SportStars Issue 227 Special Edition by Sport Stars Magazine

VOL. 14 ISSUE 227 NORCAL EDITION SPECIAL EDITION

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o on issue No. 227, we’re doing something new. Because why not? For the first time in the 11 years that we’ve selected All-NorCal Football teams, we’ve decided to simply dedicate an entire issue to it. That’s right, we’ve spent 20 pages celebrating the top 50plus players in the region. It was an extremely strong year for football throughout Northern California. A fact proven by winning 10 of the 15 CIF State Bowl games — even with every game being played in Southern California. So when I write that picking our roster of 54 seemed harder than ever, it’s not just lip service. There were some VERY good players that just missed our cut, and will undoubtedly make us look silly in three or four years when they’re starring at the college level. When that happens, we’ll be the first to drop the Facepalm Emoji on all the relevant social media channels. Let’s talk a little bit about the team we did create, though. There are 34 different schools and six sections represented on the team. Five schools are being represented for the first time. This roster is also the youngest I ever remember putting together. Nearly 30 percent of the team is underclassmen. That includes three sophomores. Also, for those who followed the season closely, it should come as no surprise that the Sac-Joaquin Section’s Sierra Foothill League earned the most selections with 11. The Central Coast Section’s West Catholic League came in second with six. Finally, our four large postseason honors were shared by three different sections. And our overall Player Of The Year is the first from his program to earn one of our top football honors. To learn more on the breakdown of our selection process, like which awards were the toughest to decide and who were the toughest cuts, be sure to keep an eye out for our 7 Friday Night Podcast’s season finale. It should drop the week of Jan. 8. And that’s a wrap for 2023. We’re gonna take a breath and then dive into winter sports and more. In the meantime, enjoy this special edition. ✪

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YOUR TICKET TO CALIFORNIA SPORTS ADMIT ONE; RAIN OR SHINE This Vol. #14, January 2024, Whole No. 227 is published by GoSportzStars Media LLC, PO Box 1156 Lake Oswego, OR. SportStars™© 2010-2023 by GoSportzStars LLC. All rights reserved. Receive FREE Digital Subscription in your inbox. Subscribe at SportStarsMag.com. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of the Publisher is strictly prohibited. The staff and management, including Board of Directors, of SportStars™© does not advocate or encourage the use of any product or service advertised herein for illegal purposes. Editorial contributions, photos, and letters to the editor are welcome. All material should be typed, double-spaced and e-mailed to editor@sportstarsmag. com. SportStars™© and STARS!™© Clinics, Know and GO Podcast ™, SportStories Podcast™, and 7 Friday Nights Podcast™, are trademarks of GoSportzStars Media LLC.

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1.22.13 For this issue, we go back 11 years to a smiling Jake Browning sitting in the Folsom High end zone for a SportStars Player Of The Year photo shoot. Browning, who has had a fair amount of success as the Cincinnatti Bengals’ backup quarterback this season, was just a sophomore in this photo. Using this photo was no coincidence, of course. It just so happens there’s another sophomore Folsom QB prominently featured in this issue. James K. Leash photo

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GREETINGS With The Turn Of The Calendar, The NCVA Schedule Jumps Fully Into Its Girls Season With A Busy Tournament Schedule

The Winter Wonderland of girls club volleyball is about to hit full swing inside the Northern California Volleyball Association. The first big girls tournament event of the 2023-24 seasons will be a three-day affair in San Jose and San Mateo from January 13-15. It’s the 30th Anniversary edition of The California Kickoff Tournament. The Kickoff will feature 15 different divisions serving age groups from 11U-18U. There will be 11U, 13U and 16U divisions at the San Mateo Events Center while the rest will take place at the San Jose Convention Center. As the season’s first big competition for all the age groups, the Kickoff also serves as the primary results that lead to the seeding of the NCVA Power League qualifiers. Those qualifiers take place during the final weeks of January and into February. Meanwhile, Championship Combines will also be running a recruiting combine at The California Kickoff. The skills based combine is open to any high schoolaged player, not just those whose clubs are entered in the tournament. Details on the combine and the rest of The California Kickoff can be found at ncva.com/ kickoff. One month after the Kickoff wraps up, the NCVA will be back at it again with the girls’ President’s Day Tournament. Another three-day event from Feb. 17-19, the matches will take place in San Mateo and @The Grounds in Roseville. The tournament will also include divisions for 11U through 18U and feature a Championship Combine as well. As the spring arrives, March will include Power League play as well as a multitude of tournaments, including the March Madness tournament (March 9-10), Golden State Classic (March 16-17), the Sierra 18’s National Qualifier (March 16-18) and Spring Fling (March 23-24). For more information about all of the NCVA’s upcoming schedules, please visit ncva.com.

