By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor The false stereotype associated with offensive lineman is that they are all overweight, unathletic guys meant just to get in the way long enough for a running back to get through a hole or for the quarterback to get rid of the ball. St. Francis senior Matt Barriga is a […]
By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor
The false stereotype associated with offensive lineman is that they are all overweight, unathletic guys meant just to get in the way long enough for a running back to get through a hole or for the quarterback to get rid of the ball.
St. Francis senior Matt Barriga is a perfect example of what elite offensive and defensive lineman look and play like.
Barriga is as fit and athletic as any ‘skilled position’ player and his strength certainly is second to none among even the strongest of Golden Knights.
He’s not looking for accolades or headlines, Barriga is just one member of a St. Francis offensive line that is happy enough to know they helped set the scene for Darius Perrantes to throw for 6 touchdowns in a game, or most recently, giving Elijah Washington the opportunity to rush for 5 scores last week at La Salle.
Barriga and his boys in the trenches, which include Nick Konrad, William Zhang, Sean Barkley, Luke Hunter and Kevin Macho have the Golden Knights 7-0 overall and 2-0 in Angelus League play.
The offensive line has done their part for a team that averages 43 points per game, and keep in mind, those numbers don’t reflect what they might have scored had starters played full games.
St. Francis has blown out six of their seven opponents, and their 24-7 Angelus League opener over St. Paul is the closest game of the year so far.
Barriga also does as much damage on the defensive side of the ball, where he and Gabriel Grbavac make up to the most dominant defensive ends in the area.
His speed, technique, football IQ and hand-work are just a few of the reasons Barriga is such a complete player.
But it’s his character, work ethic, intelligence and loyalty for why he is so revered among his teammates and coaches.
At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, one look at Barriga is intimidating enough, but his tangible and intangible skills separate him from most.
The greatest compliment any player in coach Jim Bonds’ program can get is being elected a ‘Golden Knight,’ which is the esteemed role of being a team captain.
Barriga remembers voting one day in the summer and knowing the next day that Bonds was going to announce who the 2017 captains were going to be.
He admits being nervous and excited, but he wanted to at least try and play it cool.
After the team lifted the next day, they went into Coach Gibbons’ classroom and Bonds announced the captains would be Elijah Washington, Matt Barriga and Greg Dulcich in that order.
A thrill went over Barriga and he smirked trying desperately not to show just how excited he really was.
“I wanted to be part of that brotherhood of Golden Knights,” Barriga said. “The coaches said the kids would look up to us and to see how things were supposed to be done.”
Barriga’s co-captains are both solid kids and great players.
Washington is the area’s best running back and leads the area with 14 rushing TD’s and Dulcich is arguably the most versatile player, as well as his teammate, Blake Howard.
While you can measure Washington’s and Dulcich’s worth via stats, Barriga and the line are graded on the fluidity of the offense and the ability for Perrantes and Washington and Kevin Armstead to do their jobs.
And by their record and stats, the offensive line deserves their share of the credit.
“Matt is the ultimate ‘Golden Knight.’ He is respectful, hard working, smart and really loves to play football,” coach Jim Bonds said. “He is exactly what you’re looking for in a high school football player. But he is actually and even better person.”
Barriga has been a contributor for three years now and he’s not been immune to growing pains, especially early on when he took on players 40 pounds and a couple inches bigger.
In 2015, his sophomore year, Barriga and the Golden Knights went to the CIF-SS semifinals.
Last year, St. Francis was primed to make a deep playoff run, and despite a 9-1 regular-season record, they were given a road game that literally came down to the final play.
As sour a taste as that might have left, it was equally brutal in ‘Week 9’ when the Golden Knights played their worst football game by far, and dropped the league championship at Cathedral by just one score.
Key seniors Blake Howard, Greg Dulcich, Gabriel Grbavac and Barriga himself are not looking past Salesian on Friday or Harvard-Westlake next Thursday.
But don’t think for a second there won’t be some extra intensity when St. Francis ends the regular season with a home game against the Angelus League champions on November 3.
For now, though, it’s all about taking care of business each day at practice and each Friday night to set up that final showdown and with the hopes of entering the postseason on the highest note possible.
For guys like Washington, Dulcich, Grbavac, Howard, Andrew Monarrez and others, that second chance they’ll get with Cathedral will be a coveted one once that time does come.
“If that time does come (title game with Cathedral) we won’t just being going out there for the guys on our sidelines, it will also be for our brothers who don’t get another shot at them,” he said.
Barriga’s impact and responsibilities on the offensive line are just as demanding on the other side of the ball.
He’s able to take advantage of being an overly-athletic big man and he’s become seasoned enough to be able to read opposing offensive lines for tendencies that give him the upper hand.
Said coach Bonds: “Matt is a two-way starter, who played more plays for us last year than anyone on our roster. He did not come off the field. That’s really hard to do for an offensive or defensive lineman. They are typically bigger bodies and wear down quicker than the lighter skill players. Matt is in outstanding shape and we can’t afford to really take him out of the game very much.”
Off the field, Barriga is more proud of his family and academics than anything he’s ever achieved on the field.
He’s currently got a 3.4 grade-point average, which he says is “higher than usual,” because his study habits have improved.
