Two of California’s top five football-basketball players for the 2013-14 school year were Drew Anderson (left) from Miramonte of Orinda and Robbie Berwick of Atascadero. Both were quarterbacks in football. Photos: SportStars Magazine & Ronnie Flores.
There are 20 honorees broken up with five on first team plus five more on second, third and fourth. Then we have even more listed as Grid-Hoop athletes of distinction. Alex Van Dyke is joined by Drew Anderson, Robbie Berwick, Bryce Dixon and Damonte Holiday on first team.
To check out writeup of Grid-Hoop Player of the Year Alex Van Dyke, CLICK HERE.
Attention young athletes: To check out info and to sign up for the first-ever Cal-Hi Sports/Gold Medal Excellence All-Sports Speed Camp and All-State Football Combine, CLICK HERE for June 22 event in Bakersfield.
To read our breakdowns on state rankings in both sports, why some rankings moves were made, which teams are on the bubble and for more rankings/state record content, you need to be a member of our Gold Club. It’s a great deal at less than $2 per month. Join our team today by CLICKING HERE.
Here are the complete Cal-Hi Sports Grid-Hoop All-State Teams for the 2013-14 school year (selections and writeups by Mark Tennis & Ronnie Flores):
FIRST TEAM
Drew Anderson (Miramonte, Orinda) 6-3 Sr.
Wow, what a senior year Anderson had in both sports, so much so that we can say he was second only to Alex Van Dyke in our statewide grid-hoop evaluations. In football, Anderson quarterbacked Miramonte to the CIF North Coast Section Division II title with 4,074 yards passing and 47 touchdowns. He threw for 439 yards alone when the Matadors knocked off previously unbeaten Casa Grande in the section final. In basketball, Anderson led the Mats on a run in the section and NorCal D3 playoffs. He ended with averages of 21.3 points with 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
Robbie Berwick (Atascadero) 6-3 Sr.
Robbie will head off to Florida State to play basketball as one of the most decorated multi-sport athletes in the history of San Luis Obispo County. He set a school record in football with 32 touchdown passes and was the North County Player of the Year. His future is as a point guard in basketball. He was a four-year starter for the Greyhounds and as a senior averaged 19.3 points per game. He was all-state in basketball for his division and was all-CIFSS in football for his division as well.
Bryce Dixon (St. Bonaventure, Ventura) 6-4 Sr.
He moves up from last year’s second team after earning second team all-state honors in football at tight end for a 8-4 team. As a junior on the hardwood, Dixon averaged 13 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and as a senior he upped those norms to 17.3 ppg and 6.7 rpg. He was a cinch first team all-Tri-Valley League choice in hoops and signed with USC for football.
Damonte Holiday (Hoover, San Diego) WR/DB 5-11 Sr.
This 5-foot-11, 175-pounder is just one of those athletes who may not be getting the high recruiting attention, but is explosive and nearly equally good in both sports. On the gridiron, this wide receiver-defensive back hauled in 22 receptions for 542 yards (24.6 ypc) and five touchdowns. On defense, he came up with 42 tackles, five for loss and four interceptions for an 8-4 club. In hoops, Holiday teamed with Miles Nolan-Webb to lead the Cardinals to a 18-12 season. He averaged 16.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.3 apg and 2.5 spg.
Alex Van Dyke (Cosumnes Oaks, Elk Grove) 6-4 Sr.
This year’s Grid-Hoop Player of the Year was actually a four-year starter in basketball, but like his father, a former standout at Burbank of Sacramento, football is his future. Van Dyke caught 25 touchdown passes the past two seasons. Matt Barnes (the Sac Joaquin Section’s last Grid-Hoop POY) led the state in touchdown receptions with 26 during the 1997 season.
Norwalk’s Rashaad Penny stepped right from football directly into basketball.
SECOND TEAM
Deven Boston (Buena Park) 6-1 Sr.
Another elite team repeater, Boston followed up on a spectacular junior season on the gridiron with 2,112 yards rushing and 33 touchdowns while earning all-CIFSS Southwest Division honors at running back. Headed to Azusa Pacific for football, Boston rushed for 5,170 yards in his career. In hoops, Buena Park was below .500 but not because of Boston’s efforts. He led the team in scoring (13.9 ppg), rebounding (11.1 rpg) and blocked shots (1.5 bpg).
Sheldon Croney (Garces, Bakersfield) 6-1 Jr.
