Hunter Rodrigues had a spectacular outing for Whitney of Rocklin and the team earned a listing in the state record book. Unfortunately, it’s in the category of most points scored in a loss. The Wildcats fell 57-55 to Oak Ridge. Photo: PlacerHerald.com.
Annual regular football feature returns with top reported single-game performances from around the state. This week’s best includes “The Dude” from Citrus Hill, two of the top sophomores in the nation and more than 600 yards of offense from Whitney of Rocklin’s Hunter Rodrigues.
Note: We will collect totals from MaxPreps, CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett, newspapers, tweets and from those sent in to us. We also will compile single-game highs from this post throughout the season and of course we use our weekly State Stat Stars collection as an aid for the Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book. That is the only state record book anyone has ever done and we have published it seven times with full copyright protection. To report totals to us for this feature and for the record book, email markjtennis@gmail.com or call 209-463-9050. You can also text to 209-608-1317.
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(All players listed in alphabetical order)
(For games played through Saturday, August 29)
(Contributing: Stockton office assistant editor Paul Muyskens)
To read about the six players featured as our NorCal/SoCal Players of the Week, CLICK HERE.
Drake Beasley (Loyola, Los Angeles)
The junior running back made Cub fans happy and made others realize there’s perhaps more to the team this year than just the secondary with 273 yards on 22 carries and four TDs in just two quarters of work in Loyola’s season opening 34-0 win over Harvard-Westlake.
Nick Chapman (Aliso Niguel, Aliso Viejo)
He completed 29 of 40 passes for 375 yards and five TDs to lead his team past Marina of Huntington Beach 40-21.
Matt Corral (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village)
Standout sophomore got hot in the fourth quarter and ended 17 of 28 for 262 yards and three TDs as the Lions defeated Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks 41-34. In the same game, Corral also rushed for 71 yards and two TDs.
Quentin Davis (St. John Bosco, Bellflower)
With Josh Rosen getting ready to start at UCLA, this senior who had just 10 pass attempts all last season will throw many more this year. In his first start, Davis was 18 of 22 for 363 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions as the Braves defeated La Mirada 76-8 in their season opener. He also carried the ball six times for 60 yards with a long run of 20 yards.
Mikey Dean (Chaffey, Ontario)
Chaffey fans wanted to be like Mike after they watched him rumble for 320 yards on 29 carries and score four times in a 35-6 triumph vs. Lakeside of Lake Elsinore.
Dylan Eldred (Elk Grove)
Not did Eldred pick off a pair of passes for the Thundering Herd in their 38-7 victory over Reno High, but he returned one of the thefts for a touchdown.
Jacob Fimbres (Sonora, La Habra)
Preseason All-Orange County running back sparked Raiders past Whittier 41-23 with 26 carries for 292 yards and six TDs.
Devin Floyd (Citrus Hill, Perris)
His page on MaxPreps has him listed as Devin “The Dude” Floyd and this 5-foot-8, 180-pound senior was more like “The Man” during the Hawks’ 28-21 win over Rancho Verde of Moreno Valley as he carried the ball 38 times for 232 yards and three touchdowns.
Quentin Davis (St. John Bosco, Bellflower)
With Josh Rosen getting ready to start at UCLA, this senior who had just 10 pass attempts all last season will throw many more this year. In his first start, Davis was 18 of 22 for 363 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions as the Braves defeated La Mirada 76-8 in their season opener. He also carried the ball six times for 60 yards with a long run of 20 yards.
Tristan Gebbia (Calabasas)
The junior QB opened what he hopes will be a banner season with 377 yards passing as the Coyotes topped Canyon of Canyon Country 48-14.
Tulare’s Romello Harris could end the season as the all-time career rushing leader for the CIF Central Section. Photo: stepitupcamps.com.
Romello Harris (Tulare)
Moving into the CIF Central Section all-time career rushing top 10 list, Harris carried 30 times for 333 yards and five touchdowns during a 41-14 win over El Diamante of Visalia. For his career, he has now rushed for 5,701 yards.
Marcus Howard & Tayvian Cunningham (Wood, Vacaville)
It could be a great season for the Wildcats and this duo. They won in their opener 47-22 over Vista del Lago of Folsom and both had huge outings. Howard completed 21 of 23 for 381 yards and four TDs. Cunningham caught 12 balls for 228 yards and two scores.
Jacob Huff & Patrick O’Brien (San Juan Hills, SJ Capistrano)
In a 34-20 win vs. San Clemente, Huff hauled in 16 passes for 201 yards and a pair of scores. Highly recruited QB Patrick O’Brien went 30 of 36 for 322 yards and three TDs.
Morgan Hurst (Del Oro, Loomis)
Junior DB was a spark on defense with a pair of interceptions (helping the team get four) as Del Oro smoked Pleasant Grove of Utah, 41-0.
Jullen Ison (Moreau Catholic, Hayward)
Jullen was jamming all over the field for the Mariners in their 33-14 victory against St. Mary’s of Berkeley. The promising junior ended with 30 carries for 305 yards and two TDs.
