La Serna won the Del Rio League. La Serna won the CIF Division 4 championship and finally the State Bowl 2-AA State title. The Lancers had several players that contributed to the successful season but at the forefront of it all, leading the charge, was Owen Long.
Long played on both sides of the ball and he did it extraordinarily well. Everybody talks about offensive numbers and Long was indeed a huge part of the Lancers’ offense. He ran for 1,431 yards and 26 touchdowns averaging 9.7 yards per carry. And he could catch the ball out of the backfield as well with 17 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown on the season.
In the CIF title run he rushed for 541 yards and 10 touchdowns in the four games combined including 160 yards and four scores in the championship game against Corona Del Mar.
All those statistics are great and a testament to Long’s talent. But take a look at the defensive numbers. From his free safety or linebacker position, depending on what defense La Serna was in, Long had 75 solo tackles and 64 assisted for a total of 139. He also had two interceptions. Long was just as important on defense in stopping opponents as he was in making the offense go.
Long was exceptional on offense and defense and was instrumental in leading his team to not just a CIF championship but a State title as well. For these accomplishments Owen Long is the Mid Valley Sports 2023 Player of the Year.
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Owen Long was an absolute stud for La Serna’s STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Team.
Good luck to him at Colorado State as he joins the RAMily. & QB/S CJ Ceron at USD.
La Serna has about 4 or 5 kids playing D1, I believe, WR/DB Tufaga is next.
What a program! #Kingdom #TheRightWay
Local coach related to quarterback from workman?
Bottom Line ? Does this goofball realize Cerritos college ball, and most other community colleges in the area, is very similar to playing D1 AA and NAIA’s top competitive teams? NO idea! Very few locally have had ability ( and head coaches who care)and fortune to earn decent football scholarships to these colleges out of high school . So what do they do ‘know it all?”
They play at Cerritos, first or second string dude, and end up with signing football scholarship. Why ‘know it all?” Because these ncaa d1aa, and d2 and naia (go ahead insult my small letters) realize community college football in so cal is excellent!
@Hmmm
He just turned 18 in November… nice try.
@Bottom Line
La Serna has at least 3 alumni currently playing D1 football (Justin Sanchez at Colorado State, Milo Lopez at Boise State, Chase Davis – Bowling Green)
Sorry your team didn’t win state – there is always next year.
Just wondering, how old is this guy?
And now it’s down to Coach of the Year. I’m voting for Ryan Bateman on my ten mail-in ballots.
@sportsman I can mane one player who got a D2 scholarship last year, Mike Udengwu from John Glenn HS in Norwalk. I coached him the last 3 years and he is currently playing at Fort Lewis University in Fort Lewis, Colorado. I’m sure ther are others who got scholarships higher than a D3 over the past 10 years or so.
Southern Cal Juco ball amongst the strongest in nation; many bounce backs from cold weather and small town colleges. Mt Sac El Camino
etc
Keyshawn even went to West LA
Transfer portal has changed the outlook for many recruits, 18 year olds competing with grown men for spots and D 1 programs going with grown men if can’t get 4 or 5 star talent
Bottom Line very very few area athletes (especially this league) earn football scholarships . Can you name a few in the last decade or so who earned football scholarship to any NCAA division , except D3? Cerritos and local community college teams are about as good as D2 , Naia, and d1 AA
Congratulations Owen!
Thrilled to see another LS guy take top honors. He should certainly be able to make second string at Cerritos College, which is not the same as a kingdom, but totally awesome as La Serna grads go.
Super, super congratulations Owen! I only hope ‘this great team of athletes and staff has been congratulated properly , as deserved, by not only the school district , but it should be a must by the City of Whittier Mayor and politicians\
Well deserved, no one else came close.