Los Alamitos wins major passing tournament
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Los Alamitos made as big of a statement as possible in an offseason by winning the South County passing tournament at Mission Viejo High on Saturday. The Griffins won the tournament which had a field that included top programs like…
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Continue ReadingLos Alamitos made as big of a statement as possible in an offseason by winning the South County passing tournament at Mission Viejo High on Saturday.
The Griffins won the tournament which had a field that included top programs like Servite, Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo and Long Beach Poly.
In pool play of the tournament, Los Alamitos beat Santa Margarita, St. Paul, Notre Dame and league rival Newport Harbor.
Los Alamitos beat Santa Margarita again in the quarterfinals, Bishop Amat in the semifinals and beat hosts Mission Viejo 42-35 in the championship.
The main difference between Los Alamitos’ performance at the Battle at the Beach last week and this tournament was the return of Malachi Nelson Malachi Nelson 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA and Makai Lemon Makai Lemon 6'0" | 175 lbs | ATH Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA . Nelson was the most impressive quarterback of the day Saturday. He is so relaxed in the pocket and makes deep throws look effortless.
.@MalachiNelson9 knows how to spin it @ocvarsity @LosAlFootball pic.twitter.com/F7FEQLviEr
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) July 10, 2021
Nelson also can crank up the velocity of his throws to fit them into tight windows when he has to. On Sunday, Nelson named his top seven schools: Notre Dame, Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State and USC.
The flick of a wrist from Malachi Nelson of Los Alamitos. pic.twitter.com/lV1EuPQOF7
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) July 10, 2021
Lemon predictably was getting open all day, but it was a full-team effort that won the day by the other Los Alamitos receivers. Alec Wills looked better than I have ever seen him and Ethan O’Connor Ethan O’Connor 6'1" | 165 lbs | ATH Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA and Gavin Porch Gavin Porch 5'10" | 160 lbs | ATH Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA made big plays as well.
🚨College Recruiters🚨 please check out @AlecWills_ https://t.co/RjPwRZG8K9
— malachi nelson (@Malachi) July 11, 2021
St. John Bosco transfer Kevin Longstreet did not play on Saturday due to an ankle injury, but juniors Isaiah Dorsey and Byron Ferguson and sophomore Stephen Lendsey Stephen Lendsey 5'10" | 170 lbs | ATH Santa Margarita | 2024 CA picked up the slack at cornerback.
Lendsey is a transfer from Mater Dei and Dorsey made big plays at the Battle at the Beach last week too.
Junior DB Isiah Dorsey (@i_dorsey20) with an interception for @LosAlFootball pic.twitter.com/hFPcluS5Jg
— Sunset Rewind (@Sunset_Rewind) July 10, 2021
Senior linebacker Brian Jurado, who also plays running back for the Griffins, had a major pass deflection in the championship game which led to the first defensive stop of the game.
Aiden Greene made an interception on the final play of the game in the semifinals against Bishop Amat.
Saturday marked the first passing tournament win for Los Alamitos under coach Ray Fenton. Later, I will break down the top offensive and defensive performers from each team from the tournament.