Ray Jackson III (Clayton Valley, Concord)
Operating against the defending Division I NorCal champs from Folsom, Jackson debuted as the feature back for the Ugly Eagles. Although it wasn’t enough in a 27-26 loss, Jackson dipped and dashed for 245 yards on 28 carries and scored once.
Tyler Lytle & Aaron Simpson (Servite, Anaheim)
Yes, the Friars can throw it with Travis Waller now at Oregon. In their 45-7 victory vs. Fountain Valley, Lytle lit it up for 424 yards passing and two scores. Simpson caught six passes for 235 yards and two both TDs.
Shadeed Madyn (Madison, San Diego)
Sparking the Warhawks to a surprisingly one-sided 44-7 win over El Capitan of Lakeside (last year’s SoCal team in the D3 state bowl game), Madyn returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score and also came up with a 42-yard punt return TD.
Alexander Mattison (San Bernardino)
Carrying the ball just 13 times, one of our preseason all-Inland Empire picks rushed for 313 yards and scored six touchdowns during a 44-14 win over Arroyo Valley of San Bernardino.
Fort Bragg’s Kaylor Sullivan nearly passed for 500 yards in the first game of his senior season. Photo: Courtesy school.
Isaac Mendibles (Montebello)
While his 154 yards rushing and one touchdown on 18 carries wasn’t that spectacular, Isaac also caught three passes for 51 yards and one score and he ran back two kickoffs for touchdowns. It all came in a 44-30 victory over El Monte.
T.J. Pledger (Chaminade, West Hills)
One of the top sophomores in the state, Pledger plunged forward for 208 yards and scored five times when the Eagles beat St. Bonaventure of Ventura 32-30. Most of Pledger’s yards came in the second half when Chaminade took the lead. He also ended with nine receptions for 70 yards.
Ben Purcell (Del Campo, Fair Oaks)
This was a performance that was good to see since the Cougars have been hit hard with the death of assistant coach Carlos Francies, a Contra Costa County sheriff who drowned last month at Lake Tahoe after going into the water to help someone he thought was drowning. Purcell finished with six touchdown passes as Del Campo thumped Edison of Stockton 63-14.
Evan Rios (Madera)
Tying his own school record, Rio kicked four field goals and four extra points to help the Coyotes opened the season with a 42-39 win over Los Banos.
Hunter Rodrigues (Whitney, Rocklin)
Younger brother of former Whitney standout Jake Rodrigues, Hunter did his best in an upset attempt by the Wildcats to topple Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills. Rodrigues completed a whopping 42 of 53 pass attempts for 459 yards and seven TDs. He also rushed 22 times for 156 yards and another score. It all still couldn’t result in a win. Oak Ridge earned a 57-55 victory.
Keyron Scott (Tehachapi)
Starting his junior year with a career-high performance, Scott rushed for 286 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries as the Warriors defeated Foothill of Bakersfield 49-2.
Kaylor Sullivan (Fort Bragg)
The senior QB broke his own school single game passing yardage record in less than three quarters of play in Fort Bragg’s 54-8 triumph vs. South Fork of Miranda. Sullivan’s numbers were 30 of 45 for 493 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions. Junior wideout Lucas Triplett also broke the school single game receiving yardage record with eight catches for 190 yards and four TDs. Triplett also had an interception on defense.
Donovan Switalski (East Nicolaus, Nicolaus)
While it came in a losing effort, Switalski rushed for 403 yards and four touchdowns during a 30-26 loss by the Spartans against Fall River of McArthur. His performance was 57 yards away from breaking the CIF Northern Section record for rushing yards in a game. That record is held by Chris DeHart from Big Valley of Bieber, who rushed for 459 yards in a game back in 1971.
Tim Tague (Miramonte, Orinda)
The Matadors may have another prolific QB in Tague. He tagged Pinole Valley of Pinole with some big numbers in the team’s 52-42 season-opening win. All he did was complete 27 of 44 passes for 473 yards and seven touchdowns.
Matt Torres (Folsom)
In a game that we attended, Torres was all over the field and was credited with a reported 22 tackles, including one sack and three tackles for loss, as the Bulldogs defeated Clayton Valley of Concord 27-26. Even Clayton Valley head coach Tim Murphy commented about the effort on our game story.
Joel Villareal (Banning, Wilmington)
Coming off a sophomore season that saw him average just over 150 yards per game and rush for 1,508 yards and eight touchdowns, Villareal started his junior year by rushing for 239 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries during a 21-14 win for the Pilots over South East of South Gate.
Victor Viramontes (Norco)
Wow, that was quite an opening for the Cougars and their QB vs. Etiwanda. They wound up winning 66-13. Viramontes ran for 215 yards and three TDs on just 11 carries. He also passed for 110 yards and a pair of scores.
Miguel Wharton (Sierra Pacific, Hanford)
Scoring in multiple ways, he rushed for nearly 300 yards and two touchdowns, intercepted a pass and returned it for a score and on special teams he returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns during a 61-0 win over Parlier.
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
