If a quarterback is judged by a team’s wins and losses, then Elijah Brown of Santa Ana Mater Dei and Bryan Wilson of Chino Hills Ayala need to be wrapped in foam and preserved, protected and worshipped.
Mater Dei is 22-0 with Brown as a starter since his freshman year. Ayala is 19-1 with Wilson. Yes, they receive lots of help, but their leadership, guidance and poise under pressure keep leading to victories.
No. 1 Mater Dei improved to 5-0 on Friday night with a 42-14 win over Hawaii Mililani. The Monarchs relied on their ground game, with Jordon Davison gaining 128 yards and Nathaniel Frazier 100 yards. Brown threw two touchdown passes and the defense got two sacks from sophomore linebacker Nasir Wyatt.
Wilson directed Ayala (5-0) to a 20-19 victory over rival Chino Hills in what is known as the Battle for the Bone. Ayala stopped a two-point conversion with 48 seconds left to preserve the victory, its fifth straight in the rivalry series.
City Section impact: Standout receiver Jaden Rattay of Los Angeles Lincoln broke a finger during his team’s first game. He was finally healthy Friday. He touched the ball four times. He caught two touchdown passes, returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown and made an interception during a win over Mendez.
Eagle Rock (5-0) put itself right in the middle of the possible Open Division playoff field with a 37-22 victory over Granada Hills. Anthony Leon had an interception, scored on a 50-yard run and returned a punt 56 yards. Two-way line starter Jacob Bernal was dominant. Eagle Rock and Franklin (4-0) are on a collision course to meet Oct. 30 at Eagle Rock.
“This has turned into a special team,” Eagle Rock coach Andy Moran said.
Rising: Redondo Union is 4-0 under first-year coach Keith Ellison after a 42-13 win over Paramount. Quarterback Christian Hunt has 10 touchdown passes this season with no interceptions.
Yorba Linda is 5-0 after a 33-14 win over Simi Valley. Quarterback Reyn Beal is playing mistake-free football and the defense keeps getting better and better.
Gardena Serra keeps playing tough teams and getting better. The Cavaliers (3-2) won their third consecutive game, rallying from a 14-0 deficit to defeat Westlake Village Oaks Christian 20-14. Cincere Rhaney rushed for 211 yards. Serra is still making too many mistakes at the quarterback position, but coach Scott Altenberg said, “We’re working through things.”
Showdown time: Thousand Oaks is known for its very enthusiastic student section, so beware when the unbeaten Lancers (4-0) host unbeaten Newbury Park (5-0) on Friday. The Lancers won their Canyon League opener over Oak Park 28-14. And their quarterback, Travis Endicott, was the quarterback at Newbury Park last season.
