D3 CIF-SS semifinal. Pacifica was on the road in the freezing cold against a Chino Hills team that was coming off a dominant win over Notre Dame.
Their perfect season, their back-to-back hopes, everything was on the line.
It was nervous time for the Tritons, but not for Isaiah Phelps.
“I’m the momentum changer. I’m the standard. I feel like I’m what everybody should be looking up to,” said Phelps.
The three-star linebacker is a man of his word. He totaled 17 tackles, two tackles for loss, nine solo tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
His monster night helped lead Pacifica to a 42-21 win over the Huskies, sending them to the championship, where they defeated Palos Verdes 20-10.
“It was determination in my eyes. I was not getting stopped,” said Phelps.
That’s not all. Phelps also rushed for 113 yards at 6.6 yards per carry and added a crucial rushing touchdown in one of the best two-way performances the CIF playoffs have seen.
“Big game like this, he’s gonna have to get the rock,” said head coach Mike Moon.
Phelps plays with one speed and that’s full speed. He gets downhill on defense in a hurry and runs the alley like no other. He has totaled 198 tackles in Pacifica’s championship run and averaged a ridiculous 14 tackles per game.
He lives in the backfield. He sheds blockers at will and knows exactly what angle to take on a ball carrier. Phelps has recorded 18 tackles for loss, two sacks, 14 quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles on the year.
“Me and him have been playing together since we were six years old. Seeing him grow every year, he’s just a great player,” said quarterback Taylor Lee.
The junior has helped lead the Pacifica defense an average of 17 points allowed on the season, with wins over Newbury Park, Oaks Christian, St. Bonaventure, Bishop Diego, Oak Hills, Bishop Amat, Chino Hills and Palos Verdes.
“I love all my guys right next to me. We’re all dogs,” said Phelps.
Not many are as physical and have the motor that Phelps possesses. It directly translates to offense, as Phelps is averaging 99 rushing yards per game with seven touchdowns in the last five games.
He runs with authority at 6.5 yards per carry. He can break down a defense by being the workhorse or break off the home runs as well. He’s had four games with 100 plus rushing yards on the season.
“He’s one of those guys that we rode to the D4 championship last year, on both sides of the ball,” said Moon. “The dude’s a freaking flat-out player.”
Phelps knows it; his coaches know it; his teammates know it and colleges know it as well. He has 23 offers, including Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas and USC.
“He has all of these offers for a reason,” said Lee.
Despite the abundance of scholarships, Lee is still undecided on where he will play at the college level.
“I’m very excited to figure out where I’m going to go,” said Phelps. “I like Arizona State. They’re showing more love than any other school.”
