Highly Regarded Running Back Prospect Joshua Quezada Commits to Cougars

After receiving official commitments earlier this month from the nation’s top prep quarterback and one of the best high school receivers in Texas, BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall today announced that one of the top running backs in California—La Habra High School standout Joshua Quezada—has also signed a scholarship agreement to enroll at BYU in January.

Quezada joins Jake Heaps out of Skyline High School in Sammamish, Wash., and wide receiver Ross Apo out of the Oakridge School in Arlington, Texas, as high school seniors coming to Provo to begin college mid-year.

“Joshua is excited to come to BYU, and we are equally excited to have him join us,” Mendenhall said. “He embraces what our program is about on and off the field. He has the ability to be a very successful member of our team and help us continue to improve our program.”

A 5-foot-11, 210-pound running back out of La Habra High School in La Habra, Calif., Quezada rushed for 2,114 yards and 26 touchdowns and added 186 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver to lead the Highlanders to their third straight CIF-Southern Section Southwest Division Championship in 2009. He was named the 2009 Freeway League MVP, Daily News 2009 Football Player of the Year, and CIF-SS Southwest Division Offensive Player of the Year while earning back-to-back first-team All-Orange County honors as a senior. He averaged 8 yards per carry and 151 yards per game overall and accounted for 11.1 points per contest while leading La Habra to a 13-1 record.

Quezada not only put up big numbers during the season but also came through with his best performances during key games. Among the season’s many highlights, Quezada galloped for 304 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-21 semifinal victory over Cypress High School to advance to the championship game. He carried the Highlanders to the 2009 title by averaging 203.8 yards per game in four playoff contests.

As a junior in 2008, he ran for 1,680 yards on 163 carries and scored 21 touchdowns while adding 21 receptions for 318 yards and three touchdowns on the way to the 2008 CIF-SS title. He was first-team All-Orange County, first-team All-League and first-team All-CIF.

In addition to Quezada, Heaps and Apo, several other BYU recruits and returned missionaries plan to enroll in January. 2009 National Letter of Intent signee Kyle Van Noy, a linebacker out of McQueen High School in Reno, Nev., and 2007 NLI signees Famika Anae (OL, Timpview High School, Provo, Utah), Devin Mahina (TE/DE Upland High School, Upland, Calif.) and Marcus Matthews (WR, Southridge High School, Beaverton, Ore.) will enroll for winter semester as well as 2006 redshirt quarterback James Lark out of Pine View High School in St. George, Utah.

ROSTER INFORMATION
Ross Apo         WR    6-3   190  Arlington, Texas / The Oakridge School
Jake Heaps       QB    6-2   205  Issaquah, Wash. / Skyline HS
Joshua Quezada   RB    5-11  210  La Habra, Calif. / La Habra High School
Kyle Van Noy     LB    6-4   209  Reno, Nev. / McQueen HS
Famika Anae      OL    6-5   260  Provo, Utah / Timpview HS
Devin Mahina    TE/DE  6-6   225  Upland, Calif. / Upland HS
Marcus Mathews   WR    6-4   200  Beaverton, Ore. / Southridge HS
James Lark       QB    6-2   219  St. George, Utah / Pine View HS

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Ross Apo Named All-American

Arlington (Texas) Oakridge senior receiver Ross Apo got to cross off one particular accomplishment he set for himself two years ago: Play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

"I wrote down my goals to start my sophomore season," Apo said. "And this was one."

Apo received his formal invitation Tuesday from the Army Strong contingent cutting a swath through North Texas with announcements that Plano West defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat and Haltom defensive end Reggie Wilson also were named. There are more North Texas announcements coming the next three days.

Apo received his traditional U.S. Army jersey (No. 10) at Oakridge, a small private school in Southwest Arlington. He'll play in the 10th Anniversary game Jan. 9 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

The East vs. West matchup will be televised live on NBC and feature 90 of the nation's top high school football players.

Apo represents a new generation of players coming through the All-American Game in the last decade.

"The first players I really remember watching are DeSean Jackson (2005) and Ted Ginn (2004)," Apo said.

Apo (6-3, 190) is considered one of the nation's top recruits and is giving Brigham Young a highly rated class along with Seattle quarterback Jake Heaps. Apo's Oakridge teammate, 6-foot-6 offensive tackle Tayo Fabuluje Jr. and hard-hitting linebacker Teu Kautai, also have committed to BYU and were in attendance at Apo's announcement.

Oakridge hopes Apo returns this week against Cistercian. Apo has been recuperating from a leg injury and hasn't caught a pass in Oakridge's last two games. Apo last caught a pass in the first quarter (for a touchdown) of a Sept. 18 victory over Austin St. Andrew's.
The Owls certainly would like their star receiver back. He's been a mainstay of the program since he transferred in to start his sophomore year.

"The first time I saw him, I could tell he was going to be a special player," Oakridge coach Phillip Farhat said. "He had size, speed, explosiveness and great hands. And he loves to play. If I was as good as he is, I'd love to play too."

Apo has 10 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns in his limited time. Apo's athleticism also shows with touchdowns on a punt return and an interception return as well. Apo had 37 catches for 764 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior and 27 catches for 331 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore.

As a college prospect, he's looked as a wide receiver who has the length and frame to possibly morph into a tight end or H-back. Apo is proud of his accomplishments as a receiver against some of the nation's top players. He shined at a Stanford camp this summer as coaches set up a one-on-one matchup in skills drills between Apo and Palmdale, Calif., star defensive back Joshua Shaw.

"(Shaw) was burning everybody and the coaches got me to go against him about five times," Apo said. "He jammed at the line, but I made the catch. Coming from a private school, a lot of people don't think you play the best competition but I like to prove that we can."

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