It happens almost every time Dash Fifita is on the football field. Somehow, someway he outmaneuvers 300-pound offensive linemen to make the tackle. It’s as if he has a magic power to make himself invisible and suddenly show up to confront the player with the ball.
“It comes with the territory being an undersized linebacker, you have to know the game inside and out,” he said.
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No one in Southern California has been a better role model for breaking the mold to be a success in football than the 5-foot-9, 195-pound All-Southern Section linebacker for Santa Margarita High. He has his own role model in brother Noah, who has proven at Arizona you can be a college quarterback at 5-10 and 186 pounds.
Troy Thomas knows the family well. He coached Noah at Servite when the Friars made it to the Southern Section Division 1 championship game in 2021 and has seen Dash continue the family tradition of being fearless and tough.
“Family is a huge part of their inspiration,” Thomas said. “You can see how they play. They’re playing for their teammates. They’re playing for God. I don’t see many linemen getting their hands on him very often. The brothers are very similar. They lay it on the line. He’s going to put his body on the line to represent his family and team.”
Fifita has been part of the best defensive unit in Southern California going into the CIF Open Division state championship bowl game against unbeaten Concord De La Salle on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Saddleback College.
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“I have the best defensive line in the nation and it makes my job easy,” Fifita said.
Fifita’s uncle, Steve, is Santa Margarita’s defense coordinator. His father, Les, helps run OC Buckeyes youth football organization. In the bleachers on Saturday, there should be more than 50 cousins, aunts and uncles rooting for Dash, plus former OC Buckeyes. If his name is mentioned on the PA system, expect lots of noise. Noah will be there to lead the charge.
“There’s tons of cousins and they come out and support,” Thomas said.
Linebacker Dash Fifita of Santa Margarita is headed to Arizona. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Playing middle linebacker, Fifita leads the Eagles in tackles with 95. He also has 5½ sacks and one interception. He has the vision and instincts of an eagle, anticipating, reading and then pouncing and attacking.
After two seasons of showing his size is an asset, not a liability, because of his quickness and instincts, Fifita has earned universal respect.
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From St. John Bosco defensive coordinator Chris King: “Dash is just a super-intelligent football player. If you really know the game, it slows down for you. He plays with relentless effort. He has this attitude, ‘I’m the best dude on the field.’ He’s a coach on the field and knows more than just his role. He’s 18 but acts like a linebacker coach with 10 years of experience.”
Steve Fifita said Dash “has been around football his whole life.” The other day, he was playing the Madden video game with his brother, Noah, and both kept talking about “real” football in the middle of the game. As for who won, the word is Dash did.
Fifita signed with Arizona this past week to follow his brother to Tucson.
The big question is which Fifita has faced the longest odds with their size?
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“It’s harder for quarterbacks than for linebackers,” Thomas said. “As long as you’re tough and fast, you can still see at linebacker. As a quarterback, you still have to find those lanes. Very few can do it and Noah can.”
If you come out to Saddleback College on Saturday, there’s a good chance you’ll run into someone related to the Fifitas. You will feel their energy. You will see their loyalty. They’re all about family and proving skeptics wrong.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
