The Schurr Faithful have a case for Aaron Cantu
We’re taking our slings and arrows after releasing our all Mid Valley Teams for the Southeast and Mid-Valley Divisions. It’s one team and one team only and because of that we knew we were going to take some shots.
We’ve heard from Monrovia people, La Serna people, the Arroyo faithful and even a fan in South El Monte. Yes the Eagles did have one player, Bryan Aguilar, who had a season that warranted consideration.
And we also heard from the Schurr contingent. We knew this was coming. In fact we would have been surprised if it didn’t. The Spartan fans are indeed fans and always represent their team and players to the end.
If you went to any Schurr games this year, it wasn’t uncommon to see former Spartans like Carlos Arredondo on the sidelines supporting the current team. I’ve been told by several Schurr backers that the Spartans are like family – once a Spartan always a Spartan.
So if we didn’t hear anything from the Schurr neighborhood after we selected Nick Bueno from Monrovia over Aaron Cantu at quarterback we would have been disappointed. But we did of course. And you know what Schurr fans? You have a case.
Aaron Cantu is a terrific quarterback. He has been getting several looks to play at the next level and we should be hearing soon as to where he ends up. He has great size, (6’3”, 190) a strong arm and makes good decisions. He throws a tight spiral and if he has to get out of the pocket and run he does that well too. He can elude potential tacklers with the best of them; just ask Alhambra.
He had a break out season two years ago as a junior as he threw for 2500 yards and 28 touchdowns with just eight interceptions on 169 completions. He had a .638 completion percentage. But that was when he had Arredondo and Angel Sanchez catching the ball. Arredondo, who just finished his first year at Cerritos College, had 79 receptions for 1191 yards and 12 touchdowns. With Arredondo and Sanchez (23 receptions, 416 yards) both graduating there was speculation that Cantu’s numbers would suffer in 2010.
That wasn’t the case. Cantu didn’t have has many touchdown passes (21) but he threw for more yards (2822) and had more completions (217) and his completion percentage was nearly identical as the previous year (.636 to .638).
Adding to his already significant resume was his ability to lead the Spartans to late game winning touchdown drives. Cantu engineered game winning marches against both Bell Gardens and Montebello in Almont League play and in a non league battle, he rallied the Spartans to a huge road win over El Toro in week three.
Cantu is also as durable as they come never succumbing to injury. He played every game and took nearly every snap. He was the unquestionable leader of the team while guiding them into the second round of the Mid-Valley playoffs. In the first round Cantu completed 12 of 20 for 308 yards and two touchdowns (zero interceptions) in a 31-7 rout of Baldwin Park.
Yes the Spartans did lose in the second round – to eventual CIF Champion Monrovia. The 21-7 loss was the toughest game Monrovia had in ten weeks including the CIF Final game.
Why wasn’t Cantu selected as the All Mid Valley quarterback in the Mid-Valley Division? Simple. Because of a guy named Nick Bueno. Bueno passed (1828 yards, 23 touchdowns) and ran (1513 yards, 14 touchdowns) Monrovia to its first ever championship. Did you know he also had five receptions for 147 yards and a pair of scores? Bueno’s accomplishments were impossible to ignore.
Who is projected to play quarterback at the next level? Cantu. Who fits the proto type build scouts are looking for in a quarterback? Cantu. But in 2010, in the Mid-Valley Division, Bueno was the first team quarterback.
But is there a case for Cantu? Absolutely.
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com.
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