SEASON OF CHANGE

Aaron Fredette of El Camino Real knows how to adapt to change.

Seven moves in his 18 years has taught him that much.

Little more than two months ago, the El Camino Real High football team was on course to challenge Taft for the Northwest Valley Conference title and perhaps a City 4-A championship.

Fredette was ranked among the area’s top four City quarterbacks, having completed 61% of his passes for 518 yards, seven touchdowns and only one pass intercepted.

The Conquistadores were so hot they smoked their first four opponents, outscoring them, 161-22.

But they did it with smoke . . . and mirrors. The Conquistador slide began, as El Camino Real lost two of its next three games to San Fernando and Birmingham.

“We were thinking we were better than we were,” Fredette offered.

The Conquistadores lost four of their last six games and finished fifth in the conference.

Fredette, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior who also starts at free safety and returns punts, completed just 38% of his 91 passes in those six games and had three passes intercepted.

Fredette--along with seven other two-way starters--was just plain tired. And letdowns in the second half of games proved it.

“I think that’s one of the reasons his play at quarterback the last half of the season hasn’t been as productive as the first part of the year,” Coach Rick Hayashida said.

Despite its 3-4 conference record, El Camino Real was seeded second in the 3-A Division playoffs.

Coaches and players, at first disappointed with the drop to 3-A, decided it was time to begin anew.

“We started over, started lifting weights again and reconditioning,” Fredette said. “It’s been 100% better in the games. Nobody’s tired anymore.”

The new conditioning regimen that the team adopted four weeks ago has given new strength to a team on a different mission.

Fredette, who had three interceptions in his first 11 games, has picked off four in the past two weeks.

Offensively, Fredette has guided an attack that has been run-oriented lately because of the rain and wet fields.

With running back Quincy Wright running for 611 yards in the playoffs, Fredette has thrown just 16 passes in the past three games for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

Tonight, however, the attack might become more air-oriented, Hayashida said.

“We’re anticipating that we’re going to have to throw the ball,” Hayashida said. “If [Carson] puts eight, nine men in the box, we feel confident that Aaron will get the ball to the receivers.”

Fredette also poses a threat with his mobility and speed. He has rushed for 278 yards and eight touchdowns in 97 carries. But it’s his ability to see and react under center that makes him most threatening.

“The fact that he can make the decisions on the line of scrimmage, make audible calls, read the defense, I think that’s the one thing that has been a great plus for us,” Hayashida said.

“During the summer in passing leagues, he probably made 90% of the calls on offense,” he said. “One of the few kids, maybe the only kid, to actually make calls on his own during the passing leagues.”

Although the season started out one way and appears to be ending another, Fredette isn’t complaining. He prefers to see the positives.

“Yeah, I’d like to be playing for the 4-A [title], but we’re [playing for the 3-A title],” Fredette said. “I know a million other kids who would like to be playing in the Coliseum and aren’t.”