Only one player in the past two decades, current Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams, has won Mr. Football State Player of the Year honors after winning state junior player of the year honors the season before. Read below for some of the reasons the state's best underclass players over the last twenty years haven't been able to avoid the Cal-Hi Sports Junior Jinx. Can last year's winner, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame quarterback Ryan Kasdorf, buck the trend?

By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor

Note: CalHiSports.com will kick off its preseason football coverage for the 2009 season beginning on July 6. We'll first review the past quarter century of prep football in the Golden State with a detailed look at each season dating back to 1985. We'll then move on to our team previews -- coaches can email ronnie@studentsports.com or call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4414 for details on how to get your team included -- release our various preseason all-section teams and finally our preseason state rankings for 2009. It's the kind of prep football coverage you just can't kind anywhere else of the Internet.

Following the 2007 season, quarterback Matt Barkley from Mater Dei High School of Santa Ana was not only named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, he was also named the Gatorade National Male Athlete of the Year. He was the first non-senior ever to win either prestigious award.

While the media attention bestowed on Barkley following a junior campaign that saw him throw for 3,560 yards and 35 touchdowns in only 11 games was a bit over the top, he definitely deserved state junior player of the year honors from CalHiSports.com. But, if you follow California prep football as close as we do, it would have been hard to make an argument he was the best player in the state two seasons ago. Perhaps if the Monarchs had won the CIF Southern Section Pac-Five title, he could have been the choice. Still it would be hard to convince a die-hard California football fan or a prep sportswriter that Barkley was more important to his team that season anymore than Corona Centennial's Ryan Bass, Napa's John Boyett or eventual Mr. Football Milton Knox of Van Nuys Birmingham.

Going into Barkley's senior season in 2008, Mater Dei had to replace a talented group of receivers and its offensive line wasn't nearly as strong. Despite Barkley's obvious talents, he struggled throwing the ball to his new crop of receivers, partly because he had less time to throw and partly because he pressed to make the spectacular happen on many of his passes. The result was a 23-touchdown, 18-interception campaign that again came to an end in the CIFSS Pac-Five quarterfinals. Barkley was not chosen for the all-state team and wasn't an all-Orange County selection, either.

Barkley, for various reasons, was the latest victim of the Cal-Hi Sports Junior Jinx. Since 1999, every player named state junior player of the year has not been selected Mr. Football the next year. In fact, only one player in the last 20 seasons has won he coveted award and we think that particular player, De La Salle of Concord running back-linebacker D.J. Williams, is the best all-around player in the state since the dawn of the Internet. In fact, Williams was class player of the year in each of his three seasons at De La Salle between 1997 and 1999. Even as an underclassman, Williams showed signs of becoming what he is today: a starting linebacker for the NFL's Denver Broncos.

Ryan Kasdorf, like Barkley, is a quarterback who took home Gatorade State Player of the Year honors as a junior. The Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks standout also saw his season come to an end in the Pac-Five quarterfinals, but not before passing for 3,291 yards with 36 TDs against just eight interceptions. The Golden Knights figure to open the season high in the preseason ratings, but what will it take for Kasdorf to win Mr. Football in 2009?

Team success is always a big factor, so Kasdorf's candidacy will be greatly boosted if he could lead Notre Dame past the CIFSS Pac-Five quarters. The Golden Knights have been one of the state's best teams this decade, compiling a 104-10-1 record, including a 35-game wining streak that was snapped in the CIFSS Div. III finals in 2005. Notre Dame enjoyed its greatest success while competing in the Southern Section's Div. III playoffs, and it's no secret the Golden Knights have not fared as well in the Div. I/Pac-Fve playoffs. If that changes this year, Kasdorf would get a ton of credit.

Another factor that we don't necessarily want to admit, but exists, is that the selection could have been another player. Except for some obvious choices, the selection process is always tough and last year was no different.

Robert Woods of Gardena Serra was the state's most explosive receiver in 2008. He scored two touchdowns in a 13-0 vs. 13-0 showdown in the CIFSS Northwest Division finals against Oaks Christian of Westlake Village, but Serra came out on the losing end. It's conceivable if Woods and company would have won that game, he would have been named state junior player of the year.

Oaks Christian's Malcolm Jones, who rushed for 206 yards and scored four touchdowns in the 63-28 victory, was the third junior named to the 30-player all-state first team. Although Jones' team beat Woods' team in a head-to-head showdown, Jones' candidacy took a hit when he missed some of his junior season to injury, which is obviously another huge factor in the selection process.

