LaQuan Beckton

School: Los Alamitos

Sport: Football

Position: Running back

Class: Senior

After stepping aside last season for transfer tailback Erik Mitchell, Beckton has shaken an early-season injury and is establishing himself as one of the county’s top rushers. Beckton, who gained about 500 yards as a sophomore reserve running back and never fully recovered from an early-season ankle injury his junior year, had the best game of his career Thursday, rushing 30 times for 229 yards and three touchdowns before being removed midway through the third quarter of a 42-6 victory over Katella. Beckton pulled a muscle in the Griffins’ first game of the season and Los Alamitos Coach John Barnes said he is about three weeks behind. However, Beckton, who at 5-feet-10 and 200 pounds is the strongest player ever to play for Los Alamitos, is rapidly catching up. “He’s come back really strong and I think we’re starting to see it now,” Barnes said.

Other top performers:

* Angel Barrios, who ran for 196 yards in 22 carries and scored three touchdowns in Buena Park’s 54-0 victory over La Habra Friday.

* Robert Jones, who gained 224 yards in 24 carries in Anaheim’s 17-0 victory over Western Thursday.

* Daniel Niednagel, who ran three miles in 15 minutes 29 seconds, the fastest time for an Orange County runner on the day, and finished fourth in the team sweepstakes race at the Mt. San Antonio Invitational Saturday.

* Albert Perez, who threw two touchdown passes and intercepted a pass at his own 10-yard line to preserve Santa Ana’s 22-21 victory over Huntington Beach Saturday.

* Mike Silvey, a Mater Dei linebacker who recovered a fumble in the third quarter and intercepted a pass at the Monarchs’ 45 with three minutes remaining to help defeat Loyola, 3-0, Thursday.

* Paul Villamil, who scored seven goals including one in each of two overtime periods to lead Servite to a 13-11 water polo victory over Mater Dei Friday.