Pride, passion and dedication are three words that describes this season’s Falcons.

With a fairly new team and one of the best recruitments the team has had, coach Frank Mazzotta is very optimistic for this season.

He said, “They are no different than any other, to win the first game, win the conference, play in the bowl and the ultimate goal is to be state champs.

“With a loss in last season’s Golden Empire Bowl in Bakersfield, 38-33, the Falcons are putting in the extra time and work in order to last conditionally throughout the entire season and make a strong push for state playoffs.

Mazzotta’s high hopes for this year are backed up by some great players such as a preseason All American Eric Russell.

He stated that the hard work put in and the level of dedication is higher, as well as more concentration on the coaches’ messages and the over all defense is stronger and faster.

A key statistic that stands out is the fact that Cerritos football has not won an overtime game since 2005.

So hard practices, recruiting, and getting all of those elements to mesh will be the biggest challenge.

With a stronger defense, it looks as if Cerritos should be a much more difficult team to reach the end zone on, but, as quarterback Chris Morales put it, you can’t take any game for granted, not getting to prideful when they win but also not to beat themselves up over a loss and also play as a team, not as individuals.

This is something Mazzotta agrees with as well.

Morales said he has gotten in better shape, faster and stronger, and now being in a leadership role, he wants to lead his team to victory to get himself out there, as a great quarter back and to strengthen the offense, and get Cerritos back to what it use to be.

The Falcons football will open up season play Sep. 5 at Cerritos versus East LA at 7 p.m.