San Diego U-T Preps

ESCONDIDO — Earlier this month, Joe Early stood in the bleachers at Orange Glen High and surveyed the same field he played on more than three decades ago. Over the years, only a few things had changed. Grass had been replaced by artificial turf. The marching band, once among the largest in San Diego County, had shrunk.

And the football program, after experiencing success during Early’s playing days, had not had a winning season since 1997.

At the moment, Early’s youngest son, Austin, was playing on that field, directing a fourth-quarter drive in a tight game against Valley Center, an opponent Orange Glen had never beaten in 14 tries. With his team trailing by 3, the senior quarterback had led the Patriots deep into Jaguars territory.

The clock showed 0:07 when Austin tossed a 5-yard touchdown pass to junior Josh Spina. Moments later, the student section rushed the field in the wake of a 42-38 Senior Night upset.

“I looked around and I just remember thinking, ‘You know what? It’s about time they got a win like this,’” Joe, the head football coach at Palomar College, recalled. “It was kind of a surreal moment.”

For Austin, the victory was the high point of his Orange Glen football career, one that ended a week later in a first-round playoff defeat against Hilltop, the Patriots finishing with a 5-6 record. Their tally over the last four seasons? Fourteen wins, one tie, 27 losses.

For the Earlys, Austin’s final triumph on the field was a satisfying reward for nearly four decades of perseverance and unwavering loyalty. Why, after all these years, people still ask, has this family of athletic standouts stuck by a school not traditionally known for successful sports programs?

“Life is not fair, and how you handle defeat and how you handle victory, that’s how you develop your integrity and your core values,” said Joe, whose three children have all attended Orange Glen. “We never thought it was that big a deal, really. I think people are taken aback by, ‘Why, why, why.’ Well, it’s just kinda what you do.”

At age 7 Joe, who was born in Pasadena and briefly lived in Nebraska, moved to Escondido. His parents bought a house less than two miles east of Orange Glen, back when avocado trees still ruled the area. After watching his oldest sister, Peggy, begin her freshman year at Orange Glen in 1973, Joe followed two years later.

He became an all-CIF selection at defensive back. Over his final two seasons, the Patriots went 15-4-1. In 2007, a poll of North County Times readers tabbed Joe, who played at Palomar before earning a scholarship to Long Beach State, the 61st best player in the first 109 years of North County prep football.

All four of Joe’s remaining siblings attended Orange Glen, including the youngest, Dan, who also continued his football career at Palomar and Long Beach State. Dan now works beside his brother as Palomar’s offensive coordinator.

In 2003, Joe and his wife, Julie, were living less than two miles east of Orange Glen — Joe had bought his childhood home from his parents — when they took their oldest child, Ashley, to freshman orientation at San Pasqual High. The Escondido Union High School District has an open enrollment policy, which allows parents to choose which school their child will attend.

But shortly afterward, they also attended Orange Glen’s freshman orientation. Ashley, a future varsity cheerleader, made up her mind on the spot. Like her father and her aunts and uncles, she would be a Patriot.

“Orange Glen had always had a reputation of a lower level,” Joe said, “but you have some teachers here that are absolutely amazing. You have kids here that really do care about their school.”

In 2005, Andy Early followed his sister at Orange Glen and became a three-sport standout in football, basketball and swimming. Andy, the 2009 North County Times Boys Scholar-Athlete of the Year, is currently a senior aerospace engineering major at Cal Poly, where he plays inside center for the club rugby team.

Austin, the youngest of the Earlys, might be the family’s most accomplished prep athlete. This season, he passed for 13 touchdowns and ran for three. He’s the starting point guard for the boys basketball team, and even after suffering a knee injury in the football game against Hilltop, he plans on joining the Patriots on the court soon. In baseball, he switches between pitcher, shortstop and third base.

If winter and spring go as planned, Austin will finish high school with 11 varsity letters, a school record (Andy earned nine, while Joe had five in football and baseball). He’s captained the Patriots in three sports while competing against childhood friends that chose San Pasqual or other Escondido district schools over Orange Glen — friends that could have contributed to more success for the Patriots.

“I just knew my family went here,” said Austin, “so it was always in my head — I’m going to Orange Glen. I’m gonna be a Patriot.”