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EVERYTHING Between The Lines, In The Classroom And Around Campus — There Was Nowhere Charles Williams Didn’t Make An Impact For State Bowl-Champion Marin Catholic

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arin Catholic football coach Mazi Moayed remembers his first impressions when a freshman named Charles Williams joined his program in 2020. “He was young. He was new to the school, new to the community. A great athlete,” Moayed said. “He was sort of trying to learn the Marin Catholic way. The Wildcat way. He didn’t say too much, but you could see his talent level right away.” Talent might have served as the initial impression, but what Moayed soon learned was the character of a player who would become something more than just a football star on his Kentfield campus. While there are plenty of statistics and highlights to back up Williams’ selection as the 2023 SportStars Northern California Player of the Year, the Marin Catholic community might suggest he deserves recognition simply for being himself. A historic career in Marin Catholic blue came to a close in 2023 with Williams and the Wildcats again atop the California Interscholastic Federation state bowl mountain. The school wrapped up its second state title in three seasons with a 38-18 win over Mayfair-Lakewood in the Division 3-A final held at El Camino College in Torrance. Williams starred on both sides of the ball all season. As one of the state’s top running backs, he rushed for 1,361 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also added 19 receptions for 418 yards and two more touchdowns. As a shutdown cornerback, Williams also added a bit of history. He set a school record for interceptions with 11 — not bad considering he moved to the position as a junior, and returned three for touchdowns. If that wasn’t enough, he also returned two punts for scores. Those stats certainly speak loudly enough, and when it comes to football talent, Moayed can list the characteristics that make Williams unique without needing much time to think. “I think it’s a combination of a few things,” Moayed said. “One is just his athletic talent and ability. He has such a broad skill set. He can be the best receiver on the field. He can be the best running back. He can throw the ball. He can catch and return punts. He can cover guys. And he can do them all at such a high level. He can come up and smack you. Even though he’s a slim guy, he can come up and put it on you. “The second thing was his competitiveness. He’s extremely competitive. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing against, be it practice or a game, he’s very competitive and is driven to be the best. He wants to outperform whoever else is out there. And, the third would be instinct. He has an instinct that you can’t teach, and that’s on both sides of the ball.” But those are the skills that show up between the lines. Ask what happens when no one is watching, and you start to understand what allows a talented individual to turn into the catalyst for a great team. Greer Arthur has known Williams basically their entire lives, playing football together as kids and eventually joining the Marin Catholic program together. As seniors, Williams lined up at one cornerback spot and Arthur took the other. So, Arthur can speak a bit to what Williams is like away from the gridiron. “He’s a very humble guy,” Arthur said. “He’s very fun. He loves to be around people he loves like family and friends, and he holds people close to him very tightly. He really appreciates camaraderie with his family and friends.” As a tandem, Arthur and Williams left opposing coaches a bit befuddled as to how to approach the Marin Catholic pass defense. More often than not, teams decided to continue throwing to Williams’ side. “It was kind of silent on my side, which was funny because he’s making all Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

these plays and they kept throwing to him,” Arthur said. “It made our whole defense’s job a lot easier, made my job a lot easier, and definitely made me more excited and thrilled when the ball did go my way.” In the season’s biggest moment, Williams, Arthur and their teammates were ready to take on the fight together. The Wildcats built a big early lead against Mayfair and never looked back, turning their trip to Southern California into a memorable one. Williams isn’t the self-promoting star. He’s exactly the opposite, praising his teammates and pointing to their contributions whenever asked to explain the team’s success. But in the state title game, Williams took one moment to let loose a bit of unbridled enthusiasm. He earned it. The stat line in his final high school game is legendary. He racked up 288 all-purpose yards, grabbed two interceptions, scored on both a run and a reception and contributed multiple big plays as a punt returner. After the final interception early in the fourth quarter, Williams let loose. He ripped his helmet off and dashed across the track to celebrate in front of the Marin Catholic fans. Arthur joined in the celebration, because at that moment, they knew the state title was coming home to Kentfield. “Running off the field and going to the crowd, I kind of got fired up, took my helmet off, started yelling at the crowd,” Wiliams said. “My cousin was on the sideline too and also got fired up too because I also broke the record for interceptions. I was pretty fired up and got a little emotional. The emotions kind of took over there.” The Marin Catholic community shared in the celebration because Williams is an easy guy to celebrate. Moayed has been there to see every step of the process. Williams practiced with the Wildcats in the COVID-altered 2020 season but didn’t play in games. As a sophomore in 2021, he established himself as one of the region’s top running backs. Over the final two years of his career, he added two-way star to the resume. “The great part with Charles is, whether it was in the classroom or on the field, you saw a steady improvement in him every single year,” Moayed said. “He improved as a running back. He improved being able to catch the ball. He improved as a blocker. He had a good skill set but it got better and better. “He played defensive back his last two seasons for us. He didn’t play DB for us right away, and you just saw incremental improvements. He was like that when it came to taking on the rigors of the academic load at Marin Catholic. His study habits continued to get better every single year and his grades continued to climb. That was one thing I saw with him. He just got better everywhere.” Williams will head to Wyoming in the fall as one of the Cowboys’ most coveted recruits in their 2024 class. When he goes, he’ll leave Marin Catholic as one of the school’s all-time great athletes. He’ll also leave as a member of the Marin Catholic community that made an impact away from the football field. “What’s amazing about him and his personality is he can connect with the kicker, he can connect with the linemen, he can connect with the thirdstringer as well as the first-stringer,” Moayed said. “He’s so approachable and he’s so inclusive with everybody. Anybody can feel like they can go sit down and have lunch with Charles and feel like they can be themselves. “He has that type of attitude and personality where everyone’s included and feels comfortable in their own skin around him. That part I’m really going to miss about him. He’s amazing in that way. He’s the superstar on the team and he’s just approachable by all.” That’s just Williams being himself. ✪ —Story By Ben Enos | Photos by Bill Schneider/Varsitypix.com