Croney was the only sophomore on last year’s elite team and this year he makes the jump to the second five. The nephew of former Pro Bowl linebacker and Bakersfield Foothill running back Joey Porter, Croney was a second team underclass all-state choice after rushing for a whopping 2,377 yards on 332 carries and scoring 29 total touchdowns for a 10-3 team that advanced to the CIF Central Section Division II title game. The past two seasons, Croney has rushed for 3,810 yards. In hoops, Croney displayed a fine all around game by averaging 12.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.9 steals for a 19-10 club.
Keisean Lucier-South (Lutheran, Orange) 6-5 Jr.
He had a breakout junior year and could be a state athlete of the year candidate next year if he doesn’t choose to leave early for college. In football, Lucier-South earned first team underclass all-state and All-Orange County honors as a pass rusher for a 7-4 Lancer team. He really blew up at the L.A. Nike Camp and this July will compete at The Opening alongside many of the nation’s top football players. Hooping in the tough Trinity League, Lucier-South averaged 9.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg, and 1.1 spg for an underclass-dominated team.
Rashaad Penny (Norwalk) 6-1 Sr.
Wing player led the Lancers’ basketball team in scoring (14.9 ppg), rebounding (8.1 rpg) and steals (1.6) and was one of the top players in the Suburban League. But make no mistake, Penny gets the nod on the second team because of his football exploits. He was named co-Player of the Year in the CIFSS Southeast Division and was first team all-state after leading the Lancers to the division final where they lost in overtime to Whittier La Serna. Penny rushed for 2,504 yards rushing with 41 touchdowns, added 665 receiving yards and scored 53 total touchdowns. He’s headed to San Diego State for football.
L.J. Reed (Cosumnes Oaks, Elk Grove) 6-3 Jr.
Based just on season scoring averages, Reed might not have ranked as a second teamer but he ramped up his play in the last month of the season and was often just as effective as teammate Alex Van Dyke in the biggest games. In helping the team reach the NorCal D2 final, Reed had 23 points in a win over St. Mary’s of Stockton and 19 against Grant of Sacramento. He averaged 11.8 points per game and led Cosumnes Oaks in rebounding and assists. In football, Reed had 30 catches for nearly 400 yards and nine TDs. He’s one of the top recruits for Northern California in the Class of 2015 and will join Van Dyke at UCLA.
THIRD TEAM
Josiah Deguara (Folsom) 6-2 Jr.
There were several grid-hoopers on Folsom’s basketball team that played St. John Bosco in the CIF Division II state final. While Lukas Hendricks and Cody Creason had their moments, Deguara makes this squad for averaging 8.7 ppg and also was second on the team in assists. In football, he also emerged as one of the leading targets for record-breaking passer Jake Browning. Deguara ended with 104 catches for 1,354 yards and 16 TDs.
Roy Hemsley is a offensive tackle and defensive end at D4 Windward who is one of the top grid-hoopers for this school year.
Roy Hemsley (Windward, Los Angeles) 6-6 Jr.
With Jordan Polland of La Jolla Country Day unable to participate this year, Hemsley emerged as SoCal’s top offensive line-power forward grid-hooper. This small school terror is more well-known as a rugged basketball player, but his future is clearly on the gridiron. He’s already committed to USC as an offensive tackle prospect. In hoops, Hemsley was the most consistent performer for an underclass dominated club that advanced to the CIFSS Division IV-A final.
Nifae Lealao (Capital Christian, Sacramento) 6-6 Sr.
It was hard to Nifae to score much on a balanced squad in basketball led by Michigan-bound D.J. Wilson, but he was a key starter for the NorCal Open Division finalists and averaged 9.9 points per game. He also was second on the team in rebounding. In football, the 280-bound Lealao was second team all-state after collecting 14 sacks and 71 tackles. He will play next at Vanderbilt. Lealao also was named second team All-Metro in basketball by the Sacramento Bee.
Trevante Richard (Merced) 6-4 Sr.
A rare choice as Central California Conference MVP for both football and basketball, Richard’s father Travis was a hoops standout for the Bears. On the gridiron, Trevante hauled in 51 receptions for 730 yards and 10 touchdowns for an 8-3 club. In hoops, he was the leading scorer (13.2 ppg) and rebounder (5.2 rpg) for a balanced 23-8 squad that advanced to the NorCal regional playoffs.
Andrew Zolintakis (Campolindo, Moraga) 6-2 Sr.
