In the world of high school football, spring and summer equal passing tournaments galore.
To associate what you see on the field with football is sometimes a bit odd. Players are in shorts and T-shirts with some even wearing headgear that resembles leather helmets worn in the NFL prior to 1950. There are no linemen and a stopwatch determines if a quarterback was sacked or not normally stopping at 3.5 seconds.
This is football, kind of.
But, when a player can single-handedly take over a game, passing league or not, it becomes a must-see.
Mater Dei cornerback Jonathan Lockett is one of those show stoppers.
While leading his team to the championship at the Dana Hills Passing tournament recently, Lockett became a main attraction through a strenuous seven-game day.
In one game, he was matched up one-on-one with Alemany wide receiver Desean Holmes. The next game, the challenge was Hart's Trent Irwin. These are two of the top receivers in the state in the 2015 class and Lockett made them look like mere mortals.
"(Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson told me to) lockdown," Lockett said. "That's what I did."
So, shall we now refer to him as "Lockett Island?"
"Yeah," Lockett said with a laugh. "You can call me that."
Lockett didn't stop there on the defensive side. Playing some wide receiver as well, he jumped up and split the defense on a post for a pivotal touchdown in the semifinals against Hart. He also caught the touchdown and go-ahead two-point conversion to lift the Monarchs past Chaminade in the Dana Hills finals.
All of this was done despite suffering a hip flexor, which actually cost him the opportunity to participate in the USC camp the following day.
But Lockett's great day at Dana Hills wasn't just a one-day thing.
It's the norm.
"Jonathan is the total package," Rollinson said. "He has tremendous confidence in his own ability. Jonathan has a rare breed of cockiness, confidence, and swagm but he's a team player."
Lockett is officially Mater Dei's stopper and Rollinson will put him anywhere on the field to make sure it happens. Lockett will guard on the outside, he'll line up with receivers in the slot, and he'll even play some safety.
"Coach wants me to stick with the best receiver," Lockett said.
Added Rollinson: "He's going to step up when it's time to make a play."
So far, Lockett's shown the ability to do so. Last season, while helping Mater Dei reach the PAC-5 finals, he had seven interceptions and six passes defended, both team highs, and also added two fumble recoveries. He's been invited to the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl and nominated for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. His offers include Notre Dame, UCLA, and Washington with more to come as he nears the start of his senior season.
"He's the real deal," Rollinson said.
