ALL-NORTH COAST SECTION
Player of the Year
SHAMAR GARRETT, DE LA SALLE
In most games this season, De La Salle senior Shamar Garrett didn’t see the field in the second half, as a result of his team racing past yet another Northern California opponent. But in those biggest games of the year, where Garrett’s effort and talent was needed the most, he certainly delivered and cemented his status as the top player in the North Coast Section.
“When we played Aquinas (in the season opener), he was one of the top two players on the field. Against Bosco (CIF title game), it was the same thing, one of the top two players on the field,” said De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh. “He really made every play we needed all year long.”
As is usually the case with the top players on the Spartans’ roster, Garrett’s stats don’t even begin to tell the story of his season. The San Jose State commit ran for 1,166 yards and 19 touchdowns, including three scores in the CIF Open Division championship, but those numbers came despite playing in an offense which distributes the load among its backs and also despite playing in the second half of just four games. In addition, Garrett added 16 catches for 258 yards and a pair of receiving scores.
His senior year, however, started with a monster performance, going against an Aquinas-Fort Lauderdale team stacked with Division I-bound players, a team which would finish the year as the best in Florida and ranked third in the country by MaxPreps. In that game, Garrett ran for 190 yards on 17 carries, with a pair of long runs setting up short scoring runs by teammate James Coby. He also stayed on the field at free safety, making an impact on both sides of the ball. His big-game performance matched his mentality.
“You should always enter every game with the mentality and mindset, no matter what the competition is,” Garrett said. “As long as we all do our jobs and execute our game plan to the best of our abilities, everything should be okay. My abilities are what they are, but it all comes down to a team effort. My lines made excellent blocks for me, and I trust our defense to compete with anyone.”
After the loss to Aquinas, the Spartans ran off 12 straight victories, which elevated De La Salle once again into the CIF title game, this time against a Bosco team which had rallied to defeat the nation’s previously top-ranked team, Mater Dei, in the Southern Section title game. By the end of the game, two players stood head and shoulders above the others – Clemson-bound quarterback DJ Uiagalelei of Bosco and Garrett, who not only ran for 114 yards and three scores on 13 carries, but added 25 yards on four catches and 12 tackles on defense.
“He gets football. He loves football. He was just so much fun these last two years,” Alumbaugh added. “We are not an easy staff to work for, and he embraced that. He played his tail off, and really came through in the biggest games.”
Garrett came into the program and turned heads early in his high school career, not only as a running back but also occasionally behind center, where he could have ended up were it not for junior Dorian Hale. But the first two years did not always come easy in terms of living up to the expectations of Alumbaugh and the program. Eventually, however, Garrett became a leader on and off the field, around campus and in the weight room.
“Living up to the expectations of the program is harder than it looks, especially from those outside the program who don’t know the hard work, dedication and desire to play for the team,” Garrett said. “It is very time consuming and they need you to buy in 100 percent of the time. It is a very humbling experience for athletes who come in thinking they are the ‘big bad wolf’ and instantly realize they have a lot to work on, because the coaches are on you all the time.”
As Garrett demonstrated his growth heading towards phenomenal junior and senior seasons, finishing his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, he also earned the respect of those around him.
“The thing about Shamar is how far he came. The talent was always there, but he really took off as a leader in his junior year,” Alumbaugh said. “This year, if you are talking about the best players around, it’s not even close. He was just that dominant.”
For his efforts throughout this past season, we are pleased to recognize De La Salle’s Shamar Garrett as the Prep2Prep North Coast Section Player of the Year.
Other players considered include Cardinal Newman’s Jackson Pavitt, Monte Vista’s Nate Rutchena, Liberty’s Payton Zdroik and Las Lomas’ Isaiah Newell.
Coach of the Year
PAUL CRONIN, CARDINAL NEWMAN
Cardinal Newman's Paul Cronin is the choice for Prep2Prep NCS Coach of the Year.
It seems like only yesterday when a young Paul Cronin came over from his alma mater Piner-Santa Rosa to take over the Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa football program where his mentor Ed Lloyd began his coaching career from 1966-1985.
After five years at Piner, where the 1990 Prospectors graduate was 28-24, he came to Newman in 2003 and has not had a losing season in 17 years at the Cardinals helm.
Now, after leading Cardinal Newman to its first CIF state Bowl Game championship in three tries, Cronin has been named the Prep2Prep North Coast Section Coach of the Year.
