Tackling the reputation that comes with the All-League MVP crown, senior Michael Gorbea II has continued to score touchdown titles while maintaining his spot as the number two rusher in California.

Gorbea has won several awards, including head football coach Jeff Reitz’s Beast Award—an honor given to the strongest and most dominant player on the field. With the amount of yards he has rushed, Gorbea is on track to maintain his ranked spot in the top 100 national high school players. 

In four games alone, Gorbea was able to reach at least 1,000 yards, even managing the notable feat of rushing 308 yards in a single game. To put this into perspective, a typical football player in the NFL rushes an average of 113 yards per game.

Despite receiving athletic scholarships from private schools Damien High School and Bishop Amat High School, Gorbea plans to stay at Diamond Bar to finish out his years in high school football.

“ [Football is] something that keeps me busy,” Gorbea said. “I love being physical with the contact I have [with my teammates].”

His 10-year passion for football has pushed him in the direction of University of Oregon, the leading football team in the Pac-12. Despite his affinity for the sport, Gorbea does not plan on football being his lifetime career.

“As for the long term I can take it as far as it will get me, but [as for the future] I don’t want to take it professionally,” Gorbea said.

Outside of school, Gorbea practices in the 11 on 11 League—a private football club where players from nearby schools train and play practice games. When high school football is not in season , Gorbea spends four hours, daily, at 11 on 11 to maintain his skills and stamina. 

“I still do [11 on 11 League], but only when football season is not in, you just practice football [with other kids],” Gorbea said.

Regardless of his talents, it’s Gorbea’s committed football mentality and attitude towards other players that makes him such a stand-out player to Reitz.

“He’s easily one of the best running backs in Southern California,” Reitz said. “By the end of the year he will probably have rushed more than almost everybody [in the state].” 

According to Reitz, his sportsmanship on the team is what makes him a great player to be around, especially for his teammates and coach. Reitz mentioned how his attitude before games encourages the other teammates, maintaining that mature mentality when playing against opposing teams.

“He’s incredible, he’s a great kid, he loves his teammates, he understands once he’s in a game, it’s a physically grueling game,” Reitz said. “He respects his opponents… he’s pretty special in that way.”