By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor

Orange County is the home of the No. 1 prospect in the ESPNU 150, but there is an abundance of talent besides Mater Dei's Matt Barkley. Two other Monarchs make the 30-player team, with ESPN RISE FAB 50 ranked Orange Lutheran leading the way with five players. Sunset League favorite Los Alamitos and perennial power Mission Viejo place four players on preseason all-county squad. Next stop within the CIF Southern Section is the Long Beach/South Bay region of Los Angeles County.                           

All Southern Section: Orange County

Offense

WR -- Paul Richardson Jr. (Los Alamitos) 6-0, 165, Jr.
Teammate Darryl Jenkins caught more passes, but Richardson was the big play-maker and often the go-to guy for QB Clark Evans. The son of former L.A. University High and UCLA wideout Paul Richardson, the Los Al standout wasn't able to compete with the receivers at the L.A. Nike Camp because of an injury, but in person and on film he grades out quite high. His father caught 16 touchdown passes as a senior at Uni high and it wouldn't surprise us if he scored close to that many times this fall. Richardson Jr. finished his sophomore campaign with 32 receptions for 573 yards and nine scores.           

WR -- Kevin Chandler (Mission Viejo) 5-11, 180 Sr.
Earlier this decade, the Diablos won 57 consecutive regular season games, No. 2 on the all-time state list, but they slumped last year and lost three games on the field and tied in another. Mission Viejo hopes to wrestle back the South Coast League title from Tesoro and with players like Chandler they are the league favorites going in. Last year this second team all-Orange County pick hauled in 63 catches for 935 yards to go along with eight touchdowns. With a better all-around team around them, the Allen Bridgford to Chandler pass-catch combo could be even more potent this season.     

OT -- Matt Jacubiec (Servite, Anaheim) 6-8, 275 Jr.
Last year it was easy to fill this spot with another Matt from Servite, first team EA SPORTS All-American Matt Kalil, but Jacubiec is more of a sleeper pick. He moved around on the line last season, but is even bigger than Kalil was at the same age with many of the same skills. He was an CalHiSports.com all-state sophomore pick last season and this should be a breakout year for him.    

	Scott Kurtz, CalHiSports.com
	Matt Barkley is the top prospect in the ESPNU 150, but he'll have to improve upon his junior season to win Mr. Football honors this fall.

DE -- Aaron Prindle (Lutheran, Orange) 6-0, 252 Sr.
Prindle is one of the most versatile and athletic lineman in Orange County, as is evidenced by the 69.33 SPARQ Rating* he recorded at the Long Beach Nike Combine that included a 29.1 inch vertical jump. Prindle is a starting guard for the nationally-ranked Lancers and would be used at that position on this team should the offense goes to its jumbo package. Prindle also fits here because he'll likely play defense in college and was one of the better d-lineman in attendance as the Los Angeles Nike Camp.     

LB -- Preston Spence (Edison, Huntington Beach) 6-0, 190 Sr.
Sideline to sideline, Spence is one of the best defensive players in the county. Playing alongside all-county 'backer Earnie Sagaio, Spence recorded 81 tackles, dive sacks and three fumble recoveries for the Chargers last season. He was an all-Sunset League choice and with Sagaio graduating, Spence will likely draw double teams and create opportunities for teammates to make a play.

LB -- Cecil Whiteside (Newport Harbor, Newport Beach) 6-3, 205 Jr.
Whiteside is the middle 'backer on this team and one of the team leaders despite his youth. Like his Sunset League counterpart Spence, Whiteside was a tackling machine last season and one of only four sophomores to be selected all-league. Whiteside has good instincts and is a hard hitter, according to head coach Jeff Brinkley, and finished with 64 solo tackles, 34 assists, two sacks and three fumble recoveries.

ROV -- John Michael Davis (Tesoro, Las Flores) 6-2, 215 Sr.
Davis would be the all-purpose player on our defense, able to play near the line of scrimmage on running downs and able to play in the secondary if needed. As a sophomore at Santa Margarita, Davis made a name for himself with two interceptions versus L.A. City Section power Dorsey and he followed up with a junior season that saw him rack up 80 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery for the Eagles. Over the summer, he transferred to Tesoro and should be one of the top players in the South Coast League. He projects as an outside linebacker on the next level, but the Boise State commit is more concerned with leading Tesoro to its second consecutive outright SCL title.          

DB -- Alex Mascarenas (Mission Viejo) 5-10, 175 Sr.
A repeat selection, Mascarenas can play either corner or safety on this team while Mission Viejo coach Bob Johnson feels he will be a solid safety prospect for the next level. Mascarenas committed to UCLA after a junior season in which he earned second team all-Orange County honors after picking off four passes and hauling in 27 catches for 427 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver. In two seasons, he's picked off eleven passes and Mission Viejo is going to need maximum production from him to return to championship form.      

DB -- Gabe Lemon (Lutheran, Orange) 5-9, 175 Sr.
Lemon is one of the seven incoming transfers for Lutheran following the 2007 season and will likely make the biggest impact among the new players. Last season, he helped Trabuco Hills advance to the CIF Southern Section Southwest Division title game and earned a multitude of post-season honors: first team all-Sea View League, All-Southwest Division and all-Orange County. He finished with nine interceptions, 35 tackles, one fumble recovery and a blocked kick. He might not reach that interception total this season, but his presence will undoubtedly aid Lutheran in its quest for a second CIFSS Pac-Five title in three seasons.     

DB -- Bijon Samoodi (Servite, Anaheim) 5-8, 160 Sr.
Samoodi joins Lemon as a returning all-Orange County pick in the secondary. As a junior, he was also a first team all-Trinity League selection after recording five interceptions, 29 solo tackles and four pass breakups. Samoodi might not see much action on his side of the field, but he's solid in run support and a physical presence despite his diminutive frame.    

DB -- Shaquille Richardson (Los Alamitos) 6-0, 165 Jr.
Our sleeper pick on this team, Richardson is a young but talented player with a high ceiling. He has a great frame and can easily add twenty pounds in the future without comprising speed. At the L.A. Nike Camp, Richardson was the top underclass defensive back we evaluated and he impressed during summer passing league tournaments. Former Los Al standouts Antoine Cason and Orlando Scandrick were taken in last April's NFL Draft and the Griffins' coaching staff feels Richardson is further developed at the same stage. Another junior DB at Los Al, Josh Barut, deserves mention.     

P -- Chase Robinson (Marina, Huntington Beach) 6-1, 195 Sr.
There are usually a plethora of solid kickers in this region and statistically Robinson is the best returning punter in the section. He booted 49 punts for 1,879 yards (38.35 avg.). His longest punt was a 60-yarder with four inside the 20-yard line.  

Multi-Purpose

LB/RB -- Jeremiah Pemasa (Lutheran, Orange) 5-9, 200 Sr.
Pemasa takes over this multi-purpose spot from his brother Ricky. Ricky was the team's leading rusher last season and Jeremiah could take a bigger role on offense now that Tyson Seneca and his brother have graduated. At linebacker is where Jeremiah makes the biggest impact, racking up 40 solo tackles, including four for a loss, 28 assists, four sacks, two caused fumbles, one fumble recovery and three pass deflections. Pemasa was a second team all-Trinity League choice and is a prime all-CIFSS Pac-Five candidate this season.      

