Five thoughts heading in the huge Suburban League matchup between Bellflower (5-0) and La Mirada (4-1):
1. Run game? Check. Passing game? Check.
Friday will be a night of two complete and well balanced offenses. Bucs have used their rushing attack to get them to a 5-0 start behind their veteran offensive line but the passing game has started to mesh well. The Matadores do not have a standout rusher in the backfield instead using a rush-by-committee (but have still put up big numbers on the ground) approach but their passing attack is the best in the league with 12 touchdowns through the air. Both teams can beat you either way and it’s going to be fun to watch them try to do so on each other.
2. Game for the league title?
It’s just the second week of Suburban League play but it just may be the one to decided the championship. Through the first five games La Mirada and Bellflower are the clear cut top two teams in the league. Norwalk is not out of the running yet but they need to go through the Bucs and Matadores. Whoever comes out Friday with a win has the inside track.
3. Reed vs. Lara
No this is not an MMA fight it’s the QB battle between Demetrius Reed and Christian Lara! These two seniors (both transfers, Reed from Cabrillo and Lara from Santa Fe) have made their mark on the league, currently sitting as the top two signal callers. Reed has come on strong these last two games with five passing scores. He only had one in the first three. The senior is finding the groove with his young receivers at the right time. On the other side Lara has been lights out. He is completing 77 percent of this passes and has thrown for at least two scores in every game. Lara has also only thrown for just on interception.
4. Tony Brown is in town
This will be my first time checking out Brown in a real game. I saw him during the inter-squad scrimmage and immediately I knew he had to be the kid I had been hearing about through the grapevine. So far the Servite transfer has established himself as the top receiver in the league. He has more than 600 yards and seven scores. Excited to see his athleticism up close.
5. Will Marquise Lowe run wild?
So far no team has been able to bottle up the top rusher in the Suburban League in the junior Lowe. In racking up 799 yards and eight scores, Lowe is rushing a mightily impressive 7.9 yards per carry. He has not been kept out of the end zone once this season. The Matadores defense will be the Bucs toughest to date. La Mirada has a huge defensive line up front with Koal Denning and Niko Nau. It will be a great matchup for that big offensive line for Bellflower to try to get Lowe rolling for another week.