Column: St. John Bosco quarterback proving there’s life after Josh Rosen

It can be expensive serving as the starting quarterback for unbeaten Bellflower St. John Bosco.

Quentin Davis took his offensive linemen out for dinner. They requested buffalo wings. For a group of teenagers who weigh 300 pounds and up, that’s an order of about 100 wings. The final bill of several hundred dollars was a small price to pay for a group that takes pride in serving as Davis’ protective detail.

“It’s ridiculous,” Davis said of the line play this season.

Like Josh Rosen before him, Davis has become the focal point in St. John Bosco’s bid for a fourth consecutive Trinity League championship. Under Rosen, the Braves went 15-0 over three seasons in the Trinity League. Rosen had lots of help, just as Davis has, but it’s the play at quarterback that usually sets the tone in the toughest league in California.

Davis has waited more than eight years for the opportunity at hand. Growing up in Cerritos, he spent elementary and middle school hanging out with future St. John Bosco students. Then, just when he reached high school, he called an audible. He enrolled at Santa Ana Mater Dei and was the quarterback for a 10-0 freshman team.

“At the end of the day, I decided I wanted to try something different,” he said.

Then he did something even more confusing — he left Mater Dei for St. John Bosco even though beating out Rosen was going to be an unlikely task.

“I just decided this was the place for me and it was time to go home,” he said.

Davis was the junior varsity quarterback as a sophomore and Rosen’s backup as a junior. The two of them sent quarterbacks scrambling to find new schools. Tyler Lytle left for Anaheim Servite. Zach Taylor left for Buena Park. Dylan Lemle left for Los Angeles Hawkins. All three are having big seasons.

Davis stuck it out, waiting for his turn.

The real season begins Friday when St. John Bosco (5-0) opens Trinity League play against Santa Margarita, the last league team to beat the Braves — in 2011.

“It’s super exciting. I’m pumped,” the 6-foot-2, 208-pound Davis said.

For months, while Rosen has been busy trying to convince skeptics of his ability to start as a freshman at UCLA, Davis has been equally preoccupied trying to convince people there is life after Rosen at St. John Bosco.

“I think he’s handled it pretty well,” Coach Jason Negro said. “Everybody keeps referring him to Josh, and I don’t think that’s fair. Quentin is his own guy, and the only thing he can be compared to Josh in is wins and losses.”

Davis has passed for 1,296 yards and 14 touchdowns with one interception. He’s completing 68% of his passes. He can run, he’s accurate on his throws, he has a quick release and he’s enabling the Braves to run their no-huddle offense with precision and speed.

Preparation is a Davis strength. He and offensive coordinator Chad Johnson watch hours of video, and on Fridays, he is usually perfect on the 40-question pregame tests that Rosen used to ace.

“He’s done everything we’ve asked of him up to this point,” Negro said. “I don’t think anything’s going to change as long as he stays consistent with his preparation.”

The fact each time a journalist has interviewed Davis, Rosen’s name has come up and he hasn’t blinked or wavered shows a quarterback confident and comfortable in his surroundings.

The St. John Bosco linemen are a pretty good judge of quarterback character, and they’re big fans of Davis. Of course, they also like buffalo wings, so as long as Davis keeps delivering wins and wings, all will be well at St. John Bosco.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

Twitter:@LATSondheimer