ESCONDIDO — Earlier this month, Joe Early stood in the bleachers at Orange Glen High and surveyed the same field he played on more than three decades ago. Over the years, only a few things had changed. Grass had been replaced by artificial turf. The marching band, once among the largest in San Diego County, had shrunk.

And the football program, after experiencing success during Early’s playing days, had not had a winning season since 1997.

At the moment, Early’s youngest son, Austin, was playing on that field, directing a fourth-quarter drive in a tight game against Valley Center, an opponent Orange Glen had never beaten in 14 tries. With his team trailing by 3, the senior quarterback had led the Patriots deep into Jaguars territory.

The clock showed 0:07 when Austin tossed a 5-yard touchdown pass to junior Josh Spina. Moments later, the student section rushed the field in the wake of a 42-38 Senior Night upset.

“I looked around and I just remember thinking, ‘You know what? It’s about time they got a win like this,’” Joe, the head football coach at Palomar College, recalled. “It was kind of a surreal moment.”

For Austin, the victory was the high point of his Orange Glen football career, one that ended a week later in a first-round playoff defeat against Hilltop, the Patriots finishing with a 5-6 record. Their tally over the last four seasons? Fourteen wins, one tie, 27 losses.

For the Earlys, Austin’s final triumph on the field was a satisfying reward for nearly four decades of perseverance and unwavering loyalty. Why, after all these years, people still ask, has this family of athletic standouts stuck by a school not traditionally known for successful sports programs?

“Life is not fair, and how you handle defeat and how you handle victory, that’s how you develop your integrity and your core values,” said Joe, whose three children have all attended Orange Glen. “We never thought it was that big a deal, really. I think people are taken aback by, ‘Why, why, why.’ Well, it’s just kinda what you do.”

At age 7 Joe, who was born in Pasadena and briefly lived in Nebraska, moved to Escondido. His parents bought a house less than two miles east of Orange Glen, back when avocado trees still ruled the area. After watching his oldest sister, Peggy, begin her freshman year at Orange Glen in 1973, Joe followed two years later.

He became an all-CIF selection at defensive back. Over his final two seasons, the Patriots went 15-4-1. In 2007, a poll of North County Times readers tabbed Joe, who played at Palomar before earning a scholarship to Long Beach State, the 61st best player in the first 109 years of North County prep football.

All four of Joe’s remaining siblings attended Orange Glen, including the youngest, Dan, who also continued his football career at Palomar and Long Beach State. Dan now works beside his brother as Palomar’s offensive coordinator.

In 2003, Joe and his wife, Julie, were living less than two miles east of Orange Glen — Joe had bought his childhood home from his parents — when they took their oldest child, Ashley, to freshman orientation at San Pasqual High. The Escondido Union High School District has an open enrollment policy, which allows parents to choose which school their child will attend.

But shortly afterward, they also attended Orange Glen’s freshman orientation. Ashley, a future varsity cheerleader, made up her mind on the spot. Like her father and her aunts and uncles, she would be a Patriot.

“Orange Glen had always had a reputation of a lower level,” Joe said, “but you have some teachers here that are absolutely amazing. You have kids here that really do care about their school.”

In 2005, Andy Early followed his sister at Orange Glen and became a three-sport standout in football, basketball and swimming. Andy, the 2009 North County Times Boys Scholar-Athlete of the Year, is currently a senior aerospace engineering major at Cal Poly, where he plays inside center for the club rugby team.

Austin, the youngest of the Earlys, might be the family’s most accomplished prep athlete. This season, he passed for 13 touchdowns and ran for three. He’s the starting point guard for the boys basketball team, and even after suffering a knee injury in the football game against Hilltop, he plans on joining the Patriots on the court soon. In baseball, he switches between pitcher, shortstop and third base.

If winter and spring go as planned, Austin will finish high school with 11 varsity letters, a school record (Andy earned nine, while Joe had five in football and baseball). He’s captained the Patriots in three sports while competing against childhood friends that chose San Pasqual or other Escondido district schools over Orange Glen — friends that could have contributed to more success for the Patriots.

“I just knew my family went here,” said Austin, “so it was always in my head — I’m going to Orange Glen. I’m gonna be a Patriot.”

