{"id":2062892,"date":"2023-10-11T04:14:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T08:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/opportunity-if-not-attention-beckons-in-community-college-football\/"},"modified":"2023-10-11T04:21:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T08:21:41","slug":"opportunity-if-not-attention-beckons-in-community-college-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/opportunity-if-not-attention-beckons-in-community-college-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Community college football offers a unique opportunity for aspiring athletes."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fopportunity-if-not-attention-beckons-in-community-college-football%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2062892&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Community College Football in California: A Hidden Gem<\/h2>\n<p>While more than 99.9 percent of\u200d California\u2019s estimated 39 million residents are probably blissfully unaware, there\u2062 is some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/opportunity-if-not-attention-beckons-in-community-college-football\/\" title=\"Community college football offers a unique opportunity for aspiring athletes.\">high-level community-college football<\/a> being played in the state.<\/p>\n<p>That is certainly true in Orange County, where three schools appear in the JC\u2064 Athletic Bureau\u2019s latest statewide rankings. Undefeated Fullerton College leads the way at No. 4, Golden West of Huntington Beach is No. 8, and Saddleback\u2064 of Mission Viejo is No. 18.<\/p>\n<p>Of\u200c course, with Southern California featuring two NFL franchises\u2063 in the Los Angeles\u2063 Rams and Chargers, major universities in USC and UCLA, and a seemingly endless collection \u200cof high-quality high school programs, there isn\u2019t even a sliver of the spotlight left over for community-college football.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/unbeaten-san-juan-hills-enjoying-rarefied-football-air-5499158?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">Unbeaten San Juan Hills Enjoying Rarefied Football Air<\/a><\/h3>\n<p class=\"text-comp-caption\">9\/26\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/transfer-additions-add-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mike-kelly-same-people-criticizing-trump-peddled-russia-collusion-hoax\/\" title=\"Mike Kelly: Same People Criticizing Trump Peddled Russia Collusion Hoax\">balance<\/a>-for-unbeaten-tustin-high-football-team-5502673?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories&#8221;>Transfer Additions Add Balance\u200c for\u2062 Unbeaten Tustin High Football Team<\/a><\/h3>\n<p class=\"text-comp-caption\">10\/2\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s sad,\u201d Fullerton sports information director Phil Thurman\u200b told The Epoch Times. \u201cIt gets no publicity, and \u2063you have these guys that are playing with us and then they\u2019re going to be playing Division 1.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That is\u2064 exactly the goal for virtually every community-college football player, including \u200cSaddleback freshman safety\u200d Michael\u2063 D\u2019Amato. A former standout at Mission Viejo High School, D\u2019Amato went to Montana State University during the summer, without a scholarship, before\u200c deciding he\u2019d be better off taking a less glamorous route.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was like, \u2018I\u2019m going to go back Juco because I \u200dfeel like I can go somewhere better, or I deserve a scholarship,\u2019\u201d D\u2019Amato told\u2063 The Epoch Times. \u201cI came back to really show what my worth is. Juco, that\u2019s what it gives you. \u200bMaybe it doesn\u2019t have\u200c as much publicity, but it gives you the opportunity to \u2063show who you are.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:221px\" class=\"alignleft\"><figcaption>Saddleback College&#8217;s freshman safety\u200b Michael\u200c D&#8217;Amato (31). (JP Westerbeck\/Saddleback\u2063 College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>D\u2019Amato has done exactly that, recording\u2062 a team-high 37 tackles, including four for losses, and intercepting two passes as Saddleback has won three of its first five games.<\/p>\n<p>The Bobcats, who \u2062handed then 13th-ranked San Diego Mesa a 42\u201331 defeat in \u200ctheir \u2063most recent outing, \u200bhost their homecoming game against Palomar on Oct. 14.<\/p>\n<p>Montana State, which competes in the Big Sky Conference\u2064 in the NCAA\u2019s Division I Football Championship Subdivision, has reconsidered and offered D\u2019Amato \u200da scholarship, he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have no hate for Montana\u200d State,\u201d D\u2019Amato\u2063 said. \u201cI love the school. I love everything. I\u200c just didn\u2019t want my parents paying for my school.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Wide \u2064receiver Marques\u2064 Carrillo Edgar is another Saddleback player drawing interest.<\/p>\n<p>A freshman from Norco, Carrillo\u2062 Edgar has been \u2062the Bobcats\u2019 top playmaker, \u2063with a team-high 13 receptions for 283 yards and four touchdowns.<\/p>\n<p>Where Carrillo Edgar, D\u2019Amato and so many other \u200bcommunity-college \u2063players go\u200c from here remains\u200d to be determined. That creates an interesting dynamic for coaches trying to build teams, as well as student-athletes who are understandably thinking in terms of their own best interests.