“I think it’s good for our football community and our school community,” Cronin responded when asked how it felt to be honored. “It recognizes the hard work and you appreciate that because our coaches put a lot of time into it and our kids put a lot of time into it, so to be recognized you feel proud that people outside see you put a lot of energy in your life into that sport.”
Along the way this season Cronin reached the 200-win coaching milestone, and his team’s 31-14 victory over El Camino-Oceanside in the CIF 3-AA Bowl Game championship last December gave him 206 career coaching victories, making him only the 13th coach in NCS history to reach the 200-win landmark. Entering the 2020 season Cronin will have 206-66-2 record.
“Scary, isn’t it,” was Cronin’s response to winning 200 games. “I played on Coach Ed Lloyd’s team when he won his 200th game, and I thought ‘wow that’s a lot of games.’ To think of getting 200 wins myself makes you older and humble.”
This year’s Cardinal Newman team went 14-1 with a lone very respectable 17-13 loss to a Prep2Prep NCS No. 3 Liberty-Brentwood team Newman fell in behind in the final NCS rankings.
If the 2020 team wins 12 games Cronin will pass his mentor. Lloyd, who was on hand to share in the joy of the state championship with his protégé, has 217 career coaching victories starting at Cardinal Newman and then Piner from 1986-1991 and finally Analy-Sebastopol in 1994-95.
“I know eventually I’ll pass Coach Lloyd but I really don’t look forward to it,” Cronin remarked. “He’s someone that brought a lot to this program and we still use some of his philosophy when it comes to how he coached and treated young men. Coach Lloyd always told you the truth and was honest with you, and sometimes that’s not a comfortable conversation. I respect him tremendously for that and he’s held very high on our staff.”
Speaking of his staff, Cronin gives a lot of credit to his assistants, most of whom have been with him since the days at Piner.
The past three years may have been the roughest of his 22-year head coaching career. Prior to the past three seasons Cronin already had suffered a heartbreaking CIF state Division III Bowl Game loss to Oaks Christian-Westlake Village in 2006 when his Cardinals had a chance to pull off the upset but lost 27-20 in overtime. Then, when he returned to Carson in 2008 his boys were soundly beaten in the CIF D3 Bowl Game 28-6 by St. Bonaventure-Ventura.
In October of 2017 a significant portion of the Newman campus and most of the surrounding neighborhood was destroyed by the Tubbs Fire. The team continued to play but was shadowed by an ESPN crew making a documentary for over six weeks adding more stress and distractions to a team that had players lose their homes, including star quarterback Beau Barrington and wide receiver Kyle Carinalli.
With camera crews and hordes of media crowding the Newman sideline, and in their final game of what was a trying season to say the least, Cronin had to watch his Cardinals lead the entire game only to lose it with less than three minutes to go in a 59-56 loss to Marin Catholic-Kentfield in the CIF NCS Division 3 championship.
After the game Cronin looked weary, and he admitted the hoopla was a bit of a diversion and added some stress to an already stressful situation.
Even so, Cronin and his boys bounced back last season with then-junior and this year’s Prep2Prep Senior of the Year Jackson Pavitt at quarterback. Newman ended the regular season at 11-1 and was a prohibitive favorite to beat Eureka in the NCS Division 3 title game, but they had to make a choice. If they chose to play the game it meant forfeiting a chance to play for a CIF Bowl Game title since the NCS moved out its playoffs due to air quality resulting from last year’s fires.
Cronin and the staff left it up to the team to decide and they opted for a coin flip that vacated the NCS championship. They lost the flip and Eureka advanced, and another season ended in disappointment.
“I think what that teaches you is you are not in full control in your life, your relationships, or in sports,” responded Cronin about the disappointing end to last season. “That’s the lesson I learned from that. You hurt so badly for those guys to see it happen to a whole group of 35-40 players. They put everything they could into the ultimate goal of winning a state championship and it was taken away.”
That all changed this year when Cronin and his Cardinals got two long field goals in the wind and rain from Ethan Kollenborn to beat Marin Catholic-Kentfield 13-10 in the NCS Division 4 title game. Just like in his two previous appearances in CIF Bowl Games where his teams lost, this was his first win over Marin Catholic in three tries in the NCS playoffs.
With that win under their belts the Cardinals brought home the bacon for Cronin and the entire Newman community with Pavitt, junior running back and linebacker Shane Moran, plus a lot of others, leading the way.
For the CIF Northern Regional playoffs Cardinal Newman was placed in the 3-AA Division and as the higher seed they hosted and blasted Los Gatos in a 42-7 that went to a running clock. Then, with the CIF playing all the Bowl Games from 3-AA down in Northern California, Newman got to play in front of a standing room only crowd that lined the fences along the field, and included a lot of fans from Oceanside.
