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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Servite High's Luke Sorensen is a 'Swiss Army Knife' of tight ends
Fourth in a series of stories profiling top high school football players by position. Today, Luke Sorensen, Servite tight end. Wearing size 18 cleats, Luke Sorensen might not be the best candidate to walk across a frozen lake and make it to the other side. Then again, his hands are so large (11 inches wide) he might be able to cling to a piece of ice in an emergency to stay afloat. What he can do is catch frozen-rope passes from quarterbacks as a 6-foot-4, 255-pound tight end at Servite High. He's so large you feel sorry for the person who might have to tackle him. Picture his twin sister jumping on his back while pleading for him to fall as what can happen on a football field. In an era when tight ends at the NFL level are becoming more and more valuable because of their ability to catch and block, Sorensen will provide similar versatility for the Friars. He's that unique individual with the size and athleticism to create mismatches. 'He's a unicorn,' coach Chris Reinert said. 'There's probably two or three kids in the country that can do what he does. Most of the time recruiting athletes who are receivers, you need to teach them first how to block. He was reverse. He can physically move people against their will.' This is only Sorensen's second year playing tight end. He showed up to play football as a freshman at 170 pounds. He was put on the offensive line. Last season as a junior he was switched to tight end. He loves the position because he gets to be Servite's 'Swiss Army Knife.' 'I want to do it all,' he said. He can be the blocker to open holes at the point of attack or the receiver running over smaller defenders after he makes a catch. 'In the passing game. he's become a massive matchup problem,' Reinert said. 'He's a great athlete.' He can dunk a basketball because of his large hands and leaping skills. He was a baseball player growing up with dreams of becoming a major leaguer. But football is the sport that fits him best with the physicality required and his athleticism. Even though he turns 17 on Saturday, making him a young senior, he welcomes the opportunity to face older players. 'It doesn't bother me,' he said. 'At the end of the day, they're a player across from me. I think it's cool I'm younger. I can have a chip on my shoulder and do good stuff against older guys. It gets me ready for the next level because guys there are really good and really old.' Last season he caught 15 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers figure to increase considerably with his experience, strength and importance in Servite's offense. 'I expect massive things from him,' Reinert said. As part of the Trinity League, which already has perhaps the nation's No. 1 tight end recruit in Mater Dei's Mark Bowman, the idea of Bowman and Sorensen playing on the same field Oct. 18 will be like being in tight end heaven. They also could face off in the Big Ten, since Bowman is committed to USC and Sorensen to Nebraska. Now if only someone has an extra size 18 cleats, please give him a call. Read more: Complete coverage: Prep football preview 2025 'I'm always looking for more,' he said. Saturday: San Juan Hills offensive lineman Cooper Javorsky. Tight ends to watch Mark Bowman, Mater Dei, 6-4, 225, Sr.: USC commit is SoCal's best since Colby Parkinson was at Oaks Christian Keawe Browne, Corona Centennial, 6-5, 230, Sr.: Has quickness, athleticism and strength Jaden Hernandez, Long Beach Poly, 6-3, 235, Sr.: Colorado State commit has reliable catching skills Beckham Hofland, Los Alamitos, 6-4, 230, Sr.: Boise State commit has size and blocking skills Max Leeper, Claremont, 6-7, 215, Sr.: New Mexico commit has size to be productive contributor Jude Nelson, Long Beach Millikan, 6-4, 220, Sr. Colorado State commit is strong, agile Andre Nickerson, Inglewood. 6-3, 235, Sr.: SMU commit is athletic and tough to bring down Luke Sorensen, Servite, 6-4, 255, Sr.: Friars intend to build offense around Nebraska commit Caleb Tafua, Bishop Montgomery, 6-5, 220, Sr.: Texas A&M commit caught 10 TDs at Lakewood Andrew Williams, Fremont, 6-5, 220, Sr.: USC commit is also formidable edge rusher Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Prep talk: Servite is building around four freshmen offensive linemen
Servite High football coach Chris Reinert is running around spring practices teaching fundamentals. If he ever takes a moment to look over at the offensive linemen and remembers that four are currently freshmen with varsity experience, he just might smile. He knows that Elisha Mueller, Brody Black, Keiden Lokeni and Trey Iosua are a building block to make Servite a legitimate player in the tough Trinity League. Mueller, in particular, could be Servite's next NFL prospect in the mold of first-round draft pick Mason Graham. He's 6 feet 4 and closing in on 300 pounds. He's fierce, competitive and a team player. 'He's everything you want in an offensive lineman,' Reinert said. 'He's big, physical, nasty and has an attitude.' Servite doesn't have its track and field athletes out for spring ball. They're busy trying to win a CIF championship with all their speed, but come summer, beware. Servite will be competing in seven-on-seven tournaments on June 28 at St. John Bosco and July 12 in the Battle at the Beach at Edison. And remember the people up front will be very good. … The Southern Section will release its baseball and softball pairings on Monday. … It's a big weekend ahead for championships in Southern Section lacrosse and boys' volleyball. The City Section will hold its volleyball championships on Saturday. This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email
