Football: East L.A. Classic unites Diazes again
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They’re not related, but the parallels between Roosevelt quarterback Jesse Diaz and Garfield running back Franky Diaz, pictured, are striking.
The longtime friends are both team captains and top students awarded $500 academic scholarships this week by State Farm. They are also both three-year varsity players who will lead their respective teams into the 74th annual East Los Angeles Classic on Friday night at East Los Angeles College.
‘We would say we’re brothers from other mothers jokingly, but in reality we are in a way because I consider him my brother,’ said Franky Diaz, who spent much of Wednesday’s pregame media conference at East L.A. College hamming it up with Jesse Diaz and posing for photos together. ‘Sometimes I wish he would be on our team.’
The Diazes played on the same flag football team at Stephenson Middle School before realizing they wouldn’t play together in high school because they live on opposite sides of Indiana Street, which is the borderline for high school enrollment.
‘I’ve always wanted to have a chance to play with Franky,’ Jesse Diaz said. ‘Playing against him is one thing but playing with him would be a whole different experience and I’ve always wanted that.’
Both players are also bound for college, and Jesse Diaz will probably play at that level. He is being pursued by Idaho State and UC Davis. Franky Diaz said he has applied to Loyola Marymount and USC, where he hopes to major in business.
--Ben Bolch