The game was back and forth early, but Kollenborn booted a 31-yard field goal that gave the Cardinals a 17-14 lead they never relinquished, and Pavitt sealed the deal with a 36-yard TD pass to Giancarlo Woods and a one-yard plunge to close out the scoring in a decisive victory that sent the players and fans into a frenzy.
“When you’re on the field and watch the celebration, that was my proudest moment,” Cronin said. “Knowing there are a lot of things that can trip you up along the way, fires, weather, bad breaks. It takes a lot to get to that final game and win.”
It all began with Cronin as a star quarterback himself when he was at Piner. In his junior year the Prospectors upset Monte Vista-Danville 15-7 in the 1989 NCS Division 3-A quarterfinals before losing to James Logan-Union City in the semis. When he was a senior in 1990 Piner defeated Ygnacio Valley-Concord, 24-14, and then exacted revenge on Logan, 30-8 in the semifinals. The victory sent them into the 3-A title game at the Oakland Coliseum where they fell 49-24 to mighty De La Salle-Concord.
From there Cronin was going to go to Sonoma State but it didn’t work out, and after two years at Santa Rosa Junior College he went to the University of Mary in North Dakota where he met and played with Paul Golla, whom he now joins as a CIF Bowl Game winner. Golla won the 2013 Division I Bowl Game as the head coach at Bakersfield.
Cronin is no longer necessarily considered “one of the top young coaches in Northern California” like he was described when Cal-Hi Sports named him the 2010 Medium Schools Coach of the Year after his Cardinals went 11-3 and won the NCS Division 3 championship but didn’t get a Bowl Game invite under the old system.
What he’s now considered is a master strategist and one of the top coaches in California period.
For his efforts this past season, we are pleased to recognize Cardinal Newman’s Paul Cronin as the Prep2Prep NCS Coach of the Year.
Others considered for this award include Del Norte’s Nick White, Salesian’s Chad Nightingale, De La Salle’s Justin Alumbaugh and Pittsburg’s Vic Galli.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Jackson Pavitt, Cardinal Newman
Position: Quarterback
Year: Senior
The NBL-Oak Player of the Year could either take games over or manage them, depending on what was required, and led the Cardinals to NCS and CIF titles as a result. The Cal Poly commit completed 69 percent of his passes for 2,750 yards and 30 touchdowns, with just two interceptions. He also ran for 744 yards and 11 scores, including a 181-yard, two-touchdown performance on the ground in the CIF 3-AA title game against El Camino-Oceanside.
Shamar Garrett, De La Salle
Position: Running Back
Year: Senior
The co-MVP of the EBAL, Garrett led the Spartans to the CIF Open Division title game by rushing for 1,166 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging over nine yards per carry. The San Jose State commit added 16 catches for 256 yards and returned a punt for a score, all despite playing in the second half in just four games.
Isaiah Newell, Las Lomas
Position: Running Back
Year: Senior
Named Offensive MVP of the DAL-Foothill, the Oregon State commit racked up 1,607 yards rushing on 183 carries to go with 26 touchdowns on the ground. He was also the Knights’ third-leading receiver, adding 182 yards and three scores through the air to help Las Lomas reach the NCS Division 3 title game.
Matteo Perez, Marin Catholic
Position: Running Back
Year: Junior
The Offensive Player of the Year in the MCAL, Perez averaged over nine yards per carry this season for the Wildcats, finishing with 2,024 yards on 209 carries, while rushing for 30 touchdowns. He added 246 yards and four receiving scores, helping lead Marin Catholic to a berth in the NCS Division 4 title game.
Lane Thrap, St. Bernard’s
Position: Wide Receiver
Year: Senior
The 6-foot-2 three-sport standout led the section in every major receiving category, racking up 75 catches for 1,550 yards and 23 touchdowns. Thrap also snagged five interceptions, returning one for a score, and broke up nine passes in the secondary.
Brian Andre Pierce, Jr., Pittsburg
Position: Wide Receiver
Year: Senior
In his only season with the Pirates, Pierce became one of the most prolific receivers in school history, hauling in 60 catches for 1,040 yards and 16 touchdowns, earning first-team all-BVAL honors in the process. He also added a dazzling 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Antioch, and had four pass break-ups on defense.