QB/RB -- Clark Evans (Los Alamitos) 6-4, 215 Sr.
Evans doesn't get nearly as much attention as Mater Dei's Barkley, but Evans is a fine high school quarterback in his own right. Evans is a true dual-threat signal-caller as he accounted for 33 touchdowns. He completed 157 of 264 passes (59.5 percent) for 2,118 yards with 18 touchdowns against only seven interceptions and rushed for 952 yards on 172 carries. The Sunset League's offensive Player of the Year is headed to Colorado, but after the Griffins missed the playoffs for the first time 23 years he'll gladly trade in the individual accolades for team success.        

OL/DL -- Nik Abele (Irvine) 6-6, 250 Sr.
Abele was a first team all-Pacific Coast League choice as a junior for a Vaquero squad that finished with a 8-3 record. He's received most of his prep accolades as an offensive tackle, but he's starting to receive heavy recruiting interest as a defensive end as well. He's currently fielding offers from Utah, Boise State, Nevada, UNLV, Colorado and San Diego State, but we wouldn't be surprised to see him sign with a Pac-10 team next February.     

DB/WR -- Christian Maldonado (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) 5-10, 170 Sr.
Maldonado is known for his toughness and hitting ability, but he is also quick and loves the challenge of taking on the other team's top offensive threat on the outside. Last season for the Monarchs, he was an all-Trinity League choice after racking up 49 tackles and13 assists. He also recovered a fumble and blocked a punt on special teams. If Mater Dei Head Coach Bruce Rollinson needs another body on offense, Maldonado can play on that side of the ball as well.  

WR/KR/DB -- Darryl Jenkins (Los Alamitos) 6-0, 175 Sr.
Jenkins has been a consistent wide out for Los Al QB Clark Evans the past two seasons and could wind up being one of the state leaders in receptions and reception yards if the Griffins make a deep playoff run. Jenkins has a nose for the ball of offense and isn't afraid to make the tough catch although he's not the big play threat teammate Paul Richardson Jr. is. He finished his junior season with 53 receptions for 874 yards with four touchdowns and is a threat on special teams as a punt and kickoff return man. He is also capable of playing in the defensive secondary.   

QB/ATH -- Allan Bridgford (Mission Viejo) 6-3, 213 Sr.
It was hard to leave off Dana Hills' Anthony Kaspar or Sean Schroeder, but in choosing a third quarterback it's hard to ignore one that has college offers from all over the country while the Dolphins won one game last season. Since taking over for R.J. Toman during the middle of his sophomore season, Bridgford has thrown for 4,268 yards and 37 touchdowns, including a 2,508-yard, 22-touchdown junior campaign. It's also hard to ignore the fact he finished second in the accuracy challenge and was No. 3 in the MVP voting by the college counselors in attendance at the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp. Bridgford is headed to CAL.   

To let us know about a particular team we should be looking at for our preseason state rankings (top 50 overall, top 10s for each of five divisions and top 25 for NorCal and SoCal), send info to mark@studentsports.com.

*Taking the standard measurements of the football combine, the SPARQ Rating weighs and combines the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, vertical jump and bench press into a single number that measures an athlete's overall athleticism. Thus, football players can track the progress of their training, through occasional tests, and compare SPARQ Ratings with teammates, training partners and competitors. To learn more about the SPARQ Rating, go to sparqtraining.com.

By Harold Abend

The caravan put on almost 8,000 miles, there were two weeks of hotels and motels on the road trip, and we saw a total of eight events over a two month period.

We started and ended close to home in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first stop on our schedule was the Golden Gate Shootout in San Rafael in mid-June. The last NCAA certified event was the Summer in the City held in Novato, and our final stop was the Back to School Shootout, August 15-17 at Chabot College in Hayward.

In between there were stops in Berkeley, San Diego, Las Vegas, and back to San Diego.

All told, approximately 5,000 girls participated at events where we were present. Of those, we evaluated over 1,000 of the top performers to come up with the following list. We have eliminated girls from outside California even though quite a few were evaluated and their names appeared in previous Girls of Summer blogs.

At our final stop in Hayward at the Back to School Shootout, St. Mary's of Berkeley won a battle of teams with Panthers as a mascot, defeating Pinewood (Los Altos Hills), 34-30, behind solid team defense and timely scoring by incoming sophomore Danielle Mauldin.

Mauldin shared game-high scoring honors with Pinewood's Lindsay Nickel (2009), each depositing 10 points.

Emily Vann (2011) helped seal the victory, leading a charged up St. Mary's defense that held Pinewood to two points in the game's final five minutes.

With the conclusion of the Back to School Shootout, we finalized our summer girls' rankings and now present the top 170 girls of the 1,000 evaluated     

For new readers and a reminder to old ones, we give a brief summary of the criterion for the ranking system used over the four years of our Girls of Summer feature.

The main factor of the criteria is girls only that were personally seen or where, in a very limited number of cases, college coaches and recruiters input was used are included in the list. They do not represent the entire universe of girls but you'll have to search forever to find a more all-inclusive list for California girls' basketball.

This year only girls we saw are on the list. We did, however, take input from several college coaches on some of top performers we only saw once to help equalize the fact we saw several of the top rated girls at two or three events and multiple games at each.  

Evaluation points are based on a dot system of four grading periods per girl, regardless of how many or how few times we see them play.

A perfect score would be four dots per game or a total of 16 points. To earn a ranking, we don't have to see four grading periods but usually do at most events where there are five, six and even seven games. Anyone who can average two dots per grading period or 8 points has done a pretty good job in the areas of evaluation.

The evaluation areas consist of speed and quickness with or without the ball; passing abilities; converting makeable shots and layups consistently; ability to pull up and hit the shot including the trey; range of shooting; free-throw shooting; defensive intensity, and body positioning and footwork on defense; stamina and endurance; teamwork; left and right hand abilities to shoot and dribble; blocking out and rebounding; winning attitude plus more.

Last year Jasmine Dixon of Long Beach Poly, who is going to Rutgers this fall and was a two-time EA SPORTS All-American, was the top ranked girl with a 15.25 rating over the 2007 summer circuit.

In 2006 Ms. Basketball Jeanette Pohlen of Brea Olinda (Brea) and now at Stanford and Vickie Baugh (Sacramento) and currently at Tennessee were tied with a 14.50 rating.

The 2005 season had us evaluating nationwide talent as well as girls from California. Superstar Maya Moore from Georgia (currently starring at UConn) and Jasmine Thomas from Virginia (now at Duke) tied for the highest rating at an astonishing 15.5 out of 16.0. The top California girl that summer was Jayne Appel (Carondelet, Concord), currently starring at Stanford, with a 14.5 rating.

Heading this year's list are four girls who tied at 14.50. Three are seniors and one is a sophomore.

One is a post player, rated No. 20 in the class of 2009 by ESPN Hoopgurlz, who has improved every aspect of her game; footwork, shooting with either hand, rebounding, shot blocking and overall defensive intensity. Plus she's not afraid to share the ball. Her prowess has earned her a scholarship to Southern California.
 
The second girl, ranked No. 14 by ESPN Hoopgurlz in the 2009 class has endured more pain than anyone should ever have to suffer. Not even the tragic murder of her father during halftime of a game against her team's league rival could deter her from achieving hers and her fathers dream of this young woman earning a D1 scholarship and uplifting herself in life. On the floor she can do many thins well -- like taking a rebound in the air and before coming back down, softly dropping it in the basket for a deuce.

