If you know Duarte Football, you would see that recently they have taken the spotlight. After winning their Montview League Championship last year, as well as making CIF playoffs 2 years in a row, Duarte is not wasting any time. Unfortunately, after every year, seniors will leave and recruits will flood in. So should we look out for another league Championship this year?
On May 7th, 2024, I had the opportunity to cover a 7 on 7 event. Local High Schools in areas such as Duarte, Monrovia, Arcadia, and Franklin got to play against each other before the season began. Essentially, this was able to get their teams a head start on practicing together, as well as being able to see how they were able to perform before entering their Fall Season.
While covering this event, I noticed Duarte was holding their weight while playing against higher-division high schools. I believe Duarte High School, being able to perform this strongly early on in their practice season could have a big effect on how they execute their games later on this Fall.
I believe this success from Duarte High School stems from their high-performing QB. Avenn Ortiz, a 4-year starter has led their team to CIF playoffs twice, after only playing for Duarte these past three years. This year will be his fourth and final year with Duarte High School. He also was the root of success when winning their League Championship for the first time since 2016 after going undefeated.
I got the opportunity to speak with Duarte’s Head Coach, Sergio Gradilla. This helped give me some overview about this year’s team. Gradilla stated, “I feel really good, we’re going build off of last year, winning a league title, haven’t done that in 7 years. We’re excited to get going again and get a good group returning, got a lot of new guys, and hopefully, our freshman class is going to be big.”
As the new season approaches, the Duarte Football team is assured to build upon their recent successes and make a statement on the field once again. With a strong core of returning players, promising newcomers, and the leadership of Head Coach Sergio Gradilla, the team is eager to continue its winning streak and pursue another league championship. With anticipation running high, all eyes will be on Duarte High School as they prepare to showcase their talent and determination in the upcoming Fall season.