Cal Ewanich, Amador Valley
Position: Wide Receiver
Year: Senior
The MVP of the EBAL-Valley, Ewanich led the Dons with 63 catches for 1,024 yards and 10 touchdowns, topping the 100-yard mark on four occasions, including a monster six-catch, 190-yard, two-score performance in a big win over Foothill. He also returned a kickoff for a touchdown in a non-league win over Antioch, and is one of the top lacrosse players in Northern California.
Brock Bowers, Napa
Position: Tight End
Year: Junior
The MVP of the VVAL, the highly-recruited Bowers had over 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns receiving, while adding over 300 yards and three scores on the ground, as the Grizzlies moved him out of his tight end spot at times to get the ball in his hands. He added a kickoff return for a score and had eight tackles for a loss from his outside linebacker position.
Payton Zdroik, Liberty
Position: Offensive Lineman
Year: Senior
The Air Force commit was named MVP of the BVAL and could have been selected first team on either side of the ball. The Lions averaged nearly 370 yards per game, with Zdroik serving as the rock on the interior of the line. He also had 10.5 sacks on defense.
Colin Moroney, San Ramon Valley
Position: Offensive Lineman
Year: Senior
The 6-foot-5, 285-pound Moroney was named first-team all-EBAL and the recipient of the Peter Villa Award, given to the top football player in the SRV Unified School District, after helping lead the Wolves to a share of the EBAL-Mountain title. He is headed to Cal as a preferred walk-on.
Pete Montini, Foothill
Position: Utility
Year: Senior
The first-team EBAL-Mountain selection and Nevada-Reno commit was a Swiss Army knife for the Falcons and often the most dominant player on the field. Offensively, Montini had 60 catches for 940 yards and 12 touchdowns, while adding 533 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. Defensively, he was a force off the edge and can play anywhere in space as well.
Camron Young, Kennedy-Richmond
Position: Utility
Year: Senior
You name it, Young probably did it for the Eagles this season. He threw for 484 yards and 10 touchdowns, ran for 604 yards and nine scores, and brought in 20 catches for 258 yards and five touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball alone. Then there were the five interceptions on defense, returning two for touchdowns, to go with the five punt returns for scores and two kickoff returns to the house. In all, Young accounted for 33 touchdowns in six different ways.
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Jamar Sekona, Marin Catholic
Position: Defensive Lineman
Year: Senior
The USC-bound Sekona spent all season battling double and even triple-teams from opposing offensive lines, but that did not stop the 6-foot-4, 305-pound nose tackle from notching nine sacks, 13 tackles for a loss and 17 quarterback hurries, while excelling on both sides of the ball.
Princeton Toki, Salesian
Position: Defensive Lineman
Year: Senior
The UC Davis-bound Toki was a dominant force on both sides of the ball all season for the Pride, but was especially tough for opposing offensive lines to handle down the stretch, and the major factor with teams such as St. Helena, Ferndale, Santa Cruz and Bishop Union unable to run the ball against Salesian in the post-season. He was named Lineman of the Year in the TCAL-Rock.
Mihalis Santorineos, Rancho Cotate
Position: Linebacker
Year: Junior
The Stanford-bound Sinclair was the leader of a stingy San Ramon Valley defense, able to both play in the box as a primary run-stopper and also able to drop in coverage, where he had an interception. Sinclair was a first-team EBAL-Mountain selection on both sides of the ball, also rushing for 1,024 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Mitch Russell, Cardinal Newman
Position: Linebacker
Year: Junior
A first-team NBL-Oak selection, Russell led the Cardinals with 125 tackles, including 10 tackles for a loss, and a pair of fumble recoveries, both of which he returned for touchdowns. Included among his performances was a 14-tackle effort in the NCS title game victory against Marin Catholic.
Alan Lloyd, Ygnacio Valley
Position: Defensive Back
Year: Senior
Lloyd’s ball skills shot him to the top of the charts for defensive takeaways in the section, finishing the season with 12 interceptions, plus 14 pass break-ups and 106 total tackles. Included among his 12 interceptions were a pair during a playoff loss to St. Bernard’s. He returned three of his interceptions for touchdowns, while adding three more receiving scores during the season.
Shane Moran, Cardinal Newman
Position: Defensive Back
Year: Junior
The co-Defensive Player of the Year in the NBL-Oak, Moran had 108 tackles, including 12 tackles for a loss, to go with two sacks, four pass break-ups and a pair of interceptions as an impact player across the field. His presence was there in all facets of the game, also accumulating 1,068 yards and 13 touchdowns from scrimmage while adding an interception and kickoff return for scores. For good measure, he blocked a pair of kicks.
