Cerritos College football players Fouimalo Fonoti, David Lopez, and Keith McGill anchored a Falcon team that went 9-3 and came within one game of the California State Championship last season.

Their consistent high level of play has been strong enough for the three to earn All-American honors, adminstered by the California Community College Football Coaches Association.  

Lopez was given the honor of 1st Team All-American and 1st Team All-State.

He was key to the Falcons’ success on defense this season as he led the team in total tackles (107), sacks (4.5), and tied for the team lead in forced fumbles and fumble recoveries with two, respectively.

He was also recognized as a unanimous All-Conference selection, and received the Defensive Player of the Southern California Championship Game, as well as the Southern California Bowl.

Lopez feels it’s a blessing and an honor to be recognized as one of the best linebackers.

 “It finally shows that years of hard work pay off if you put in work like a champion”, he said.

The sophomore has played football since his freshman year at Garfield High School in Los Angeles and he has since received many prestigious honors.

Liberty University and Portland State University have kept their eye on the football all-star but he is leaning toward the University of Miami.

If making it to National Football League is not in his favor, he will still revolve his future around football and eventually manage his own business.

“Every football players dream is to play professional football, but I have always planned a second career as backup, in communication and business,” Lopez said.

“Either way, I am always going to be involved in football.”

Aside from Lopez, the Falcon football team also has free safety McGill on the defensive unit.

 The Univeristy of Utah verbal commit was voted the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, as well as being recognized as 1st Team All-American, and 1st Team All-State.

He helped to lead the team with 203 return yards, seven interceptions, and two blocked kicks; one of them coming on the final play of the Falcons 27-21 win over Bakersfield College.

McGill is a dynamic ball-hawking safety who stands at 6’4″, 214 lbs and he consistently runs a 4.35.

He said part of the decision to go to Utah was the school joining what will be known as the Pac-12.

“Honestly, I would have gone elsewhere if they didn’t join the Pac 10.

I kept telling the coaches, ‘You’ve got to join the Pac 10.’ Everyone wants to play against schools like [Universityof Southern California],” he said in a previous interview.

  University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Kansas State, University of Montana, New Mexico University, Oregon State University, San Diego State University, and San Jose State University are among the other schools who have offered him a scholarship.

Despite being one of the top football prospects to come out of Cerritos College in recent years, McGill is also concerned about his life off of the field.

He is currently raising his four-year-old daughter with his girlfriend who plays softball.

“We are basically a package deal,” he said.

“I know my girlfriend will want to enroll where I go and it’s really a big factor in my decision.

“I’m looking for a place to play football, but I’m also looking at what is best for my family.”

On the other side of the ball, standing at 6’5, 300 pounds, Fonoti, more commonly known as “Fou”, a shorter variation of his first name, has been recognized for All-American and All-State honors.

Fonoti, along with Lopez, was a unanimous All-Conference selection.

He received eighteen football scholarships and listed UCLA, Michigan State, Washington State, Arizona, and Rutgers as his top choices, despite initially not considering college football as a possibility.

 Fonoti says that he will attempt to make it to the National Football League.

“My major is criminal justice, so I want to get my degree in that, and  God willing, I make it to the pros,” he said.