NorCal Issue 204 Jan/Feb 2022 by Sport Stars Magazine

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 NORCAL EDITION VOL. 13 ISSUE 204

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elcome to our first issue of 2022, where I’m still writing about 2021. Because this is the issue dominated by our All-NorCal Football team and NorCal Player of the Year honors. I often open this issue with a quick primer on the process we followed in picking our teams and some of the toughest decisions we had to make along the way. Our format, which involves simply picking a 54-man roster (no first or second teams), often leads to some really tough cuts. Especially when we’re considering players from all of NorCal. This year, the selection committee was slightly smaller than usual. The last several years have featured a round table discussion between 5-6 writers, but this year there were just three of us. Primarily, because we wanted to keep it to the writers who saw the most football for SportStars this season. So that left me, Ben Enos and Ike Dodson. And while we had our share of disagreements over guys and some grueling cuts for a few final spots, our most interesting conversation happened at the beginning of our selection meeting. When we were discussing who would be our NorCal Player Of The Year. This was a unique year to say the least. That’s because the most talented player I saw in 2021 was De La SalleConcord defensive back/wide receiver/return specialist, Zeke Berry. However, NorCal’s best team was Folsom and no player was more important to the Bulldogs than quarterback Tyler Tremain. All of which meant that for the first time, we had to really decide what we wanted our Player Of The Year honor to represent. Is it the best overall talent? Or the most valuable player to one of the most successful teams? Certainly the cover of this issue gives away which side we landed on. The Michigan-bound Berry may have a much longer and higher-profile playing career than the currently unsigned Tremain, but for the five months that were the 2021 NorCal high school football season, no player held greater value to his team’s success than the Bulldogs quarterback. And it didn’t hurt that Tremain accounted for all four scores (one passing, three rushing) in a 28-27 CIF Division 1-AA NorCal Championship victory at De La Salle. A win that marked the first ever home playoff loss for the Spartans, and the Sac-Joaquin Section’s first win over the program since 1978. We invite you to read our Player Of The Year cover story for more detail on how Tremain earned our top honor, and the subsequent stories on our Defensive Player Of The Year (Berry) and Offensive Player Of The Year (Viliami Teu of St. Francis-Mountain View). You can also listen to me, Enos and Dodson break down the entire All-NorCal process in the season finale of the 7 Friday Night podcast at SportStarsMag.com. And another season of football is put to bed. Now who’s ready for the winter postseason and the arrival of spring sports? ✪

YOUR TICKET TO CALIFORNIA SPORTS ADMIT ONE; RAIN OR SHINE This Vol. #13, January/February 2022, Whole No. 204 is published by GoSportzStars Media LLC, PO Box 741, Clayton, CA 94517. SportStars™© 2010-2014 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Receive FREE Digital Subscription in your inbox. Subscribe at SportStarsMag. com. To receive sample issues, please send $3 per copy, or $8 total for bulk. Back issues are $4 each. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of 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 and should be addressed to the Editor. All material should be typed, double-spaced on disk or email and will be handled with reasonable care. For materials return, please enclose a stamped, selfaddressed envelope. SportStars™© and STARS!™© Clinics are registered trademarks of Caliente! Communications, LLC.

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1.8.16 Dublin High senior forward Suliman Khorami elevates for a strike during a SportStars Magazine cover shoot. Khorami helped lead the Gaels to a 19-4-2 overall record and an unbeaten Diablo Foothill Athletic League championship. Khorami went on to play four years at San Jose State. Berry Evans III photo

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All coaches are different, and while philosophical differences some times come into play, parental concerns around coaching start at the most basic level: Is my child safe in his or her care? It’s a question the USA Volleyball and the NCVA take very seriously. General info about NCVA’s background checks usually amount to this line from the USAV Parent Guide: “Every adult over the age of 18 working with USAV juniors has a comprehensive background check performed biannually.” But what information — social security verification, address search, county courthouse and/or statewide search, national database and sex offender registry search — disqualifies a potential coach? The following automatic disqualifiers are listed in the USAV Screening Policy: All sex offenses and homicides, regardless of time limit; felony violence and felony drug offenses in the past 10 years; any misdemeanor violence offenses in the past seven years; any multiple misdemeanor drug and alcohol offenses within the past seven years; or any other crimes (not listed) against children in the past seven years. Furthermore, individuals found to have pending court cases for any disqualifying offenses will be disqualified. If the disposition of the pending case does not meet the criteria for disqualification as listed above, the individual would be cleared and reinstated. But how are crimes collected? Are these background checks effective to filter out people unfit to work with minors? Who performs these background checks for NCVA? The answer is Southeast Security Consultants, Inc. SSCI’s motto is ‘Information is protection.’ Committed to finding the best methods for accurate and complete data, they also seek the cost of its absence. SSCI found in a 2016 case study by Randy Rodebaugh found other companies offer national database-only searches to screen applicants as a cost-cutter for volunteer-driven organizations. As a result, 23 of the 56 individuals disqualified by SCCI throughout the 2015-16 screening period would have slipped through the cracks using only a database search. Pending cases will not appear on a national database, another reason courthouse investigations are imperative. “We choose SSCI for their comprehensive background checks that include local and statewide search,” NCVA CEO Donna Donaghy said. “We feel it is imperative to use the best services out there as the first line of defense to minimize safety risks for our players and community.” Unfortunately, some offenders may not have a criminal record, breaching this defense; so it is the community’s responsibility to help ensure the safety of players. In addition to background checks, USA Volleyball’s SafeSport program is a collection of specific policies, training, supervision and grassroots feedback to help ensure the community identifies and reports abuse. SafeSport also helps coaches be self-aware to not commit misconduct, clearly defining standards for them to conduct themselves. SafeSport policies define sexual, physical and emotional misconduct; bullying, threats, harassment and hazing to provide a comprehensive picture of abuse, and how to identify as well as report it. USA Volleyball provides training on these issues. “It is important to be able to coach the game and recognize issues on the court, but it is equally important for coaches to address situations off the court,” Aftershock Volleyball Club Director Craig Hardesty said. “SafeSport training allows them to do that properly.” Additionally, the SafeSport Handbook has two proactive policies to reduce risk of abuse: The Social Media and Electronic Communications Policy and Travel Policy. If a club does not develop its own policy, these policies become their default. For example, the Communications Policy limits all electronic correspondence topics between adults and minors to team activities, and all content must be readily available to the public, ensuring transparency. Plus, minors must copy or include their parents in all electronic correspondence. This multifaceted approach ensures coaches and the community actively create an environment that deeply minimizes abuse and maintains professionalism. We owe our children a life free of violence; together, it is possible through active diligence. ✪ — Kim Lampi for NCVA Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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charter bus technically provided transport for the 445-mile trek to Saddleback College, but the Folsom Bulldogs’ journey to a CIF Division 1-AA State Bowl game was absolutely driven by the ambition of senior quarterback Tyler Tremain. For unrivaled impact to his program, sensational postseason heroics and remarkable comeback from injury, Tremain was named the SportStars NorCal Football Player of the Year. The recognition is deserved praise for an athlete that exemplifies the power of desire — because, despite profound obstacles, Tremain is a guy who never gave up hope that he would be “The Guy.” Before he was a NorCal and Sac-Joaquin Section champion and the only Bulldog quarterback to ever beat De La Salle, Tremain was a dreamer. “My first high school game starting for coach (Paul) Doherty, I remember looking into the stands at people there to watch us, and it brought me back to memories of being up there, watching (current Cincinnati Bengal) Jake Browning and (former Cal Poly QB) Jake Jeffrey, thinking, ‘I want that to be me someday,’” Tremain said. “Never did I think that in a blink of an eye, that would be me down there on that field, and it would all happen faster than I ever expected.” The former Junior Bulldog showed dogged determination to become the next great signal caller for the Sacramento area’s premier football program. Just getting the job is intensely difficult. To start, Tremain had to battle 6-foot, 5-inch recruitment wunderkind Ari Patu for snaps. When Patu enrolled early at Stanford, Tremain seized the position during the 2020 COVID-shortened season and quickly shined. “The competition, the COVID stuff — Tyler was unwavering about any of that,” Doherty said. “He wanted to be the quarterback for this team, and he always felt like he would be ’The Guy.’ “He is one of those kids who thrived during shutdowns. He took advantage, lit up as a junior and built momentum going into his senior year, really starting fast.” In his first six games of the fall, Tremain passed for 1,661 yards and 31 touchdowns, with another 181 rushing yards and three scores on the ground. In a 58-6 shellacking of Del Oro-Loomis on Oct. 1, Tremain passed for six scores to six different players and ran for a touchdown. All but one score occurred in the first half. “We were putting up 50 a week and Tyler was playing at a really high level,” Doherty said. “He is just focused, process-oriented, and understands offensive timing, progression and reads.” It’s a complicated dance, but Tremain can boogie. “We have a lot of offense for high school, and a lot depends on route adjustments that are not that defined, and depends on what the defense is doing,” Doherty explained. “What Tyler does is snap the ball, and figure it out as he goes.

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“He has a wide vision and sees the field really well, and puts the ball where it is supposed to be, when it is supposed to be there.” The Del Oro game primed Folsom for a highly anticipated showdown with De La Salle that went awry about as fast as Zeke Berry’s opening kickoff touchdown. Not only did the 31-10 defeat extend De La Salle’s nearly decade-long winning streak over the Bulldogs, but Tremain tore his labrum and dislocated his shoulder. Without Tremain, Folsom’s 54-game Sierra Foothill League winning streak was shattered in a 40-7 stunner by emerging SJS Div. I favorite, Rocklin. Another league loss, 31-21 to Granite Bay, dropped Folsom to the No. 3 seed in the SJS Div. I bracket. Time away from the grid crawled for Tremain, but the physical therapy that followed his injury, and Doherty’s careful redeployment, would set the stage for one of Folsom’s most electrifying moments in program history. “We were kind of melting, and it was as low as can be, losing to Rocklin, limping into the playoffs and gradually losing momentum,” Doherty said. “But Tyler’s presence is incredibly powerful to his teammates, and they saw him working out on the side, though very limited, during the (playoff) bye week. “He gave his teammates a lot of confidence in themselves.” Tremain returned in time to guide Folsom to a 38-14 second-round win over Lincoln. He executed Doherty’s cautious game plan of mostly quick, short passes and zero rushes up field. A week later, Tremain threw some of that caution to the wind, but he also

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threw a laser to fellow All-NorCal honoree Walker Lyons for the game-winning touchdown over Jesuit with under two minutes to play. The win set up the revenge game with Rocklin in the SJS finals, which Folsom also won, after a sensational defensive performance. It was the final step on a path to a De La Salle rematch and the Div. I-AA Northern Regional playoffs. It is here that Tremain’s status as SportStars’ NorCal Football Player of the Year was etched into stone. He accounted for all four Folsom touchdowns, including three rushing scores and a 12-yard touchdown to Austin McMillan. He also led Folsom back from a 14-0 deficit and ran in the goahead touchdown himself to cap a 12-play, six and a half minute drive that left De La Salle with just 2:12 to escape defeat. The Spartans still scored, but Folsom stuffed a twopoint conversion and recovered the onside kick to win the game. It was Folsom’s first win in six tries against De La Salle, dating back to 2012. After two attempts by Browning and one each by Kaiden Bennett and Jake Reithmeier, it was Tremain who finally got it done. “I think we will be looking back on it forever,” Tremain said. “It’s indescribable. Afterward we were just like, ‘We did it.’ It was a whirlwind after the game, seeing all the alumni who watched it happen. “It really felt like we were doing it for more than ourselves — for everyone who had been there.” Folsom went on to fall 33-21 to Cathedral Catholic-San Diego in the Division 1-AA State Bowl game. Despite missing three games and part of another, Tremain finished 220 of 354 for 3,052 yards. He tallied 43 touchdowns, though he wasn’t counting. “I am a super competitive, outgoing person who always wants to win, more for the team than myself,” Tremain said. “I don’t care about stats, just the team.” It shows. “He just wants to be one of the group, and it’s very comfortable hanging out with the kid,” Doherty said. “He’s obviously a very talented football player too, and it gives everyone a lot of confidence knowing we have a lot of options on the offensive side of the ball. “We are fully functional and versatile with him being around, and he’s just a really good teammate.” Tremain hasn’t decided who his next teammates will be. He has received modest recruitment so far, and will weigh his options with dad Bob Tremain, mom Jamie Tremain and Doherty in the coming months. Wherever he goes, his ambition will undoubtedly be behind the wheel.✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

PAST PLAYERS OF THE YEAR SportStars Did Not Issue The Award For The Spring 2021 Season 2019 Shamar Garrett De La Salle-Concord 2018 Sione Vaki Liberty-Brentwood 2017 Tariq Bracy Milpitas 2016 Mason Hurst Del Oro-Loomis 2015 Najee Harris Antioch

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2021 SportStars NorCal Offensive Player Of The Year VILIAMI “JUJU” TEU, ST. FRANCIS-MOUNTAIN VIEW, SR. 14

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LEADING

LANCER With Big Moments In Historic Wins, And School-Record Performances In TitleClinching Victories, St. Francis’ Viliami Teu Takes NorCal’s Top Offensive Honors Story by Chace Bryson

PAST OPOY WINNERS SportStars Did Not Issue The Award For The 2021 Spring Season 2019

Jackson Pavitt, Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa

2018

Kaiden Bennett, Folsom

2017

Joseph Ngata, Folsom

2016

Ronnie Rivers, Freedom-Oakley Najee Harris, Antioch

2015

Ryan Robards, Elk Grove

ometimes determining Offensive Player Of The Year honors can boil down to a series of big moments, in big games. Viliami “Juju” Teu began his case in a historic win over De La Salle High on Sept. 10. The St. FrancisMountain View senior running back’s final argument came two months later. This will sound like hyperbole. But it’s true. The stage was Serra High School in San Mateo and a regular season finale between two of NorCal’s top three teams. Both unbeaten, the two teams arrived on Saturday afternoon to battle for the West Coast Athletic League title. Teu’s performance in this game was so good, that eventually Lancers coach Greg Calcagno’s game script simply became “Give it to Juju.” Teu carried the ball 45 times for 344 yards — both school records. St. Francis won 44-21. With the ease of calling the play for No. 4 — and watching it work repeatedly — Calcagno admittedly lost track. “I had no idea (he had that many carries),” Calcagno said. “We were just trying to win the game. We didn’t want to give Serra the ball back. We just wanted to eat clock, and he represented the best way to do that because he just kept getting first downs. We weren’t trying to set any records. “He was simply best way to get out of there and get away with a win. So that’s what we took.” It was no anomaly, either. Teu and the Lancers’ big and punishing offensive line represented the path to most of St. Francis’ 11 victories on the season. He rushed for 2,211 yards on the season, averaging more than eight per carry. He topped 200 yards in nearly half of the Lancers games and ran for at least one TD in all 12 contests, finishing with 27. These efforts, and his ability to raise his game against the Lancers’ toughest opponents, led to SportStars naming him NorCal Offensive Player Of The Year. He earned the honors amidst a crowded field of NorCal players with massive offensive seasons. Kimball-Tracy quarterback Nicholas Coronado, Manteca running back Blake Nichelson and California-San Ramon receiver Jake Calcagno were all discussed. He’s the first running back to win the award since 2016 when Ronnie Rivers (Freedom-Oakley) and Najee Harris (Antioch) shared the title. Calagno and the coaching staff recognized Teu’s running skills as early as his freshman year, but this was the year it all came together for the 5-foot-11, 195-pound back. “From that first carry against De La Salle, we were like ‘Hey, that’s our guy we knew had the potential to be there,’” Calcagno said. “And he just played to that potential the entire season.” Teu rushed for 185 yards and a touchdown in the 31-28 win over De La Salle on Sept. 10. The victory will go down in NorCal football legend as the one that brought an end to the Spartans’ 318-game unbeaten streak against NorCal opponents. “He’s really good,” De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh said. “He runs hard. That’s something we always stress to our own backs, and I’m not sure we like seeing it so much from opposing ones. But you have to respect a kid who runs as hard as he does. He broke a lot of tackles and had great vision. Great allaround back.” As for the coach who saw him every day, Calcagno couldn’t praise Teu enough. “He’s got a lot of natural ability, and a lot of intangibles,” the Lancers coach said. “He’s just a great young man. Very humble. His lineman love to block for him. He’s what you want your son or daughter to be. He smiles a ton. He’s not about himself at all. With him it’s all about the team.” Teu went most of the season without a Division I scholarship offer, but eventually earned and accepted one from San Jose State. He follows the footsteps of his older brother Romero who was also a running back for the Spartans. And wisely, he’ll be going along with a few of his favorite blockers. Lancer seniors Daneris Derosa and Uluakinofo Taliauli will both join SJSU as well. “It’s going to be fun to watch him grow,” Calcagno said. ✪

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2021 SportStars All-No QB | TYLER TREMAIN (Folsom) | Sr. Tremain went on an early tear, driving Folsom’s high-powered offense with 34 total touchdowns in his first six games. He missed three games to injury and came back to provide clutch moments in the CIF postseason, including a game-winning touchdown against Jesuit and four scores against De La Salle. QB | SERGIO BELTRAN (Menlo School-Atherton) | Sr. His 52 TD passes ranked fourth in the state and set a new Central Coast Section record. He threw for 3,581 yards and rushed for another 1,101 and 7 TDs, leading the Knights to a 12-1 mark and earning him CalHiSports’ Small School Player of the Year honors. QB | NICHOLAS CORONADO (Kimball-Tracy) | Sr. California’s state leader in passing yards (4,315) and touchdowns (56) was sensational all season. He also ran for 479 yards and seven touchdowns, and led Kimball to the section semifinals. Coronado was a candidate for Offensive Player of the Year for a reason. He is special. QB | MICHAEL INGRASSIA (Marin Catholic) | Sr. Ingrassia’s near-flawless season behind center included zero interceptions over the team’s first 13 games. He finished with 34 TDs and just two picks while rushing for 13 more scores and leading the Wildcats to their first state bowl crown. RB | LUTHER K. GLENN (Wilcox-Santa Clara) | Sr. His 2,366 yards led all of NorCal and was third in the state among reported stats. He scored 29 TDs on the ground and added 424 yards receiving and seven more scores for the section and NorCal champs.

Blake Nichelson

RB | VILIAMI TEU (St. Francis-Mountain View) | Sr. Our Offensive Player of the Year saved his biggest performances for the Lancers’ biggest games and finished with 2,211 yards and 27 touchdowns. He added another 651 yards in return and receiving yards. RB | AIDAN TAYLOR (Central Catholic-Modesto) | Sr. Taylor led Northern California with 38 touchdowns on the ground and finished with 2,128 yards, despite sharing the ball on a talented quad. He amassed nearly 500 yards in NorCal and state bowl appearances. RB | CURRON BORDERS (Antelope) | Sr. Antelope was a 2021 darling, and Borders erupted for 2,039 yards and 32 touchdowns in only 10 games. He was explosive out of Antelope’s triple run-pass option offense, and truly became one of the significant breakout players of the year. RB | LAVELLE DAVIS JR. (Placer-Auburn) | Sr. The Do-it-all Junior was tenacious on both sides of the ball for Placer, and become the workhorse for the one of best rushing programs in the SJS. Davis had over 2,000 allpurpose yards with 30 touchdowns and even bagged two sacks on defense. RB | BLAKE NICHELSON (Manteca) | Jr. One of the best all-around offensive players in the state, “Thor” led non-quarterbacks with 44 touchdowns and 288 points. He also amassed over 2,500 all-purpose yards and forced three fumbles on defense.

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orCal Offensive Roster WR | JURRION DICKEY (Valley Christian-San Jose) | Jr. Every secondary was Dickey’s Barbeque in 2021. The big-build, big-play wideout caught 78 balls for 1,304 yards and 19 scores. He finished with 23 total TDs. WR | RICO FLORES JR. (Folsom) | Jr. One of the supreme talents of the SJS, Flores grabbed 81 catches for 1,157 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also returned a kick for a touchdown and played spectacular on defense for NorCal champion Folsom. WR | JAKE CALCAGNO (California-San Ramon) | Sr. Deceptively quick and a great route-runner, Calcagno won the NorCal triple crown in the three big receiving categories. His 91 catches, 1,456 yards and 20 TD grabs were all unmatched in the region. WR | ROBBIE MASCHERONI (Campolindo-Moraga) | Sr. Opponents knew Mascheroni was the guy to stop on the Cougars offense. His 70 catches, 1,364 yards and 14 TDs showed it was easier said than done. WR | RASHID WILLIAMS (Pittsburg) | Jr. Pirates QB Jaden Rashada had a number of weapons to choose from in the fall, but none as dynamic as this 4-star recruit. Williams caught 55 balls for 753 yards and 11 TDs. WR | JALEN MOSS (Menlo-Atherton-Atherton) | Sr. Moss was electric everywhere he lined up for the Bears. The Fresno State-bound talent caught 58 passes for 1,127 yards and 15 TDs. He also had 565 return yards and six interceptions on defense.

Aidan Taylor OL | SIMI PALE (Elk Grove) | Jr.

TE | WALKER LYONS (Folsom) | Jr. The best pure tight end in NorCal, Lyons is big, fast and tenacious. He caught the gamewinner against Jesuit in the SJS semifinals and finished with 646 yards and seven scores.

Pale was the Delta League Lineman of the Year and for good reason. His hulking pres-

TE | JACK ENDRIES (Monte Vista-Danville) | Sr. The 6-foot-4 Endries was a legit weapon for coach CJ Anderson in his first year with the Mustangs. He caught 49 passes for 579 yards and nine TDs.

OL | ULUAKINOFO TALIAULI (St. Francis) | Sr.

OL | ALANI NOA (Grant-Sacramento) | Jr. Grant’s Sierra Foothill League Lineman of the year has offers from Cal and Fresno State. He has another year to bolster his already impressive resume.

ence powered one of the best rushing attacks in the SJS. Two of his teammates ran for over 1,500 yards.

There may not have been a more physical and punishing offensive line in all of NorCal than the Lancers — and the San Jose State-bound Taliauli was the heart of it. OL | DEREK THOMPSON (De La Salle-Concord) | Jr. The Spartans’ 3-star junior was a dominant interior lineman that helped fuel a rushing

OL | DREW AZZOPARDI (Serra-San Mateo) | Sr. Together with fellow All-NorCal selection, Nathan Elu, the San Diego State-bound Azzopardi was part of the Bay Area’s best tandem of offensive tackles in quite some time.

attack that featured three different players with 10 or more touchdowns. He currently

OL | NATHAN ELU (Serra) | Sr. The 6-5, 295-pound tackle signed with Oregon State after helping lead a physical Padres line that served as a major reason for their run to the CIF Open Division Bowl game.

Brown is a 6-foot-6, 295-pound mover of young men. A 3-star Cal-commit, he helped

OL | BRAD BAUR (Rocklin) | Sr. The powerful force on Rocklin’s offensive line is a big reason why the Thunder slowed little after the season-ending injury to quarterback Kenny Lueth. Buar is smart, aggressive and plays with a high motor.

holds offers from Nevada and Colorado State. OL | JACKSON BROWN (San Ramon Valley-Danville) | Sr. lead the Wolves to an 8-4 season and section semifinal appearance. K | DIEGO NUNEZ-SMITH (Vanden) | Sr. The game winning extra-point in Vanden’s state bowl game was nice, but so was his state-leading 98 points after six field goals and 80 extra points. He averaged seven points a game. ✪

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2021 SportStars All-NorCal Miles Bailey

DL | ORION NULL (V anden-Fairfield) | Jr. The Sac-Joaquin Section sack leader (16) went on a furious postseason tear. He had five sacks in Vanden’s 56-28 win over Windsor in the D3-AA NorCal Bowl game.

LB | JOSH TREMAIN (Folsom) | Sr. Tremain had 152 tackles, including 60 during a dynamic performance across his last five games. He also had 16 tackles in the CIF Division 1-AA State Bowl game.

DL | MILES BAILEY (Benicia) | Sr. A 6-foot-4, 255-pound terror who impacted both sides of the ball for the Panthers, Bailey is headed to Fresno State after a senior year of 61 tackles, 10 sacks and three fumble recoveries (two returned for TDs)

LB | JAKOBE HARMON (Pittsburg) | Sr. Two-thirds of Harmon’s 111 tackles were solo efforts. The unanimous All-Bay Valley Athletic League selection had 12 tackles for loss and five sacks.

DL | JJ TOFEANO (De La Salle-Concord) | Sr. Leader of the Spartans physical defensive front, Tofeano was the Spartans leader in tackles for loss (17) and sacks (7). His 57 total tackles ranked fourth on the team.

LB | CAMILO ARQUETTE (St. Francis-Mountain View) | Sr. A three-year starter, Arquette was selected as the West Catholic Athletic League Linebacker of the Year after serving as the linchpin of the Lancers’ league-championship defense. He had 71 tackles, an interception, forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

DL | BOBBY PILAND (Rocklin) | Sr. The anchor of Rocklin’s defensive line was a driving force behind the section’s top defense that rolled to 12 consecutive victories. He’s headed to Air Force.

LB | DEREK HOUSTON (Rocklin) | Jr. Houston had 13 tackles for loss, three INTs and three forced fumbles. His big moment was a stripped fumble and TD return in Rocklin’s playoff win over St. Mary’s.

DL | KAI WALLIN (Jesuit-Carmichael) | Sr. A havoc-causing defensive end, Wallin posted 35 tackles (21 solo) and 9.5 sacks. He was also an effective tight end for the Marauders with a pair of TDs on 14 catches.

LB | AIDAN FLYNN (Salinas) | Sr. The Cowboys got just nine games in, and Flynn packed those games with 87 tackles and 12.5 sacks to earn Pacific Coast League-Gabilan Division MVP.

DL | KEMOEATU KEFU (Riordan-S.F.) | Sr. Kefu was a consensus first-team all-region pick among Bay Area media outlets after a dominant season for the Crusaders. He had 60 tackles (40 solo) and 10 sacks.

LB | JAKE RIPP (Los Gatos) | Sr. Ripp heads to Boise State as Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division MVP. He helped lead the Wildcats to a 10-1 season with 103 tackles and six TDs on offense.

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Defensive Roster Jordan Wagner

Kai Wallin

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LB | PITA VI (Elk Grove) | Sr. Vi was a sensational attacker on the edge of the Elk Grove line and a constant harassment to opposing quarterbacks. He finished with 10 sacks and returned a fumble for a pivotal touchdown against Sheldon. LB | JORDAN WAGNER (Lincoln) | Sr. . Wagner had 113 tackles (16.5 for loss), 5.5 sacks and two interceptions. His last was a doozy, returned 75 yards for the game-winning touchdown against Christian Brothers in the SJS playoffs. DB | DWAYNE MCDOUGLE (McClymonds-Oak.) | Sr. Shined as one of the senior defensive leaders for the CIF Division 3-A state champs. When not making a mark in the Warriors’ passing game, he starred both as a corner in coverage and a run-stopper when lined up as a rover safety in the box.

Jamal East

DB | SIMEON HARRIS (Benicia) | Sr. Colorado-bound corner made an impact on both sides of the ball but his future lies as a shutdown defender in Boulder. Grabbed two interceptions and had four passes defensed but stats don’t tell the whole story as offenses often avoided the 6-foot, 160-pound athlete. DB | NICOLAS ANDRIGHETTO (St. Francis) | Sr. His 61 tackles ranked second on the Lancers, second only to fellow All-NorCal selection Camilo Arquette. He also had two interceptions and caught the gamewinning TD in the team’s historic win over De La Salle. DB | SIONE LAULEA (Serra-San Mateo) | Sr. WCAL Co-Defensive Back of the Year often took away one side of the field as one of the region’s top cornerbacks. Allowed just seven receptions and grabbed three interceptions in the regular season before helping the Padres win the CCS Division I title and land a spot in the CIF Open Division bowl game. DB | JAMAI EAST (Vanden-Fairfield) | Sr. His monster effort in the 3-AA CIF State Bowl final included catching both TDs and adding two interceptions on defense. On the year he had 14 TD catches, two kick return scores, three sacks and six interceptions (two returned for TDs) AP | ZEKE BERRY (De La Salle-Concord) | Sr. Named as our Defensive Player of the Year for his dominance at safety (35 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and an interception), we list him as all-purpose here for his return prowess (2 kick return TDs), receiving (120 yards, TD) and passing success (4-for5, 196 yards and 2 TDs) AP | JADYN MARSHALL (St. Mary’s-Stockton.) | Sr. The UCLA-bound sensation had 1,872 all purpose yards and 18 touchdowns and was a dynamo on special teams. His 77-yard kick return touchdown against Rocklin had the Thunder reeling, and nearly sparked an upset. He also threw a touchdown pass. AP | JUSTIN GUIN (San Marin-Novato) | Sr. The SF Chronicle’s Co-Metro Player of the Year did it all for the CIF 5-AA champs. His 2,359 yards and 36 rushing TDs both ranked second in NorCal and were each top 5 in the state. He also added 97 tackles, 12 pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. 20

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Jakobe Harmon AP | ELIAS MULLICAN (Rocklin) | Sr. The Sierra Foothill League Most Valuable Player is committed to Sacramento State. He grabbed 40 catches for 663 yards, caught eight touchdowns, ran for two and returned two interceptions for scores. Mullican had five picks. AP | JAY’VION COLE (McClymonds) | Sr. Cole was the Oakland Athletic League MVP en route to leading the Warriors to yet another CIF State Bowl title. Cole had 11 TD receptions, five return TDs and seven interceptions on defense. AP | KENNY OLSON (Foothill-Pleasanton) | Sr. The son of a coach (Oakland Raiders OC, Greg Olson), it’s no surprise he was good at any place on the field. Olson led the Falcons to the NCS Div. II final with 70 tackles and three sacks at linebacker, and 700 receiving yards with 13 TDs as a wideout. AP | BEAU DAVIS (Argonaut-Jackson) | Sr. The do-everything leader of Argonaut’s state champion program had 161 tackles, three sacks and an interception. He also racked up 2009 yards of offense as Argonaut’s dual-threat quarterback. AP | TANNER SALISBURY (San Ramon ValleyDanville) | Sr. Returning to the Wolves after spending his junior year at Mater Dei-Santa Ana, Salisbury was a critical playmaker on both sides of the ball. He had 140 tackles (14 for loss) and caught 12 TD passes on offense. ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

PAST DPOY WINNERS SportStars Did Not Issue The Award For The 2021 Spring Season 2019 Marcus Jones, Monterey Trail-Elk Grove 2018 Henry To’oto’o, De La Salle-Concord 2017 Henry To’oto’o, De La Salle-Concord 2016 Nate Landman, Monte Vista-Danville 2015 Boss Tagaloa, De La Salle-Concord

2021 SportStars NorCal Defensive Player Of The Year ZEKE BERRY, DE LA SALLE-CONCORD, SR.

I SWISS ARMY

SPARTAN

Able To Play Any Of Five Positions, From Safety To Defensive End, De La Salle’s Zeke Berry Was 2021’s Ultimate Defensive Weapon — And More Story by Chace Bryson

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n early August of 2019, SportStars was doing its usual preseason check-in with De La Salle football coach Justin Alumbaugh. When the subject turned to newcomers, the first name the coach mentioned was Zeke Berry. “We’ve got a sophomore, Zeke Berry, who’s gonna be good,” he said. And well, a program doesn’t win 29 consecutive section titles without being able to identify talent. Berry followed the cleat impressions of other extremely decorated De La Salle two-way skill players, Shamar Garrett (now at San Jose State) and Lu-Magia Hearns (now at Cal). By the time he reached his senior year, the hardest part of evaluating Berry’s talent was figuring out what he wasn’t good at. “We’d have days in practice where he’d play like nine different positions,” De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh said “We could put him pretty much anywhere but the line.” And that’s just what the Spartans did. Berry impacted the game wherever he lined up, but his biggest impact was on a defense that allowed just 31 touchdowns over a combined 133 opponent possessions. His playmaking ability and versatility led to him being a slam-dunk choice as the SportStars NorCal Defensive Player of the Year. De La Salle defensive coordinator Nate Kenion utilized Berry in at least five different defensive positions over the course of the season. He could play either safety spot, line up at corner, move up in the box as a linebacker and even rush off the edge. “His versatility is something you just love to have,” Alumbaugh said. “It just creates a lot of matchup problems.” Always More To Read at SportStarsMag.com

Berry’s position flexibility is reflected in his defensive stat line. He finished the year with 35 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. His reputation what it was, opponents very rarely threw to his side of the field when he was playing in the secondary. “10 is legit,” Folsom coach Paul Doherty told reporters in reference to Berry after his Bulldogs team completed a 28-27 comeback win over De La Salle in the CIF 1-AA Northern Regional final. You could try to avoid his side of the field when he was on defense, but sooner or later opponents were going to have to deal with Zeke Berry. On offense, he rushed 32 times for 261 yards and a TD (that’s more than eight yards per carry). He also had 120 yards receiving and a touchdown catch, and was 4-for-5 as a passer for 196 yards and two TDs. He was also the primary kick and punt return specialist for De La Salle and amassed more than 420 return yards. He finished with two kick return touchdowns, including a tonesetting 88-yard score on the opening kick of De La Salle’s first meeting with Folsom on Oct. 8 (a 31-10 Spartans win). Early in the fall, Berry decommitted from Arizona and reopened his recruitment. Michigan would win out, hoping to utilize his defensive versatility. Berry signed with the Wolverines in mid-December. “They like him for that hybrid safety position where you can play deep or move up in the box,” Alumbaugh said. Which means the Zeke Berry Constant will remain: Sooner or later, opponents will be forced to deal with him. ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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Four-Year Senior Teagan Brown Is The Consummate Leader For An Oak Ridge Girls Basketball Team That’s NorCal-Ranked And A Legit Section TItle Contender story by Jim McCue Photos by David Gershon

n her four years on the Oak Ridge varsity basketball team, Teagan Brown has attracted recruiters and spectators alike to El Dorado Hills. The 5-foot-11 guard fills up the stat sheet on a regular basis. She cares little about being the main attraction. “She’s just special,” longtime Oak Ridge coach Steve White said. “When you have someone that can be assigned to shut down the opponent’s best player, and yet you rely on her to be your best offensive scorer, that’s special. It’s just not the Teagan Show, it’s how do we do this as a team? And she brings everyone together.” White spoke those words after the Trojans handled visiting WhitneyRocklin despite a relatively off night for Brown. The senior, who will play collegiately for the University of Washington, did not score a point until there was less than a minute remaining in the first quarter. But her influence on the game was evident in more ways than just scoring. Tasked with slowing down the Wildcats’ 6-foot-3 sophomore forward, Taylor Peterson, Brown hounded her taller opponent and created plenty of opportunities for her teammates. The Trojans’ guard covered the whole court to contribute to an 18-8 lead after one quarter with four steals and three assists in the first eight minutes. “I’m thinking rebound, get the offensive board so I can get the easy bucket and get myself on a roll,” she said of her slow scoring start. “I just focus on getting defensive deflections and steals to get my team rolling.” Brown would finish with a solid all-around stat line of 13 points, 7 steals, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds—short of her career averages of 17 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, but right on par with Oak Ridge’s steady win rate.

“It’s my last year and I want to put it all on the court. We want to go deep in the playoffs and win section, but we just want to fight all Teagan bRown of the way through the entire season.” The Jan. 19 victory over Whitney improved the Trojans’ record to 15-4 and 4-0 in the Sierra Foothill League, and kept Brown and her teammates’ sites on reclaiming the league title they last won in pre-pandemic 2019. “It’s my last year and I want to put it all on the court,” Brown said of her final high school season. “If I can rally the team around that and get them all fired up, then we can go far. We want to go deep in the playoffs and win section, but we just want to fight all of the way through the entire season.” The COVID-altered and shortened 2020 season was challenging for Oak Ridge and Brown, who missed out on valuable pre-league tournament play to allow the team to acclimate before SFL and postseason play. With only league games in an abbreviated 12-game season, growing as a team was difficult. “It was hard because we couldn’t gel,” Brown said of the 2021 campaign. “We had freshmen starting, so there were lots of players that had not played together before.” Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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The Trojans did peak toward the end of last season, but momentum was hard to come by. So was the anticipation of Brown’s senior season. Oak Ridge has benefited from a return to relative normalcy with December tournaments, including the longrunning Lady Trojan Toss-Up on their home court. Brown and her teammates appear primed for the type of postseason run that the program has become accustomed to. When Brown was a sophomore, the Trojans captured the SFL title and advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Final before falling to St. Mary’s-Stockton 56-45. Brown got her first taste of postseason success that season, but was still coming into her own as a complete player. “I didn’t have any idea that I could play college basketball until my sophomore season,” Brown said. “I started

“YOU ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT THE KOBES, THE LEBRONS, THE JORDANS WHO CONSTANTLY WORK ON SOMETHING TO MAKE THEMSELVES BETTER THE NEXT YEAR. (TEAGAN) HAS DEFINITELY HAD THAT MINDSET, AND HAS AN INCREDIBLE WORK ETHIC — ON THE COURT, OFF THE COURT, AND IN THE CLASSROOM.” Coach steve white playing AAU and my coach said that San Jose wants to call, and I said ‘I can do this. I can play college basketball.’” While the 2021 season took valuable on-court repetitions away from high school players everywhere, Brown continued to develop her game in anticipation of her last run before spreading her wings and heading to Seattle. “You always hear about the Kobes, the LeBrons, the Jordans who constantly work on something to make themselves better the next year,” White said. “(Teagan) has definitely had that mindset, and has an incredible work ethic — on the court, off the court, and in the classroom.” As far as on the court goes, White marvels at the growth of Brown’s game over the last three-plus years. “In the beginning, she was a good slasher and teammates could find her and she could finish at the basket,” White said. “She has just expanded her game to where she can handle the ball, beat you off the dribble, hit a 3, pull up, post up. She’s just really developed a complete game at this level.” Becoming a complete player is not surprising for a budding star that has looked up to local hero Danielle Viglione. The Del Campo High star was a two-time State Player of the Year out of Fair Oaks before filling up buckets for the University of Texas and the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs. “She has been a real light in my life, and has taught me to work hard in basketball and in my faith,” Brown said of Viglione. Oak Ridge will continue its quest for a league title and long postseason run with five more games down the stretch, including a third chance to defeat SFL rival and undefeated Folsom in the regular season finale for both teams on February 11. Folsom edged the Trojans by five, 42-37, on Jan. 21. In the end, though, statistics will not define the heights that Brown and the Trojans reach. “We don’t ever talk about numbers and she buys into that,” White said. “She can still get 20 points or grab 10 boards per game, but she’s more than that. “Her personality is incredible. She’s a goofball, she’s a leader — by example and vocally. She’s just the complete package.” In the end, that’s what attracts people to Teagan Brown. ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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Caden Breznikar, left Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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Challenge Accepted

hen Chris Lavdiotis took over the Miramonte High boys basketball program prior to the 2019-20 season, he wasn’t shy in expressing his excitement about the sophomore class. “I told anyone interested, including the sophomores themselves, that the class was loaded,” the coach said. The path to the 2022 Class’s senior season certainly wasn’t linear, but Lavdiotis was there every step of the way, pushing the players and nurturing the confidence that he attempted to instill in that first season. In the Summer of 2020, when the team could only meet on outdoor courts — when every player had to use their own ball, and man-to-man defense was a no-no — the coach stressed flexibility and fun. And getting better. “Outdoors. Rain or shine. We were going to be there, and we were going to have a really positive attitude,” Lavdiotis said. “And anyone who asked me what it was like, I’d say ‘Man, we are having so much fun.’” And if that was fun, the first eight weeks of this season had to feel downright enchanting. Led by a dynamite core of seniors, Miramonte has won 16 of its first 18 games. The Matadors are in the thick of the Diablo Athletic League-Foothill Division race, and are a strong contender for the top seed in the North Coast Section Division III playoffs. This may not have been exactly where Lavdiotis thought this team would be after 18 games, but it’s not entirely surprising to him either. That NCS No. 1 seed was a stated goal for this team before the season. The coaching staff was confident, and the players were bought in. “This group has been good about taking on challenges,” Lavdiotis said. “We built a tough schedule for them because we thought they’d be good. And when we shared that schedule with them this past fall, they got excited.” The Matadors won their first five games of the season by an average margin of 25.4 points. They were 6-0 when NorCal-ranked St. Ignatius-S.F. dealt them their first loss on Dec. 18. Miramonte followed that with a nine-game win streak that included a championship turn at the Don Bambauer Classic tournament at Marin Catholic High. Going 4-0 at the Bambauer event included quarterfinal and semifinal wins over Serra-San Mateo and Folsom, two teams that were a combined 27-8 through Jan. 22. It was the victory over Serra that Lavdiotis pointed to as perhaps the team’s signature win over its first 18 contests. “We beat them, and it was like, ‘OK, guys. See, we can Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

Driven By A Confident Quartet Of Senior Captains, Miramonte Boys Basketball Doubled Down On The Idea That This Could Be A Special Year — So Far, It’s Aces

James Frye

Tyler Dutto

really do this,’” the coach said. “I would say that mentally, that was the game where we realized we can be something special.” Four senior captains lead the way for the Matadors, all part of that original sophomore nucleus from the 2019-20 season. James Frye (6-foot-5), Caden Breznikar (6-5), Tyler Dutto (64) and Ben Murphy (6-0) are each averaging double figures in scoring heading into the last full week of January. Frye leads the team with 17.6 points per game to go with 8 rebounds a contest. He’s committed to play collegiately for Claremont-McKenna. “He’s really very versatile,” Lavdiotis said. “A terrific shooter and he’s really good around the rim. He’s also a terrific defender both on and off the ball.” Breznikar is a 6-5 wing with point guard skills. He averages 12.9 points and a team-best 9.3 rebounds per game. He’s also one of the team’s most vocal leaders and someone Lavdiotis said “will do whatever he’s asked to do on the floor.” Murphy is a 3-point shooter who has rounded out his game to be a threat off the dribble and on the defensive end. Meanwhile, Dutto averages a team-best 6.2 assists to go with 11.7 points and more than four rebounds per night. Dutto’s distribution success should come as no surprise to those who saw him play quarterback for the Matadors in the fall. He has an offer to play football for Morehead State, but Lavdiotis said he deserves looks as a basketball player, too. “He’s just a tremendous competitor,” the coach said. “One of the best I’ve ever coached. He’s the same guy whether we’re ahead or behind, and he’s tremendous at running the team and keeping everyone organized. Some college should grab him for basketball, he’ll make the team winners.” The team’s only other blemish on the record was a 60-54 league loss to Northgate-Walnut Creek on Jan. 18. The NorCal-ranked Broncos finished the third week of January with a record of 15-2. “They played tougher than us, really,” Lavdiotis said of Northgate. “We were just outplayed for 32 minutes, and we still lost by just six. That was the message afterward.” The next big test for Miramonte will be NorCal’s No. 1-ranked team, Campolindo-Moraga, which hosts the Matadors on Friday, Jan. 28. But Lavdiotis and this Matadors team aren’t getting too far ahead. They’ll preach body health — the team does Saturday yoga sessions together — and focus on taking on one challenge at a time. And they’ll keep having fun. ✪ — Story By Chace Bryson | Photos By Berry Evans III

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Play Hard, Dream Big. You work hard. You don’t give up. And, you’re always up for the next challenge. Be part of a winning team by joining the Army National Guard. Continue your education and learn new skills while you serve part-time, close to home.

Find your success By visiting nationalguard.com/education Programs and Benefits Subject to Change