Nate Rutchena, Monte Vista
Position: Defensive Back
Year: Senior
The co-MVP of the EBAL-Mountain, Rutchena was a force all over the field for the Mustangs. Defensively, the 6-foot-3 defensive back had a pair of interceptions to go with 105 total tackles, 10 tackles for a loss and three sacks, while also returning a fumble for a score in a big win over Clayton Valley. Offensively, the Cal commit added 709 yards and 12 touchdowns receiving.
Dejuan Butler, Antioch
Position: Defensive Back
Year: Senior
Opposing offenses largely avoided Butler’s half of the field and the tremendous speed and play-making ability of the Cal-bound BVAL Defensive Player of the Year. Even so, he ended up with 42 tackles, four pass break-ups and a big interception in the Big Little Game against Pittsburg. He also added seven touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball.
Nikko Reed, Moreau Catholic
Position: Utility
Year: Junior
Reed earned first-team all-MVAL honors at three different positions, showing that his sophomore season was no fluke. His five interceptions this season gives him 13 picks over the last two years, and this year he became a weapon all over the field. Reed added 661 yards and 10 touchdowns receiving, to go with four kickoff returns for scores, plus a punt return and interception return to the house.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Dorian Hale, De La Salle
Position: Quarterback
Year: Junior
Hale led the Spartans back to the CIF Open Division title game, getting it done with his arm and legs throughout his junior season. Through the air, he tossed 19 touchdowns with just three interceptions and over 2,000 yards for the year, adding over 500 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. He was a first-team all-EBAL selection, despite playing in the second half only four times during the season.
Jerry Johnson, Pittsburg
Position: Quarterback
Year: Senior
Johnson led the Pirates to the NCS Division 1 title game with the best season in program history. He threw for 2,971 yards and 34 touchdowns, with just seven interceptions, all while playing against a brutal schedule and in an offense which also produced a 1,000-yard rusher. His top performances came in the team’s biggest games, including a monster 368-yard, six-touchdown effort in a win over St. Mary’s-Stockton.
Omari Taylor, Clayton Valley Charter
Position: Running Back
Year: Junior
Taylor did not take over as the Ugly Eagles’ primary back until late in the regular season, but once he did, he could not be stopped. The junior who lost his brother in a tragic shooting, went over the 200-yard mark in back-to-back playoff games, on his way to finishing the year with 174 carries for 1,428 yards and 12 touchdowns, including the team’s only trip to the end zone in a CIF 2-AA title game win over Aquinas-San Bernardino.
Levi Cox-Cooley, Del Norte
Position: Running Back
Year: Junior
The primary threat in the Warriors’ trio of 1,000-yard rushers, Cox-Cooley was named the Offensive MVP of the HDN-Big 4, leading Del Norte to an NCS title and CIF title game berth. He ran for 1,667 yards and 13 touchdowns, and added 14 catches for 209 yards and a score.
Chase Sims, James Logan
Position: Running Back
Year: Senior
The Offensive Player of the Year in the MVAL, Sims ran for 1,769 yards and 23 touchdowns on 185 carries, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry. He topped the 200-yard mark on three different occasions, including a season-high 315 yards in a 52-41 non-league win over Dublin, leading the Colts to their best win total in six seasons.
Ivan Robledo, St. Helena
Position: Running Back
Year: Sophomore
The first-team all-NCL selection rushed for 2,215 yards and 33 touchdowns on 218 carries, breaking the Saints’ single-game rushing record on three different occasions and setting a new single-season record for the program. He also added five interceptions on defense, returning two of those for scores.
Reed Callister, Miramonte
Position: Wide Receiver
Year: Senior
Callister was the favorite target of quarterback Matt Meredith, and he responded with a 71-catch season, producing 1,150 yards and 15 touchdowns, which earned him first-team DAL-Foothill honors. He also had 39 tackles on the defensive side of the ball.
Ben Reade, Tamalpais
Position: Wide Receiver
Year: Senior
Reade led the Red-Tailed Hawks into the playoffs, with 63 catches for 1,156 yards and 17 touchdowns, scoring in each of the team’s last six games. He also threw the game-winning touchdown pass against San Marin, and added a 90-yard kickoff return for a score.
Miles Williams, Justin-Siena
Position: Tight End
Year: Senior
The 6-foot-3 Williams had a banner year through the air for the Braves, turning heads with 30 catches for 1,004 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging over 33 yards per catch. In a big league win over American Canyon, Williams had 173 yards and a touchdown to take down the Wolves, and has continued adding to his accolades by already collecting two game MVP awards at post-season showcase events.
