Football back of the year: Davon Booth of El Monte

Dec. 21, 2019 7:45 AM PT

Davon Booth’s 52 yard TD run for a 6-0 lead pic.twitter.com/1yqShxGYgq
— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) December 15, 2019

Davon Booth, a 5-foot-9, 180-pound senior running back, might be popular enough to run for mayor of El Monte after the season he experienced.

The Lions decided to give him the ball again and again, and Booth responded by leading El Monte to a 16-0 record. He rushed for more than 100 yards in 14 of the 15 games in which he played. He broke the 3,000-yard rushing mark with 213 yards and four touchdowns in the CIF state championship Division 5-AA bowl game, a 32-7 victory over Crescent City Del Norte.

Booth has been selected The Times’ back of the year.

“His stats speak for themselves,” coach Jesse Ceniceros said.

STATE CHAMPS💙💍!! It Haven’t even hit me yet, now that my years of High School ball is over I wanna thank everyone who was able to support me in any way possible!! #6ixOut✌🏾 pic.twitter.com/Vv2nW8hAW2
— Davon Booth🥀🕸 (@Vonn_6k) December 17, 2019

Booth rushed for 3,147 yards and 40 touchdowns running out of the Lions’ double-wing offense.

“He’s gifted,” Ceniceros said.

He had 315 yards rushing against San Diego Serra in a regional playoff game and 288 against Huntington Beach Ocean View. Eight times he had games of more than 200 yards rushing.

High School Sports

Eric Sondheimer

Eric Sondheimer is the prep sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He has been honored seven times by the California Prep Sportswriters Assn. for best prep sports column.