Stagg of Stockton senior quarterback Wayne Brooks has had more than 400 yards of offense several times in his career so far. Photo: Mark Tennis.
The SoCal Player of the Week is Laguna Beach’s Nathan Lancaster with a top three all-time state single-game rushing total. The NorCal honoree is Stockton Stagg quarterback Wayne Brooks.
We will lead off the State Stat Stars every week with the Northern California and Southern California Players of the Week, which are usually announced on Wednesday night’s Varsity Roundup show on Time Warner Cable. This week, that couldn’t happen. Still, look for the show each week on Channel 354 in Los Angeles and Channel 825 in San Diego. We will then present the stat stars each week according to performance and no longer simply alphabetical.
As has been customary for many years, we collect the state stat stars in support of the Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book & Almanac. The book has been published seven times (the most recent, though, was 2009) and is as official as a state record book can be since no other exists. To report a State Stat Star of the Week of your own, please email details to markjtennis@gmail.com.
Note: All football state records are in the process of being added to this web site. They will be part of our Gold Club membership. To join our Gold Club today, please CLICK HERE.
Thanks to Paul Muyskens, Harold Abend, Ronnie Flores and CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett for contributing items this week. This honor roll is for games played from Oct. 24 to Oct. 26.
Watch Varsity Roundup at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays on Channel 354 in L.A. and on Channel 825 in San Diego.
Northern California Player of the Week
Wayne Brooks (Stagg, Stockton)
The returning Stockton Record Player of the Year, Brooks got out to a slow start this season, but has been scintillating in recent outings.
Helping the 7-1 Delta Kings get ready for a showdown this week at St. Mary’s of Stockton that will decide the Tri-City Athletic League title, Brooks completed 24 of 38 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-35 victory against Tokay of Lodi, which also entered the game at 6-1. Brooks, who also rushed for 110 yards and one score, tossed a 50-yard TD pass to teammate Jamarius Harris in the fourth quarter that put Stagg on top for good.
Southern California Player of the Week
Nathan Lancaster (Laguna Beach)
After rolling up 335 and 300 yards in his two previous outings, the senior running back made even those accomplishments look common by what he did in a hard-to-believe 62-56 overtime loss last week to Calvary Chapel of Santa Ana.
Lancaster finished with 30 carries for 552 yards and scored seven touchdowns. He broke the previous Orange County record of 527 set in 1999 by Skyler Champion from Foothill of Tustin and moved to No. 3 on the all-time single-game state list. The only totals higher are from Ronney Jenkins from Hueneme of Oxnard (619) set in 1995 and Dallas Bernstine from Bethel of Vallejo (555) set in 2001.
Lancaster scored on runs of 75, 68, 63, 1, 41, 76 and 68 yards. Calvary Chapel, however, won the game in overtime on TD pass by Danny Mattero, who was a stat star in his own right with 505 yards passing and five TDs.
For the season, Lancaster also improved his total to 1,924 yards in eight games. He has already broken the school record set two years ago at 1,889 yards by Drake Martinez, the younger brother of University of Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez.
Record Book Tracker
Trevor Bearden (Live Oak, Morgan Hill)
This Acorn just keeps on rolling. Last week, Bearden went over 300 yards for the fourth time this season, after the 6-1, 215-pound senior rumbled for 324 yards and three touchdowns, in a 28-21 win over San Jose Silver Creek that gets Live Oak to 6-1 this season. He is now also No. 7 in the state with 1,847 yards and 18 touchdowns. Bearden now has 5,324 career rushing yards and needs 116 yards to break the CIF Central Coast section career rushing record of 5,439 yards by Toke Kefu from 2001-2003 at San Mateo.
Matt Byer (Oak Park, Agoura)
By hauling in two more TD catches for the Eagles in their 42-28 triumph over previously unbeaten Bishop Diego of Santa Barbara, Byer improved his season total to 22 and broke the Ventura County record for TD catches in a season. Byer, who had a five TD catch game earlier in the season against Calabasas, broke the previous county record of 21 set in 1997 by Joey Cuppari from Westlake of Westlake Village. He needs three to tie the regular season state record of 25 set in 1999 by Earvin Johnson from Cathedral of Los Angeles. The overall state record of 33 was set in 2011 by Deontay Greenberry from Washington of Easton. Oak Park has a bye this week then ends its regular season on Nov. 8 at Carpinteria.