Will Omey, St. Bernard’s
Position: Utility
Year: Senior
Omey’s numbers are video game like, as he completed 62 percent of his passes for 3,664 yards and 40 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,516 and 20 scores, including a 172-yard, four-touchdown rushing performance against South-Torrance in the CIF 6-AA title game. Then there are his defensive skills, which led to 73 tackles and 10 pass break-ups.
Teddy Oliver, Encinal
Position: Utility
Year: Senior
The co-Offensive Player of the Year in the WACC-Foothill, Oliver had 31 catches for 740 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Jets, while adding a touchdown on the ground and two more on interception returns. He also had 23 tackles from his secondary spot.
Ethan Kollenborn, Cardinal Newman
Position: Kicker
Year: Senior
The Specialist of the Year in the NBL-Oak, Kollenborn drilled 10 field goals during the season, including the game-winner in the NCS Division 4 title game against Marin Catholic. Six of those made field goals were longer than 40 yards, including a season-long of 46 yards in the section title game.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Peyton Borrelli, Liberty
Position: Defensive Lineman
Year: Senior
The first-team all-BVAL selection had 18 tackles for a loss and 11 sacks for the Lions, whose only losses this season were to BVAL rival Pittsburg. In the regular-season overtime loss to the Pirates, Borrelli had a pair of sacks, and also added multi-sack games against Monte Vista, Freedom and Heritage.
Osaro Aihie, San Leandro
Position: Linebacker
Year: Senior
Aihie was a first-team WACC-Foothill on both sides of the ball, also rushing for over 800 yards and 10 touchdowns to go with 290 yards and two scores through the air. Defensively, he led the Pirates with over 60 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss and a pair of fumble recoveries.
Nelson Suisala, Hayward
Position: Linebacker
Year: Junior
Suisala received first-team WACC-Shoreline honors on both sides of the ball, but was a tremendous force at linebacker, where he had 75 tackles, including 14 tackles for a loss, to go with seven sacks and a pair of blocked kicks.
Justin Hagler, St. Bernard’s
Position: Linebacker
Year: Senior
The 6-foot-3 outside linebacker was named co-Defensive Player of the Year in the HDN-Big 4 and was referenced by numerous coaches as the player who needed to be watched at all times when facing the Crusaders. He racked up 127 solo tackles on defense to go with three interceptions, while also hauling in 51 catches for 772 yards and five touchdowns on offense for the NCS Division 6 and CIF 6-AA champions.
Mason Padilla, Liberty
Position: Linebacker
Year: Senior
The unanimous first-team all-BVAL selection played at the heart of the Lions’ defense, and registered 70 tackles, including eight for a loss, to go with two interceptions while captaining a unit which allowed fewer than 20 points per game and held teams like Cardinal Newman to a season-low in points scored.
Vince Nunley, Encinal
Position: Defensive Back
Year: Junior
The first-team WACC-Foothill selection had seven interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, to go with 85 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles. His performances included a pair of picks in a league title-clinching win over San Leandro.
Albert Taufui, Hayward
Position: Defensive Back
Year: Senior
The Defensive Player of the Year in the WACC-Shoreline, Taufui got it done all over the field for the Farmers, who reached the Division 3 semifinals after winning back-to-back league titles. He racked up 60 tackles, including 15 tackles for a loss, to go with six sacks and three interceptions from his strong safety position.
Jalen Henderson, De Anza
Position: Utility
Year: Senior
The six-foot Henderson was a physical presence in the secondary, racking up 85 tackles to go with his four interceptions. He was also a weapon to score in multiple ways, with 13 total touchdowns, returning two punts for scores, rushing for a pair of scores and hauling in 19 catches for 465 yards and nine touchdowns.
Jacob Oliphant, Monte Vista
Position: Utility
Year: Senior
The Cal Poly bound Oliphant was an impact player all over the field. Defensively, he had a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown, also scored on kickoff and punt returns, and added 47 catches for 560 yards and four scores. His biggest play, however, might have been a game-winning two-point conversion in the final seconds against California.
