Tarnell Pollard from Prospect of Saratoga is the new San Francisco Bay Area record holder for most yards receiving in a game. Photo: Courtesy Prospect H.S.
Presented by Le Boulanger, we are starting a new feature highlighting the most outstanding players from the South Bay/Peninsula region of the CIF Central Coast Section. This week’s three honorees are Tarnell Pollard from Prospect of Saratoga, Andrew Robinson from Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton and Christian Rita of Milpitas. CLICK HERE for details on how South Bay/Peninsula football fans can win 2 free San Francisco 49ers tickets.
For details on San Francisco 49ers ticket giveaway at Levi’s Stadium, CLICK HERE
Le Boulanger South Bay/Peninsula
Offensive Player of the Week
Tarnell Pollard (Prospect, Saratoga) Sr.
The 5-foot-6, 155-pound wide receiver and defensive back may be slightly diminutive in stature but not only did he come up huge in a 45-33 road victory at San Jose Lynbrook, Pollard was pretty much a one-man wrecking crew.
On the receiving end, he got a lot of help from junior quarterback Samuel Adams, but the reality is he got most of the 355 yards receiving he registered (11 receptions, four touchdowns) on his own. According to head coach Mike Suarez, an 80-yard TD reception came on a slant where the shifty and elusive Pollard avoided three tackles and then exploded to the house. Then when the Panthers were backed up third and long on their own 3-yard line, Adams found Pollard and he broke away to go 97 yards to pay dirt. On defense, Pollard had an interception, blocked a field goal and recovered a fumble he returned 68 yards.
According to our own Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book & Almanac, Pollard’s 355 yards receiving is a new all-time single game record for the San Francisco Bay Area and CIF Central Coast Section. The previous records were 340 yards for Cameron Rowland of Pleasanton Foothill (2009) and 318 yards for Fernando Olivares of Watsonville (2009). Don’t feel bad for Fernando because he also had six TD catches in the same game (which is still tied for the NorCal record).
Just last year, Prospect’s Daniel Newson posted the third-best total in CCS history when he caught 12 passes for 294 yards in a 38-14 win over James Lick of San Jose.
“Tarnell has been doing boot camp training since beginning of summer and all his hard work is paying off,” Suarez told Cal-Hi Sports. Of note, Adams completed 22 of 36 passes for 482 yards and six touchdowns.
For details on S.F. 49ers ticket giveaway for Levi’s Stadium, CLICK HERE
Le Boulanger South Bay/Peninsula
Defensive Player of the Week
Andrew Robinson (Sacred Heart Prep, Atherton) Sr.
When a team is the defending CIF Northern California Division III Bowl Game champion and state runner-up, and returns almost all its big stars, an air of expectation goes along with the next season.
Never mind the team is without its biggest star, Ben Burr-Kirven, the expectations and a desire to return to Carson for another shot at a state title do not subside.
In order for the team to stay in contention until Burr-Kirven returns, and 3-0 to start the season, others have had to step up.
That’s exactly where Robinson, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound linebacker/running back comes in. Last week in a 27-21 victory against visiting Division I enrollment Salinas that improved the Gators’ record to 3-0, Robinson was a key factor on defense with 15 tackles and a batted pass.
As a fullback, he only had four rushes and did not score, but he leads the team with two rushing TDs this season. Against Salinas, he also caught a 35-yard pass out of the backfield that helped set up a score.
Le Boulanger South Bay/Peninsula
Special Teams Player of the Week
Christian Rita (Milpitas) Jr.
One of the reasons the Trojans are knocking on the door of the State 25 rankings is they just pulled off a 31-17 win on the road at previously state-ranked San Jose Valley Christian, and they have a ton of talented players that are getting the job done in a 3-0 start to this season.
Rita, a 6-foot, 180-pound wide receiver and defensive back who also is a starting guard on the Trojans’ basketball team, had the game’s two biggest plays.
First, he grabbed the only punt he returned in the game and weaved his way 99 yards for a touchdown. He also only caught one pass in the game, but on that one he pranced 80 yards to the house.
The week before, in a 54-7 win over Newark Memorial of Newark, Rita returned a punt 58 yards for a touchdown.
Note: To send in nominations for next week’s Le Boulanger South Bay/Peninsula Players of the Week, send info to markjtennis@gmail.com or to marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Please include usable photo if possible as well, which means not from a newspaper or major national website.
Harold Abend is the associate editor of CalHiSports.com and the vice president of the California Prep Sportswriters Association. He can be reached at marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @HaroldAbend
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
One Comment
SHP would like to get to the state bowl again, but looks like this team is headed to the CCS Open Division playoffs (since they are favorites in their league unless Burlingame wins league) . That will bump them up against teams like Serra, Valley Christian, Milpitas, Los Gatos, Bellarmine, Mitty, St Francis, etc. Don’t see SHP defeating any of those teams in the playoffs.