The third girl is ranked No. 64 in the class of 2009. Her performance at the San Diego Classic, where she played all 280 minutes of her team's seven game run to the championship title, was remarkable. No wonder she is getting serious looks from Pac-10 schools such as Cal, Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA and USC, plus San Diego State.

The last girl, who is on Hoopgurlz 2011 "watch list list of 13 girls nationwide,  may end up being the best of them all before its said and done this coming season.

Girls of Summer Top 170 Player Rankings

14.50 Layshia Clarendon 5-9 2009 (Cajon, San Bernardino)
14.50 Christina Marinacci 6-2 2009 (Foothill, Santa Ana)
14.50 Kaleena Masqueda-Lewis 6-0 2011 (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
14.50 Tierra Rogers 5-9 2009 (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco)
14.35 DeNesha Stallworth 6-3 2009 (Pinole Valley, Pinole)
14.35 Ki-Shawna "KiKi Moore 5-9 2009 (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco)
13.65 Gizelle Studevant 5-11 2009 (The Bishops School, San Diego)
13.25 Chloe Wells 5-8 2010 (A.B. Miller, Fontana)
13.25 Kamilah Jackson 5-11 2010 (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco)
13.25 Denesia Williamson 5-6 2009 (Mt. Miguel, Spring Valley)
13.00 Morgan Hatten 6-0 2009 (Clovis West, Fresno)
12.35 Inga Orekhova 6-3 2009 (The Bishops School, San Diego)
11.80 Jonae Ervin 5-5 2009 (Brea-Olinda, Brea)
11.75 Talia Caldwell 6-4 2009 (Marlborough, Los Angeles)
11.75 Jhazmine Lynch 5-6 2009 (Mater Dei, Chula Vista)
11.75 Niveen Rasheed 6-1 2009 (Monte Vista, Danville)
11.70 Darshae Burnside 2009 (Cajon, San Bernardino)
11.70 Jennie Harding 5-9 2009 (Santa Monica)
11.65 Madison Parrish 5-9 2011 (Hanford)
11.60 Rhema Gardner 6-2 2010 (Ayala, Chino)
11.60 Ebone Henry 5-10 2009 (Mater Dei, Chula Vista)
11.60 Thea Lemberger 2010 (Santa Monica)
11.60 Lauren Polansky 5-9 2009 (Branson, Ross)
11.60 Alexyz Vaioletama 6-1 2011 (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
11.55 Alisha Eckberg 5-11 2009 (Canyon Crest Academy, San Diego)
11.55 Stephanie Golden 6-3 2010 (Miramonte, Orinda)
11.55 Sara James 5-10 2010 (Oak Ridge, El Dorado Hills)
11.50 Angela Misa 6-2 2009 (JSerra, San Juan Capistrano)
11.40 Alex Sanchez 6-0 2010 (Troy, Fullerton)
11.35 Kelsey Harris 5-10 2010 (Brea-Olinda, Brea)
11.30 Aly Beebe 6-3 2012 (St. Joseph, Santa Maria)
11.30 Mikayla Lyles 5-8 2010 (Amador Valley, Pleasanton)
11.30 Kendall Rodriguez 6-0 2009 (Brea-Olinda, Brea)
11.30 Ariel Thomas 5-5 2010 (McClatchy, Sacramento)
11.30 Tynetta Turner 6-0 2009 (San Diego)
11.25 Kyra Dunn 6-3 2010 (Sacramento)
11.25 Makenzie Hirz 6-2 2009 (Foothill, Santa Ana)
11.20 Lindsay Sherbert 5-11 2010 (Great Oak, Temecula)
11.05 Brianna Orlich 5-10 2010 (Clovis West, Fresno)
11.00 Camila Rosen 6-0 2009 (Berkeley)
11.00 Cierra Windham 6-3 2009 (Norco)
10.90 Jordan Adams 5-11 2012 (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
10.90 Erica Barnes 6-3 2010 (Sacramento)
10.90 Kathryn Haugen 5-8 2009 (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
10.90 Rachael Pecota 5-11 2009 (Urban, San Francisco)
10.80 Tiffany Moorer 6-0 2009 (Narbonne, Harbor City)
10.80 Lindsay Nickel 6-0 2009 (Pinewood, Los Altos Hills)
10.75 Ellesse Brandis 5-10 2009 (Santa Monica)
10.75 Deanna Weaver 6-0 2010 (Wilcox, Santa Clara)
10.70 Noelani Viloria 5-10 2009 (Huntington Beach)
10.65 Erica Payne 6-1 2011 (Carondelet, Concord)
10.60 Alle Moreno 5-5 2010 (St. Mary's, Stockton)
10.55 Taylor Spikes 5-8 2010 (Hanford)
10.50 Ariana Elegado 5-6 2010 (La Jolla Country Day, San Diego)
10.50 Ariya Crook-Williams 5-7 2011 (Poly, Long Beach
10.50 Anissa Garcia 5-10 2010 (St. Mary's, Stockton)
10.50 Brittany Henderson 6-2 2009 (Muir, Pasadena)
10.50 Necholl Marbrough 5-9 2009 (Poly, Long Beach)
10.45 Cydnie Mixon 6-0 2010 (Deer Valley, Antioch)
10.45 Jazmine Zamora 5-4 2010 (Great Oak, Temecula)
10.40 Gillian Howard 6-4 2011 (La Jolla Country Day, San Diego)
10.40 Ashley Moore 5-10 2010 (St. Patrick-St. Vincent, Vallejo)
10.35 Kelly Peterson 6-1 2009 (Northgate, Walnut Creek)
10.35 Ricki Radonavich 5-10 2010 (Carondelet, Concord)
10.35 Brittany Shine 5-10 2010 (Sacramento)
10.35 Adrianne Thomas 5-8 2010 (Summit, Fontana)
10.30 Danielle Mauldin 5-11 2010 (St. Mary's, Berkeley)
10.30 Chemayne Shipley 5-9 2010 (La Jolla Country Day, San Diego)
10.25 Javier Brantley 5-8 2009 (Pinole Valley, Pinole)
10.25 Cheyenne Curley-Paye 2009 (Eastlake, Chula Vista)
10.25 Kayla Griffin 5-10 2009 (Moreau Catholic, Hayward)
10.25 Destini Mason 5-9 2009 (Perris)
10.25 Ane McPike 5-11 2009 (St. Joseph, Santa Maria)
10.25 A.J. Newton 5-3 2010 (Valley Christian, San Jose)
10.25 Emiko Smith 5-5 2009 (Windward, Los Angeles)
10.25 Emily Vann 6-0 2011 (St. Mary's, Berkeley)