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE:
QUARTERBACK: Jay Butterfield (Liberty), Matt Meredith (Miramonte), Grant Harper (Campolindo)
RUNNING BACK: Kai Hall (St. Vincent de Paul), JoJo Vaughn (De Anza), Trey Baker (Kennedy-Richmond), Calel Aramboles (California School for the Deaf), Avant Muldrow (Pittsburg), Nico Barrio (Middletown), Rasheed Rankin (Rancho Cotate), Mauricio Castro (Vintage)
WIDE RECEIVER: Semaj Clark (Lower Lake), Nico Contreras (Windsor), Tsion Nunnally (Cardinal Newman), Kailan Chang (Salesian), Lenard LeBlanc (Mt. Eden)
TIGHT END: JP Murphy (San Ramon Valley), Jermaine Terry (Kennedy-Richmond)
OFFENSIVE LINE: Akili Calhoun (Liberty), Elijasah Green (James Logan), Sateki Lavulo (Kennedy-Richmond), Marcus Miller (Castro Valley), Hunter Thompson (San Leandro), Daniel Fukofuka (Hayward)
UTILITY: Jacob Arms (Willits), Dante DiMare (San Marin), Adrian Torres (Piner), Landon Gomes (Ferndale), Darrion Davis (De Anza), Kameron Lane (Benicia), Alzillion Hamilton (Hayward), Josh Heverly (Amador Valley), Nick Costello (Dublin), Darrion Bartley (Liberty)
KICKER: Chase Salisbury (San Ramon Valley), John Brindley (Encinal), Hunter Ridley (Acalanes)
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE:
DEFENSIVE LINE: Dan Boyle (Cardinal Newman), Gonzalo Ambriz (Kennedy-Richmond), Oscar Mayorga (Windsor), Kaleb Elarms-Orr (Moreau Catholic), Colton Vardell (Bishop O’Dowd)
LINEBACKER: Kekoa Wilson (American Canyon), Greg Filardo (Heritage), Raider Vreonis (Antioch), Hunter Graniss (Cardinal Newman), Dom Gravino (Las Lomas), Dillon Tingle (Middletown), Max Masajlo (Foothill), Rocky Aven (Clayton Valley), Jason Brooks (El Cerrito), Ryan Kasper (Casa Grande), Elijah Lawson (Stellar Prep)
DEFENSIVE BACK: Axel Lara (Tamalpais), Matt Jacobsen (Marin Catholic), Caden Royere (Las Lomas), Douglas Turner (Washington), Jamon Taylor (James Logan), Robert Freeman (El Cerrito), Dillon Leao (Clayton Valley), Jered Kenny (San Ramon Valley), Malachi Ward (Bishop O’Dowd)
HONORABLE MENTION:
ACALANES:
John Kalil, Tommy Thrasher
ALAMEDA:
Gabe Zuno
ALBANY:
Dameon Potts
ALHAMBRA:
Ryan Silva
AMADOR VALLEY:
Eric Hunter III, Kannon Dote
AMERICAN:
Jesse Lajes
AMERICAN CANYON:
Justin Del Rosario, Jordan Fisher
ANALY:
Kolby Elledge
ANTIOCH:
Kwamayne Sims, Jaysn Wade
ARCATA:
Max Rice, Kein Mazzotti
ARROYO:
Demarcus Smith
BENICIA:
Maurian Burrell, Kendall Lane, Dominic Spivey
BEREAN CHRISTIAN:
Dylan Oliver
BERKELEY:
Donte Searcy
BETHEL:
Samari White, Jaden Smith
BISHOP O'DOWD:
Sterling Stokes, Jaden Davis, Kaleb Branscomb
CALIFORNIA:
Belal Alatasi, Daniel DeSoto
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF:
Jaylen Johnson
CAMPOLINDO:
Ryan O’Neil, Brandon Manty, Will Windatt
CARDINAL NEWMAN:
Miles Wycoff, Zack Moran
CASA GRANDE:
Matt Herrera, Dominic McHale
CASTRO VALLEY:
Dylan Ochoa, Zach Sandoval
CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER:
Julian Rodriguez, Lukas Linkhart
CLEAR LAKE:
Treppa Marcks
CLOVERDALE:
Shayne Turner
COLLEGE PARK:
Andrew Hamant, Jamaire Wayne
CONCORD:
Ryan Murphy, Adrian Todorov
DE ANZA:
Durrell Willis, Jaheim Robinson
DE LA SALLE:
James Coby, Lu-Magia Hearns, Clayton Seastrand
DEER VALLEY:
Pacifica Tumanuvao, Reginald Hill
DEL NORTE:
Chase Blackburn, Tanner Forkner
DOUGHERTY VALLEY:
Diego Barragan
DRAKE:
Ren Gaul
DUBLIN:
Justin Lynch
EL CERRITO:
Elias Williams, Nathaniel Carr
EL MOLINO:
Colman Hayes, Weston Lewis
ENCINAL:
Simeon Mitchell, Siave Pedro, Isaiah Smith
EUREKA:
Trevor Bell, Chase Steubing
FERNDALE:
Dominic Regli, Tristen Martin
FOOTHILL:
Jayden Payne
FORT BRAGG:
Jullian Clavelle
FORTUNA:
Jordan Bennett, Cole Ivey
FREEDOM:
Jordan Lee, Tyler Lepolo
GRANADA:
Tyler Morano, Robert Porter
HAYWARD:
Reggie Garrett, Malik Williams, Jamal Boyd
HERCULES:
Otis Dickens III
HERITAGE:
Adam Smith
HOOPA VALLEY:
Carlos Aguilar, John Smith
IRVINGTON:
Danny Bierhuizon
JAMES LOGAN:
Jeremiah Johnson, Jeremiah Patterson, Matt Paras
JOHN SWETT:
Harley Mandicino, Armando Barragan
JUSTIN-SIENA:
Solomone Anitoni, Grant Koehler
KELSEYVILLE:
Robert Chavez
KENNEDY-FREMONT:
Christian Arturo-Gonzalez
KENNEDY-RICHMOND:
Jaylen McDaniel, Ben Freeman
LAS LOMAS:
Zach Patterson, Elijah Lash, Tyler Darr
LIBERTY:
Anthony Orgoglio, Cody Muth
LIVERMORE:
Eli Nuddleman, Ritchie Fenton
LOWER LAKE:
Vann Wilkins, Alex Castillo
MARIA CARRILLO:
Logan Kraut, Jacob Lake
MARIN CATHOLIC:
Jared Lyon, Geordie Aarsheim
MCKINLEYVILLE:
Kyler Carr
MIDDLETOWN:
Jared Pyzer, James Hernandez
MIRAMONTE:
Tanner Zwahlen
MONTE VISTA:
Josh Zeising, Noah Rivas
MONTGOMERY:
Allen Gray, Mason Hallin
MOREAU CATHOLIC:
Devin Arnold, Nico Ledesma, LC Glover
MT. DIABLO:
D’Antonio Jerome
MT. EDEN:
Daniel Beleche
NAPA:
Isaiah Newton, Tyler Clark
NEWARK MEMORIAL:
Miles Brandon, Ruben DeAnda-Romero
NORTHGATE:
Eric Prough, Owen Pulver
NOVATO:
Jonaven Hill
OAKLAND MILITARY:
John Wu
PETALUMA:
Randall Braziel, Gianni Johnson
PIEDMONT:
Andy Melian
PINER:
Yonaton Isack, Isaac Torres
PINOLE VALLEY:
Nacarre Turner, Tony Freeman, Jeremiah Phillips
PITTSBURG:
Mark Hutchinson, Johnny Blackmon
RANCHO COTATE:
Brandon Proschold, Jack Reese, Jared Stocker
REDWOOD:
Luke McKernan, Joseph Calzaretta
SAINT MARY'S:
Jordan Mure, Ben Banks-Altekruse
SALESIAN:
Ronald Robertson, Kareem Sullivan
SAN LEANDRO:
Josh Nisa, DJ Bryant, Amari Roberson
SAN LORENZO:
Malik Jones
SAN MARIN:
Will Hickey, Tyler Nettleman
SAN RAFAEL:
Aidan Lubamersky
SAN RAMON VALLEY:
Jacob Himan, Cole Mortensen
SANTA ROSA:
Mason Frost, PJ Toleafoa
SONOMA VALLEY:
Adrian Alvarez
ST. BERNARD'S:
Talimaivao Fonoti, Guillermo Perez-Estrada
ST. HELENA:
Cody DiTomaso, George Cutting
ST. PATRICK-ST. VINCENT:
Zion Booker, Javi Shepherd
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL:
Gio Antonini, Rory Morgan
STELLAR PREP:
William Vehikite
TAMALPAIS:
Aidan Newell, Ben Erlichmen
TENNYSON:
Carlos Gonzalez, Salesi Moala
TERRA LINDA:
Guy Lyons
UKIAH:
Jason Angulo, Kalathan Laiwa McKay
VALLEJO:
Jaguan Edwards, Jaccari Brown
VINTAGE:
Jacob Aaron, Louie Canepa, Cutler Low
WASHINGTON:
Andrew Yanez
WILLITS:
Gage Parker
WINDSOR:
Jeremiah Pignataro, Jacob Thrall
YGNACIO VALLEY:
Fernando Verduzco, Arionte Mouton
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