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hen Folsom’s 2-point conversion attempt failed with 2:41 to play, the casual fan probably viewed it as the Bulldogs’ last gasp of a tightly contested CIF 1-A State Bowl Game with St. Bonaventure-Ventura. Meanwhile, Folsom fans knew better: Crunchtime is Ryder Lyons Time. The Bulldogs defense got a stop and put the game in the hands of the team’s sophomore quarterback. Lyons promptly led a 56-yard scoring drive capped with a 2-yard pass to Jameson Powell with 20 seconds left for a 20-14 win. The dramatic ending marked the third straight week that Lyons had led a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter of a championship game. His 10-yard run with 34 seconds left beat Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills in the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I final. The following week he tossed a go-ahead touchdown pass to Powell with less than five minutes to go in the CIF 1-A Regional final against host Pittsburg. After that win, a writer asked him what he told the offense in the huddle as they began on their own 14-yard line trailing 18-14. “Approach it like any game,” Lyons said. “Go out there and score. Execute. Get the job done.” When it came to Northern California football in 2023, there was arguably nobody better at that than Lyons. His late-game championship game heroics in combination with 61 total touchdowns led us to name him the SportStars Offensive Player Of The Year. Lyons gained the starting role a year earlier than expected following the early graduation of 2022 star signal caller Austin Mack. He wasn’t supposed to be here. But he quickly proved he belonged. “I think he’s probably as good as a sophomore as (current Cincinnati Bengals QB) Jake Browning was as a sophomore when Browning was at Folsom,” CalHiSports.com founder and editor Mark Tennis said on SportStars’ 7 Friday Night podcast in early December. “And Jake Browning, when he was a sophomore, never had to play Serra-San Mateo in his second game and get beat like a drum. “Ryder’s second game was against Serra and he was just beaten to a pulp that day. But he just kept getting up, kept getting up, kept getting up. It was very impressive how he battled and they only lost by a touchdown at the end of the day. He went on to have a really outstanding season.” Lyons’ numbers included throwing for 3,578 yards and 38 touchdowns with just eight interceptions over 15 games. He also rushed for 929 yards and 23 more scores while leading the Bulldogs to a 13-2 record. His only losses were each by seven points and came against Serra (NorCal’s CIF Open Division Bowl representative) and De La Salle-Concord (NorCal’s CIF Div. 1-AA State Bowl rep). By the time the Bulldogs were deep into the postseason, it seemed silly to consider Lyons a sophomore anymore. Even the most experienced players on the roster didn’t see him that way. “He’s a sophomore, but on varsity we don’t have any sophomores,” four-year Folsom standout RJ Whitten said of Lyons following the NorCal win over Pittsburg. “We have varsity players, and he got better every single week.” That’s something Lyons has every intention of continuing as he gets ready for his junior year. “I think I’m pretty hard on myself,” Lyons said after the Pittsburg game. “I always can play better. … I’m going to celebrate wins, but I’m going to get back to work.” Sleep tight, NorCal defensive coordinators. ✪ — Story by Chace Bryson | Photos by Ben Enos

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There are no first-teams or second-teams when it comes to the SportStars All-NorCal Team. We build it as one 54-man roster. If you’re on the team, you’re on the team. When it came to putting points up in 2023, these 27 guys helped lead some of Northern California’s most prolific attacks. Here’s the SportStars All-NorCal Offense presented alphabetically within each position.

Ryder Lyons QB | LUKE BAKER (San Ramon Valley-Danville) | Sr. One of NorCal’s most dynamic playmakers was unquestionably the Wolves’ leader en route to SRV earning a spot in both the NCS Open and Division 1 finals. The Sacramento State commit added his name to the school’s storied QB history by passing for 3,437 yards and 37 touchdowns, running for a teamhigh 476 yards and four touchdowns and finishing his final season playing on a broken fibula. QB | RICKY COLE (Inderkum-Sacramento) | Jr. If you wanted to find Inderkum’s multi-talented signal-caller throughout the 2023 season, your best bet would have been to look in the end zone. His 49 passing touchdowns tied for second in California among reported totals, he added 12 more touchdowns on the ground and he accounted for over 3,200 yards of total offense to help the Tigers go undefeated in the Capital Valley Conference and reach the SJS Division 1 semifinals. QB | DOMINIC INGRASSIA (San Marin-Novato) | Sr. A standout senior season that included a long-awaited win over rival Marin Catholic-Kentfield helped the Mustangs’ leader under center earn Marin County Athletic League MVP honors. Ingrassia passed for 2,917 yards with 40 touchdowns and just two interceptions, added seven rushing touchdowns and 14