10.20 Alyssa Afaese 5-11 2010 (Great Oak, Temecula)
10.20 Rechel Carter 5-9 2010 (St. Patrick-St. Vincent, Vallejo)
10.20 Hailey Eackles 5-10 2011 (Pinewood, Los Altos Hills)
10.20 Alexa Saturday 5-8 2011 (Cajon, San Bernardino)
10.15 Emily Gonsalves 2010 (St. Mary's, Stockton)
10.15 Ariel Marsh 5-8 2010 (Ayala, Chino)
10.10 Sarina Sayama 5-9 2010 (Hanford)
10.10 Taryn Sayama 5-7 2010 (Hanford)
10.10 Blair Shinoda 5-10 2009 (Foothill, Santa Ana)
10.05 Lacey Gibbons 5-11 2009 (Hanford)
10.05 Ali Gipson 5-8 2011 (St. Mary's, Stockton)
10.00 Courtney Hamilton 5-9 2010 (Northgate, Walnut Creek)
10.00 Hilary Rosette 5-11 2009 (Carondelet, Concord)
10.00 Keyontee White 6-1 2009 (Deer Valley)
10.00 Janelle Travis 5-6 2010 (Justin-Siena, Napa)
9.90 Erin Boettcher 6-3 2010 (Carondelet, Concord)
9.80 Jackie Sanchez 5-10 2010 (Bishop Alemany, Mission Hills)
9.80 Ariel Walker 5-10 2009 (Presentation, San Jose)
9.75 Sophie Bhasin 5-8 2012 (Cajon, San Bernardino)
9.75 Jada Blackwell 6-1 2011 (Etiwanda, Rancho Cucamonga)
9.75 Ashley Boggs 5-11 2009 (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco)
9.75 Liz Gordon 6-2 2010 (Mitty, San Jose)
9.75 Erin Grady 6-0 2009 (St. Ignatius, San Francisco)
9.75 Diamond Mitchell 5-4 2010 (Eastlake, Chula Vista)
9.75 Elexous Robinson 6-0 2010 (Dublin)
9.70 Nicole Anderson-Jew 5-6 2010 (Marin Catholic, Kentfield)
9.70 Jenay Herring 5-7 2010 (Yosemite, Oakhurst)
9.70 Patrice Saindon 5-3 2009 (Deer Valley, Antioch)
9.65 Karina Alofaituli 6-0 2011 (Thousand Oaks)
9.65 Kacy Swain 6-4 2011 (Chaparral, Temecula)
9.60 Lauren Spinazze 6-1 2009 (Esperanza, Anaheim)
9.60 Milica Toskovic 6-0 2011 (Windward, Los Angeles)
9.55 Angelica Sahagan 5-10 2010 (Bishop Alemany, Mission Hills)
9.55 Theresa Thomas-Stokes 6-3 2009 (Redwood, Visalia)
9.55 Melissa Zornig 5-8 2010 (Santa Margarita Catholic, Santa Margarita)
9.50 Dezirae Azlin 5-10 2009 (Deer Valley, Antioch)
9.50 Sonia Aguilar 5-7 2009 (St. Mary's, Berkeley)
9.50 Nikki Beckman 5-9 2010 (Dublin)
9.50 Natalie Butler 5-11 2010 (Clovis West, Fresno)
9.50 Natalie Fashag 5-7 2009 (Santa Monica)
9.50 Raven Fox 5-6 2012 (Deer Valley, Antioch)
9.50 Sydney Haydel 5-10 2010 (Harvard-Westlake, Sherman Oaks)
9.50 Maya Hood 5-10 2012 (La Jolla Country Day, San Diego)
9.50 Oorrgatt Joice 5-11 2009 (Windward, Los Angeles)
9.50 Elise Loreng 6-3 2010 (Santa Margarita Catholic, Santa Margarita)
9.50 Ericka Norman 5-7 2010 (Chino Hills)
9.50 Doris Park-Sherman 6-0 2009 (Newbury Park)
9.50 Krishawn Tennies 5-7 2010 (Ayala, Chino Hills)
9.45 Jessie Buchler 5-8 2009 (Rosary, Fullerton)
9.45 Lindsey Crawford 5-4 2011 (Chino Hills)
9.45 Brittany Jones 5-7 2009 (Montgomery, Santa Rosa)
9.45 Kaitlyn Petersen 5-8 2009 (Mission Viejo)
9.45 Chaunise Powell 5-7 2010 (Newark Memorial, Newark)
9.45 Talia Rayford 5-11 2011 (St. Mary's, Los Angeles)
9.45 Jenna Saso 5-10 2010 (Presentation, San Jose)
9.45 Shaylese Shofner 6-1 2009 (Lynwood)
9.45 Cody Sims 5-11 2011 (St. Mary's, Berkeley)
9.45 Leigh Stewart 5-9 2009 (Marin Catholic, Kentfield)
9.45 Chereese Thomas 5-9 2010 (Dublin)
9.45 Meghin Williams 6-2 2009 (Summit, Fontana)
9.40 Brandi Henton 5-7 2010 (Modesto Christian, Modesto)
9.40 Kiara Harewood 6-1 2011 (Acalanes, Lafayette)
9.40 Elizabeth Hartnett 5-9 2009 (Rosary, Fullerton)
9.40 Lauren Kimble 5-6 2010 (Miramonte, Orinda)
9.35 Alex Bassett 6-0 2009 (Marin Academy, San Rafael)
9.35 Taylor Gomez 5-9 2010 (Muir, Pasadena)
9.35 Chrystal Guarin 5-6 2009 (Troy, Fullerton
9.35 Brittany Kato 5-6 2010 (Troy, Fullerton)
9.35 Ravien Lawson 5-8 2010 (Enterprise, Redding)
9.35 Carly Meyer 6-1 2009 (Rosary, Fullerton)
9.35 Mya Olivier 6-1 2009 (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
9.35 Dani Rabago 5-10 2010 (Monte Vista, Danville)
9.35 Jazzmine Shirley 5-6 2010 (Poly, Long Beach)
9.35 Sarah Tamulski 6-0 2009 (Piedmont)
9.35 Kaitlin Wade 6-1 2009 (College Park, Pleasant Hill)
9.35 Kori Walker 5-8 2011 (Cajon, San Bernardino)
9.35 Melissa Wise 5-11 2009 (Marin Catholic, Kentfield)
9.30 Kathryn Fialey 6-0 2010 (JSerra, San Juan Capistrano)
9.30 Emily Livingston 5-11 2009 (Redwood, Larkspur)
9.30 Emily McCoy 5-6 2009 (Rosary, Fullerton)
9.30 Terilyn Moe 5-8 2012 (Terra Nova, Pacifica)
9.20 Ariel Hale 6-0 2009 (Canyon, Canyon Country)
9.15 September Offtutt 6-2 2010 ((Monrovia)
9.15 Amara Wainwright 5-9 2011 (Christian Brothers, Sacramento)
9.10 Maya Kennedy 5-8 2012 (Huntington Beach)
9.05 Kristen Chikami 5-7 2010 (Troy, Fullerton)
9.05 Kelsie Sampson 6-1 2010 (South Torrance, Torrance)
9.05 Kerrissa Taledo 5-6 2009 (Bishop Alemany, Mission Hills)
9.00 Cheyenne Cathey 5-10 2009 (Sheldon, Sacramento)
9.00 Chariah Harris 5-11 2011 (Chino Hills)
9.00 Hannah Huffman 5-9 2012 (Carondelet, Concord)
9.00 Rachel Tagabonie 5-5 2010 (Colony, Ontario)

