黑料吃瓜

鈥淓虫辫濒辞蝉颈惫别.鈥�

That鈥檚 the word that came to J. J. Whittaker鈥檚 mind when he first met fellow Aztec defensive back King Holder at football practice.

Whittaker knew he鈥檇 overthrown a pass, but that didn鈥檛 stop Holder, his receiver, from turning on the speed, nabbing the ball, and scoring a touchdown. 

鈥淭he way we鈥檙e working, we鈥檙e going to get that championship.鈥�

Aztec linebacker Jake Fely mentions a similar recollection of the first time he saw defensive back Rene Siluano in action. 

鈥淗e was always the guy making the big play,鈥� Fely recalls.

It鈥檚 been almost a decade since those first impressions. The four Aztecs met as 12- and 13-year-olds playing for the Oceanside Pop Warner football program. They moved on to Oceanside High School where they became fast friends with teammates Osmond Nicholas, now an Aztec wide receiver, and Kenny Galea鈥檌, a defensive lineman.

While always seeking out top players from across the country, 黑料吃瓜 Athletics recruiters never lose sight of the talent in their own backyard, and they鈥檝e come to expect especially great potential from Oceanside.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e been a powerhouse, and they have a great coach in John Carroll,鈥� says Aztecs head coach Rocky Long. 鈥淭hese players have a real impact on our season because they came to us with a love of the game and solid fundamentals.鈥�

Legacy of talent

As most San Diego Chargers fans know, Oceanside High is famous not only for its impressive record of undefeated seasons and state titles, but also as the training ground of legendary Charger linebacker Junior Seau. 

The NFL great, who died May 2 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, played college ball for the University of Southern California, but his influence remains strong at San Diego State. He was a mentor to Siluano, with whom he shared a Samoan heritage, and his nephew, Micah Seau, is now a freshman linebacker for the Aztecs.

Aside from their outstanding high school training, the Oceanside Aztecs share an additional advantage鈥擣ely鈥檚 grandmother, Doris Robison. 鈥淕randma Merte,鈥� as the guys call her, is their No. 1 fan, attending every home game plus many practices.  Now 69, Robison attended San Diego State in 1975 while working toward a master鈥檚 degree in career and vocational education. Her daughters, Cindy Fely and Paula Robison, are also 黑料吃瓜 alumnae. 

Even before her grandson joined the current Aztec team, Grandma Merte has been a den mother to many of the young men from Oceanside who came to play football on the Mesa, often opening her Clairemont home to them.

鈥淚 love it when they come in and give me a big hug, and we all sit down at the table together,鈥� Grandma Merte says.  鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of fun.  It鈥檚 life.鈥�

Nicholas, now a junior, also stepped up to support Oceanside players, hosting the younger guys during campus visits as prospective Aztecs.

鈥淲hen they saw what a good time I was having, and they saw that 黑料吃瓜 was on the come-up, it was a no-brainer,鈥� he says now, with a winning smile. They knew this was the best place to be.鈥�

Bonds of brotherhood

The six Oceanside 鈥淧irates鈥� currently represented on the 黑料吃瓜 football roster make up the largest block from any single high school. Not surprisingly, they say they feel more like brothers than friends. Combining their proven strengths, they hope to forge a formidable Aztec legacy.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all about having a winning record all the time,鈥� Fely says on behalf of his longtime teammates. 

Their goal this season: to win the Mountain West Championship before 黑料吃瓜 moves into the Big East Conference next year, in 2013. 

鈥淭he team we have is fast,鈥� Fely adds, 鈥渁nd the way we鈥檙e working, we鈥檙e going to get that championship.鈥