Warren and star QB Iamaleava stand above the crowd in the SGVL
The San Gabriel Valley League steps into its first autumn football season since 2019, and things don’t look much like they did two years ago.
There’s a new standardbearer atop the hierarchy, an old giant is rising again, and the ruling powerhouse has fallen on tough times.
It makes for an interesting campaign, and the real fight might be for the league’s third guaranteed berth in the CIF Southern Section playoffs. There’s a chance that Paramount, winner of the previous three fall SGVL championships, could be left behind.
Warren (4-0) has supplanted the Pirates as the new boss, prospering with a dynamic passing game and suffocating defense. Paramount (1-3), a Division 4 semifinalist in 2019, could be facing off with rejuvenated Dominguez (5-0) for third place, although the Dons believe they can compete with the league’s elite.
What has not changed? Downey (4-1), overshadowed by the acclaim going to its bitter archrival, has another team capable of winning the championship — it would be Vikings’ first since 2016 — and reaching a Southern Section final for the fourth time in a decade.
“Warren’s the defending champs (from the pandemic-delayed spring season), and until you knock them down, everybody’s going to go after them,” said Downey coach Jack Williams, whose team lost a 41-38 heartbreaker to the Bears in April’s title showdown.
“Looking at Dominguez’s scores and differential, they’re up and coming, and they’re always going top have real good athletes. Paramount’s always had our number.
“If I had to pick a team, probably Warren.”
The landscape shifted perceptibly during the spring campaign. Warren was growing into something special and Paramount — its celebrated senior class gone after the 11-win campaign (and without coach Matt Howard, who was recuperating from a kidney transplant) — won just once in four games and lost to Dominguez, which hadn’t beaten any of the big three since 2015.
The Bears, who open league play at home Friday night against Dominguez, have gone 10-0 in 2021, transformed by charismatic coach Kevin Pearson and a lot of highquality transfers. The biggest is 6-foot-6, 205-pound quarterback Nicholaus Iamaleava, a Poly transfer whom Rivals.com ranks No. 3 among California juniors, behind Los Alamitos quarterback Malachi Nelson and St. John Bosco defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei.
Iamaleava has thrown for 1,242 yards and 20 touchdowns with just one interception this season and for 2,246 and 37 with just two picks in eight career games.
Warren, No. 16 in Calpreps’ Southern Section rankings and No. 22 in the state, has picked up players from several top programs. Pearson said he is “not surprised at all” by what his team is doing.
“We all expected to be where we are, and I think we’ll continue to be as the weeks go on,” Pearson said.
Iamaleava has a terrific set of receivers led by Jordan Anderson, Joshua Johnson (transfer from St. John Bosco) and Juan Wilson (Cathedral). The best offensive lineman is Taqee Shaheed (Narbonne), and the defense is led by linebacker E.J. Smith (Narbonne), defensive ends Dominick Sanchez (Compton) and J.T. Houston, and defensive backs JoJo Jones, Daniel Cassidy (St. John Bosco) and Jaylon Cornish (Cathedral).
Pearson said his success while at Cathedral and now with Warren is a magnet in the transfer era.
“You earn a reputation of developing kids,” he said, “and then you throw the ball around a lot and put up some good offensive numbers, and that’s what people want to be part of.”
Downey, home tonight against Gahr (0-3), is led by junior quarterback Aidan Chiles, a Los Alamitos transfer who has completed 73% of his passes for 1,109 yards and nine TDs. He, too, has talented receivers, Tryse Redford, Ian Hernandez and Isaiah Blair, and running back Antonio Ruiz and linebackers Andrew Garcia and Andrew Reyes also are vital.
Dominguez, with a senior-heavy team led by quarterback Jordan Ford, safety Takhari Carr, slot Ormanie Arnold and linebackers Malik Pryor and Cyrus Finnie, has blown out four teams with a quick attack and its “No Fly Zone” defense, which has surrendered just 129 yards passing with six interceptions (two for scores) and 12 sacks.
“Our guys are down for any challenge, and they feel like they could beat anybody,” coach Deon Toliver said. “They don’t think they’re the underdog everybody thinks they are.”
Paramount, home Friday against Lynwood (3-2), has been routed by three very good opponents. The top performers have been linebacker/fullback Carlos Rodriguez, lineman Roger Holmes and WR/DB/QB Elijah Porras.
“I do sense there is not as much belief as we would hope.” Howard said. “Hopefully, they’ll see some success soon rather than just hearing us coaches tell them to hang in there.”
Warren wide receiver Jordan Anderson, top, leads the team with 360yards receiving and six touchdowns.