<\/p>\n<p>At Fullerton, \u2063Coach Garrett Campbell does his best to merge the two objectives. The \u200dfact the Hornets have won each of their five games by at least 12 points has made it easier to divide playing\u2064 time. Third-year quarterback Brandon Nunez, for example, is the main man, but Villa Park High product Nathan Kornely, a freshman, is also \u2063getting repetitions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re going to \u2064have some backups and third-string guys \u2064get scholarships because of that,\u201d Mr. Campbell told The Epoch Times. \u201cAt the end of the day, they have their goals, but at the same time their individual goals are\u200c still tied to the\u200b team \u200cgoals, and vice-versa.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Fullerton College&#8217;s football coach Garrett Campbell at Fullerton College vs. Santa Barbara City College on Sept. 2, 2023. (Jim McCormack\/Fullerton College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Fullerton\u2019s receiving corps is another case in point. Christian Steward, a Brea Olinda High product, and fellow \u200cwide\u200b receivers Jeremy Gonzales and Leland Smith have all\u200d distinguished themselves, as has tight end Cameron Woods.<\/p>\n<p>The same is true on defense, where linebacker Chris Harm of El Modena High, former Newport Harbor High lineman Erik Hehl, and defensive back Khadari Kearns have excelled.<\/p>\n<p>Fullerton, which visits San Diego Mesa on\u2062 Oct. \u206212, is one of four unbeaten teams in California. If things stay that way, the Hornets could very well be in line for a regular season-ending showdown with top-ranked Riverside.<\/p>\n<p>Golden West, meanwhile, is 4\u20131 entering an Oct. 12 game\u2064 at Orange Coast, with its only loss at Riverside.<\/p>\n<p>Featuring a more pronounced ground attack under Coach Nick Mitchell than in years past, the Rustlers have relied heavily \u200don sophomore running backs Jae\u2019Sean Pete and \u2064Ralph Ekechi. Speedy wide receiver Dasani McIntosh has also made a strong impression.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Golden West College&#8217;s sophomore running \u2063back Jae&#8217;Sean Pete\u200d (34). (Sean Sydnor\/Golden West College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Perhaps Golden West\u2019s top\u200d Division I prospect, however, is 6-foot-4, 200-pound \u200bsophomore Marquis Brown. The\u2064 team leader with 32 tackles, Brown \u2064is \u201cprobably one of the best <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/every-material-possession-we-had-today-is-now-gone-colorado-buffaloes-assistant-football-coach-loses-home-possessions-in-fire\/\" title=\"\u2018Every Material Possession We Had Today Is Now Gone\u2019: Colorado Buffaloes Assistant Football Coach Loses Home, Possessions In Fire\">defensive backs<\/a> in the league,\u201d \u200bActing Athletic Director \u2063Tim Bremen told The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<p>Brown received a scholarship offer from Utah State last week, Mr. Bremen said.<\/p>\n<p>D\u2019Amato, the Saddleback safety, \u200dpointed\u2064 to \u200d\u201ca lot\u200b of \u200dgood players in \u200dcollege \u200dand the NFL\u201d who arrived there via a community college.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou know what they say,\u201d D\u2019Amato said. \u201cNot \u2064everybody\u2019s path is all smooth. There are a lot of bumpy roads in the \u2064path, but I think the\u2064 bumpy\u2063 road in Juco kind of makes you what you\u200d are.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How does community-college football\u200d in California\u2063 offer players a \u200cchance to showcase their skills to larger universities and \u2062professional teams?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ton College Athletics)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>In addition to the on-field success, community-college football programs in California \u200dalso \u2062offer academic and financial opportunities for student-athletes. The low tuition fees and flexible class schedules at community colleges\u200b make\u200b it easier \u200dfor athletes to\u200c balance their academic and athletic commitments.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, community-college football\u2062 gives players a \u2063chance to showcase their skills and potential to larger universities and professional teams. Many successful NFL \u2064players, such\u2062 as Aaron Rodgers \u200dand Marshawn Lynch, began their careers at\u2064 community colleges.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the lack of attention and recognition, community-college\u2064 football in California continues to thrive. The passion and dedication of the players, coaches, and staff involved should not go \u200cunnoticed. These programs are producing talented athletes and providing opportunities \u200bfor them to fulfill their dreams of playing at higher levels.<\/p>\n<p>So, the next time you\u2019re\u2063 in California \u2064and have the chance to watch a community-college football game,\u200b take it.\u200b You might just witness the birth\u200b of the next football\u2064 superstar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>California is home to high-level community college football, with three Orange County schools ranking in the top statewide. Fullerton College, undefeated and ranked fourth, leads the way. Despite the majority being unaware, this sport thrives among the state&#8217;s 39 million residents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2251,"featured_media":2062893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2062892","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2062892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2251"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2062892"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2062892\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2062893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2062892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2062892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2062892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}