Getting pretty defensive

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The first order of business for Dominguez in its San Gabriel Valley League opener against Gahr tonight/Friday on the Dons’ home field will be the containment of junior quarterback Corey Nielsen.

Nielsen, the state leader in passing-yard average, according to MaxPreps.com, has completed 94 of 144 attempts for 1,919 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions in five games.

The job of slowing Neilsen and his favorite targets, junior receivers Deondre Powell and Aaron Bradley, will fall primarily to Dominguez senior cornerback Aaron Hester and senior free safety Manoah Wesson. Wesson, who has drawn recruiting interest from Washington, Arizona and Utah, has intercepted two passes this season.

While those two cover the receivers, linebackers Richard Barns and brothers Maurice and Marquis Simmons are expected to rush Nielsen. Marquis Simmons, a junior, leads the Dons (3-2) with seven sacks. The senior Barns has six sacks and Maurice Simmons, also a senior and pictured above making a tackle against Crenshaw last season, has four sacks and a fumble recovery.

Dominguez’s defense has its work cut out if Nielsen’s last game was any indication. He completed 16 of 28 passes for 455 yards and five touchdowns in a 40-7 rout of Apple Valley Granite Hills last week.

The Dons, though, are not Granite Hills.

Dominguez has losses to Corona Centennial, ranked third in the state and No. 24 nationally by USA Today, and to Redlands East Valley, ranked fifth in the state.

The Dons are ranked No. 17 in the Southland by The Times and are fourth in the Southern Section Western Division coaches’ poll, where Gahr jumped in this week at No. 10.

- Lauren Peterson

-- Image by Ringo H.W. Chiu/For the Times