Football/Baseball:

By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor

If you watched Glendora High School football over the past two years, the first four names you probably heard were Cade Marshman, Jacob Gonzalez, Xzavier Ford and AJ Salgado.

Each of the four were studs and massive contributors for Coach Brandon Rohrer.

In just two years, Rohrer’s program has won 22 of their 26 games, and that includes back-to-back trips to the CIF-SS semifinals.

As big as Marshman, Gonzalez, Ford and Salgado played, the Tartans needed and got game-changing contributions from a little badass named Matt Gonzales.

He might be 5-foot-6 and 140-pounds, but he has a history of altering games for the better, and does so in all three phases of the game.

In the 2019 opener at Damien, the Spartans held GHS scoreless into the second quarter until Gonzales caught a pair of TD passes from quarterback Jacob Gonzalez.

But it was his blocked punt that helped set up the first score, which was his diving catch in the corner of the south end zone.

Glendora would go on to win, 24-7.

Five games later, undefeated Glendora traveled to unbeaten Bonita and after trailing throughout the first half, it was Gonzales and Salgado TD catches that helped the Tartans to a 28-13 road victory.

How fit and versatile is he?

In the win over the Bearcats, Gonzales played 174 of the 189 snaps that game.

GHS would go on to fall shy, 24-21, against Aquinas in the semifinal round, and the Falcons went on to win the D-3 title the next week by defeating St. Paul, 21-16.

After a couple months to shake the disappointment, Gonzales, Marshman, Salgado and Jacob Gonzalez had the Tartans off to a 9-1 start for Dan Henley’s baseball program.

But after a couple rainouts, COVID-19 officially ripped away their hearts and season.

Among all the other plot lines ruined was not being able to watch Palomares League powers Ayala, Bonita and Glendora battle it out to the end.

The Bulldogs, Bearcats and Tartans had a combined 2020 record of 25-3 and they had just finished their first league contest before the pandemic gave us all a figurative middle finger.

Since that day, Gonzales has continued to focus on his studies and do whatever he can to get ready for both football and baseball.

If things work out like CIF hopes, football practices will officially begin in mid-December and games are slated to kick off in early 2021.

In a conversation Tuesday with Gonzales (with links and descriptions below), he talks about his reaction to the baseball season being canceled, among a host of other topics.

There was actually a time where he might have had to choose between playing baseball or football, and in that case, he would have chosen baseball, because he thinks he has a better chance at a collegiate career as a middle infielder than a receiver or defensive back.

Gonzales has been back and forth to Arizona nine times this summer, while playing with a San Bernardino travel ball team.

One thing is for sure, and that’s if and when football starts, Matt Gonzales will not only be ready (as will his teammates), the Tartans senior accepts and embraces the knowledge that he’ll be the guy that his buddies will look to, and with the expectations of making big plays.

And lastly, if you see No. 16 in the middle of the field at Citrus College or elsewhere on Friday nights, and you underestimate his skills, size, speed, strength and heart, don’t be surprised if at some point he drops a kid twice his size on his butt, because that’s what Matt Gonzales does.

The following are clips of Matt Gonzales discussing the drama over the past six-plus months with life, school and other unforeseen events.

In clip one, he talks about his junior baseball season getting wiped out by COVID-19, the Palomares League rivalry and potentially having to choose between football and baseball.

Quotable:

Glendora baseball coach, Dan Henley: “Matt is a fierce competitor and loves game day like no other. He has been an important part of our baseball program for three years as a starter heading into his fourth campaign as a senior. As an amazing competitor, he has the heart of a lion and I know he is looking forward to his senior season on the ballfield!”

Glendora football coach, Brandon Rohrer: “Matt is an incredible talent along with being one of the smartest players I have ever coached. He is ALWAYS around the ball on all three phases of the game. He has already started 26 games for us and we look forward to an incredible senior year. We know Matt is going to be outstanding leader on our team.”

Incoming GHS football/baseball player, Johnnie Valdez: “Matt is his own person, and if something needs to get done, Matt’s going to get it done. He is a 100-percent supportive friend. He helps his friends as much as he can and whenever they need him. He’s underrated because of his size, but he’s the hardest working kid and has a huge heart. He is definitely a badass.”

Matt Gonzales Career Stats at GHS:

Football:

2019:

Offense: 21 catches for 318 yards, 6 TD’s

Defense: 15 tackles, interception

Special Teams: 4 KO returns for 107 yards; 2 punt returns for 37 yards.

2018:

Offense: 16 catches for 202 yards, 2 TD’s

Defense: 7 tackles

Special Teams: 2 KO returns for 67 yards

Baseball:

2020: .250, six hits, five runs, RBI, double

2019: .225, 29 hits, 17 runs, 4 RBI’s, double

2018: .125, six hits, 13 runs, 4 RBI’s, double

To see Matt’s photo gallery, click on the Facebook link here: Facebook