Serra High’s first football game is 43 days away and, like most other high school teams, is playing in some passing tournaments. Last Saturday, the Cavaliers, who won the CIF-Southern Section Division III, Southern California Division IA and CIF-State Division IA crowns last season, played in the Brave 8 Passing Tournament at St. John Bosco High in Bellflower winning one game and losing three. Serra started out by topping San Clemente, before losses to St. John Bosco, Westlake Village Oaks Christian and Carlsbad. With the departure of Malik Murphy, who is now at University of Texas, Serra head coach Scott Altenberg is looking at some youngsters to replace him. Playing in the St. John Bosco Classic were sophomores Wyatt McCauly and Jim Butler but has promising 6-foot-4 junior Jason Mitchell, who did not play in the tournament due to attending his family
reunion. “We’re young at quarterback,” Altenberg said. “We have good experience in the rest of the positions.” Serra will have two of the fastest wide receivers around including top speedster Roderick Pleasant, who already broke the California state record in the 100-meter dash at 10.14 seconds in the CIF-Southern Section Masters Track and Field Championships on May 21 at Moorpark High. The other is also premiere sprinter Dakoda Fields. Both were also on Serra’s 4×100 relay team that won the Southern Section Division IV and Masters crown and finished second in the state meet on May 28 at Buchanan High in Clovis. Serra also returns two outstanding running backs in senior Kai Honda and junior Cincere Rhaney. The Cavaliers return a majority of their defensive starters from their state Division IA championship squad including cornerback Pleasant, who is a four-star major Division I college prospect at that position, along with all-Mission League linebackers Noah Keohuloa and Tana Sosa. Serra will play in one more passing tournament at Edison High in Huntington Beach on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. before its dead period. The Cavaliers officially start practice on July 25 and open the season against Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa on Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. “We’re used to playing a lot of tough teams,” Altenberg said. Serra lost its last passing game to CIF-San Diego Section power Carlsbad 14-9. Kai Honda scored the Cavaliers’ only touchdown on a pass by Butler. Carlsbad is led by premiere junior quarterback Jalian Sayin. Santa Ana Mater Dei captured the classic by topping Carlsbad 23-16. The Monarchs were ranked No. 1 in the United States last season and should, again, contend for the CIF-State Open Division and national championship.