In football, Zolintakis’ emergence as a quarterback was the prime reason why the Cougars emerged as a big-time threat for the CIF NorCal Division III bowl game. They ended 11-1 and he finished with 2,685 yards passing with 33 TD passes and just six interceptions. In basketball, Zolintakis was the top player for a Campo squad that was among the top 15 in the Bay Area all season. He averaged 18 ppg and had 38 points in a NorCal regional playoff loss to Archbishop Riordan of San Francisco.
FOURTH TEAM
Brandon Boyd (Alemany, Mission Hills) 6-0 Sr.
Hard-hitting defensive back in football almost didn’t make this year’s team but not because of ability or injury. Last summer, Boyd decided to concentrate on basketball but had a change of heart right before the football season began. He earned all-CIFSS Pac-5 Division honors as a utility player and helped Alemany win three Serra League titles in football. In hoops, Boyd was the senior leader on a young club and as a sophomore helped Alemany win the Division III state title.
Eban Jackson (Narbonne, Harbor City) QB 6-4 Sr.
After transferring over from Long Beach Poly, Jackson quarterbacked the Gauchos to the L.A. City Division I title game by passing for 1,374 yards and throwing 14 touchdowns against one interception. He added seven touchdowns and 345 yards rushing. In hoops, Jackson was an athletic defender and scorer around the basket who helped Narbonne advance to the section semifinals. He averaged 8.5 points while leading the team in rebounding (7.7 rpg) and blocks (1.1 bpg).
Elite 11 Finals QB Manny Wilkins from San Marin of Novato Photo: Tom Hauck (Student Sports).
Da’Vion Telfor (Lincoln, San Francisco) 6-2 Sr.
After ranking as one of the top football players and basketball players in the CIF San Francisco Section for the last two seasons, Telfor gains an all-state honor as a grid-hooper. He rushed for 1,500 yards last season in football for a Mustangs’ squad that lost to Galileo on Turkey Day. In basketball, Telfor was one of the top two players for a team that knocked off De La Salle of Concord in the CIF NorCal Division I playoffs.
Manny Wilkins (San Marin, Novato) 6-3 Sr.
After a third straight standout football season, Wilkins stepped onto the basketball court and immediately knocked down 25 points in his first game. He finished with a 12.2 per game scoring average. Wilkins, who was chosen all-state in football in the multi-purpose category, has signed with Arizona State.
Charles Wright (Beckman, Irvine) 6-3 Sr.
The powerful Wright, who will join Grid-Hoop all-state teammate Nifae Lealao at Vanderbilt, averaged 13.3 points with 8.5 rebounds per game on the court. He also had outings of 21, 21, 23 and 23 points. In football, Wright may eventually become a linebacker but at Beckman he was on the defensive line and had 9 ½ sacks. He was all-league twice and Cal-Hi Sports all-state medium schools.
More Grid-Hoop Athletes of Distinction:
Justin Abney (Enterprise, Redding) 5-9 Jr.
Devin Asiasi (De La Salle, Concord) 6-3 Soph.
Breland Brandt (Windward, Los Angeles) 6-4 Soph.
Jalen Canty (St. Patrick-St. Vincent, Vallejo) 6-8 Sr.
Iman Chatman-Dixon (Mater Dei Catholic, Chula Vista) 6-2 Sr.
Andre Chevalier (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 5-9 Jr.
Marco Cobian (Ramona) 6-4 Soph.
Oronde Crenshaw (Costa Mesa) 6-0 Sr.
Kory Fox (Mt. Carmel, San Diego) 6-1 Sr.
D.J. Gentry (Chavez, Stockton) 5-10 Sr.
Michael Hatfield (Manteca) 6-4 Sr.
Leandre Jefferson (Mission Oak, Tulare) RB 5-11 Jr.
Hunter Johnson (Sierra, Manteca) 6-2 Sr.
Lucas Johnson (Mt. Carmel, San Diego) 6-3 Soph.
Jaylend Jones (Terra Nova, Pacifica) 5-10 Sr.
Ricky McCoy (Roosevelt, Fresno) 6-4 Jr.
Luis Medearis (View Park, Los Angeles) 6-4 Sr.
Elijah Porchia (Mission Oak, Tulare) 5-10 Sr.
Kavi Ram (Orland) 6-1 Sr.
John Luke Reinke (Tri-City Christian, Vista) 6-1 Sr.
Kai Ross (Huntington Beach) 6-3 Sr.
Christian Solano (San Fernando) 6-3 Sr.
Brady White (Hart, Newhall) QB 6-2 Jr.
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
