Running back Davon Booth a leader for unbeaten El Monte

As a young coach, Jesse Ceniceros learned how to coach the double-wing attack from the master himself, the late Don Markham, at Bloomington. Now Ceniceros is head coach at 15-0 El Monte, and in running back Davon Booth, he has a player who is flourishing.

Booth has rushed for 2,722 yards and 32 touchdowns going into Saturday’s CIF state championship Division 5-AA bowl game on the road against Crescent City Del Norte.

Booth broke his collarbone as a freshman and didn’t play as a sophomore, so in two short years, he has helped transform the El Monte football program.

“He’s gifted,” Ceniceros said of the 5-foot-9, 180-pound standout. “He’s fast, very agile and has explosive speed.”

El Monte is facing quite a road trip. Final decisions have not been made, but the team could leave by bus Thursday morning for Arcata and stay for three nights before departing for home on Sunday morning. A final decision on a site for the game is still being made.

Del Norte has a grass field, and rain is expected. Mud would be good for a double-wing team. But the game could be switched to Humboldt State, which has an all-weather field.

Ceniceros seems fine with either site, and Booth is ready to go.