Edgar Segura (Mendota)
According to CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett, Segura continues to close in on the all-time section career touchdown record of 118. In a 52-8 win over Avenal, he scored five touchdowns on runs of 21, 16, 34, 15 yards and one on a 43-yard pass reception last week and now has 113 touchdowns for his career.
Coach and trainer Chris Asher works with state stat stars of all ages, helping them to improve their speed, quickness and agility. He is based in Hollywood, also has a role with the UCLA track program and serves athletes within many miles of his location. For more about him, CLICK HERE. For more about his Gold Medal Excellence training program, CLICK HERE.
MORE RUSHING
Alejandro Guerrero (Mercy, Red Bluff)
Most weeks this might be the top rushing performance of the week and while this week it isn’t it’s still a mighty fine performance. Guerrero ran for 352 yards and five touchdowns on 16 carries in a 51-16 victory over Herlong.
Chase Sordahl (Dunsmuir)
Running like he was being chased with pitchforks, Sordahl ran for 349 yards and five touchdowns on 29 carries as the Tigers defeated Hayfork 64-34.
Patrick Laird (Mission Prep, San Luis Obispo)
In a game that we were glad to not be at keeping stats, he rushed for 343 yards and five touchdowns on 32 carries as the Royals defeated Farmersville 68-51. While we don’t have a record for points combined in a quarter by two teams these two might have set it as the Royals scored 34 points while the Aztecs scored 27 points in a crazy second quarter.
Nick Watase (Whittier Christian, La Habra)
In a 41-34 victory over Heritage Christian of North Hills, Watase put his name into the state record book by carrying 57 times for 323 yards and two touchdowns. At one point, 57 carries was a state record tie, but it’s now far behind the record total of 71 carries by Luis Soto from Saddleback of Santa Ana from a 2010 game against Laguna Beach.
Jimmie Hill (Mar Vista, Imperial Beach)
Seemingly running downhill against Southwest of San Diego, Jimmy ran for 319 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries during a 55-29 win for the Mariners.
Cameron French (Antelope Valley, Lancaster)
We’re not sure how to say disappointed in french but French had to be a little blue despite rushing for 291 yards and four touchdowns on 33 carries since the Antelopes suffered a 40-28 loss against Eastside of Lancaster.
John Wallace (Terra Nova, Pacifica)
In a game in which the two teams combined for 1,163 total yards of offense, it was this senior running back that had the most important chunk and the most trips to paydirt. Wallace raced for 273 yards and five TDs in a 44-25 win over host Atherton Menlo.
Harris Ross (Pittsburg)
The powerfully-built 5-10, 185-pound running back carried 28 times for 272 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-14 road win at Oakley Freedom. The No. 8 leading rusher in the state, and No. 3 in the Metro Bay Area, had TD runs of 42 and 56 yards to open each half’s scoring. His 1,831 yards (23 touchdowns) this season breaks the school’s single-season and career rushing records. Ross’ career total of 2,659 yards, which comes despite him only playing eight games last year, breaks the Pirates’ record of 2,460 yards previously held by former Oregon State and NFL back Ken Simonton, who is now Pittsburg’s running backs coach. It’s no surprise that as Ross has emerged this season, he changed his commitment to Simonton’s alma mater for next fall.
Ronzel Fox (Galileo, San Francisco)
A fox isn’t usually interested in messing with eagles, but this Fox had some Lions covering his back, after Fox helped his team take all the Washington Eagles’ eggs from the nest, in a 58-0 whitewash of their crosstown rivals. The senior running back only carried 10 times, but found the end zone on four of them and finished with 259 yards rushing. Fox got a fifth egg on a 22-yard touchdown pass.
Brandon Boyd (Gilroy)
The Metro Bay Area leading ground gobbler and No. 4 leading rusher in the state, who has one game less than the three running backs ahead of him, has now gone over 200 yards in each of his first seven games. Last week, in a 55-7 victory over Castroville North Monterey County, Boyd rambled for 250 yards and four touchdowns. Boyd finished with six TDs, after the 5-10 200-pounder returned 90- and 85-yard kickoffs for scores. He barely missed cracking 2,000 but has 1,981 yards (283 per game average) with 27 touchdowns.
Austin Tunney (Agoura, Agoura Hills)
He rushed for 242 yards and two touchdowns in 28 carries in the Lancers’ 48-32 Marmonte League victory over Thousand Oaks.
Chris Illio (Mt. Pleasant, San Jose)
He was the force behind a 20-3 victory over crosstown Yerba Buena after finishing with 240 yards and one touchdown.