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led San Marin to a third-straight NCS finals appearance. QB | RYDER LYONS (Folsom) | So. At the end of the 2022 season, chances were good that a Folsom quarterback would land on this list. But, when the early graduation of returning starter Austin Mack pushed Lyons into the lead role as a sophomore, he wasted no time in putting his name among the Bulldogs’ quarterback greats. He passed for 3,578 yards and 38 touchdowns, rushed for 929 yards and 23 touchdowns and wrapped it all up by leading Folsom to a CIF State Division 1-A championship win over St. Bonaventure-Ventura. QB | CADEN PINNICK (Del Oro-Loomis) | Sr. Pinnick finished a tremendous high school career by earning Offensive MVP honors in the ultra-competitive Sierra Foothill League. The dual-threat standout passed for 2,946 yards and 30 touchdowns while also leading the Golden Eagles in rushing with 489 yards and nine touchdowns. Whether on the football field, hardwood or diamond, the multi-sport star will have plenty of options to continue his athletic career. RB | DION COLEMAN (Chico) | Sr. The Northern Section’s top rusher in 2023 brought an incredible high school

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Caden Pinnick

Wayshawn Parker

Dom Ingrassia

Nathan Crawford

career to a close with a legendary senior season. Among reported leaders, he ranked No. 17 in the state with 2,188 rushing yards, and he topped the 200yard mark on five separate occasions. He also rushed for 28 touchdowns and added a receiving score for the Eastern League champs. RB | NATHAN CRAWFORD (Twelve Bridges-Lincoln) | Sr. How does a school reach an SJS final in just its second year of varsity football? It leans on playmakers like Crawford. The Raging Rhinos’ lead back rushed for a Sacramento area-high 41 touchdowns and over 1,900 yards while never fumbling once as Twelve Bridges won 12 games, captured the Pioneer Valley title and reached the SJS Division 5 final. RB | ZACH HOMAN (Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa) | Sr. A big, physical Cardinals offense found the perfect engine in Homan as the senior ran both through and around opponents all year. The North Bay League - Oak Division MVP finished ninth in the state in rushing with 2,428 yards and added 37 total touchdowns (one receiving). His 381-yard, four-touchdown performance in a NCS semifinal win over Las Lomas-Walnut Creek also ranks as one of the region’s best individual performances of the season. RB | WAYSHAWN PARKER (Grant-Sacramento) | Sr. One season in Pacer blue was enough to add the Washington State commit to the list of legendary Grant running backs. The Sacramento Bee Offensive Player of the Year ranked No. 24 in the state with 2,055 rushing yards while averaging an otherworldly 12.53 yards per carry. He also rushed for 25 touchdowns and played defense to help Grant reach a CIF state bowl for the second year in a row. Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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RB | HERSCHEL TURNER (Mt. Diablo-Concord) | Sr. Northern California’s most prolific runner in 2023 produced video game numbers while helping to bring the Red Devils back to prominence in just one season. Turner’s 3,027 rushing yards ranked No. 3 in the state among reported totals and his 2,957 yards in the regular season are believed to be a Bay Area regular-season record. He scored 43 touchdowns (one fumble recovery) and averaged 17.1 yards per carry. WR | JACK DAVIS (St. Vincent-Petaluma) | Sr. By hauling in 73 passes for 1,207 yards and 15 touchdowns, Davis more than earned his spot among NorCal’s elite pass catchers. But, the North Bay League - Redwood Division co-MVP didn’t stop there, rushing for 445 yards and 14 touchdowns and recording 68 tackles for the CIF Division 6-AA state bowl champions. WR | MATT LONG (Vista del Lago-Folsom) | Sr. The Air Force commit and two-time Capital League MVP helped Vista del Lago go undefeated in league play and reach the SJS Division 4 semifinals. Long racked up nearly 1,000 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in his final season as an Eagle to finish his career with over 3,000 receiving yards and 49 touchdowns. WR | KENNETH MOORE III (St. Mary’s-Stockton) | So. One of the truly talented underclassmen in the SJS, Moore turned it up a notch in his second varsity season. The speedy wideout caught 56 passes for 986 yards and seven receiving touchdowns for the SJS Division 2 finalists, going over the 100-yard mark four times. He was also a standout in the return game with three punt returns and two kickoff returns for touchdowns.

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Owen Scott

Trevor Rogers

Cole Harrison

Kaleb Edwards

Matt Long

Jameson Powell

Henry Hatada

John Mills

WR | JAMESON POWELL (Folsom) | So. Did we mention Folsom’s sophomore class? Powell’s first varsity season yielded an immediate connection with fellow soph Ryder Lyons as the former finished with 1,231 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. His yardage total was good for second among reported leaders in the SJS.

TE | KALEB EDWARDS (Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills) | Jr. The big man in blue and gold made a mark on both sides of the ball for the Trojans but his impact as a tight end was especially easy to spot as he hauled in 44 passes for 828 yards and seven touchdowns. He also collected 6.5 sacks and was named Co-Lineman of the Year in the Sierra Foothill League.

