Daniels Finds the Time to Excel for El Camino Real

WOODLAND HILLS — Demond Daniels of El Camino Real High speaks so softly, his voice is barely audible.

“I’m quiet,” Daniels offered shyly.

On the football field, however, the two-way starter speaks volumes with his athleticism.

“I like to make big plays,” whispers Daniels, who breaks into a big smile.

Daniels, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound wide receiver and linebacker, has been a playmaker for the Conquistadores, who face Carson in the City Section 3-A final Friday at the Coliseum.

Daniels, who lives in Inglewood and asked his mother to send him to El Camino Real four years ago, is one of three opposing players Carson Coach Mike Sakurai said he wants to keep track of Friday night.

“[Daniels] is an excellent receiver,” said Sakurai, who also mentioned running back Quincy Wright and quarterback Aaron Fredette as threats.

“We always want to be aware of him.”

It’s easy to understand why.

Daniels has blossomed into one of the region’s finest City receivers and has emerged as the perfect complement to Wright, who has rushed for nearly 2,000 yards this season.

With 38 catches for 723 yards, Daniels has more than half of the team’s receptions. He has nine of the team’s 12 receiving touchdowns and is averaging 19 yards a catch.

But Daniels’ big plays are not limited to offense. On defense, he’s quick and has a nose for the ball.

He’s scored on an interception return, a fumble return and has blocked a punt.

The two-way starter has come a long way from the half-hearted athlete he was just a year ago, Coach Rick Hayashida said.

After a mediocre junior season in which he started at cornerback and played sparingly on offense, Daniels worked hard in the off-season.

“The potential was always there, but the work ethic wasn’t,” Hayashida said.

“He had the ability to do this last year, but he didn’t put in the extra time that he needed--that we needed.

“He’s just really grown up this year.”

Up is the operative word, Daniels said. He thinks his stature alone has made him a favorite of Fredette, who has completed 68 of 151 passes for 1,237 yards.

“Most of our receivers are 5-6, 5-7, so [Fredette] doesn’t want to throw to guys like that,” he said. “It’s too easy to overthrow them.”

And Daniels, who will return to a starting spot on the basketball team later this month, has proved to be much more than just a tall target.