Football:

Talk about saving the best for last.

One season after totaling one reception for 25 yards and being used mostly as a blocker at Rancho Cucamonga, Max Leeper became the Sierra League Offensive MVP in 2025.

The 6-foot-6, 215-pound Leeper returned home to Claremont for his senior campaign.

CHS won their first six games and finished in third place behind Charter Oak and Bonita.

The seven wins (7-4) this year was two more than the Wolfpack totaled in 2023 and 2024 combined.

For the season, Leeper caught 55 passes for 889 yards.

The 55 receptions were sixth best among the 25 programs within the 210 Prep Sports zone, and the 889 receiving yards was eighth.

Leeper caught six TD passes in spite of typically attracting a pair of defensive backs.

He was able to use his height and length against DB’s with precision as you’ll see in a couple of clips below.

Arguably, Leeper’s biggest game came at Los Osos in a week-six Sierra League contest.

Claremont (5-0 at the time) trailed throughout, and they were without the services of their star quarterback, Brandon Coronado.

With just over three minutes to play, the Grizzlies enjoyed a 10-point lead.

Leeper scored three times, including a 55-yard TD reception, a 98-yard pick-six, and an 8-yard TD catch with less than a minute to play.

Leeper got the ball at the 3 and dove into the end zone with what turned out to be the game winning points.

His older brother Zack, 20, excelled at Claremont.

And his 15-year-old sisters, Abby and Chloe are multi-sport stars at CHS.

Leeper also boasts a 3.95 GPA in the classroom.

His coaches and teammates say Leeper is a coach on the field.

According to CHS players, Max knows everybody’s assignment, and there have been times where a teammate has run to Leeper to make sure they were in right spot.

Max said his parents, Jeremy and Kara, are his biggest supporters, they serve as motivators and he’s eternally grateful for the sacrifices made and their unconditional love.

It’s for all the reasons above that the University of New Mexico has proudly announced their signing of Claremont’s Max Leeper.

Lastly, I asked Leeper 1) what’s something you admire about each parent? 2) What was it like going from RCHS back to CHS and being a focal part of the offense? 3) What was your favorite individual and favorite team moment in 2025? 4) Why did you choose New Mexico?

Said Max Leeper:

1) “I admire how dedicated my dad is. He wakes up every morning and makes me breakfast. He is always pushing me to be my best because he knows what it takes being a collegiate athlete himself. I admire how hard working my mom is. She keeps us all grounded when we have crazy ideas about what camps to go to. She is like our glue.

2) It felt great. I’ve always had the belief in myself, and I’ve always known I was capable of being a top stat guy in the area. I just needed a coaching staff to believe in me, and I can’t thank coach Caron enough for also sharing that same belief.

3) My favorite team moment from the season was the second half comeback against Los Osos, and my favorite personal moment was the 97-yard pick-six in the same game.

4) I’m looking forward to continuing my development at the University of New Mexico with another amazing coaching staff. New Mexico is a great place not only because of the coaching staff, but because they believe in developing athletes, and I am excited about their vision for my future.”

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Quotable:

Claremont coach, Jake Caron: “Max Leeper took a chance on himself and this program, and in doing so, he helped lay the foundation for the future of Claremont football. He is kind, sincere, a teacher to our underclassmen, and a fierce competitor when it’s time to grind. Max showed up every day, accountable in the weight room, in meetings, and on the practice field, and his high football IQ allowed him to make critical in-game adjustments and game-breaking plays on both sides of the ball. His versatility, leadership, and commitment elevated everyone around him, and he set a standard that future generations at CHS will strive to match. I am very proud of Max, and we wish him all the best as he prepares for New Mexico Lobos football.”

Claremont quarterback, Brandon Coronado: “Max is a teammate, who is always working hard and he’s always ready to compete. He is a coach on the field, and he knows everyone’s responsibility each play. He is always the first person to help build you up when you are down. I admire Max’s motivation and eagerness to get better. He does extra work on his own every day. I also admire his ability to persevere through adversity. His hard work will pave the way for him, and I think he will be one of the top guys in the country by his third year.”

Claremont WR/DB, Doug Yegge: “Max always believes that we will win, even when we were down. In multiple games, Max gave us a pep talk and got the team back together. Something I admire about Max is his knowledge of the game. He always knows what you need to do no matter the position. Max would be able to tell other positions on the defense where to go just because of his knowledge of football. I think Max will be an amazing competitor in college, his strive to win and smarts in the game will carry him a long way.”

Max Leeper’s Career Stats:
2025: 55 catches for 889 yards & 6 TDs; 17 tackles, 1 sack & 2 interceptions
2024 at RCHS: 1 catch for 25 yards
2023: 5 catches for 82 yards & 2 TDs; 63 tackles & 1 sack

Claremont’s 2025 Schedule & Results:
8/22: CHS 17, Capistrano Valley Christian 12
8/29: CHS 50, Diamond Bar 42
9/5: CHS 21, Alta Loma 13
9/12: CHS 37, Kaiser 0
9/19: CHS 56, La Salle 7
10/3: CHS 28, Los Osos 24
10/10: Charter Oak 42, CHS 0
10/17: Bonita 31, CHS 7
10/24: Glendora 35, CHS 21
10/30: CHS 25, Colony 14
11/7: Palm Springs 33, CHS 7

Final Sierra League Standings:
Charter Oak (10-2, 5-0)
Bonita (7-5, 4-1)
Claremont (7-4, 2-3)
Los Osos (4-6, 2-3)
Colony (3-7, 1-4)
Glendora (2-8, 1-4)

Recent Claremont Records:
2025: 7-4, 2-3
2024: 4-6, 1-4
2023: 1-9, 1-2
2022: 8-3, 3-0
2021: 7-6, 2-1
2020: 4-1, 3-0
2019: 6-5, 2-3
2018: 3-7, 0-5
2017: 4-6, 2-3
2016: 3-7, 2-3
2015: 7-3, 2-3