Kyle Chambers (Ferndale)
The senior running back rushed 29 times for 225 yards and a score as the Wildcats ran past Eureka St. Bernard’s in a 44-20 victory.
Marcel Brown (Rio Linda)
According to the Sacramento Bee, the junior is the “lightning” in the Knights’ “thunder and lightning” backfield as he ran for 224 yards and two touchdowns during a 35-21 win over Casa Roble of Orangevale. The “thunder” comes in the form of 240-pound fullback Leo Skattebo.
Dylan Alvarado (Calistoga)
The No. 2 rusher in the NCS ran for 223 yards and four TDs in a 63-7 win over Upper Lake. He now has 1,539 yards and 21 TDs for the 7-0 Wildcats.
Rashaad Penny (Norwalk)
He only needed five carries to dash for 181 yards and hit paydirt twice in a 60-6 trouncing of crosstown Glenn. His teammate McDowell Ryan also got into the act, needing just three carries to rush for 120 yards and three touchdowns. Norwalk is looking to remain unbeaten in hopes of a CIF D2 SoCal bowl berth should Serra of Gardena move up to the open division.
Grossmont quarterback Anthony Lawrence was an All-San Diego Section first team choice as a junior. Photo: Willie Eashman.
PASSING
Anthony Lawrence (Grossmont, El Cajon)
With Christian Brooks as his leading target, he completed 29 of his 38 pass attempts on the night for 509 yards and six touchdowns during a 69-14 win over Valhalla of El Cajon.
Danny Mattero (Calvary Chapel, Santa Ana)
When you win a game by a 62-56 final score like the Eagles did on Friday night against Laguna Beach, you can expect some big offensive numbers and that’s the case here. In addition to Laguna Beach running back Nathan Lancaster rushing for 552 yards, Mattero completed 39 of his 59 pass attempts for 505 yards and five touchdowns. The two teams had a combined total offense of 1,303 yards, which also makes the state record book.
Jack Heneghan (Menlo, Atherton)
Like he’s done all season, the Knights’ quarterback and CIF Central Coast leading passer lit up the scoreboard, however despite his 498 yards and two TDs, and two more scores rushing, Menlo fell 44-25 to red hot Pacifica Terra Nova.
Tristian Hernandez (Roosevelt, Fresno)
The senior QB set many new school records by passing for 481 yards (record) on 17 of 23 and had four touchdowns in a 51-36 loss to Sunnyside of Fresno. For the season Hernandez now has 2,272 yards (record) and 22 touchdowns (record).
Angel Guillen (Prospect, Saratoga)
The 6-4, 185-pound senior quarterback and Panthers’ captain had a career game, passing for 446 yards and four touchdowns, in a 36-16 win over San Jose James Lick.
Matt Jimison (Vista del Lago, Folsom)
Had the game been a few minutes longer, Jimison would likely have set a state record for passing attempts in a game as he finished 48 of 72 for 422 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-21 loss to Cosumnes Oaks of Elk Grove. The state record of 75 passing attempts in a game was set earlier this season by Trey Tinsley from El Toro.
Cristian Solano (San Fernando)
This senior signal-caller is having a monster season for the unbeaten Tigers and he was at it again last week during a 55-7 victory over Reseda. Solano completed 21 of 24 passes for 420 yards and seven touchdowns. He also rushed for 63 yards while WR Charles Bell had five receptions for 150 yards and four touchdowns plus an interception on defense. The touchdown total puts Solano at 31 touchdowns for the season against only four interceptions. The touchdown total also set the school’s single-season game mark. Including his touchdowns on the ground, Solano has now accounted for 42 touchdowns this season.
Kyle Millwee & Richard Nourse (Shafter)
He tied his career high by passing for six touchdowns on 15 of 22 for 383 yards and he also rushed for 98 yards in a 42-0 win over Arvin. Teammate Richard Nourse added seven receptions for 263 yards and five touchdowns, which tied a section record.
Jake Wallace (Valencia)
He led a come-from-behind victory over Foothill League rival Canyon of Canyon country by throwing for 380 yards and three touchdowns. The Vikings trailed 28-6, but came roaring back to post a 35-28 victory. Wallace completed his first 14 passes of the game and the clincher was a 98-yard bomb to Nick Jones with just under four minutes left. So far through eight games this season, the senior signal-caller has passed for 2,481 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Tanner Maddox (Santiago, Corona)
The back-up quarterback made the most of his opportunity with starter Blake Barnett sidelined by a concussion by passing for a school record 370 yards to go along with five touchdowns in a 51-45 overtime victory over King of Riverside.