WR | TREVOR ROGERS (Acalanes-Lafayette) | Sr. Whether at receiver, defensive back or in the return game, the Cal commit was one of the primary playmakers that helped the Dons capture the CIF Division 3-AA state bowl title. Rogers ranked inside the top 35 in California with 1,231 receiving yards and added 16 receiving touchdowns. In the state bowl win over Birmingham-Lake Balboa, he caught seven passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns.

TE | COLE HARRISON (Serra-San Mateo) | Sr. Named West Catholic Athletic League Tight End of the Year, Harrison was a primary option in the passing attack for NorCal’s top team. He caught 32 passes for 601 yards and eight touchdowns in the regular season and he’ll be spending Saturdays in the SEC as a member of Tennessee’s incoming class.

WR | LOGAN SALDATE (Palma-Salinas) | Sr. The Notre Dame commit helped Palma win the CIF Division 4-A state bowl title thanks to a standout senior season. Saldate caught 68 passes for 1,242 yards and 15 touchdowns, ranking No. 2 in the Central Coast Section and No. 32 in California in receiving yards. He also finished the season in style, catching six passes for 93 yards and a touchdown in the state bowl win over Mission Oak-Tulare. WR | OWEN SCOTT (San Ramon Valley-Danville) | Jr. After 2022 leading receiver Trevor Scott graduated, San Ramon Valley turned to the same family to find a new favorite target for Luke Baker. The resulting connection was just as strong as Owen Scott caught 84 passes for 1,405 yards and 10 touchdowns for the NCS Open Division finalists. Scott’s yardage total ranked 12th in the state and led the NCS. 16

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OL | HENRY HATADA (Rocklin) | Sr. The Thunder rumbled to 37 touchdowns on the ground and Hatada was the ringleader in the trenches for the SJS Division 2 champions. An all-Sierra Foothill League selection, Hatada also helped protect quarterback Reeve Slone as he threw for over 2,400 yards. OL | MATTHEW HILDEN (Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa) | Sr. Named Co-Lineman of the Year in the North Bay League-Oak Division, Hilden was one of the tone setters for a punishing Cardinal Newman offense. His efforts up front helped the Cardinals run for over 3,000 yards and 44 touchdowns as a team. OL | JUSTIN HYLKEMA (Wilcox-Santa Clara) | Sr. Arizona-bound big man earned Offensive Lineman of the Year honors in the Peninsula Athletic League - Bay Division. A key leader in the Chargers’ runheavy attack, Hylkema helped Wilcox run for over 4,100 yards and 44 touchdowns.

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OL | MANASSE ITETE (Central Catholic-Modesto) | Sr. The Raiders averaged 230 rushing yards per game and over seven yards per carry thanks in part to the efforts of their Florida State-bound big man. Itete helped Central Catholic reach the SJS Division 1 semifinals and ranks as one of the top recruits in California’s class of 2024. OL | PETER LANGI (Riordan-San Francisco) | Jr. Talented big men abound in the West Catholic Athletic League these days, but the buzz is especially loud when it comes to the Crusaders’ first team all-league selection. The 6-foot-5, 330-pounder counts Alabama as one of his scholarship offers after his junior season. OL | JOHN MILLS (St. IgnatiusSan Francisco) | Jr. Another standout West Catholic Athletic League road grader who plies his trade in the city by the bay. Named the league’s Offensive Lineman of the Year after helping the Wildcats reach the CCS Division 1 semifinals. OL | CHAMP TAULEALEA (Valley Christian-San Jose) | Jr. Another WCAL lineman? You bet. The league’s Junior Player of the Year is another highly touted big fella with lots of college interest. Helped Valley Christian land a spot in the CCS Division 1 playoffs. K | CARTER TSEU (Pleasant GroveElk Grove) | Sr. The Eagles could count on Tseu to put three points on the board whenever needed as he tied for fifth in California with 12 field goals on the season. His season-long came from 47 yards and he also made 23 of his 25 PAT attempts to finish with 59 total points. ✪