Jones' Mr. Football candidacy might get an early boost if he has big games against highly-regarded Alemany of Mission Hills and Skyline of Sammamish, Washington early in the season. Woods, on the other hand, hopes to get another crack against Jones and Oaks Christian in this year's playoffs, albeit with a slightly different outcome.

Read below to take a look back at those players named state junior of the year who did not win the state's most prestigious individual honor the next season. What factors are the most prevalent in this interesting trend?

1989 -- Napoleon Kaufman (Lompoc): Special talent was named Mr. Football in 1990. Kaufman is easily one of the five best running backs we've ever seen from California in person. He was recently named the player of the decade for the 1980s in the seventh edition of the CalHiSports.com State Record Book and Almanac.

1990 -- Gary Taylor (Morse, San Diego): He played on a great Morse team in '90, but in 1991, Taylor didn't have the same numbers he did as a junior when he led the state in rushing. He was clearly not as explosive a back as Kauffman and Mr. Football Amani Toomer (De La Salle, Concord) was the better choice.

1991 -- Stais Boseman (Morningside, Inglewood): He led his team to the CIFSS Div. VIII title and to a state Div. III title in basketball during the 1991-92 school year. Still, if Beverly Hills High School didn't lose players to injury and ineligibility in the playoffs, the Monarchs probably would not have won the football title because the Normans smoked The Side during the regular season. Boseman's junior campaign in football was clearly better than his senior season.

1992 -- Rodney Sermons (Bishop Amat, La Puente): Best back, and perhaps best player, on a 15-0 club as a junior. He was a very good high school player, but he was banged up as a senior and Amat was upset in the CIFSS Div. I quarterfinals at Antelope Valley. There were clearly better players in the state in 1993 such as the late Darrell Russell (St. Augustine, San Diego), Glenn Thompkins (Eisenhower, Rialto), Torlando Bolden (Santa Barbara), the incarcerated Marlin Carey (Mt. Carmel, San Diego) and eventual Mr. Football winner Keith Smith (Newbury Park).

1993 -- Steve Wofford (Bakersfield): Great talent had a strong senior season, too, but he was clearly outplayed by Mr. Football Dalyon McCutcheon (Bishop Amat, La Puente) in one of the state's most highly-anticipated regular season games ever at Memorial Stadium in Bakersfield. Wofford was held to less than 30 yards rushing while McCutcheon rushed for over 200 yards. Even Amat linebacker Kory Minor could have been picked ahead of Wofford, but if those teams didn't play, Wofford probably wins out.

1994 -- Kevin Feterick (Los Alamitos): Had a great junior season on a team led by juniors. The Griffins lost to Mater Dei before 30,000 fans at the Big A in a playoff semifinal game they could have easily won. Feterick had a good senior season with similar numbers, but the nation's preseason No. 1 team didn't live up to expectations. Besides, Mr. Football Chris Claiborne of J.W. North was clearly a special talent and his team went 14-0, too.

1995 -- Chris Czernek (Newbury Park): Had record-breaking numbers as a junior is a system designed to produce gaudy statistics. Clearly not as good as Keith Smith, he wasn't the logical choice in 1996. WR Kenyon Rambo (Poly, Long Beach), TE Antoine Harris (Loyola, Los Angeles), DL Andre Carter (Oak Grove, San Jose), DB Tony Walker (Antelope Valley, Lancaster) and junior Jason Thomas (Dominguez, Compton), not to mention Mr. Football Rod Perry (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) were clearly better talents. Mater Dei was 31-0 with Perry in the lineup during his career.

1996 -- Jason Thomas (Dominguez, Compton): Only junior to make first team all-state during the season, Thomas dislocated his ankle against Antelope Valley early in the 1997 season. They were supposed to play Long Beach Poly in a huge T.V. game a few weeks later. Besides, running back DeShaun Foster of Tustin had a season for the ages in the year of the running back.

1997 -- Chris Lewis (Poly, Long Beach): Led a talented team full of juniors to the CIFSS Div. I/Pac-Five title over an undefeated Mater Dei club. In 1998, Mater Dei returned the favor. Lewis had a good senior season, but Mr. Football Kyle Boller (Hart, Newhall) was simply on another level for the Indians. Second team all-state QB J.P. Losman (Venice) also panned out quite well, too.

