Bonita’s JP Andrade during the Football All-Area at the SGV Tribune on Thursday, December 6, 2018 in Monrovia, California.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: J.P. Andrade, Bonita, Senior Bonita High School quarterback J.P. Andrade had a good season statistically his junior season, throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns, but the Bearcats had a 3-7 record and missed playoffs, which left them with a sour taste. That all changed for Bonita and Andrade this season.
Bonita hired one of the best offensive minds around in head coach Steve Bogan, who won four CIF Southern Section championships at South Hills, and his chemistry with Andrade helped turn everything around.
Bonita finished the season 9-4 and second in the tough Palomares League, and advanced all the way to the Division 10 semifinals before bowing out.
Andrade was the big reason for the success, throwing for a whopping 4,366 yards to go with 38 touchdown passes, and he ran for five TDs. Andrade, who averaged 335 passing yards per game, was named the Palomares League offensive player of the year, and for his efforts has been named the San Gabriel Valley Tribune Player of the Year. “It’s humbling, it really is,” Andrade said. “With coach Bogan coming here and everything that happened last year, it was a blessing. We worked well together and my offensive line did a great job and we had a great season. We didn’t get to the championship game, but we won a lot of big games and for me as a senior, it was great after what we went through last year.”
Even in Bonita’s 59-38 loss to Highland in the CIF-SS semifinals, Andrade left it all on the field, throwing for a season-best 498 yards and three touchdowns.
He had a couple other memorable games that he won’t soon forget. He threw for 427 yards and six touchdowns in a win over Diamond Bar, and threw for 422 yards and five touchdowns in a wild 40-33 win over Covina.
Andrade also didn’t leave without a signature win over rival San Dimas 28-14 in the Smudge Pot game, throwing for 275 yards and two touchdowns in front of a packed house at Covina District Field.
Bogan has been around a lot of special quarterbacks in his career, and he ranks the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder right there with them.
“Everyone loves to talk about that x-factor or x-ingredient. Whatever you want to call it, he had it,” Bogan said. “You can’t measure it or score it, it’s just a unique quality that he has. There aren’t a lot of quarterbacks who are competitive and calm, but J.P. has that. He’s got a great attitude, great work ethic and there were even times he would dial me down, which says a lot about him because that hasn’t happened many times in my career where a quarterback had that much poise, smarts and understanding of what he was doing.”
Andrade, who was also tutored by renowned quarterbacks coach Chris Rix, thought Bogan was just what he and his team needed. “We heard a lot about (Bogan), but playing for him, you learn so much,” Andrade said. “Not just about football or playing quarterback, but everything it takes to be successful.”
Andrade, who was the fourth-leading passer in the Southern Section in 2018, was a late bloomer as far as quarterbacks go. He has had several colleges show interest, but still doesn’t have a scholarship offer. He’s hoping that changes soon. “I’m just being patient,” Andrade said. “I’m hopeful it will all work out. I’ve just got to keep working hard.”
Bogan said the most important thing is that Andrade finds the right fit. If he does, Bogan can imagine him having a great college football career. “What people need to understand about J.P. is that you can’t measure him by numbers at a camp,” Bogan said. “He has intangibles that others don’t have and those intangibles are a talent. He has that ability to analyze and react in a split second. That’s a talent. You can’t run a drill for it, it’s an instinct that some have and some don’t have.
“And he’s so smart. He understands coverage, spacing and leverage as well as any quarterback I’ve been around. You put that together with his physical abilities, his size, arm strength and determination and he’s the total package. But you got to find the right match. It’s all about the fit and the right coach and team recognizing what they’re getting with J.P"