Los Angeles Times
20-04-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Aliso Niguel's Jaslene Massey taking aim at state title in shotput
When Jaslene Massey smiles, it's contagious. You want to return the smile. She has a bubbling personality that encourages track and field fans to cheer for her to succeed. In the shotput, she has developed into the favorite to win a state championship. She won the Orange County championships with a mark of 50 feet, 7 inches. She's the first California high school girl to surpass 50 feet since 2016. Last week she won the Arcadia Invitational. On Saturday, she won at the Mt. SAC Relays. She finished second last year in the Southern Section Masters Meet at 46 feet and third in the state championship after being a high jumper as a freshman. 'It's definitely come as a shock to me,' said Massey, a junior who has a 4.4 grade-point average. 'Last year I thought I was going to go 47 feet. Now I want to keep working.' She deserves to be considered one of the best female athletes in Southern California, because she's also a standout volleyball player and was a youth figure skater. Her athleticism has been put to good use in the shotput, something she had not done until high school. 'She's so strong and explosive,' her club coach, Mike O'Dell, said. O'Dell first saw her at a meet and went to her parents to offer support. 'I saw her throw a shotput like it was a three-pointer,' he said. She's 5 feet 9 with long arms, making her a good fit for the event. 'Being long really helps,' said Sherman Oaks Notre Dame throwing coach Nick Garcia. O'Dell helped revise Massey's training, including in the weight room. 'The way I weightlifted completely changed,' she said. 'I was doing it on my own freshman and sophomore year. I think my explosive ability from volleyball really helps. He's been able to build me up.' This coming week will be a big week for fans of Servite High football, because two former Friars, defensive lineman Mason Graham and receiver Tetairoa McMillan, are expected to be selected on Thursday during the opening night of the NFL draft. They were teammates on Servite's 2021 team that lost to Mater Dei in the Southern Section Division 1 championship game before moving on to Michigan and Arizona, respectively. Former Servite coach Troy Thomas, at the invitation of Graham, will attend the draft in Green Bay. There's lots of unique things to like about both in this time of change in the sports world. For one, they were both four-year players at Servite and multiple-sport athletes. Graham also played rugby and wrestled. McMillan played basketball and volleyball. 'They check every box. High character, durable,' Thomas said. Both endured the pandemic of 2020-21. It affected Graham's recruiting. He didn't become a top recruit until late in his senior season. 'Every year, he got better and kept growing,' said Thomas, who remembers him as a 6-1, 200-pound freshman. 'He was 265 junior year and 285 senior. He played like a linebacker on the defensive line.' McMillan was one of the best athletes at Servite. His intelligence and toughness came through in practices and games. 'His control in the air has been a big factor,' Thomas said. 'He does so many things well. It seems effortless and seems easy when you watch him. He's very competitive and very tough.' Another player who should be taken taken in the first two rounds is former Oaks Christian and UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger. He started out as a walk-on for the Bruins and also had his recruiting affected by the pandemic even more, graduating in 2021 after a brief spring season of football. His story will be told again and again about a teenager seeking a chance and trusting the process.
Los Angeles Times
04-03-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Prep talk: Jorden Wells of Servite is freshman to watch in football, track
When freshman Jorden Wells of Servite High ran the 100 meters in 10.64 seconds last month, it was a warning to everyone about his potential speed and talent in track and field as well as football. 'Electric' is how football coach Chris Reinert describes Wells playing running back for the freshman team. He scored more than 20 touchdowns for the 9-1 team. 'He's an offensive weapon.' Then Wells unveiled his speed when running the 100 meters and suddenly he looks like a young talent on the rise. His twin brother, Jace, also plays football and runs the 400 in track. It should be a fun spring seeing how fast the two brothers run. … It will be No. 1 Corona against No. 4 La Mirada in baseball at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at La Mirada. … The Southern California Regional playoffs in soccer begins on Tuesday. This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email
