain Valley and Edison person played shot games against each different for 57 consecutive years. Fountain Valley is pausing that crippled this play arsenic it tries to build up its program. It’s not unusual. Crespi paused playing rival Sherman Oaks Notre Dame for nan past 2 years and will resume nan rivalry this play aft going from 0-10 successful 2022 to 10-1 past season....

Pitcher Timmy Carey from Cypress has committed to Pepperdine....

Former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and UCLA pitcher Justin Lee signed pinch nan Phillies aft being selected successful nan 20th information of nan amateur draft. Former Loyola and USC catcher Augie Lopez signed pinch nan Padres....

Baseball subordinate Grant Horsley from Newport Harbor has committed to Navy....

Camren Hughes of Palos Verdes came connected beardown past outpouring moving nan 200 and 400 and now he’s headed to UCLA successful September. He’d beryllium a first-round prime for intramural football.

From nan archives: Jaquez brother/sister duo

Jaime Jaquez Jr. poses for a photograph pinch his sister Gabriela Jaquez successful 2021.

(UCLA Athletics/UCLA Athletics)

Time is flying by pinch tons of changes for Jaime and Gabriela Jaquez, nan brother/sister duo from Camarillo who became stars astatine UCLA and are now pro hoops players.

Jaime was was sent to nan Milwaukee Bucks from Miami successful nan Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. After helping UCLA’s women’s squad triumph nan NCAA championship, Gabriela was a first-round WNBA draught prime by nan Chicago Sky and is averaging 8.3 points successful her rookie season.

Here’s a story from 2022 connected really Gabriela would not beryllium denied getting a danasiwa from her dream school.

Here’s a communicative from 2025 of Jaime returning to Camarillo to person his jersey number retired.

Recommendations

From the562.org, a communicative connected Lakewood dropping boys and girls lacrosse aft failing to find coaches.

From nan Orange County Register, a communicative looking astatine JSerra first-year shot coach Hardy Nickerson, nan first Black caput coach successful nan Trinity League.

From Athlon sports, a communicative connected St. Francis phenom golfer Jaden Soong.

From USA Baseball, a communicative connected Harvard-Westlake pitchers Justin Kirchner and James Venick.

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Until adjacent time....

Have a question, remark aliases thing you’d for illustration to spot successful a early Prep Rally newsletter? Email maine astatine eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and travel maine connected Twitter astatine @latsondheimer.

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