San Gabriel Valley football preview Ranking the area top running backs

Five leading running backs considering the high school football season of 2024, according to San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star New, and Whittier Daily News. 
 
TOP 5 RUNNING BACKS 

1. Keanu Tauvao, Northview, Senior 
 
The Vikings won the Valle Vista league title and registered a 8-3 last season relying their running back tanden of Keanu Tauvao and Angel Barraza. Barraza’s graduated in the spring so the Aztecs will turn to Tauvao to handle it this season. Tauvao was the Valle Vista League offense most valuable player and was among the rushing leaders in the San Gabriel Valley. He finished with 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns as due to his leg injury, he began missing a considerable number of practices the latter half of the season. 
 
The Vikings have that ‘it’ factor, and there is no question that it begins with a strong offense line particularly the backfield. Both run and pass efficiently, but prefer to involve their huge and powerful offensive line. Tauvao has adequate experience and a new bigger responsibility which makes him set for a big season. 
 
Tauvao gain more than hundred yards a game six times last season, and his biggest game was in the match against Bonita in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 5 playoffs in which team lost 21-20. Tauvao starred the game as he carried the ball twenty-five times for one hundred and sixty-seven yards and one TD. 
 
2. Dominic Ezeonye, Wilson, Senior 
 
Wilson was the best-stocked of the area in 2023, primarily because of Dominic Ezeonye. The Wildcats concluded the season with a 9-2 record and triumped over Baldwin Park 35-21 to take the Mt. Baldy League championship in the last league game. That particular win saw Ezeonye scramble for 214 yards and three touchdowns. 
 
Ezeonye ended his performance in the San Gabirel Valley in a second place in the rushing behind Santa Fe’s Tariq Bush as he scored 1,902 yards and 30 touchdowns. The 6-1, 230 pound back bullied many of his foes, running for over 200 yards in a game four times. His splendid performance was recorded during a 35-21 victory over Alhambra in which he recorded 258 rushing yards besides five touchdowns. With such a vigorous schedule it will not be a big wonder if he is the top rusher of the SGV for this upcoming season and among the top rushers in the Southern Section. 
 
3. Caleb Morquecho, San Dimas, Senior 
 
The Saints typically rank high in the SGV in the running department, now Morquecho is back for his senior year on the Saints’ varsity squad. While the Saints employs the Wing-T offense, there are specific duties that are split between the backfield players; nonetheless, beware they will rely on him so much because Morquecho is among the best backs in the vicinity. 
 
Morquecho ran for 1,471 yards and 10 td last year and was huge in a 34-20 upset over Diamond Ranch to help the saints tie for of the Valle Vista league. In the win Morquecho did a splendid job by rushing 276 yards with 3 touchdowns. 
 
Ivan rushed for greater than a hundred yards in a game eight times and he achieved this feat against stiff competition. 
 
4. West Covina’s Zander Requena finish our list of seniors and hails from the same school. 
 
Back in the Bulldogs, Zander Requena is a slender lad measuring 5-5 and standing 145 pounds, however, this lad hits hard. Even though he has a sidelined his junior year, he was still able to rank as one of the SGV leaders in rushing with 1,613 yards an 19 touchdowns. He was rather central to the team’s effort amid the playoffs. The Bulldogs got to the CIF-SS Division 10 title game and Requena made the San Antonio League and Division 10 first team. 
 
He was a part of an already strong and offending line and he has been fully healthy thus making Requena definitely capable of a remarkable season. The Bulldogs will probably attempt to pass a little more than they used to, but they are a run first team, and they will rely on Requena in crucial situations. 
 
5. Noah Penunuri, NPH Rio Hondo Prep, Junior 
 
The Kares clinched their 15th CIF-SS football championship in the boys’football this year with their star player, Noah Penunuri. He runs for 178 yards and 2 TDs in their 29-27 win over Santa Monica for division 9. He kicked the ball and brought the final touchdown for Kares right before the buzzer. 
 
The Kares played till the end of the season with 13 wins and 2 losses and Penunuri was the one who played 1,411 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. As the Kares advanced to the playoffs they relied more of Penunuri, in which he performed an average of 145 yards, eight touchdowns in five playoff matches. Ah, and he was only in sophomore year, so there is more to come out of this guy. 
 
Others to watch: The most impressive shut-down forward would have to be Maranatha’s Miles O’Malley who would also have a rightful place in the top five. Glendora senior Simon Zwick could have a large season because of his back up by a strong line. Thus, Charter Oak junior Torry Huff, who spent most of his sophomore year on the bench due to injury, should develop into one of the area’s best backs. Also be on the lookout for Bishop Amat junior Ryan Salcedo and La Serna senior Elijah Blu Flores. Some other talent players that are expected to influence their teams are South Hills Sebastian Morinaga, Muir’s Alijah Parker and Bonita’s Cole Parra. Also, one should not lose sight of Gavin McQuarrie of St. Paul.