Two of this week’s NorCal/SoCal players of the week are Brandon McKinney (left) of Orange Lutheran and Jack Wilkins (right No. 23) of Clovis Buchanan. Wilkins is making one of the four interceptions he had against Clovis. Photos: Twitter.com & Nick Baker/Clovis Roundup.
Eight TD passes not only gets Rancho Verde’s E.J. Stewart a weekly SoCal player of the week selection, but his name entered into the state record book. In the north, a four-interception night by Buchanan’s Jack Wilkins was too hard to miss. Others chosen this week are from Hayward, Antelope, Orange and Norco.
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Note: Stockton office assistant editor Paul Muyskens also wrote several of these player bios. For these honors, we consider CIF Central Section players for Northern California. To find out how your business could benefit by sponsoring these honors each week or to nominate your own favorite player, email markjtennis@gmail.com.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Offensive Player of the Week
Jocquil Veazey
(Mt. Eden, Hayward) Sr.
As a junior last season, Jocquil was used primarily as a receiver and defensive back. He had one game in which he caught 10 passes and came up with one interception, recovered two fumbles and forced a fumble.
This year, he’s emerged as one of the most prolific running backs in the Bay Area. In a 50-27 win last Friday over Hayward High, Veazey made it look easy with 30 carries for a season high 346 yards and scored five touchdowns.
Despite starting with just 259 yards in his first three games, Veazey bumped up his season totals to 1,575 yards and 18 touchdowns for the 5-3 Monarchs.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Defensive Player of the Week
Jack Wilkins
(Buchanan, Clovis) Sr.
Playing for former NFL defensive back Matt Giordano, who is in his first season as head coach of the Bears, Wilkins had the type of game last week for a DB that perhaps even his head coach never experienced.
Wilkins led the Buchanan defense in a 28-13 victory against Clovis with a school record four interceptions. Three of those picks came in the first half as the Bears built an early lead and held on.
Clovis came into the night at 6-1 and was looking to bounce back from a loss to Central of Fresno that dropped the Cougars from the No. 1 ranking in the CIF Central Section. Wilkins and the Buchanan defense, however, had other plans.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Special Teams Player of the Week
Isaiah Gomez
(Antelope) Jr.
As we saw on Sunday night, even for NFL kickers there is sometimes no such thing as an automatic field goal. This junior, however, made a 41-yard field goal on the final play of the game to give the Titans a 31-29 win over Del Campo of Fair Oaks.
Before his game-winning field goal to keep the Titans undefeated on the season, Gomez also was a perfect 4 for 4 on extra point attempts. Making his game-winning kick even more memorable was the fact that through the first six games he had not even attempted a field goal before missing his first attempt one week earlier.
Rancho Verde QB E.J. Stewart put his name in the state record book with 8-TD outing last week. Photo: #D1Bound.com.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Offensive Player of the Week
E.J. Stewart
(Rancho Verde, Moreno Valley) Sr.
Stewart and the Mustangs have now won seven straight games after a 62-14 win over Poly of Riverside that saw the senior quarterback throw eight touchdown passes.
Having more than half of his completions on the night end in scores, Stewart completed 13 of his 18 pass attempts for a season-high 350 yards and the eight scores without an interception. Throwing for eight TDs in one game also gets a player’s name into the state record book. The state record of 10 was last tied in 2012 by Folsom’s Jake Browning. Earlier this season on the same night, L.A. Salesian’s Robbie Blosser and Whittier Christian’s Quinn Commans both had nine.
Before his eight touchdown game, Stewart had thrown four touchdown passes in a game on three occasions this season, including in both of Rancho Verde’s previous two games. He has now thrown for 2,196 yards and 28 touchdowns in eight games.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Defensive Player of the Week
Brandon McKinney
(Lutheran, Orange) Sr.
A preseason all-state selection committed to Washington, McKinney came through when he intercepted two passes and returned them both for scores during a 49-42 win over Servite of Anaheim.
Not only did McKinney have two pick sixes and six total tackles on defense but he also added four catches for 48 yards and a score as the Lancers came from behind for the win in the fourth quarter.
For the season, McKinney now has three interceptions and 51 total tackles on defense along with three touchdown catches on offense.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Special Teams Player of the Week
Lukas Havrisik
(Norco) Sr.
While he may have had a little less pressure than our NorCal Special Teams Player of the Week, this senior still had a big night kicking the ball, which included a 51-yard field goal during a 49-10 win over Santiago of Corona.
On the night, Havrisik was a perfect 5 for 5 on extra point attempts while kicking two field goals. He also had all eight of his kickoffs result in touchbacks while averaging 39 yards per punt and putting one of his three punts inside the 20-yard line.
On the year, Havrisik has now made 31 extra points and nine field goals.
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