Comments or questions? Make sure to leave a comment so others can read and react to what you have to say.

The Big Four from Bellarmine are all written up, but several other schools have multiple honorees, including Oak Grove, Gilroy and Valley Christian. This is the fourth stop in our tour of honor squads from throughout the state.

By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Assistant Editor

Photo Below: Jerry Rice Jr. (Menlo School)

Offense

WR Dante Fullard (Gilroy) 5-10, 165, Sr.
He had a strong finish to last season with back-to-back season bests in receiving yards with 135 and 143 to finish with 1,007 yards. Fullard scored seven touchdowns on his 63 receptions while also finding the end zone three times rushing the ball. During the offseason, the speedy wideout who also runs track helped the Mustangs win two passing league tournaments, including a bid to represent the 49ers in the NFL's contest in New Orleans.

WR Sam Knapp (Menlo-Atherton, Atherton) 6-3, 200, Sr.
Smooth pass catcher who looked good at the Stanford Nike Camp was an All-Daily News first-team selection at the wideout postion last season after catching 40 passes for 863 yards and scoring seven touchdowns. Knapp had his best game of the season in the section semifinal 41-28 win over Aragon as he caught five passes for 122 yards and a score. He also helped lead the Bears basketball team deep into the postseason and earned another all-league selection in basketball as well as on the baseball diamond.

WR Jerry Rice Jr. (Menlo School, Atherton) 5-10, 180, Sr.
Following in the footsteps of his father, NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, Junior had a total of 1,505 all-purpose yards. His coaches got him the ball any way they could by having him return punts and kickoffs while also throwing him the ball and handing it to him on offense. Jerry Jr. isn't as big as his dad and it must be tough with that name. Still, at the Stanford Nike Camp, he was one of the most improved players from the previous year and displayed trademark hands and route running. Among the schools vying for the young Rice include Cal, Stanford and Fresno State.

OL Kevin Danser (Bellarmine, San Jose) 6-6, 295, Sr.
Easily the most recruited lineman in the CCS, Danser earned all-state underclass recognition last season after opening up gaping holes for the Bells' running game last season. He is rated one of the top tackles not in the section but the nation. Arizona and Washington lead a list of multiple Pac-10 schools interested in having him head to their university after this season.

OL Jeremy Galten (Hillsdale, San Mateo) 6-6, 260, Sr.
He was named to the Peninsula-Ocean first team along the offensive line after another solid year anchoring the Knights' front seven. He also stood out despite his team's struggles most of the season.

OL Bruce Leaupepe (Oak Grove, San Jose) 6-4, 260, Sr.
Bruce was on the loose on both sides of the line for the CCS champion Eagles last season. He led the way for a highly-potent running game that rushed for over 3,600 yards and scored 52 touchdowns. On defense, his role was reversed as he stopped the opposition with 57 tackles and three sacks. He looks like a legitimate D1 recruit.

OL Mailiu Penitani (St. Francis, Mountain View) 6-4, 260, Sr.
We noticed him as a sophomore starter for the Lancers two years ago. He dominated along the offensive line last season, helping the St. Francis offense rush for over 1,000 yards and throw for over 1,500 yards.

OL Chris Tozer (Valley Christian, San Jose) 6-4, 285, Sr.
Using his skills that made him one of the top wrestlers in his weight-class in the Bay Area, Tozer is one of several three-year starters for Valley Christian. He is a definite presence at the tackle position. He finished fifth in the Central Coast Section wrestling championships in the 285 pound division.

QB Jaime Jensen (Gilroy) 6-3, 215, Sr.
JJ was the top passer last year in the section and second overall in the state as he threw for 4,323 yards and 41 touchdowns. He had at least one touchdown pass in every game, including an eight-TD game against San Benito while throwing for 486 yards. Behind the arm of Jensen, the Mustangs reached the Open Division championship game before losing a 46-35 shootout to Oak Grove. Those who evaluate QBs for college might not rank Jensen as high as some others in the CCS, but based on what he did on the field last year there's no comparison.

RB Usua Amanam (Bellarmine, San Jose) 5-10, 180, Sr.
There's no mistaking last year's all-state underclass selectee when on the field for the Bells as he rushed for 1,656 yards and 20 touchdowns last season. Amanam also pplayed in the secondary as he intercepted four passes and also caught 21 passes on offense for 309 yards and an additional three touchdowns. The West Catholic Athletic League player of the year recently verballed to head coach Jim Harbaugh and the Stanford Cardinals.

RB Desarte Yarnway (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco) 6-1, 200, Sr.
This physical beast of the running back rushed for over 1,400 yards and scored 19 touchdowns last season for the Fighting Irish. He first caught everyone's attention as a sophomore as he rushed for over 1,300 yards and scored 16 touchdowns. Yarnway has yet to verbal but multiple Pac-10 schools are interested in him running the ball at their school with Cal leading the way.

PK Greg Guttas (Serra, San Mateo) 5-9, 165, Sr.
He was an all-state nominee last season after kicking for 45 points with five field goals and 30 extra points. Guttas kicked off and punted for a 32.4 yards average as well for the Padres last season. This will be his third year as a starter.

Defense

DL Kevin Greene (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco) 6-4, 235, Sr.
He's not the former NFL veteran who shares the same name but in his first season of playing football he terrorized the opposition's offense. Greene excelled on the court as well, earning all-league honors and in fact has been a basketball star for even longer than football. He finally decided to give football a shot last season and excelled.

DL Travis Johnson (The King's Academy, Sunnyvale) 6-2, 220, Sr.
One of the top pass rushers in the state, Johnson was selected to the first team defense by the San Jose Mercury News and Palo Alto Daily News after a 139 tackle season. Included in those 139 tackles was an impressive 21 sacks. Last June, Johnson was one of the top performers at the Oregon Nike Camp.

DL Amir Tadros (Leland, San Jose) 6-3, 235, Sr.
After those first two above, picking a third CCS defensive lineman was very tough. We went with Tadros because of how he looked at the Stanford Nike Camp, because he was a league shot put champion and because some D1 colleges are showing interest.

LB Michael Clay (Bellarmine, San Jose) 6-0, 205, Sr.
Another of the Big Four from Bellarmine, Clay led the Bells on defense during their West Catholic Athletic League championship season last year as he finished with 110 tackles. Clay was first team all-state underclass and impresses at combines, camps and on the field. He is rated as one of the top weakside linebackers in the nation this year.

LB Steven Fanua (Milpitas) 6-1, 210, Sr.
Another no-brainer for this team, Fanua was all-state sophomore two years ago and all-state underclass last season. Tackle stats are really tough to justify, but Fanua was credited with a whopping 220 as a junior. He also had 11 sacks, including five in one game. Schools such as BYU and Arizona have already offered him. More schools are getting on his list as well as the summer has continued.

LB Anthony Pohahau (Wilcox, Santa Clara) 5-10, 220, Sr.
An all-league performer for the Chargers a year ago, Pohahou averaged 10 tackles per game. At the Oakland Nike Combine, he also was one of the top SPARQ tested linebackers with a SPARQ Rating of 70.38.

LB Emre Titizer (Lynbrook, San Jose) 6-3, 225, Sr.
He isn't a purple people eater but this Viking did take care of any players that got nearby with the ball as he recorded 104 tackles along with 11 sacks last season. Titizer also came away with two fumble recoveries and two interceptions and in limited action on offense caught 15 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown. Despite the team going just 5-5 and not being known as a football power, Titizer has D1 colleges on his trail. He certainly has the size and speed that passes the test.

DB Jabari Carr (Oak Grove, San Jose) 6-2, 180, Sr.
Lock No. 3 for this defense after Johnson and Clay is Carr. He followed an all-state sophomore season with another sensational season making himself known as one of the top secondary players in the state. Carr recorded 94 tackles and five interceptions for the Eagles. Oak Grove won the CCS Open Division Championship with Carr leading the defense, earning all-state underclass and league junior of the year honors.