1998 -- D.J. Williams (De La Salle, Concord): The Student Sports (now ESPN RISE) National Player of the Year won Mr. Football honors in 1999 over Matt Grootegoed of Mater Dei. In a lot of other years, Groots would have been a cinch pick as most feel he is the greatest player ever to wear a Mater Dei uniform.

1999 -- Matt Ware (Loyola, Los Angeles): He could have been the pick in 2000 and it would have been a solid choice. Kevin Simon of De La Salle could have also won and there would have been few dissenters. However, it was hard to deny Tyler Ebell and what he did at Ventura High School. 4,495 yards and 64 touchdowns for a 14-0 team still sounds crazy for a single season. Probably the toughest Mr. Football choice in the last 20 years because Ware and Simon were clearly better college and pro prospects, but Ebell was rewarded for what he accomplished for his high school team.

2000 -- Lorenzo Booker (St. Bonaventure, Ventura): Had a great season in 2001, but it's hard to say if he was better than Poly's Herschel Dennis, who clearly played against better teams and players. Since that was the case, Mr. Football was Derek Landri, who helped De La Salle beat Dennis' Poly team in a legendary showdown game by outplaying two NFL lineman, while going both ways.

2001 -- Steve Smith (Taft, Woodland Hills): Really, Smith was consistent all three seasons and is one of the best players California has produced in the last 20 years. He was clearly hurt by Taft not winning the city title in 2002, and Whitney Lewis of St. Bonaventure had a great all-around season, gaining over 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving. So did Maurice Drew (De La Salle), Lawrence Jackson (Inglewood) and Desmond Reed (Temple City), who really did not get the recognition he deserved on the high school level. Another tough pick similar to the 2000 season.

2002 -- Randy Estes (Los Alamitos): Called by some the state's best DB prospect since Mark Carrier in 1985 or even Ronnie Lott in 1976, Estes was kicked out of school during his senior season before the playoffs. Would have he won Mr. Football had he completed the season? Perhaps, but probably not. He was playing at the same level he did as a junior, some say a notch below. As a defensive back he would have had to play at a higher level to be selected over Brigham Harwell (Los Altos, Hacienda Heights) the late Terrence Kelly (De La Salle) or eventual winner Sean Norton (Hart, Newhall).

2003 -- Syd Thompson (Grant, Sacramento): In 2004, Thompson didn't necessarily play bad, but DeSean Jackson (Poly, Long Beach) was clearly a special talent. Chase Moline (Mission Viejo) was the best player and only two-way starter on one of the state's best teams this decade. Plus, Mission Viejo spanked Poly so Thompson didn't have much of a shot.

2004 -- Chane Moline (Mission Viejo): He had some great games against tough competition as a sophomore and junior (Poly, Mater Dei, DLS, etc.) but he did not rush for more than 1,000 yards as a senior. He definitely didn't have the season Jamere Holland (Taft, Woodland Hills), Michael Herrick (Valencia), Stafon Johnson (Dorsey, Los Angeles), Darian Hagan Jr. (Crenshaw, Los Angeles), Allen Bradford (Colton), David Ausberry (Lemoore) or Mr. Football Toby Gerhart (Norco) had.

2005 --Marc Tyler (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village): He a great junior season as did Lion QB Jimmy Clausen. Tyler, however, broke his leg right before the playoffs were heating up his senior season. Would the CIF Div. III bowl game against Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa have gone into overtime if Tyler was playing? We'll never know.

2006 -- Darrell Scott (Moorpark): Scott a breakout junior season, scoring 46 TDs. He was a great talent who had a terrific senior season for St. Bonaventure of Ventura, but it's hard to argue he was as important to his team as eventual Mr. Football Milton Knox (Birmingham, Van Nuys), John Boyett (Napa) or Ryan Bass (Centennial, Corona). Scott also sat out a game because St. Bonnies didn't need him and the Seraphs would have still been very good with Patrick Hall at tailback.

2007 -- Matt Barkley (Mater Dei, Santa Ana): Although Barkley didn't have a strong senior season statistically, he was still the top vote-getter for the Long Beach Press Telegram's prestigious 2009 Best in the West squad, picking up 207 of a possible 210 points. On our BIW ballot, we had him No. 2 and he's already the back-up QB at USC behind 2006 Mr. Football Aaron Corp of Orange Lutheran.