Michael Bowman (Poly, Pasadena)
He helped one of the CIFSS Northeast Division’s top teams improve to 7-0 with 362 yards passing and five touchdowns in a 47-30 victory over Chadwick of Rolling Hills Estates. He completed 19 of 26 passes and threw his scores to five different receivers.
Jake Browning (Folsom)
No longer throwing as much in the second half as he was earlier in the season, Browning finished 15 of 24 for 330 yards and five touchdowns while throwing just one pass in the second half of a 80-27 win over Sheldon of Sacramento.
Alexander Diamont (Venice)
Indiana-bound signal-caller passed for 326 yards on 16 of 17 passes in a 34-7 Western League win over Palisades. He threw three touchdown passes and also scored one on the ground.
RECEIVING
Alex Alcala (Heritage Chrsitian, North Hills)
Despite battling his way for seven catches for 285 yards and four touchdowns, the Warriors were on the losing end of a 41-34 final score against Whittier Christian of La Habra.
Daniel Newson (Prospect, Saratoga)
The Panthers’ senior wide receiver and defensive back just missed 300 yards receiving in a 36-14 win over San Jose James Lick. He did catch 12 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns. He also shined on defense with eight tackles.
Christian Brooks (Grossmont, El Cajon)
Catching as many passes as Valhalla of El Cajon scored points, Brooks caught 14 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns from Anthony Lawrence as the Foothillers moved to 7-1 on the season with a 69-14 win.
Alex Van Dyke (Cosumnes Oaks, Elk Grove)
With over 200 yards receiving in the first half alone, the big-time recruit caught nine passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns during a 40-21 road win over Vista del Lago of Folsom. Alex Kropp also finished the night passing for 403 yards and four touchdowns.
Donavin Washington (Charter Oak, Covina)
The Chargers didn’t need to throw the ball all game long but when they did it was often headed his way as he caught nine passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns in their 41-18 win over South Hills of West Covina.
Liam Cabrera (Canyon, Canyon Country)
He hauled in 13 passes from QB Cade Apsay for 202 yards, but his performance was ruined when Valencia came back from a 28-6 deficit late in the third quarter to post a 35-28 victory. Apsay finished with 417 yards and two touchdowns on 29 of 44 pass attempts.
Tristan Best (Downey, Modesto)
He more then did his best in the Knights’ 62-22 win over Enochs of Modesto. Best caught nine passes for 197 yards and four touchdowns.
ALL-PURPOSE
Tyrell Anderson (Center, Antelope)
His offensive numbers were solid as he passed for two touchdowns and rushed for a score but it was his work on defense that helped him get listed here as he intercepted three passes during Center’s 34-7 win over Bear River.
Tresten Keys (Oakmont, Roseville)
Scoring on both sides of the ball, Keys ran for 117 yards and three touchdowns while also intercepting a pass and returning 98 yards for a touchdown as the Vikings defeated Bella Vista of Fair Oaks 49-33.
Jorge Reyna (Downey)
Junior QB accounted for 389 yards and three touchdowns in the Vikings’ 42-6 victory over Gahr of Cerritos. He completed 12 of 16 passes for 295 yards. So far this season, he’s thrown for 1,555 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for 741 yards and seven additional touchdowns.
Alexis Robinson (Eureka)
The Loggers’ senior 6-3, 210-pound dual-threat quarterback, and the only player Eureka-area prep sports radio personality Tag Wotherspoon feels can play at the D1 college level, leveled Crescent City Del Norte, in a 35-7 victory. Robinson rushed for 172 yards and two TDs and passed for 179 yards and a score.
Squally Canada (Milpitas)
Canada will be close to Canada next fall when he’s fulfilling his commitment to play for Boise State, but for now the Trojans’ faithful want to see more of what he did in a 31-28 victory over Palo Alto. Canada rushed for 200 yards and two TDs, and scored the game-winning touchdown on a 57-yard pass reception with 1:35 left.
DEFENSE
Ben Burr-Kirven (Sacred Heart Prep, Atherton)
His name resembles Ben Hur, the Roman chariot champion played by Charlton Heston in a 1959 movie named Ben Hur, however Ben Burr-Kirven was more like a blur, paricularly on a 99-yard pass interception he returned for a touchdown, in a 45-10 win that keeps the Gators perfect at 7-0 this season. He also had a five-yard TD run, and on defense, besides the pick-six, the 6-1, 200-pound junior running back and linebacker recorded 13 tackles.
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @CalHiSports