ESCONDIDO — Earlier this month, Joe Early stood in the bleachers at Orange Glen High and surveyed the same field he played on more than three decades ago. Over the years, only a few things had changed. Grass had been replaced by artificial turf. The marching band, once among the largest in San Diego County, had shrunk.

And the football program, after experiencing success during Early’s playing days, had not had a winning season since 1997.

At the moment, Early’s youngest son, Austin, was playing on that field, directing a fourth-quarter drive in a tight game against Valley Center, an opponent Orange Glen had never beaten in 14 tries. With his team trailing by 3, the senior quarterback had led the Patriots deep into Jaguars territory.

The clock showed 0:07 when Austin tossed a 5-yard touchdown pass to junior Josh Spina. Moments later, the student section rushed the field in the wake of a 42-38 Senior Night upset.

“I looked around and I just remember thinking, ‘You know what? It’s about time they got a win like this,’” Joe, the head football coach at Palomar College, recalled. “It was kind of a surreal moment.”

For Austin, the victory was the high point of his Orange Glen football career, one that ended a week later in a first-round playoff defeat against Hilltop, the Patriots finishing with a 5-6 record. Their tally over the last four seasons? Fourteen wins, one tie, 27 losses.

For the Earlys, Austin’s final triumph on the field was a satisfying reward for nearly four decades of perseverance and unwavering loyalty. Why, after all these years, people still ask, has this family of athletic standouts stuck by a school not traditionally known for successful sports programs?

“Life is not fair, and how you handle defeat and how you handle victory, that’s how you develop your integrity and your core values,” said Joe, whose three children have all attended Orange Glen. “We never thought it was that big a deal, really. I think people are taken aback by, ‘Why, why, why.’ Well, it’s just kinda what you do.”

At age 7 Joe, who was born in Pasadena and briefly lived in Nebraska, moved to Escondido. His parents bought a house less than two miles east of Orange Glen, back when avocado trees still ruled the area. After watching his oldest sister, Peggy, begin her freshman year at Orange Glen in 1973, Joe followed two years later.

He became an all-CIF selection at defensive back. Over his final two seasons, the Patriots went 15-4-1. In 2007, a poll of North County Times readers tabbed Joe, who played at Palomar before earning a scholarship to Long Beach State, the 61st best player in the first 109 years of North County prep football.

All four of Joe’s remaining siblings attended Orange Glen, including the youngest, Dan, who also continued his football career at Palomar and Long Beach State. Dan now works beside his brother as Palomar’s offensive coordinator.

In 2003, Joe and his wife, Julie, were living less than two miles east of Orange Glen — Joe had bought his childhood home from his parents — when they took their oldest child, Ashley, to freshman orientation at San Pasqual High. The Escondido Union High School District has an open enrollment policy, which allows parents to choose which school their child will attend.

But shortly afterward, they also attended Orange Glen’s freshman orientation. Ashley, a future varsity cheerleader, made up her mind on the spot. Like her father and her aunts and uncles, she would be a Patriot.

“Orange Glen had always had a reputation of a lower level,” Joe said, “but you have some teachers here that are absolutely amazing. You have kids here that really do care about their school.”

In 2005, Andy Early followed his sister at Orange Glen and became a three-sport standout in football, basketball and swimming. Andy, the 2009 North County Times Boys Scholar-Athlete of the Year, is currently a senior aerospace engineering major at Cal Poly, where he plays inside center for the club rugby team.

Austin, the youngest of the Earlys, might be the family’s most accomplished prep athlete. This season, he passed for 13 touchdowns and ran for three. He’s the starting point guard for the boys basketball team, and even after suffering a knee injury in the football game against Hilltop, he plans on joining the Patriots on the court soon. In baseball, he switches between pitcher, shortstop and third base.

If winter and spring go as planned, Austin will finish high school with 11 varsity letters, a school record (Andy earned nine, while Joe had five in football and baseball). He’s captained the Patriots in three sports while competing against childhood friends that chose San Pasqual or other Escondido district schools over Orange Glen — friends that could have contributed to more success for the Patriots.

“I just knew my family went here,” said Austin, “so it was always in my head — I’m going to Orange Glen. I’m gonna be a Patriot.”