The greater Long Beach area 2013 high school football season was all mountains and valleys. At the pinnacle was Bellflower-based St. John Bosco winning CIF-Southern Section Pac-5 and CIF state titles and behind a record-setting offense becoming one of just two teams in state history to win 16 games in a season.
The valley saw a rise in transfermania that led Long Beach Unified School District to consider new rules to stem the tide of students transferring to schools purely for athletic opportunities.
It was also a year of change, with Poly’s Raul Lara resigning after 12 great seasons and five CIF titles. Lara’s departure ends 35 years of coaching continuity going back to the Dave Barnett era in 1980, which begat the Jerry Jaso-Brandon Whiting regime, Jaso’s successful solo years and then Lara maintaining the legacy.
Here are 10 things to watch as the 2014 season gets underway. Most teams open the season Friday, although Bosco already has begun its title defense with a game in Hawaii.
1 Bosco looks to repeat
The Braves’ 2013 season was sensational, and enough talented players – quarterback Josh Rosen, running back Sean McGrew and lineman Matt Katnik – return to give coach Jason Negro a good foundation for a repeat.
2 Year one for Antonio Pierce
Poly’s search for a new coach ended with the hiring of the 35-year-old Pierce, a nine-year NFL veteran who won a Super Bowl in 2007 with the New York Giants. Pierce knows the territory, having grown up in Compton, playing at Paramount for the respected Ken Sutch and being a Poly parent for two years (his son is Deandre).
3 Poly spreads it out
The biggest change under Pierce is a promise to change the traditional Poly run-first philosophy on offense to the modern-day spread offense. Is Poly going to become Quarterback U.?
4 Backyard basics at Lakewood
After three years of subpar play and notable player defections, Jimmy Nolan has been hired as coach at Lakewood and has a plan to rebuild the once-thriving Lakewood football community that frayed after the departure of coach Thadd MacNeal. Nolan has resuscitated several programs and is jazzed at the opportunity to rebuild The Wood.
5 The Cabrillo rule
The 2013 season was marked by the Cabrillo High Jaguars taking in 20 transfers from other schools, including several from Moore League colleagues.
Transfermania is widespread, and Cabrillo took the brunt of the criticism. LBUSD is considering a rule that would make a student-athlete ineligible for a season if he transfers from one league school to another without valid proof of residence.
For 2014, the district plans more diligence in checking residency and thwarting transfers that are entirely based on athletic opportunity. It will apply the current CIF-SS rule of a 30-day ineligibility period for any football player who hasn’t established residency even though it has traditionally embraced open enrollment.
6 Biggie decision
His name is Iman Marshall, but everyone calls the Poly defensive back Biggie. Most every college in the country has called Biggie’s cell the last two seasons trying to get a commitment from him. The drama over his college choice as the nation’s premier prep defensive back will be part of the narrative.
7 Last call?
Mayfair coach Mike Fitch is in his 21st season as head man for the Monsoons, put in a decade of coaching before that at Brethren Christian and Whittier and is among a handful of California coaches with more than 200 career wins. He’s cagey about retiring and would like to win another Suburban League title before he does.
8 Saints will march
St. Anthony went 7-4 in 2013 under Mario Morales and returns quarterback Jake Hooper (2,066 passing yards, 23 touchdowns) and the influx of players from last year’s deep and successful freshman team. Moving to a revamped and less onerous Santa Fe League should help.
9 New blood at Compton
The once-proud Tarbabes will start 2013 with their sixth coach in six years – Elijah Asante, who had success at Carson High and is respected for his ability to build a program.
Compton went 15-34 in the past five years under Calvin Bryant, Jimmy Nolan, Don Markham (who quit after two games), Brian Collins and Brian Burks, and three of those wins came via forfeit. Compton was 0-10 on the field in 2013.
10 Cerritos got back
Valley Christian’s Jonathan Nicholson (1,339) returns for his senior seasons looking for more yardage and victories.
Contact the writer: bkeisser@lbregister.com
