Football: Instant impact at Jordan

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It only seems as if they grow up faster at L.A. Jordan, where cornerback Raymond Ford and middle linebacker Patrick Wooten have made the transition from Pop Warner to playing a schedule that includes Mater Dei and St. Bonaventure as varsity freshmen.

Wooten is the Bulldogs’ leading tackler, having logged 40 in three games to go with an interception against St. Bonaventure. Ford made an interception during Jordan’s season-opening victory over Locke and had eight tackles against St. Bonaventure.

‘It’s incredible what these youngsters are doing,’ said Bulldogs Coach Elijah Asante, noting that both players should be in the running for All-City Section consideration. ‘You just don’t see it.’

Ford, who is 5-feet-8 and 137 pounds, described the switch from playing pre-teens to the top high school juniors and seniors in the state as ‘difficult but fun because we get to learn a lot.’

The 5-foot-9, 153-pound Wooten said the biggest eye-opener was the speed and strength of the varsity players.

‘We keep going hard, and by the time we get to 12th grade, we’ll be real good,’ Ford said.

--Ben Bolch