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BEST

MANN

oseph Bey didn’t hesitate. Serra High’s two-time All-NorCal safety was asked if he could remember a specific play or two that defined Padres linebacker Jabari Mann. Bey, who has lined up in the defensive backfield behind Mann since they were both sophomores, had an immediate answer. “This year. It was the Bellarmine game,” Bey recalled. “The first two plays of Bellarmine’s offensive drive, he just lights up the running back in the gap both times. He was fast, physical, and just set the tone right away.” That last sentence could describe the entire 2023 Serra defense. The Padres didn’t surrender more than 17 points until the Central Coast Section championship game when they beat Wilcox-Santa Clara 63-27 on Nov. 17. Through their first 11 games, they were allowing an average of just 8.3 points per game. It was an immensely experienced and talented unit that featured three All-NorCal selections. However, Mann always seemed to stand out just a little bit more. He came up big in Serra’s most notable nonleague contests, combining for 17 tackles in games against De La Salle and Folsom (both of which went on to CIF State Bowl games). Mann went on to lead the team in tackles for the season and closed his prep career as a backto-back selection for SportStars’ Defensive Player of the Year. “Jabari Mann will go down as one of the great Serra Padres of all time,” Serra coach Patrick Walsh told the San Francisco Chronicle, which named Mann its Peninsula Player Of The Year in late December. “The things he did on the field were very raptor-like — smart, quick and powerful. He brought others along with him.” Bey, for one, admitted that Mann’s presence and playing style helped make him a better safety. “It’s amazing to play behind a guy who flies around and is fearless,” Bey said. “He’s just a dog. He plays fast and gets to the ball from sideline to sideline. It made things easier on me because I knew I didn’t have to worry about defending the run as much and could focus on pass coverage. Jabari’s a competitor too. He’s definitely the type of player you want to play with. Someone who wants to win and will make those plays.” Mann didn’t just pour that competitive fire into playing linebacker. He also was a key part of Serra’s running back rotation and the team’s Wildcat quarterback as well. But no one will soon forget the defense he anchored along with Bey and fellow seniors Danny Niu, Marley Alapati and Collin Tahitua among others. “After our junior year, we committed ourselves to being the best defense to ever come through this school,” Bey said. “And I think we did a good job doing that.” Bey and Niu will always have one bragging right over Mann, though. Their Pop Warner team got the best of his in the semifinals a few years before they arrived at Serra. “We always bring that up to him,” Bey said with a slight chuckle. Mann and Bey will remain teammates at San Jose State next fall and roommates as well. “We’re both super excited,” the safety said. “Our chemistry is going to come over with us and it’s going to put us ahead of a lot of people. Plus, it’s always nice to have a guy like Jabari in front of me.” One thing seems certain, running backs lining up against San Jose in the coming years may want to proceed with caution. ✪ — Story and Photos by Chace Bryson

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Defensive standouts were easy to spot in every corner of Northern California in 2023. Massive tackle numbers, leadership skills and freak talent are all characteristics present on this year’s All-NorCal Defense. Just like the offense, it’s a list that in our opinion includes 27 dudes we’d love to have on our college roster. Here’s the 2023 SportStars AllNorCal Defense presented alphabetically within each position.

Jewelous Walls DL | CHRIS BILLER (De La Salle-Concord) | Sr. One of the senior leaders on one of NorCal’s best defenses, Biller was both playmaker and leader for the Spartans. An All-East Bay Athletic League Mountain Division first team selection, he ranked second on the team with 61 tackles and led the team in both tackles for loss (22) and sacks (6.5). DL | JOHN CORREA (Rocklin) | Sr. A talented and tough tone-setter on a hard-nosed defensive line full of upperclassmen, Correa earned Co-Lineman of the Year honors in the Sierra Foothill League. Tallied 58 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and nine sacks for the SJS Division 2 champs. DL | MARIO CROCITTO (Marin Catholic-Kentfield) | Sr. Marin County Athletic League Lineman of the Year spent the entire season in opponents’ backfields. Finished the season as California’s leader in sacks with 24.5, a figure that ranked 10th nationally among stats reported, and he also added 51 tackles for loss to help the Wildcats capture the CIF Division 3-A state bowl title. DL | THEO GREULE (Folsom) | Jr. Co-Lineman of the Year in the Sierra Foothill League was a force up front for 20

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the Bulldogs in just his junior season. Recorded 68 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and 35 hurries while serving as a two-way starter for the CIF Division 1-A state bowl champions. DL | MARKUS HOFFMAN (Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills) | Sr. Teams had to pick their poison when game planning for a talented Trojans defense but Hoffman was certainly a leading playmaker throughout his senior season. Finished the year with 15.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss to earn allSierra Foothill League honors. DL | JEREMIAH TUIILEILA (Grant-Sacramento) | Jr. Another sack master extraordinaire who caused havoc in the opponent’s backfield. Led the SJS with 23 sacks, added 40 tackles for loss and made 130 tackles for the SJS Division 3 champions. DL | JEWELOUS WALLS (Pittsburg) | Jr. The man they call Juju earned BVAL Defensive Lineman of the Year honors thanks to a brilliant junior campaign. Recorded 86 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and nine sacks as one of the region’s most athletic and versatile defensive ends. Also forced a fumble, recovered two fumbles and grabbed an interception.

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Chris Biller

Danny Niu

John Correra

Drew Cunningham

Evan Combs

LB | EVAN COMBS (Casa Grande-Orangevale) | Sr. A historic season for the Rams came with a historic performance from their defensive leader. Combs ranked No. 2 in the state with 225 tackles and added 28 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and an interception. Even recorded 20 tackles in Casa Roble’s SJS Division 5 title win. LB | DREW CUNNINGHAM (De La Salle-Concord) | Sr. Stanford-bound man in the middle was a leader both on and off the field for the Spartans. East Bay Athletic League - Mountain Division Co-Defensive MVP recorded a team-high 86 tackles and added 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. LB | FRANK CUSANO (Granite Bay) | Sr. Washington State commit earned Defensive MVP honors in the Sierra Foothill League thanks to a strong senior campaign. Made 92 tackles with eight tackles for loss and five sacks despite being one of the first players mentioned by opposing coaches who had to game plan for the Grizzlies. LB | TROY HILL (McClymonds-Oakland) | Sr. Standout linebacker was yet another in the long line of impressive defensive playmakers for the Warriors. Reported to have finished with 15.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. Earned CalHiSports.com Player of the Week honors along the way thanks to a performance against Castlemont-Oakland in which he had eight tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks and two defensive touchdowns. LB | MARCO JONES (San Ramon Valley-Danville) | Jr. Will enter his senior season in 2024 as one of California’s most prized recruits after a tremendous junior campaign. Equal parts athletically gifted, highly skilled and physically imposing, Jones finished the year with 166 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

