JSerra standout Jake Flores has been riding since he was 9 years old

The fifth in a series of stories profiling the top high school football players by position. Today Jake Flores, JSerra offensive lineman.

To understand the love for football and the maturity shown by 6-foot-6, 270-pound JSerra High senior Jake Flores, you have to realize an amazing truth about someone who has been playing the game since he was in the fourth grade.

“I’ve never scored a touchdown in my life,” he said.

Not?

Unbelievable, it’s true. He was drafted at 9 and is still at 17. Flores insists his motivation and excitement comes from helping others score touchdowns.

“Holding the guy gives my brothers time to come down and score,” he said.

It’s no wonder that fair play offensively has given Flores satisfaction and joy, even though he’s in anonymity for much of the game. He truly understands that his role as a blocker is to help others win the game.

“Offensive linemen are among the smartest people on a football field and he’s in the upper echelon,” JSerra coach Victor Santa Cruz said. “He stands above the crowd. Jake always commands respect because he gives respect, but his work ethic is amazing.”

With his father in the shipping business, Flores grew up in Hong Kong and Singapore until moving to Virginia, then Mission Viejo in the fifth grade. He went out to football in Virginia because “it was the thing to do in our town.”

He played several sports and was known as “Stick” because he was tall and skinny. He first dunked a basketball when he was in the sixth grade. He enrolled at JSerra as a 6-4, 230-pound 14-year-old and immediately worked out with the 18-year-old varsity linemen in the summer because the line lacked depth. It gave him confidence for Thursday’s freshman games and had him make his first varsity appearance in the playoffs against Sierra Canyon.

Blocking involves technique, but Flores said mental toughness might be even more important.

“You’ve got to remember you’re going to dominate, you’re the baddest guy on the field and you’ve got to take these guys and throw them on the field and make them pay for lining up in front of your,” he said. said.

Every year as he dedicated himself to the weight room, he got bigger and stronger.

“I definitely fell in love with the weight room,” he said. “Strength helps confidence. When you’re out there, you know you can take these guys and take them to the field. You know in your head that you can do it like second nature.”

Flores committed to Washington, which is more of a validation of his skills as a blocker.

“He has an extremely bright future because of who he is as a person,” Santa Cruz said. “He is a determined and focused young man.”

There is a blue collar work ethic about him and it comes from his parents. His mother works as a special education teacher at Trabuco Hills and his father is still in the shipping business. He and his younger sister, a freshman volleyball player at Trabuco Hills, appreciate the lessons taught.

“It teaches us to work without looking closely at the clock,” he said. “These are the things we have to do and after that, we can do anything. It taught us selflessness because they sacrificed so much over the years. It became second nature to do it for my friends. We have guys coming from all over, from Oceanside, Long Beach, Watts. They know my house is always open. We’ll have food on their plate for them.”

Flores said playing in the Trinity League and the games against Mater Dei and St. John Bosco helped prepare him for the future.

“It’s almost like you know you’re playing with the best guys in the nation,” he said. “You bring your hardest every game and you know they will too. At the end of the day, you know you are preparing for the next level. You can measure yourself to see where you stand out against the top guys.”

And Flores has become one of those top players that opponents will have to match up against. Just don’t expect him to brag about it.

“I love playing them,” he said. “They always have something more to say. It’s nice to punch them in the mouth.”

Saturday: Khary Wilder, defensive lineman Gardena Serra

Offensive referees to watch

Jake Flores; JSerra; 6-6; 270; Sr.; The Washington commit is the best blocker in the Trinity League

Drew Hill; Corona centenary; 6-4; 285; Sr.; The Southern Methodist commitment is physical and versatile

Cody Greene; Mater Dei; 6-6; 285; Jr.; A physical specimen that performs

Drew Nichols; Murrieta Valley; 6-5; 270; Sr.; Michigan State commit Bear Bachmeier’s protector

Matt Perdue; St. John Bosco; 6-2; 285; Sr.; The 4.3 GPA center is a key member of the top offensive line

Maki Stewart; Long Beach Millikan; 6-6; 290; Sr.; The Arizona State commit has size to dominate

Sione Tohi; Mater Dei; 6-3; 350; Sr.; Arizona commit returns All-Trinity League honoree

Malik White; Rancho Cucamonga; 6-5; 310; Jr.; Has size to develop into a top blocker

Sam Utu; Lutheran Orange; 6-5; 310; Jr.; Headed for high speed status

Arion Williams; Lutheran Orange; 6-3; 275; Sr.; Versatile All-Trinity League pick