Standing at 6 feet tall and 196 lbs., and seemingly constantly surrounded by a large group of friends, Senior fullback Joseph John “JJ” Stavola is a hard presence to miss on campus. This, combined with his equally strong and formidable presence on the football field, certainly makes JJ an athlete to watch.

JJ started the season as a halfback, but after the injury of a teammate, moved to a starting fullback position. Apparently this move has been quite beneficial to the Dons: they are currently one game away from fulfilling one of their main goals, a league title for the season.

“From there, we’re working toward another CIF title as well,” JJ said.

Concerning JJ’s attributes as a person as well as a player, teammate Junior Miguel Padilla said “He’s a fearless leader and a brother to the other guys on the team. He’s inspirational through his words and actions on and off the field, and is a fine example of a Christian student. I think he is one of the greatest young men out there.”

JJ said, “This year’s team is one of the closest I have been on, and it carries through beyond the locker room. I feel like we’re a better team because of it.”

In his spare time, he works on his fitness as well as his relationship with his team, lifting weights with a group of football players known as the “Meat Squad.”

Looking forward, JJ also plans to help with the Spring Drama production at CCHS.  Combined with maintaining over a 3.6 grade point average, JJ proves he is a master at balancing his sports and school lives.  He is currently talking to Ivy League schools, Cal Poly SLO, SDSU, and USD in terms of his future football career.

Regarding football, the Dons have been very complementary as a team: the defense has given the offense opportunities that have been capitalized upon. JJ has taken his opportunity and run with it as well, literally–he’s a strong downfield runner who can also make catches out of the backfield.

“I think the defense will continue to play as well as they have all year, and offense is just getting better and better every game,” he said.

And about the infamous annual Holy Bowl game against the St. Augustine Saints? He said, “They’re our rivals, and it’s for a league title. It will be a game to remember.”