Making the ultimate field goal, senior Michael Gorbea and junior Maddox Bernadino have been chosen to be a part of the All-CIF Southern Section football team for Division 12.

In 10 games alone, Gorbea managed to rush 1922 yards, ranking number one in both his division and section. He also ranks number one in carries for all of the CIF-SS at 272 yards. However, Gorbea’s road to success wasn’t easy; his teammates rallied him during the tough training sessions he endured.

“I wasn’t always happy on the field, but they brought my mood up,” Gorbea said. “Victor Flores, the middle end backer helped me [and] Coach Dylan’s like an older brother to me, known him my whole life,”

Gorbea is currently focused on using his talents to get into a good college, though that’s where he plans to stop his football career.

“From there, [I want to] stop football and become a sheriff,” Gorbea said. “[If football] takes me [somewhere in the future] I wouldn’t be mad and pursue it; at least I have a backup plan,” Gorbea said.

While a year younger, Bernadino ranked number two in receptions with 61 yards and number two in receiving yards gained at 1044. He was also number one in yards per game with 116 in nine games. 

“It was a pretty good experience because I’m only a junior right now, so being chosen to actually get the award and making the all-CIF team with [Gorbea] is pretty exciting,” Bernadino said.

According to Bernadino, Gorbea and he were close friends, even before bonding together with this award they both share.

“When [Gorbea] transferred [to Diamond Bar High], I knew him from middle school… that helped a lot more with my relationship with him and becoming a lot closer friends with him,” Bernadino said.

Bernadino’s relationship with his coach and teammates really motiatived him along the way, helping him to achieve the title of number two in CIF.

“My relationship with Coach Reitz was really good because I was on varsity as a freshman, so our relationship just kept getting better and better,” Bernadino said. “Being able to just go out there and play with my friends like Mikey, Vic, Ryan, Kai really helped me to have fun and [to] take [the] long way [through my journey.]” 

His future goals for next season are to continue training, grow a deeper relationship with the new coach and get a scholarship for either football or baseball.

“[I want to] try my best, [especially] with the new coach coming in… [I want to] try and use my talent to actually play in college,” Bernardino said.