Markus Hoffman

Theo Greule

Marco Jones

Troy Hill

LB | JABARI MANN (Serra-San Mateo) | Sr. Two-time NorCal Defensive Player of the Year closed his Serra career as one of the best to ever call West 20th Avenue home. West Catholic Athletic League Player of the Year had all the physical tools to dominate as a linebacker and a running back but the San Jose State commit also had the leadership skills and smarts to pilot the Padres’ offense as a wildcat quarterback. LB | DANNY NIU (Serra-San Mateo) | Sr. West Catholic Athletic League Linebacker of the Year was another member of the vaunted Serra senior class who helped establish the Padres as NorCal’s top program for three years running. Just like so many of his fellow upperclassmen, Niu’s versatility led the San Diego State commit to make an impact both as a hard-hitting linebacker and a reliable option in the running game. DB | JOSEPH BEY (Serra-San Mateo) | Sr. Yet another member of Serra’s unforgettable senior class, Bey earned Defensive Back of the Year honors in the West Catholic Athletic League. Could contribute in any number of ways but the San Jose State commit stood out especially as a fast, physical safety making plays all over the field. DB | JADYN HUDSON (Pittsburg) | Jr. Teams did what they could to stay away from Hudson but he made an impact nonetheless as one of California’s top safeties. Grabbed six interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. Finished the season with 53 tackles. He’ll be another of California’s top recruits next season with nearly 30 scholarship offers, including national championship participants Michigan and Washington, already in hand.

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CJ Lee DB | KAMANI JACKSON (El Cerrito) | Sr. Dynamic two-way talent helped lead the Gauchos to the NCS Division 2 title as a talented defensive back and receiver. Washington State commit earned CalHiSports.com Player of the Week honors after a win over Freedom-Oakley in which he scored on a 50-yard run, 60-yard interception return, 75-yard kickoff return and 21-yard reception. DB | KINGSTON LOPA (Grant-Sacramento) | Sr. Oregon commit could have found an All-NorCal home at a couple different spots but his future lies in the defensive backfield as a multi-talented athlete that can contribute at all three levels. Closed out a heralded high school career with 72 tackles, 4.5 sacks, four interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception return for a touchdown. Also hauled in 16 touchdown passes as a receiver. DB | BARON TAYLOR (Inderkum-Sacramento) | Sr. The SJS leader in interceptions with nine ranked sixth in the state when it came to quarterback thievery. Returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns and caught three touchdowns on offense. Also added 69 tackles as a senior and finished his two years on Inderkum’s varsity team with a total of 16 interceptions. 22

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DB | RJ WHITTEN (Folsom) | Sr. All-Sierra Foothill League selection was a senior leader in nearly all the ways for the CIF bowl champion Bulldogs. Shined brightest at defensive back where he accumulated 40 tackles, four tackles for loss, four interceptions, three sacks, three forced fumbles, two blocked punts and a blocked field goal. Also contributed at receiver as well as in the return game. AP | HAYDEN ANDERSON (Windsor) | Jr. Windsor’s two-way standout shared North Bay League - Oak Division Offensive Player of the Year honors with his older brother and quarterback, Judson, but also made his presence felt on defense for the NBL Oak champions. Offensively, Anderson caught 72 passes for 840 yards and 12 touchdowns and also rushed for three more touchdowns. On defense, he added three interceptions and returned two for touchdowns, made 36 tackles, forced a fumble and blocked both a punt and a field goal. AP | BROOKLYN CHEEK (Central Catholic-Modesto) | Sr. Whether catching passes from Tyler Wentworth or denying an opponent’s quarterback from completing passes of their own, Cheek made a major impact on both sides of the ball for the Raiders. As a receiver, the Cal commit caught 46 passes for 900 yards and 13 touchdowns. Defensively, he had 71 tackles and 13 passes defensed.

