Ray Fenton guided Los Alamitos High to the Southern Section Division 2 championship relying on neighborhood kids.
It's hard to say who had more fun during the 2025 high school football season at Los Alamitos High — the players or coach Ray Fenton.
As one player said, it was a "magical season" and showed you don't have to rely on transfers to win a Southern Section Division 2 championship.
Fenton has coached teams more talented but loaded with transfers. This was the year he stuck with the neighborhood kids who were best friends and played for each other, and what a season they enjoyed.
Los Alamitos ran off eight consecutive victories to start the season, then finished at 12-3 when winning the Southern Section Division 2 title over league rival San Clemente. Every game was fun, win or lose. Every game players gave their all. Every game Fenton knew he could rely on his players to stay focused and leave everything they had on the field.
He has been selected The Times' coach of the year for helping elevate a team that few thought was capable of winning a Southern Section championship.
You could see on the field at San Clemente after winning the Division 2 title how much he cherished this team and the players cherished him. One by one, they came to receive a hug from their bald coach who looks fit enough to run a marathon.
It was real joy and emotion, like reaching the top of a mountain.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Category: General Sports
