Senior QBs lead the way for state-bound CVC, Mission Oak and Strathmore

Central Valley Christian, Mission Oak and Strathmore have several things in common but one key piece for all three high school football teams is a senior quarterback leading the way at the game's most important position.

That's a big reason why all three of those aforementioned Tulare County programs are playing for a 2023 CIF State championship on Saturday at Pasadena City College.

Brent Kroeze is in his first season as the starting quarterback at CVC (14-1). He has directed the Cavaliers to a single-season, school-record 14 wins.

At Mission Oak (10-5), Danny Gonzalez is a two-year starter. He is 35 yards away from becoming the school's all-time career passing yards leader.

Like Gonzalez, Strathmore's Bryson Bias is also a two-year starter. In the past two seasons, he has led the Spartans (11-4) to 18 victories.

Their experience and savvy leadership are invaluable in big games.

“It’s huge,” CVC head coach Mason Hughes said. “Every team we’ve had that’s gone to a Valley championship except for Max’s [Bakker] junior year has been a senior quarterback, so yeah, clearly, that means something. Seniors, they just care more."

‘He’s been cerebral’

Kroeze had to bide his time behind Bakker to be CVC’s starting quarterback.

But those limited and mental reps he had during his junior year at the position helped him thrive as a senior.

In 15 games, Kroeze has completed 66% of his passes, hitting 168-of-252 attempts for 2,726 yards and 35 touchdowns against only eight interceptions.

That type of success is partly due to his senior status.

“Just experience, I’ve been through all different types of games,” Kroeze said. “I know what games can bring, and just consistency, I think that’s the key factor.”

Kroeze’s 35 passing touchdowns this year are the most for a CVC quarterback in a single season in the Hughes era. Hughes has been the Cavaliers head coach since 2009.

Why has Kroeze been so effective?

“A lot of studying, film time, knowing what you’re getting in the game before you actually get into the game,” Kroeze said. “Spending time watching the different coverages and different ways they’ll roll into coverages and stuff.”

That’s basically a requirement for CVC quarterbacks.

“In our program, we just put so much on those guys,” Hughes said. “They have to really want to prepare outside of practice in order to be good. That kid has done that. He’s been preparing for a very long time.”

Kroeze has thrown at least one passing touchdown in every game this season.

In CVC’s Central Section Division II championship game against Lemoore, he hit 11-of-20 passes for 207 yards and three touchdowns to direct the Cavaliers to a 27-26 win.

“I know our players are better than any team that we play,” Kroeze said. “I mean, I have confidence in all of our players. If things don’t go our way then I know at some point it will come our way. I’m just in it for the long run, not in it for the short term.”

CVC will play Los Gatos (12-1) on Saturday night for Division 2-A state title. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

“There’s no surprise that he’s been cerebral and just been clutch all year,” Hughes said.

‘He’s a little Johnny Manziel’

Since transferring from Redwood, Gonzalez has blossomed at Mission Oak.

The Hawks’ senior quarterback has thrown for 5,869 career passing yards in two seasons. The school’s all-time career passing yards record belongs to former standout and current College of the Sequoias assistant coach Trey McJunkin.

From 2013-15, McJunkin passed for 5,903 yards as a three-year starter.

As a junior transfer, did it ever cross Gonzalez’s mind that he may set a school record by the time his football career came to an end at Mission Oak?

More: Tulare County Football: State championship game previews, predictions

“I mean, it crossed my mind,” Gonzalez said. "I didn’t really think it was going to happen. I had a conversation with him, actually, and I told him, ‘I’m coming for the record.’ And he was all, ’I hope you break it, man. I hope you do.’”

Gonzalez has lifted Mission Oak into school history. He piloted the Hawks to their first Central Section championship during the Thanksgiving break when they beat Kerman 34-14 to win the Division III plaque.

In that championship showdown, he played a near-perfect game, firing 300 yards and four touchdowns on 20-of-24 passing. He completed 83% of his attempts in that efficient outing.

As a senior, Gonzalez has thrown for 3,012 yards and 35 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He also leads the Hawks with 12 rushing touchdowns and has racked up 504 yards rushing.

“He’s our little Manziel,” Mission Oak head coach Marty Martin said. “We call him ‘Little Manziel.’ He’s a little Johnny Manziel. He finds stuff. He creates stuff. Sometimes when there isn’t anything, then all of a sudden you think he’s going to take off and run, all of a sudden he sees someone downfield, he pulls it up and nails him for a touchdown.”

That type of poise under pressure elevates the Hawks on game days.

More: 'He's a dog': Mission Oak's Cameron Azevedo excels on football field

“As a leader you have to handle that pressure very well,” Gonzalez said. “When something goes wrong, the underclassmen who are still playing, they’re always looking at you. If you put your head down, they’re going to put their head down. If you have your intensity high, everyone is going to have their intensity high.”

Mission Oak is making its first state championship game appearance. The Hawks collide with Palma-Salinas (10-4) in the Divison 4-A state title showdown. Kickoff is at 3 p.m.

“It’s been amazing, spending time with the team,” Gonzalez said. “I mean, Valley champs and we’re going to get to play for a state title. It’s amazing.”

‘He’s the commander’

Bias grew up in Bakersfield but moved to Terra Bella before high school.

When he arrived at Strathmore, he was originally a fullback but approached Blackwell about changing positions to quarterback.

As a sophomore, Bias was promoted to the varsity squad and started on the defensive line while also serving as the backup quarterback.

He could have stayed at the JV level and received meaningful snaps under center but he didn't want to pass up the opportunity to acclimate himself to the varsity speed.

That season in 2021, Bias did not attempt a single pass but did get to learn under then-starter Jaylen Oats, who went on to account for nearly 1,900 yards of total offense (1,552 yards passing, 341 yards rushing) and 22 total touchdowns (15 passing touchdowns, seven rushing touchdowns).

“He helped me a lot,” Bias said of Oats.

Although he didn’t see much action at quarterback as a sophomore, Bias excelled on defense and piled up 43 tackles and a sack and even had an interception.

“That kind of helped me get used to the game speed,” Bias said. “I didn’t have to learn too much by the time I started my junior year.”

In two seasons, Bias has accumulated 1,662 yards passing, including 1,086 yards this season, and 19 touchdowns in Strathmore’s smash-mouth, run-heavy offense.

Bias might not get to sling the rock as often as Kroeze and Gonzalez but he still plays a big role.

“We put a lot of pressure on him and he never cracks under pressure,” Strathmore head coach Jeromy Blackwell said. “He listens and he learns. What more can you ask from a quarterback? When he gets on the field, he’s the commander. He’s the field general making things happen for us and we’re really happy with him.”

Bias can tuck the football and run, too.

He has rushed for 395 career yards and scored six times on the ground.

“He’s really tough,” Blackwell said. “He has full control of our offense. He knows exactly what we’re doing all the time.”

Strathmore will be playing in its fourth state championship game and first since the 2018 season. The Spartans clash with Bell Gardens (10-5). Game time is 11 a.m. This contest will kick off Saturday’s triple-header featuring three Tulare County teams at Pasadena City College.

“Not many people get that opportunity,” Bias said. “I think we’re very blessed. It feels very good to have a chance to have our name as one of the only teams to win state. I know we won it before but we can be the second team to do it. That’ll be nice.”

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Senior QBs lead the way for state-bound CVC, Mission Oak, Strathmore