La Mirada’s Mele Named Southeast Coach of Year

John Mele, who led La Mirada High School to a 10-4 record and the 1992 Division VIII Southern Section title, has been selected The Times’ Southeast prep football coach of the year.

One of Mele’s players, quarterback Mike Moschetti, is the Southeast back of the year. He passed for 2,394 yards and 26 touchdowns in leading La Mirada to its first California Interscholastic Federation title.

The lineman of the year is nose guard Greg Ford of Whittier, a 6-foot, 250-pound junior who was the Whitmont League’s defensive player of the year.

In the South Coast area, the coach of the year is Mark Rose of Lakewood, who took a team that was 2-8 in 1991 to a 7-3 finish and a second-place tie in the Moore League.

South Coast back of the year is Artesia senior quarterback Aaron Flowers, who won the award for the second consecutive time. In his career, Flowers threw for 8,873 yards, which ranks him behind only Todd Marinovich, now with the Raiders, in CIF history. He also threw for 79 touchdowns, second to former Ram Pat Haden.

Lineman of the year is Fia Ili of Poly, a 6-foot, 235-pound senior who was the Moore League’s top defensive player. He had 55 tackles and 7 sacks.

The coaches and players, along with the Southeast and South Coast all-star teams, were honored at a breakfast Sunday at the Long Beach Sheraton Hotel.

Dave Newell, of Bell Gardens High, was named City Times coach of the year. He led Bell Gardens to a 12-2 record and the Division III finals, where the team lost to Hawthorne, 14-6.