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Jadyn Hudson

Derek Keeley

Joseph Bey

Hayden Anderson

AP | DEREK KEELEY (Rocklin) | Jr. Described by Thunder head coach Jason Adams simply as “an absolute winner”, Keeley was a force on both sides of the ball for the SJS Division 2 champs. Led the team in tackles with 97 to go along with nine tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions. When the Thunder had the ball, Keeley was the primary engine in the run game, rushing for 1,070 yards and 20 touchdowns. AP | CJ LEE (Jesuit-Sacramento) | Sr. A quarterback at all-purpose? When you run the veer offense, your purpose involves much more than simply throwing the rock. The Delta League MVP accounted for over 2,400 yards of offense and 25 touchdowns as he helped lead the Marauders to a league title. He rushed for 100 yards or more in four games and threw for over 200 three times. AP | JAMAR SEARCY (Pittsburg) | Jr. Missed the beginning of the season due to transfer rules but once he got started, he never stopped. On offense, Searcy rushed for 971 yards and 10 touchdowns while also catching two touchdown passes. Defensively, he added four interceptions and two forced fumbles. In the return game, he averaged 30 yards per kickoff return, 25 yards per punt return and returned a punt

Kamani Jackson

RJ Whitten

Jamar Searcy

Kingston Lopa

for a touchdown. AP | JAYLEN THOMAS (Los Gatos) | Sr. The Wildcats’ unforgettable run to the CIF Division 2-A state bowl game had plenty of contributors but perhaps none were more impactful across the board than Thomas. When Los Gatos had the ball, he caught 64 passes for 1,180 yards and 14 touchdowns, rushed for two touchdowns and even threw two touchdown passes. On defense, he recorded 93 tackles, grabbed five interceptions and added nine passes defensed. He also served as both a kick returner and punt returner, returning one kickoff for a touchdown. AP | CHARLES WILLIAMS (Marin Catholic-Kentfield) | Sr. The NorCal Player of the Year did everything within his power to help Marin Catholic return to CIF state bowl glory. An all-Marin County Athletic League selection at running back, he rushed for 1,361 yards and 23 touchdowns and also caught 19 passes for 418 yards and two touchdowns. He also earned allleague honors at defensive back, where he ranked second in California and set a school record with 11 interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns. And, to cap it all off, he also returned two punts for scores to finish the year with 30 touchdowns. ✪

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SPARTAN

SHEPHERD S

o much of a coach’s best work happens away from the field. It happens in quiet moments with individual players and vulnerable moments amongst the full roster. Which, of course, means the media and general public don’t always know the lengths to which some coaches go to keep a team centered, pulling in the same direction and performing well. In the case of the 2023 De La Salle-Concord football team, we did know. In his 11th year and 10th full season of leading the Spartans, Justin Alumbaugh endured a challenge he’d never faced before when beloved defensive assistant coach Steve Jacoby passed away suddenly in the middle of the season. Alumbaugh’s ability to guide his team through the grieving process (while grieving himself), in addition to leading a younger De La Salle team out of an 0-2 start to an 11-3 finish with multiple titles, and coordinating one of NorCal’s most dominant defenses, were all factors in SportStars naming him its 2023 NorCal Coach Of The Year. Spartans players learned of the loss of their defensive line coach on the morning of Friday, October 20. It was the day they were set to play El Cerrito in a game that was literally scheduled two days before when the program’s original opponent canceled. It was only a week after the team had been pushed to the brink of a historic loss against East Bay Athletic League rival San Ramon Valley-Danville, escaping in overtime. Alumbaugh let his team choose if it wanted to play against El Cerrito. The players resoundingly embraced an opportunity to honor their late coach. They won that night to begin a six-game stretch in

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Alumbaugh claps for his defense with assistant Steve Jacoby in the background.

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which they outscored opponents 216-46. That blitz included holding San Ramon Valley to just seven points in a rematch that determined the North Coast Section Open Division title. Two weeks later, the Spartans shutout previously undefeated Clovis North-Fresno 41-0 in a CIF 1-AA Northern Regional matchup. The season ended with a 27-14 state bowl loss to Mission Viejo. “This group has faced more adversity than any team outside of the ‘04 team with (the death of) Terrance Kelly,” Alumbaugh said following the NorCal win. “These guys have shown a lot of resilience, a lot of pride, a lot of guts. I’m very proud of them. It’s hard to reflect back on it because it’s still going, but I do know that I’m very proud of where we started to where we are and the toughness and the connectedness that this group has shown. It’s gratifying to coach theseorole as the face of the program during a tumultuous season, was the fact that Alumbaugh had to reshape his staff in July after former defensive coordinator Nate Kenion left to seek other opportunities. Alumbaugh coaxed longtime assistant Terry Eidson out of retirement to lead special teams, handed the offense over to

Kevin Fordon and gave himself lead defensive duties. His defense held CIF 1-A State Bowl-champion Folsom to its lowest output of the season in a 14-7 win. The Spartans also kept a St. Mary’s-Stockton team that averaged 40 points per game to just 10. The unit had four shutouts, including the NorCal title game. The defensive unit was the backbone of the team, supporting a Spartans offense that had to grind for much of the season and finished without a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 2005. So much of the team’s resilience and growth was exemplified in the win over Clovis North. “We were 0-2 and we had St. Mary’s-Stockton and Folsom on the way and were looking at possibly an 0-4 start,” Eidson said. “I think the coaches, we kind of had to change our direction a little bit. It was an ongoing process and kind of a morphing of our team. And it all came together (in the Norcal final). I was just standing on the sideline and thinking, ‘This is incredible.’” ✪

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— Story by Chace Bryson | Photos by Ben Enos

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