Photos by Jeff Serpa:

Football:

The excitement on the football field at Alta Loma High School is palpable.

And they have every reason to feel that way.

In his fourth year leading the program, Tyler Perri, his staff and their players have raised the bar of expectations in a dramatic way.

They’ve literally gotten better each season.

Perri inherited a team that went 1-9 in 2023.

In season two, the Lions went 5-5 overall and 2-3 in Valle Vista League play.

They finished one-game back of third-place Baldwin Park.

Last year, ALHS capped off an 8-2 regular season with a share of their first league championship in more than two decades, and likely the first time this century.

Since MaxPreps began hosting the stats and records of high school programs in 2004, the Alta Loma football program has never put together consecutive seasons in which they surpassed the .500 mark both overall and in league games.

That will likely change this year.

And that’s because the Lions return most of the heart and soul of the 2025 program, including star players at all of the skilled positions.

They are still very young, but these kids bust their asses daily, they’re all about ‘we’ and not ‘I,’ and they are fully bought into the Perri Doctrine.

To a (young) man, the Alta Loma players have accepted their roles.

They know what they did well in 2025, and the Lions are committed to improving what didn’t go as planned, and that includes not always playing two complete halves of football.

Perhaps the most significant factor in the program continuing its ascension revolves around Perri’s ability to keep his athletes home and not allowing some of the SGV area programs who are notorious for poaching star players from other schools.

In interviews with six of the Lions stars on Wednesday evening at their practice, each said that Perri and his staff care more about them off the field than on it.

Doing well in the classroom, treating people with respect and holding oneself accountable are key components to this new-look Lions program.

They genuinely feel like they’re part of a family, and they strongly encourage local middle school athletes to come to Alta Loma and continue the resurgence they’ve started.

As exciting as 2026 could be, there isn’t a single ALHS player that thinks they can just show up or go through the motions and complete a stellar or even a championship season.

In 2025, Alta Loma allowed a Valle Vista League low of 180 points over their 11-game schedule.

Their 279 points offensively was third best behind Baldwin Park and Northview, respectively.

To Lions had a 25-16 average margin of victory last season.

Offensively, they will be led by sophomore quarterback, Max Fierro.

Fierro completed 130-of-237 for 1,643 yards.

He totaled 20 TDs and nine interceptions during his freshman campaign.

Fierro was also third in rushing yards (63-for-237) and first in TDs (seven).

Izaih Brown ran the ball 129 times for 630 yards and five scores, and he’ll play a major role in the Lions ground game.

Bryant Avila had a monster sophomore season with team highs in receptions (63), receiving yards (641) and TD receptions (12).

Semaj Stewart is expected to play a large role on both sides of the ball during his sophomore season.

In 2025, Stewart caught 15 passes for 201 yards and one TD to go with 36 tackles and a pair of interceptions.

Santiago Vasquez had 30 receptions for 388 yards and four scores last year.

That gets us to a great character kid, Owen Fiorenza.

The junior linebacker was one of a handful of SGV/IE area players to record north of 100 tackles (107), and he also led ALHS with 5.5 sacks.

His big brother AJ was second in the SGV in tackles just two years ago at Glendora, and Owen is expected to make his presence felt on the offensive side of the ball as well.

Colin Boen is back, and he was second for the ALHS defense in tackles (79) and sacks (2.5).

Owen Lyons, the first D-1 commit (Eastern Washington) in the Perri era will be key for the Alta Loma defense.

Lyons got injured in 2025, but he still managed 14 tackles and a pair of interceptions.

The Lions coaching staff includes Travis Hills (offensive coordinator), Justin Perri (defensive coordinator), Dean Mariani (offensive line), Jash Robles (linebackers),  Erik Avila (receivers),  Simon Samorivich (tight ends), Gabe Alvizio (defensive backs), Evan Williams (defensive line) and 2025 player and graduate, Mason Kovar.

And speaking of this program being all about family, even the coaches children hang out at practice.

To view Jeff Serpa’s photo gallery from an Alta Loma practice, click on the Facebook link here. Facebook

Alta Loma’s 2026 Schedule:
8/21: Colony at ALHS
8/28: ALHS at St. Francis
9/4: Etiwanda at ALHS
9/11: ALHS at Glendora
9/18: Bye Week
9/25: Silverado at ALHS
10/2: San Dimas at ALHS
10/9: ALHS at Los Osos
10/15: ALHS at Diamond Ranch
10/23: ALHS at Chino
10/30: Claremont at ALHS

Valle Vista League Standings in 2025:
Alta Loma (8-3, 4-1)
Northview (8-3, 4-1)
West Covina (7-4, 4-1)
San Dimas (7-6, 2-3)
Baldwin Park (8-6, 1-4)
Diamond Ranch (3-7, 0-5)

 

ALHS Stat Leaders in 2025 For Returning Players:
Passing: Max Fierro: 130-of-237 for 1,643 yards, 20 TDs & nine INT
Rushing: Izaih Brown: 129-for-630 & five TDs
Rushing: Max Fierro: 63-for-237 & seven TDs
Receptions: Bryant Avila: 52-for-641 & 12 TDs
Receptions: Santiago Vasquez: 30-for-388 & four TDs
Receptions: Semaj Stewart: 15-for-201 & one TD
Receptions: Owen Fiorenza: 6-for-156 & one TD
Tackles: Owen Fiorenza: 107
Tackles: Colin Boen: 79
Tackles: Semaj Stewart: 36
Sacks: Owen Fiorenza: 5.5
Sacks: Bryant Avila: 2.5
Sacks: Colin Boen: 2.5
Sacks: Elliot Ibanez: 2
Sacks: Jayden Hubbard: 2
Interceptions: Devon White: 3
Interceptions: Semaj Stewart: 2
Interceptions: Santiago Vasquez: 2
Interceptions: Owen Lyons: 2

Recent Alta Loma Records:
2025: 8-3 overall, 4-1 in league
2024: 5-5, 2-3
2023: 1-9, 0-3
2022: 4-6, 0-3
2021: 8-4, 1-2
2020: 2-2, 0-1
2019: 1-9, 0-5
2018: 8-5, 2-3
2017: 6-5, 3-2
2016: 5-5, 3-2