Israel and Maria Barriga, his parents, are not only his inspirations, but they’re the reasons he’s adopted such high standards for himself.
“My parents work so hard and make sure my siblings and I are taken care of,” Barriga said. “They love and care for us so much. They push me to be the best me I can be, and that’s something that makes me want to do everything as well as I can, so it shows how much I appreciate all they do for my sisters and me.”
He also couldn’t be more happy than to be the big brother of Klarissa and Sophia.
Good luck to the young men who eventually will ask his two sisters out when they get older and having to answer to the 6-foot-4, 240-pound big brother of your date.
Barriga also wanted his teammates and coaches to know how much it’s meant to him to be part of that St. Francis family and he said the coaches care even more for the players off the field than on it.
Lastly, Barriga acknowledges, accepts and even brushes aside the fact that only skilled players for the most part get the attention and praise.
He wants his fellow brothers (Barkley, Konrad, Zhang, Hunter, Macho) to know how much it’s meant to go to battle shoulder-to-shoulder with them.
Barriga said the following:
“To my fellow lineman: we all know what we do. We’re not in the media guide. We don’t score touchdowns. We do all the dirty work and taking care of business. We need to play to the best of our abilities and we make it possible for the skill guys to make plays. We can even yell at each other, because we love one another and we expect the very best of everyone we got to battle with. We will always share a special connection, and I appreciate all of you.”
For the record, only one thing Barriga said above was false.
Barriga actually did score a touchdown last week at La Salle, but then again, he always tends to exceed even his own expectations.
Quotable:
St. Francis coach Jim Bonds: “The thing I appreciate most about Matt is that he is so dependable. He is always going to do the right thing. You don’t have to ever worry about him in the classroom or doing something crazy off campus. He is a great leader.”
SF senior Nick Conrad: “Matt Barriga is an intelligent and hard-working student-athlete. He is always focused in the classroom and energetic on the field. As a Golden Knight, he brings a strong sense of leadership on and off the field. He is the type of kid everyone wants on their team. He pushes all of us in practice and in the weight room to be the best we can be. Matt thrives off of criticism to be the best athlete possible. He is a supportive teammate who is a great role model on how we should play football.”
SF senior Andrew Monarrez: “Golden Knight Matthew Barriga is an outstanding all-around person on and off the field. Matt represents true leadership and has a selfless, old-school mentality. This three-year varsity starter has impacted our program immenely, and will do the same for a college in the future. Matt is a respectful young man and is constantly leading by example and I am lucky to be a part of a team with him.”
SF senior Blake Howard: “Matt’s always been a hard worker ever since we played Pop Warner together in the second grade. He always brings a great energy and enthusiasm, and is a key contributor to the team.”
SF senior captain Greg Dulcich: “Matt is an extremely hard worker and a great team leader. He knows how to keep everyone locked in and focused week in and week out. He’s really athletic and has a high football IQ which makes him such a valuable player. He’s a great student, very humble, and does a lot for the school in volunteer work and he’s an active participant in his parish. He’s a really awesome friend that you know you’ll have for the rest of your life and just overall a great guy.”
SF senior Gabriel Grbavac: “Matt is key component to our team and does a great job on both sides of the ball. He has always been a hard worker and keeps striving to get better.”
SF senior captain Elijah Washington: “Matt is an amazing teammate and player. He leads by example giving 100% effort in everything he does. He’s extremely athletic for his size and can beat anyone he comes up against on offense or defense in my opinion. He’s a great kid and is someone a lot of guys on the team look up to.”
SF senior Will Stewart: “Matt is just a great leader and he keeps the energy level high whenever everybody else starts to slack off at practice and keeps the team motivated. He’s a great example of what a ‘Golden Knight’ should be.”
SF def. line coach Bill Stewart: “Matt is the staple of our defensive line. He is smart and athletic. It makes my job easier when I can have a general on the field to help make sure the D line are lined up where they need to be on every play. He is a very respectful kid who knows when we can joke around and when it’s time to play football.”
Getting To Know Matt Barriga:
Favorite Team: USC
Favorite Athlete: JJ Watt
Favorite Movie: Forest Gump
Favorite Musical Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Musical Artist Some May Be Surprise That I Like: Luke Bryan
Famous Person (Alive of Dead) I’d Most Want A Conversation With: Morgan Freeman
St. Francis 2017 Schedule-Results:
August 31: St. Francis 48, Mira Costa 21
September 8: St. Francis 42, Pasadena 0
September 15: St. Francis 49, La Serna 20
September 22: St. Francis 49, Saugus 20
September 29: St. Francis 39, Buena Park 14
October 6: St. Francis 24, St. Paul 7
October 13: St. Francis 49, La Salle 16
October 20: St. Francis at Salesian at 7
October 26: Harvard-Westlake at St. Francis at 7
November 3: Cathedral at St. Francis at 7
Angelus League Standings:
St. Francis (7-0 overall, 2-0 in league)
Cathedral (6-1, 2-0)
Harvard-Westlake (6-1, 1-1)
La Salle (3-4, 1-1)
St. Paul (2-5, 0-2)
Salesian (1-6, 0-2)
