Garfield High School junior running back Ceasar Reyes runs across the field
Garfield High's Ceasar Reyes runs a play against South Gate on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Bob Bernal Jr./ EastsideSportsLA )

Garfield High School junior running back Ceasar Reyes broke the school’s single-game rushing record last Friday, cementing his place in Bulldogs history ahead of this week’s East LA Classic.

Reyes ran for 420 yards and four touchdowns in a 39-28 win over South Gate, pushing the team one step closer to the Eastern League title.

The previous record of 417 yards was set by Ricky Solorio in 1982, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The record-setting performance brings Reyes’ season total to 1,643 rushing yards to go along with 23 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps. His focus now shifts to the face-off against Roosevelt High School.

“I look forward to playing in it,” Reyes told The Times. “Definitely have a bunch of nerves and the excitement is crazy.”

Reyes’ athletic feat adds to the anticipation around one of the nation’s most historic high school rivalries. Last year’s game drew thousands of fans to SoFi Stadium for a 38-28 Garfield victory, featuring a halftime show by Boyle Heights native will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas.

The 90th edition of the game will be played on Friday, Oct. 24, at East Los Angeles College. 

My background: I was born in Mexico and raised in Boyle Heights, where I got my start in journalism by launching a community blog. Most recently, I worked at the Los Angeles Times and have spent most of my career covering local news in LA, with a focus on community-centered stories, Latino communities and mentoring emerging writers.

What I do: I lead coverage of Boyle Heights and East LA across all platforms to inform, connect and uplift our community. I spend my days listening, planning, editing and coordinating to make sure our stories reflect the community fairly, while supporting and mentoring my team of reporters and freelancers so they can grow along the way.

Why LA?: It’s home. It’s the sounds of Spanglish and other languages, the smell of tacos and kimchi, the way street art tells stories and how, even though I hate traffic, I love how the freeways can take me to the beach or the mountains on a whim.

The best way to contact me: My email is jessica.perez@boyleheightsbeat.org.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *