Grid-Hoop All-Staters: Tulare strikes again

All-State Grid-Hoopers Jesse Holmes (left) of Chico and Sage Burmeister (right) of La Jolla Country Day worked out with with receivers at last May’s Northern California Nike Football Training Camp.

Glass-shattering forward Keonta Vernon joins Max Redfield on elite unit. This year’s selections also features a very strong contingent from the CIF San Diego Section, including another grid-hoop standout from Oceanside.

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By Mark Tennis
Contributing: Ronnie Flores, Paul Muyskens

Here are the complete Cal-Hi Sports Grid-Hoop All-State Teams for the 2012-13 school year:

FIRST TEAM

Chauncey Hill (Fairfax, Los Angeles) 6-6 Sr.
We talked to Hill at a recent basketball showcase and he was very pleased with how his football season went. After all, it was his first season on the gridiron in high school. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Hill used his size and athleticism to wreak havoc on quarterbacks, recording 46 tackles and 14 sacks, the latter of which placed him third in the L.A. City Section. The four-year varsity basketball performer is an energy forward and one of Fax’s leading scorers. He signed early to play hoops with Cal-State Fullerton, but had he waited to sign in the spring he was likely going to get even bigger football offers.

Khleem Perkins (San Bernardino) 6-3 Sr.
What a sensational senior year that Perkins has had for the Cardinals. On the court, he’s been one of the state’s hottest scorers over the last month, including one explosion for a school record 55 points. As of last week, his season averages stood at 25.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, three steals and two assists. In football, Perkins was a versatile quarterback. He passed for 1,075 yards and seven touchdowns and also rushed for 630 yards with 10 more scores.

Max Redfield (Mission Viejo) 6-2 Sr.
He has been named the 2012-13 Grid-Hoop State Player of the Year. Redfield’s team was actually beaten in Friday night’s CIFSS Division I-AA quarterfinals 64-61 by Inglewood. There is still a chance that Redfield and the Diablos could be playing in next week’s regional playoffs as an at-large team.

Tyree Robinson (Lincoln, San Diego) 6-4, Sr.
He and his brother Tyrell had the most college offers among all of this year’s grid-hoop all-staters for playing both sports at the next level. The complication in evaluating them for this year is that Tyree has missed most of the 2012-13 basketball season with an injury and Tyrell wasn’t on the basketball team until just recently. Both were playing last week and leading Lincoln in the CIF San Diego Section Division II playoffs. Tyree is clearly the better of the two in basketball and was one of the top scoring guard recruits for this year’s senior class. He averaged 21.3 points for the Hornets last season. In football last fall, Tyree helped Lincoln win the Division III section title with 60 tackles, four interceptions and eight touchdown catches. He’s expected to play defensive back and guard at the University of Oregon.

Keonta Vernon (Tulare) 6-4 Sr.
Yes, we did seriously consider Vernon for the top honor, which would have made it three years in a row for the Redskins following the back-to-back selections for William Stallworth. Vernon’s top sport is basketball in which he thundered for 24.8 points, 17 rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots per game. He’s also going to Wyoming on a basketball scholarship. He was a serious threat as a tight end in Tulare’s passing game on the football field, finishing with 40 catches for 679 yards and 11 touchdowns.

SECOND TEAM

Sage Burmeister (La Jolla Country Day) 6-2 Sr.
He’s been on our grid-hoop radar since he was a sophomore quarterback-guard for the Torreys. This year in football, Burmeister was more of a versatile running back. He had 1,286 yards rushing with 23 touchdowns and caught 25 passes for 260 yards and two more scores. In basketball, Burmeister has shined for LJCD with 20.5 points per game. He’s also been dishing for nearly four assists and grabbing five rebounds.

Corbin Covey (Camarillo) 5-8 Sr.
Despite his small size, Covey has followed up a record-breaking season in football with outstanding point guard play for a league championship team in basketball. Covey had 10 points and 13 assists in a CIFSS playoff game last week for the Scorpions and has been averaging close to 10 points and eight assists on the season. As a receiver, Covey put his name into the state record book with 143 catches for 1,377 yards.

Bryce Dixon (St. Bonaventure, Ventura) 6-4 Jr.
One performance just as we are compiling these teams can sure help. For Dixon, his was scoring 29 points for the Seraphs in a 69-60 playoff loss to state-ranked Pacific Hills of Los Angles. He ended the season with 13 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. On the gridiron, Dixon emerged as a big-time tight end for a team that reached the CIFSS Pac-Five Division semifinals until it lost to Mater Dei of Santa Ana. He’s already projected to be if not the top tight end recruit in the state next fall then certainly one of the best. He already holds offers from several Pac-12 schools.

Jesse Holmes (Chico) 6-1 Sr.
The best athlete from the CIF Northern Section, Holmes is also one of that section’s best two-sport stars ever. In football, he was named third team all-state and finished his career with 189 receptions good for 3,436 yards with 39 touchdowns. All three marks place him in our state record book and the yardage total is the best ever for a Northern Section receiver. In hoops, Holmes led the section in scoring last season and has led Chico to a 20-6 record so far this season. Holmes is headed to Air Force and may play both sports in college.

Alex Van Dyke (Cosumnes Oaks, Elk Grove) 6-4 Jr.
As a freshman, we saw Van Dyke start for the Cosumnes Oaks varsity basketball team and had to ask if he plays football. He does and now his future likely is as a big-bodied wide receiver, similar to his father, Alex Sr., who played in the NFL. His hoops career has continued to be strong with averages this season of 18.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals. Major colleges are interested in him for football. He was all-state underclass after last season with 44 catches for 864 yards and 10 touchdowns.

THIRD TEAM

Keller Chryst (Palo Alto) 6-4 Jr.
There are many on these teams (and even on the next list) who have higher scoring averages than Chryst in basketball, but we’ve seen Palo Alto (which went 23-1 in the regular season and has one of the top teams in the CIF Central Coast Section) and Chryst is a major contributor up front and defensively. Despite Paly’s low-scoring style, he still averages 7.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. It’s on the gridiron, of course, though, where Chryst’s future lies. He passed for 2,489 yards last season with 28 TDs and ranks as one of the top quarterback recruits in the state for next season. Given that quarterbacks almost now universally graduate early, then enroll to their future colleges every January (and skip any secondary sports), this makes it likely the last chance for Chryst to be an all-state grid-hooper.

Spencer Havird (Valhalla, El Cajon) 6-3 Sr.
Going by tackles and interceptions, the second team all-state overall football defensive back had one of the greatest seasons by a DB in San Diego Section history. Havird had 163 tackles from his safety position and also hauled in 10 interceptions. He followed that up by heading on to the basketball court and starring for the Norsemen with 16.7 points, 10 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Joe Marquez (Buhach Colony, Atwater) 6-1 Sr.
His leadership, intensity and versatility were all on display when we saw Marquez lead Buhach in a one-point loss to Serra of San Mateo in a football game last season. He went on to spark the 10-3 Thunder with 936 yards passing, 12 TD passes, 428 yards rushing and six TDs scored. On defense, he might have been even better with eight interceptions and 75 tackles. On the court, Marquez led a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoff team with 20 points, five rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

Tofi Pao Pao (Oceanside) 6-3 Sr.
Grid-hoopers from Oceanside, of course, always remind us of when the late Junior Seau was the 1986-87 Grid-Hoop Player of the Year. In fact, he was the first one. Others listed previous to that season have been chosen retroactively based on research. Pao Pao lives up to Junior’s grid-hoop tradition. He was the San Diego Section Player of the Year in football after passing for 2,458 yards and 22 touchdowns and leading the Pirates to the Division II section title. On court, Pao Pao was a double-double machine, averaging 11 points and 11 rebounds per game. He also chipped in with four assists.

Tyrell Robinson (Lincoln, San Diego) 6-4 Sr.
Just like twin brother Tyree, Tyrell is a grid-hoop all-state choice for a third straight season. The difference in evaluating them at this time is that Tyrell missed most of the basketball season not due to injury while Tyree’s absence was caused by injury. Both are playing now, however, and were impressive in two playoff games last week. Tyrell, who is joining Tyree at the University of Oregon next year and will play both sports, helped Lincoln win the CIF San Diego Section Division III title in December. He had 111 tackles and 12 sacks from his defensive end position and is projected to play linebacker for the Ducks. On the court last season, Tyrell wasn’t far behind Tyree in scoring with 16 points per game. He also averaged nearly six rebounds. Both twins have been four-year varsity regulars for the Hornets in both sports.

FOURTH TEAM

Deven Boston (Buena Park) 6-1 Jr.
He made a name for himself in football as a college prospect for next season by rushing for 1,928 yards and scoring 23 touchdowns. The 205-pounder then transferred his skills to Buena Park’s basketball team where he was a double-double machine. Boston’s season averages were 11.5 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.

Darren Carrington (Horizon, San Diego) 6-0 Sr.
Considering his family’s athletic background, it’s no surprise this Oregon recruit (for football) is a standout in more than one sport. The 6-foot-3 wing averaged nearly 11 points and nine rebounds plus two assists for a 14-11 team. On the gridiron, Carrington was named first team all-state for small schools after hauling in 51 catches for 902 yards with 12 touchdowns on offense and scoring an additional six touchdowns rushing. On defense, Carrington racked up 65 tackles and an interception. His sister, Dijonai, is one of the top ninth-grade girls basketball players in the nation.

Sheldon Croney (Garces, Bakersfield) 6-1 Soph.
As the only sophomore on this team, Croney establishes himself as one of the top sophomores to watch in the state in both sports. In football, Croney, who is the nephew of former Pro Bowl NFL linebacker Joey Porter, was a prime reason why Garces went 13-1 and won the CIF Central Section Division II title. He rushed for 1,433 yards and 25 touchdowns and added 22 catches for 287 yards and another score. On the court, Croney is averaging 12.5 points, 4.8 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game, including 27 points in the Rams’ regular season final.

Isaiah Piniero (Placer, Auburn) 6-3 Sr.
After scoring 27 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in one game after just joining the Hillmen basketball team, Piniero went on to average 19 points per game. He just scored 29 in a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoff loss to Sierra of Manteca. In football, Piniero was on the Sacramento Bee’s All-Metro team as a defensive back. He had nine interceptions to rank among the section leaders and helped Placer to an 11-1 record.

Jordan Poland (La Jolla Country Day) 6-6 Jr.
Some football recruiting analysts have Poland ranked among the top five in the nation as an offensive lineman recruit for next season. He also was recently named first team all-state underclass. He doesn’t score as much as fellow all-state grid-hooper Sage Burmeister for the Torreys in basketball, but at 335 pounds moves well and has posted averages of 14.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.

MORE GRID-HOOP ALL-STATERS
(25 players; listed alphabetically)

Marcus Armstrong-Brown (Justin-Siena, Napa) 6-0 Sr.

Jamere Austin (Sylmar) 6-1 Sr.

Julian Bertero (Sequoia, Redwood City) 6-6 Sr.

Charles Dawson (Windward, Los Angeles) 5-10 Sr.

Marcus Baugh (J.W. North, Riverside) 6-5 Sr.

Brian Chambers (Millikan, Long Beach) 6-0 Sr.

DeVaughn Gaines (Chowchilla) 6-1 Sr.

Jake Holguin (Rio Hondo Prep, Arcadia) 6-3 Sr.

Tony Ingram (Carson) 5-11 Sr.

Adoree’ Jackson (Serra, Gardena) 5-11 Jr.

Patrick Kenney (St. Bonaventure, Ventura) 6-0 Sr.

A.J. Latu (Rancho Cucamonga) 6-2 Sr.

Villiami Latu (Rancho Cucamonga) 6-2 Sr.

Nifae Lealao (Capital Christian, Sacramento) 6-6 Jr.

Ricky Lowdermilk (Portola) 6-2 Sr.

Max Lyons (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 6-2 Sr.

Rashaad Penny (Norwalk) 6-0 Jr.

Oscar Reyes (Tulare) 6-1 Sr.

Nick Reynolds (Rancho Cotate, Rohnert Park) 6-4 Sr.

Alex Von Alvenslaben (Escalon) 6-0 Sr.

Nsimba Webster (Deer Valley, Antioch) 6-1 Jr.

Nzuzi Webster (Deer Valley, Antioch) 6-1 Jr.

David Wells (Clovis North, Clovis) 6-5 Sr.

Manny Wilkins (San Marin, Novato) 6-3 Jr.

Charles Wright (Beckman, Irvine) 6-4 Jr.

Comments or corrections? Email markjtennis@gmail.com.