Квартбек Джулиан Медина из Norco High School стремится опровергнуть сомнения в своем статусе топ-игрока

NORCO — Julian Medina wants to prove he is not a one-hit wonder. Medina transferred to Norco High School last season and posted impressive numbers throughout his junior campaign. He completed 65% of his passes, set a program record with 3,164 passing yards while throwing 35 touchdown passes. Despite those numbers, Medina often goes overlooked whenever people rattle off the names of the top quarterbacks in the CIF Southern Section heading into the 2026 season. The main reason is his stature: 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds. “My goal is to keep putting up good film and proving all of those doubters wrong,” Medina said. “I believe my work and play style and the way I move the ball speaks for itself. … I think more people recognize that whenever they see me play.” Medina played his first two seasons at Orange Lutheran and earned a few snaps with the varsity team across those years. Securing a starting job for the Lancers was not a guarantee, so Medina hit the reset button and transferred to Norco. “Norco has a well-known history, and that is something I wanted to be a part of,” Medina said. “There is a brotherhood and real family feel here. The coaching staff believes in me, and I just trust them and the blueprint they have laid out for me and the program.” Norco coach Dan Barlage was a quick believer in Medina. “We recognized his coachability and willingness to learn right away,” Barlage said. “What surprised us right away was his ability to get the ball out of his hand on time. A lot of quarterbacks with his stature have the tendency to run around and try to make things happen. He plays within the system, but he can also use his athleticism when things break down.” Medina admits to having butterflies in the days leading up to his first varsity start against Cajon last season. “I just had to trust myself and training,” Medina explained. “I scored on the first drive of the season, and all the nerves went away.” Medina’s coming-out party was the following week, when he threw for 391 yards and six touchdowns against Colony. In league play, he nearly engineered upsets of Murrieta Valley and Centennial, tossing six touchdowns in each of those games. “He had so many big games for us last season, so it’s difficult to pick just one that really stands out,” Barlage said. Barlage’s son, Jacob, was another quarterback who was overlooked by many college recruiters because of his small stature. Jacob Barlage starred at Valley View High School and Riverside City College, played two years at Nevada and finished his college career at Northwood, a Division II school. He currently is the quarterbacks coach at Missouri Western State. “I had them talk because I think Julian could learn from Jacob’s experiences,” Dan Barlage said. “If you pay too much attention to social media and what people are saying, it becomes a distraction. Just play your game and control the things you can control.” Medina and his teammates will be playing with a major chip on their shoulders this season because of how the 2025 season ended. The Cougars forfeited six wins because two players were ruled ineligible, and that cost the Cougars a playoff berth. “That’s definitely fueling this team because we felt something we earned was taken away from us,” Medina said. “I think we earned a lot of respect last year, and we’re out to prove it was not a fluke. The goal is simple: to win each and every game.” OTHER INLAND AREA QUARTERBACKS TO WATCH Jacob Anzaldua, Banning, Sr. Four-year starter has thrown for 7,064 yards and 79 touchdowns over past three years. Charlie Bohmer, Roosevelt, Jr Transfer from Linfield Christian passed for 2,117 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. Brandon Coronado, Claremont, Sr. Passed for 1,453 yards and 16 TDs despite playing only five contests (sit-out, injuries). Levi Dean, Vista Murrieta, So. Got a small taste when he stepped into starting role following Bryson Beaver’s injury. Josiah Dupree-Boyd, Vista del Lago, Jr. Registered 4,672 passing yards and 54 total touchdowns across his first two seasons. Josue Estrada, San Jacinto, Jr. Passed for 1,926 yards and 20 TDs and helped Tigers reach the Division 4 title game. Maximus Fierro, Alta Loma, So. Finished with 1,633 yards and 20 touchdowns during his debut season with the Lions. Jesus Gonzalez, Ramona, Sr.. Threw for 2,216 yards and 23 TDs and helped Rams advance to the Division 9 final. Eamon Graves, Upland, Sr. Ganesha transfer is a dual-threat (915 passing yards, 447 rushing yards in five games). Marjok Gustafson, Riverside Poly, Sr. Finished his junior campaign with 1,945 passing yards and 27 touchdown passes. Ty Isaia, Murrieta Valley, Jr. Returning starter is a solid passer (1,784 yards, 20 TD) and runner (530 yards, 3 TDs). Jaden Jefferson, Centennial, Sr. Hawaii commit was three-year starter at Cathedral (7,672 passing yards, 108 total TDs). Tent Lux, Great Oak, Jr. Had a strong first season for the Wolfpack, passing for 2,799 yards and 29 touchdowns. Daniel Mielke II, Chino Hills, Sr. With his fourth program following stops at Bonita, Ontario Christian and Murrieta Valley. Steven Moore, La Sierra, So. Finished first high school season with 2,053 passing yards and 16 touchdown passes. Koa Regalado, Colton, Sr. Impressive career numbers: 7,240 passing yards, 1,798 rushing yards and 119 total TDs. Angel Robles, Canyon Springs, Sr. Three-year starter has passed for 3,591 yards and 49 touchdowns during his career. Treyvone Towns Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, Jr. Takes the reins of the offense and is one of the highest-rated QBs in the 2028 class. Marcus Washington, Cajon, So. Made splash in his debut, passing for 2,235 yards, running for 681 and totaling 31 TDs. Dane Weber, Chaparral. Sr. Cal commit threw for 3,645 yards and 41 TDs and added 14 more TDs on the ground.