"It's a tradition for the Marquez High football team to raise a black Gladiators flag up the stadium pole after each victory. Imagine how often that flag could be raised each time Elyjah Staples, the school's star outside linebacker, earned an A on his report card? That's the only grade he's gotten in three years of classes, no matter taking Chemistry, Algebra 2 or Advanced Placement U.S. History."
"He seems to be in a personal competition to keep getting A's along with sacks at the Huntington Park school. 'He's one of a kind,' coach Rudy Fortiz said. 'Just his leadership. 'Hey, you're doing this wrong.' Everyone follows. Whatever he wants to do, he's going to put his mind to it.' Last season, as a sophomore in his first year playing high school football, Staples had 13 sacks. He also played volleyball, basketball and ran track."
Elyjah Staples is a 16-year-old outside linebacker at Marquez High who maintains straight A's across advanced courses while starring on the football team. He recorded 13 sacks as a sophomore and contributes in multiple sports including volleyball, basketball and track. He is 6 feet 3 and 205 pounds, has a Stanford scholarship offer, and aims to be valedictorian in 2027. Known for leadership, he motivated himself to return to football after freshman-year cheerleading. He recently caught four touchdown passes and recorded two sacks in one game. His older brother, Ezavier, plays receiver for UCLA.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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