DB Zeke Sanders (Santa Cruz) 6-2, 180, Sr.
Sanders was named the Santa Cruz Coast League Junior of the Year last season after having 65 tackles and an interception on defense while scoring 14 touchdowns, including three on kickoff returns. Sanders was the team captain for Santa Cruz's section title team and tested off the charts at the Nike Oakland Combine with a 4.48 in the 40 and an 85.41 SPARQ Rating.

DB Jason Simpson (Woodside) 5-11, 195, Sr.
Simpson could have been multi-purpose and could have been offense, but he worked out with the defensive backs at the Stanford Nike Camp and is being looked at by major colleges mostly on that side of the ball. On offense last year, Simpson combined for over 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was named the all-county running back, all-league kickoff returner and special teams player of the year.

DB Tony Zizzo (Sobrato, Morgan Hill) 5-10, 195, Sr.
Another versatile athlete who fit in best for this team as a defensive player. Zizzo cranked out a phenomenal 97.50 SPARQ Rating at the Oakland Nike Combine. He had 79 tackles, two sacks and an interception for the Bulldogs last season despite teams not throwing the ball at him very often. When the Bulldogs' offense came on to the field, Zizzo rushed for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns.

QB/P Justin Rahn (Monta Vista, Cupertino) 6-4, 190, Sr.
Instead of a true punter, the best solution for this team to get as many top players written up was to slot Rahn in as the punter. He did punt last year and did well with an average of more than 35 yards. To be honest, though, Rahn is on as much for being a top quarterback as well as a top all-around athlete. In addition to quarterbacking the Matadors, Rahn also is one of the top pitchers in the state in baseball.

Multi-Purpose

QB/RB Austyn Carta-Samuels (Bellarmine, San Jose) 6-0, 185, Sr.
Carta-Samuels is the final of the Big Four from Bellarmine on this team. He only threw for 1,347 yards and eight TDs through the air as a junior, but rushed for 260 yards and eight more scores. He also impressed both in throwing and in his movements at the Stanford Nike Camp. He recently committed to hometown San Jose State, passing up offers from schools such as Purdue and Utah.

QB/ATH David Fales (Palma, Salinas) 6-2, 190, Sr.
Fales has already verbaled to Nevada and Wolfpack fans are sure to be excited since they're already excited about having Palma's Luke Lippincott running the ball. Fales only threw for 1,077 yards and 10 TDs last year, but he didn't start the entire season and once he did start he completed 72 percent of the his passes. He stood out at the Stanford Nike Camp and Elite 11 tryout camp.

QB/RB Cody Jackson (Serra, San Mateo) 5-10, 170, Sr.
Jackson was a first team all-league selectee for the second straight year after leading the Padre offense to a WCAL rushing record. Jackson rushed for 878 yards on 135 carries while scoring 14 touchdowns. As an option QB of many talents, Jackson has the Army among the schools interested in having him at its campus.

QB/RB Ken Johnston (Carmel) 6-1, 175, Sr.
Johnson is the final of five other QBs in the CCS we just had to get written up after the only QB spot on offense was taken up by Gilroy's Jaime Jensen. He threw for 2,877 yards and 20 touchdowns last season to make a two-year total of 5,219 yards and 47 touchdowns and is the Monterey County all-time leader already in yards and touchdowns.

RB/LB Cameron Marshall (Valley Christian, San Jose) 5-11, 200, Sr.
We noticed him for the first time as freshman starting on the VC varsity as a linebacker. Marshall rushed for 807 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Warriors last season on 118 carries and was a leader on defense. Marshall shows his speed off the field, too. He competed in track last spring in both the 100 and 200 and also was in the long jump.

RB/LB Michael Santini (Leland, San Jose) 6-1, 185, Sr.
The Great Santini had 278 yards and a touchdown with limited touches on offense but had plenty of touches on guys who had the ball as he finished last year with 137 tackles, two sacks and an interception. Santini had 17 tackles and 40 yards rushing with a touchdown in week six and was named the San Francisco 49ers' High School Player of the Week. He was also named his league's most outstanding linebacker last season.

Comments or questions? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others and react to what you have to say.

Courtesy of ESPN RISE football editors Brian Stumpf and Greg Biggins, here is an updated look at those players from California who have already committed to colleges for next February's signing day. Photo is of Oceanside lineman Brian Schwenke.

ARIZONA
Kylan Butler (De La Salle, Concord CA) RB
Trevor Erno (Lakewood CA) LB

ARIZONA STATE
Chris Coyle (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village CA) TE
Osahon Irabor (Upland CA) DB

BOISE STATE
John-Michael Davis (Tesoro, Las Flores CA) LB
Trevor Peterson (El Dorado, Placerville CA) TE
Joe Southwick (San Ramon Valley, Danville CA) QB

BYU
Trevor Bateman (Palm Desert CA) DB

CALIFORNIA
Allan Bridgford (Mission Viejo CA) QB
Vachel Samuels (Lynwood CA) DB
Brian Schwenke (Oceanside CA) OL

COLORADO
Clark Evans (Los Alamitos CA) QB
Jordan Wynn (Oceanside CA) QB

DUKE
Sean Schroeder (Dana Hills, Dana Point CA) QB

FRESNO STATE
Derek Carr (Bakersfield Christian, Bakersfield CA) QB

HAWAII
Corey Nielsen (Gahr, Cerritos CA) QB
Deondre Powell (Gahr, Cerritos CA) WR

NEVADA
David Fales (Palma, Salinas CA) QB

NOTRE DAME
Marlon Pollard (Cajon, San Bernardino CA) DB
Cierre Wood (Santa Clara, Oxnard CA) RB

OREGON
Anthony Anderson (Helix, La Mesa CA) DE/TE
Mike Bowlin (Aliso Niguel, Aliso Viejo CA) K
Trevor Fox (Chaparral, Temecula CA) OL
Jackson Rice (Campolindo, Moraga CA) P

OREGON STATE
Cody Vaz (St. Mary's, Stockton CA) QB

SAN DIEGO STATE
Jacob Driver (La Costa Canyon, Carlsbad CA) LB
Ronnie Hillman (La Habra CA) WR
Osmond Nicholas (Oceanside CA) WR

SAN JOSE STATE
Austyn Carta-Samuels (Bellarmine Prep, San Jose CA) QB
Dasmen Stewart (Oxnard CA) QB

STANFORD
Usua Amanam (Bellarmine Prep, San Jose CA) RB
Zach Ertz (Monte Vista, Danville CA) TE
Jemari Roberts (Wilson, Long Beach CA) WR
Levine Toilolo (Helix, La Mesa CA) TE/DE

TENNESSEE
Josh Nunes (Upland CA) QB

UCLA
Isaiah Bowens (Bishop Amat, La Puente CA) LB
Richard Brehaut (Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga CA) QB
Greg Capella (El Diamante, Visalia CA) OL
Todd Golper (Arcadia CA) LB
Alex Mascarenas (Mission Viejo CA) DB
Sheldon Price (Bishop Amat, La Puente CA) DB

UNLV
Caleb Herring (Citrus Hill, Perris CA) QB

USC
Matt Barkley (Mater Dei, Santa Ana CA) QB
James Boyd (Jordan, Los Angeles CA) DE
Vontaze Burfict (Centennial, Corona CA) LB
Randall Carroll (Cathedral, Los Angeles CA) ATH
De'von Flournoy (Birmingham, Van Nuys CA) WR
Kevin Graf (Agoura, Agoura Hills CA) OL
Patrick Hall (St. Bonaventure, Ventura CA) ATH
T.J. McDonald (Edison, Fresno CA) DB
Chris Metcalf (Compton CA) LB/DB
Byron Moore (Narbonne, Harbor City CA) DB
Morrell Presley (Carson CA) TE
Marquis Simmons (Dominguez, Compton CA) LB

UTAH
Chris Brown (Newbury Park CA) RB
C.J. Porter (Concord CA) WR
Jamal Smith (Oxnard CA) WR

WASHINGTON
Keith Price (St. John Bosco, Bellflower CA) QB

WASHINGTON STATE
Justin Clayton (Justin Siena, Napa CA) DL

Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can see what you have to say.

