This is the first in a series looking at the top high school football players by position, and today we have Palos Verdes quarterback Ryan Rakowski.
As I drive down Palos Verdes Drive on my way to Palos Verdes High, my brain tells me to pull over. To my right is the ocean. As I peer down from the cliffs, my senses are immediately activated: smell, hearing, and sight. It’s the most picturesque view. I hear the birds, feel the breeze, and see miles of calm blue ocean. It really feels like a breath of fresh air.
Football coach Guy Gardner said he tries not to take the daily routine of traveling up and down the scenic roads for granted.
“I think it’s a fun place to play,” he said. “Other teams in the South Bay are closer to the ocean than we are. We overlook the ocean. We’re pretty blessed.”
A view of Palos Verdes Drive on the way to Palos Verdes High School. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
On the day of a total solar eclipse in April, the team’s star quarterback, Ryan Lakowski, showed up to practice wearing colorful, beach-ready patterned shorts. During 7-on-7 games, the ball blasted out of his right hand with forceful speed and accuracy.
Rakowski then runs the option play and actually slides as if he’s about to be tackled, a clear nod to his old baseball days.
“The grass is nice here,” he said. “I’m used to sliding.”
Nothing Rakowski does will be a surprise, because he was remarkably calm, composed and effective as a freshman last season, completing 70 percent of his passes for 1,866 yards, 23 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
“He throws the ball in the right spots,” Gardner said. “One of the things he’s good at is being able to extend plays, but his attention is deep down the field.”
Rakowski is a workaholic. He has a personal coach who helps him with passing and speed. He works out in the weight room, going from 158 to 170 pounds. He’s 6 feet tall and plays a lot of 7-on-7 games in the spring and summer. He studies college and pro quarterbacks. He has a 3.8 grade-point average and played multiple sports before committing to football. During the school’s March Madness era, he joined a group of football players who played basketball and helped the team reach the Final Four.
“He works hard in everything he does,” Garner said. “He loves playing the sport and he loves competing.”
A view from Palos Verdes Drive on the way to Palos Verdes Highway. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
In an era where height is no longer considered a barrier at the highest level, Rakowski continues to work on the details and skills needed to be successful.
“I’m not the tallest quarterback, so I have to make up in other ways,” he said. “I feel like I can improvise and make up. There are a lot of shorter quarterbacks out there these days, Noah Fifita, Bryce Young. They just go out there and throw the ball.”
And that’s exactly what Rakowski does: He hands the ball to his receivers even when they think they have him or are about to screw up the play. He uses his instincts to be a disruptor and frustrate those who think he’s going to screw up.
“I think I have the ability to sense somebody coming at me when I’m rolling out and know I have to get the ball out there. I just try to navigate the interaction with the receiver,” he said.
Palos Verdes sophomore quarterback Ryan Rakowski. (Eric Sondheimer/Los Angeles Times)
Palos Verdes won its first 10 games last season before facing Orange County powerhouse Mission Viejo in the opening round of the Division II playoffs, where the Sea Kings lost, 59-35. With several key players graduating, the team has decided to build around the 16-year-old Rakowski, who will make his sophomore debut on Saturday in Hawaii against Iolani.
There are plenty of talented quarterbacks on the roster this fall, including Corona Centennial’s Hughesan Longstreet, Mission Viejo’s Luke Fahey and Newbury Park’s Brady Smigiel, and Rakowski is just as capable of commanding respect, and his development will give college scouts another reason to request a visit to Palos Verdes, where the comings and goings are a sight to behold.
“I try to walk home every day by Paseo del Mar so I can see this view,” Gardner said. “I do it on purpose to tell myself that we’re in pretty good shape.”
Tuesday: Oak Hills running back Carson Cox.
Featured quarterbacks
Murrieta Valley quarterback Bear Bachmeier poses for a photo on his family’s three-acre estate. (Gina Ferrazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Bear Bacmeier, Murrieta Valley, 6-2, 220, Sr.: Accurate, dual threat, committed to Stanford.
Dash Beyerly, Mater Dei, 6-1, 215 pounds, Sr.: The University of Washington-bound athlete will take over as head coach at a school that has produced three Heisman Trophy winners.
Wyatt Becker, Sierra Canyon, 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, senior: Plans to attend Utah State University, scored 30 touchdowns as a junior.
Luke Fahey, Mission Viejo, 6-0, 185 pounds, Jr.: Accurate, competitive and improving every week.
TJ Lateef, Orange Lutheran College, 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, senior: The Nebraska-bound athlete is versatile and tough.
Juthan Longstreet, Corona Centennial, 6’2″, 190 lbs., Senior: Committed to Texas A&M University, gearing up for best season ever.
Madden Iamareva, Warren, 6-2, 190, Sr.: UCLA commit, 3,626 yards, 43 touchdowns
Steele Pizzella, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 6-0, 173, Sr.: The Washington State University-bound athlete ran the 100 meters in 10.64 seconds.
Ryan Rakowski, Palos Verdes, 6-0, 170, sophomore: Completed 70% of his passes as a freshman on a 10-1 team.
Brady Smigiel, Newbury Park, 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, junior: I think one day I’ll break the record for most TD passes.
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This article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