In this installment of our series looking at some of the top squads in the state, we check out Grant of Sacramento, Westlake of Westlake Village, Healdsburg and Tulare Union. All four made the postseason last year, while one came a game away from a championship game appearance and another started 13-0 before losing in the Division II Valley title game

Posted By Assistant Editor Paul Muyskens

Note: All information that follows came from a questionnaire that was sent in by the head coach. We did not add or delete any names. If your school isn't included in this series, it is because we were not sent the information. If you want your school included, send info in the categories listed to mark@studentsports.com.

Team Name: Grant (Sacramento)
Head Coach: Mike Alberghini (178-32)
Last Year's Records: 7-4, 10-0 for J.V.
Returning Starters: 12 (6 Offense, 6 Defense)
Players Most Deserving of Preseason Honors: QB/LB Kepeli Koniseti (All-League), WR Darvin McCauley (All-League), DE Edward Robinson, OL Alesana Laban and LB Jeremiah Toma.
Newcomers Who Could Make An Impact: None Listed.
Coach's General Outlook: We have lots of speed and experience along with some talented backups. We have a tough start to the season as we travel to Idaho to take on Highland.
Other Teams To Watch From The Area: Granite Bay
All-league level players with GPAs above 3.50: Je.remiah Toma and Jaymee Cowling
CalHiSports.com Comments: Last year's team traveled to Utah and had a tough time with Alta, which later won the Utah state title. This time, Alberghini hopes a similar trip will be the precursor to a big season. Putting points on the board wasn't a big problem last year as Grant averaged well over 40 points and the Pacers should once again light it up with the return of Koniseti at the QB position. Defense should be solid once again and with new additions from an undefeated junior varsity, but it's all about chemistry at Grant. When the Pacers have it, watch out. When it doesn't quite come together, they are beatable.

Team Name: Westlake (Westlake Village)
Head Coach: Jim Benkert (157-65-4 at school)
Last Year's Records: 8-4, 6-4 for J.V.
Returning Starters: 8 (4 offense, 4 defense)
Players Most Deserving of Preseason Honors: Justin Lilly (All-State Underclass, All-CIF Southern Section).
Newcomers Who Could Make An Impact: None Listed.
Coach's General Outlook: We have very good team speed but are lacking the size of some our past teams and that may hurt us this year.
Other Teams To Watch From The Area: Moorpark
All-league level players with GPAs above 3.50: Spencer Christianson
CalHiSports.com Comments: The Warriors ran off six straight wins last season before falling to a loaded St. Bonaventure team in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Northern Division playoffs. With not many starters back from last season, it will be critical for the team to have guys step up who were backups last season or are joining the team this year from the junior varsity before the start of the difficult Marmonte League season. Coach Benkert knows how to have his guys prepared for close games as five of the eight wins last season came by 10 points or less and that'll be key for a young team that could find themselves battling in many close games.

Team Name: Healdsburg
Head Coach: Tom Kirkpatrick (137-40-1 at school)
Last Year's Records: 10-2, 5-4-1 for J.V.
Returning Starters: 12 (6 offense, 6 defense)
Players Most Deserving of Preseason Honors: MLB/FB Andy Phillips, OL/DL Travis Daasche and WR/DB Dante Fountain.
Newcomers Who Could Make An Impact: None Listed.
Coach's General Outlook: Both sides of our line should be solid but we do have some question marks at the skill positions, including at the QB spot.
Other Teams To Watch From The Area: None Listed.
All-league level players with GPAs above 3.50: None Listed.
CalHiSports.com Comments: Riding their way to seven straight wins to start last season, the Greyhounds' fantastic start led them to earning a number two seed in the Class 2A Redwood Empire playoffs. Their tires were deflated by Del Norte with a loss in the semifinals, but there is a strong group of returnees. Losing your QB always hurts but Healdsburg still has a good amount of starters back from an offense that averaged 30 points a game and defense that allowed on average 16 points a game.

Team Name: Tulare Union (Tulare)
Head Coach: Darrenn Bennett (94-53 at school, 106-69 overall)
Last Year's Records: 13-1, 3-7 for J.V.
Returning Starters: 10 (5 offense, 5 defense)
Players Most Deserving of Preseason Honors: RB Jontell Reedom.
Newcomers Who Could Make An Impact: WR Marquis Wilson.
Coach's General Outlook: Our running game should be the strength of the team.
Other Teams To Watch From The Area: Edison (Fresno) and Sanger.
All-league level players with GPAs above 3.50: None Listed.
CalHiSports.com Comments: Last year's dream season came to a nightmarish finish after the Redskins won their first 13 games. The playoff loss in the Central Section Div. II final was by 63-14 to El Diamante. With the return of league offensive player of the year Reedom, who rushed for over 2,700 yards and found the endz one for 25 touchdowns ,the Redskins may not match the 42 points a game that they averaged last season but they shouldn't be far off. They will look to improve on defense, and one good place to start is the return of 6-1, 210-pound linebacker James Guerrero.

Note: Send corrections or comments to mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment that others can check out.

By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor

The L.A. City Section, which is made up of schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, is expanding and for the first time ever some of the section's top players come from schools that have opened in only the last five years. Two-time defending champion Birmingham has two players on 30-man squad while up-and-coming Jordan of Los Angeles places three on elite team. Next stop in Southern California is all-Orange County team.

All Los Angeles City Section

Offense

WR -- De'Von Flournoy (Birmingham, Lake Balboa) 6-1, 180 Sr.
The only repeat selection on offense, Flournoy's natural athleticism has made him one of the nation's top recruits in two short years. He joined the football team early in his sophomore season and finished it averaging 28.3 yards per catch on 22 receptions. Last year, the nation's No. 23 ranked receiver made an even bigger impact for a team that dominated the section, as he caught 39 passes for 859 yards (22.0 avg.) with 15 going for six points. He excels in the open field, but needs to polish up his routes to maximize his potential on the next level.

WR -- Noel Grigsby (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 5-10, 155, Sr.
With fellow wide receiver and ASU recruit Kemonte Bateman drawing extra attention on defense, Grigsby ended up being the most productive receiver on the Cougars' roster last season. He hauled in 36 receptions for 821 yards (22.8 avg.) and 15 of those went for touchdowns. He was a first team All-City selection by coaches and should draw tons of recruiting interest as the season progresses.

TE -- Morrell Presley (Carson) 6-4, 215 Sr.
Playing in an offense that featured second team all-state back Jack Sula, this USC commit was a solid blocker and made the most of his touches. The first team all-city selection caught 31 passes, six of those for scores, good for 461 yards to help Carson reach the L.A. City Section title game. Presley's productive day at the L.A. Nike Camp last spring helped make him the No. 47 ranked prospect in the ESPN 150 and the No. 1 ranked tight end prospect in the country.

OT -- Xavier McFraser (Locke, Los Angeles) 6-4, 240 Sr.
This year the best linemen in the section clearly don't have the beef last year's crop did, but that doesn't mean the city doesn't have some talented players in the trenches. McFraser was the only underclass offensive lineman to earn first team city division All-City honors and hopes he can help the Saints make a 180 degree turn around from last year's 3-8 campaign.

OG -- Franklin Nicholson (University, Los Angeles) 6-1, 230 Sr.
Nicholson is another undersized, yet skilled lineman that fits best at guard on this team. The Wildcats' most highly-honored player was a second team invitational division all-city choice and like many of this year's linemen, can make an impact on both sides of the ball.

C -- Timote Tonga (Birmingham, Lake Balboa) 6-3, 255 Sr.
A natural center, Tonga is one of the best returning players for the two-time defending city champ Patriots. Last year, this All-City choice by the coaches and media helped open up holes for CalHiSports.com Mr. Football Milton Knox, now at UCLA, and the line should even be better this year after gaining experience in the trenches against many of Southern California's best teams. In fact, new running back Trajuan Briggs is expected to make an immediate impact and be one of the top backs in the section by the end of the season.

OG -- Justin Edmond (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 6-0, 250 Sr.
Last year, Edmond helped the Cougars advance to the L.A. City Section semifinals. It took one of the section's best teams in recent memory to knock them out of the playoffs so optimism is high off of 10th Avenue since an abundance of talent returns. The defending Coliseum League champs return their top blocker in Edmond, who was a second team city division All-City player as selected by the coaches.

OT -- Miguel De La Rosa (Bell) 6-3, 270 Sr.
During most seasons in city ball, De La Rosa would be an average size quality lineman, but this season his size and ability stand out. He was a first team invitational division All-City selection and is agile enough to play on the defensive line. His four fumble recoveries were one of the few bright spots for a 1-8 Eagles team.

	Ronnie Flores, ESPNRISE.com
	Running back Josh Limosnero is a three-year standout for Wilmington Banning.

Multi-Purpose

QB/DE -- James Boyd (Jordan, Los Angeles) 6-4, 215 Sr.
A natural comparison for Boyd is to Carson's Dominique Blackman, the Colts' quarterback last season who was also big and athletic. Some felt Blackmon might be a better tight end but Boyd is rare in that he plays defensive end. He does have solid mechanics as a quarterback, as he completed 140 of 236 passes for 2,499 yards with 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions, but most evaluators feel defense is where he'll play for USC. He was named the defensive lineman of the year in the city division after being credited with 72 tackles, 11 sacks and six fumble recoveries. He the most highly regarded quarterback-lineman hybrid in the state since Hemet's Brandis Dew in 2004.

WR/RB/DB/KR -- DeShawn Beck (Jordan, Los Angeles) 5-9, 150 Jr.
Beck contributed on the Bulldogs' varsity as a freshman and to say he had a breakout sophomore campaign would be an understatement. He was chosen the Eastern League's Offensive MVP after rushing for 466 yards on only 57 carries (8.18 avg.) while catching 26 passes for 514 yards with additional seven scores. Beck is a true game-breaker and was clocked at 4.58 in the 40 using digital SPARQ Timing at the Long Beach Nike Combine. His other testing marks, a 26-01 Power Ball toss, a 36.0 inch vertical jump and a 4.44 20-yard shuttle, were good for a 72.15 SPARQ Rating.

QB/RB/DB -- Josh Moten (Narbonne, Harbor City) 6-0, 177 Sr.
Moten is an all-purpose signal-caller for a Gauchos' club with high aspirations of winning the coveted L.A. City Section title. Moten worked out with the QBs at the Stanford Nike Camp but we envision him playing WR or even DB at the next level. Narbonne coach Manuel Douglas is happy to have him make plays at any position, as he was named the Marine League's Most Outstanding Offensive Player as a junior. He completed 65 percent of his passes (115 of 178) for 1,749 yards with 16 touchdowns against only six interceptions. This three-year starter also added 266 rushing yards.

WR/DB -- Mark Bennett (Santee, Los Angeles) 5-11, 165 Sr.
The Falcons' first-ever legitimate Div. I prospect, Bennett just needs to add some weight and strength for the next level. At this level, he simply gets the job done on both sides of the field, as eight of his 45 receptions went for scores. He also led the city section with a reported 10 interceptions while racking up 20 solo tackles as a defensive back. For his efforts, he was named to the all-city first team as a wide receiver.

DB/RB -- J.R. McConico (Venice) 5-10, 180 Sr.
On a Gondos team filled with a multitude of talent at the skill positions, J.R. stepped up and was named first team All-City on defense by media scribes last season. He earned the nickname "Pick City from his teammates after intercepting eight enemy passes for a team that finished 10-2. With the graduation of RB Curtis McNeal (USC), WR Jerry Johnson (UCLA) and WR Naeem Forrester, expect McConico to take a bigger role on offense.

RB/WR/DB -- D.J. Morgan (Taft, Woodland Hills) 5-9, 165 Jr.
Morgan is the latest in a long line of high level multi-sport athletes for the Toreadors, a list that includes Olympic champion Quincy Watts (track-basketball), Super Bowl champion Steve Smith (football-basketball-track-swimming) and Olympic hopeful Jeshua Anderson (football-track). Morgan was named the state's sophomore athlete of the year after winning the city 100-meter, 110 and 300 hurdles and placing second at the CIF state meet in the 110-meter hurdles. On the gridiron, Morgan used his speed to rush for 1,185 yards and score 13 touchdowns. He also added another 235 yards receiving and could play defense if called upon.

Honorable Mention

•DL/OL Nicholas Alexander (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 6-4, 220
•DB Drayon Ballard (San Pedro) 5-10, 160
•RB Demonte Bell (Santee, Los Angeles) 5-11, 160
•RB Trajuan Briggs (Birmingham, Van Nuys) 6-0, 200
•DB Raymond Cleveland (Westchester, Los Angeles) 5-7, 175
•QB Morey Croson (Birmingham, Van Nuys) 6-1, 170
•RB Franky Diaz (Garfield, Los Angeles) 5-7, 160
•DB Chris Hill (Carson) 5-8, 167
•LB Jerrald Hines (El Camino Real, Woodland Hills) 6-1, 203
•QB/WR Chris Jacobs (Westchester, Los Angeles) 5-8, 165
•WR/DB Jerry Meza (Lincoln, Los Angeles) 5-10, 175
•DB Chazz Myles (University, Los Angeles) 6-0, 170
•FB Joel Panteau (Banning, Wilmington) 6-3, 230
•WR/RB Delvon Purvis (Jordan, Los Angeles) 5-10, 177


To let us know about a particular team we should be looking at for our preseason state rankings (top 50 overall, top 10s for each of five divisions and top 25 for NorCal and SoCal), send info to mark@studentsports.com.

*Taking the standard measurements of the football combine, the SPARQ Rating weighs and combines the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, vertical jump and bench press into a single number that measures an athlete's overall athleticism. Thus, football players can track the progress of their training, through occasional tests, and compare SPARQ Ratings with teammates, training partners and competitors. To learn more about the SPARQ Rating, go to sparqtraining.com.

The following California players ranked among the top 100 in the nation among all non-seniors who SPARQ tested at one of the various Nike combines during the spring. California's top underclass SPARQ score came from running back Tyler Anderson of De La Salle. He had the sixth-best underclass SPARQ score nationally.