Above: Maranatha’s Andrew Elffers wasn’t on the preseason list last year, but the then-sophomore exploded with an offensive flurry that was much too hard to ignore, snatching top billing as the best West San Gabriel Valley quarterback.

I went through last year’s Preseason list and the actual All-Area list, and wouldn’t you know it — I was actually pretty good. Sixteen of the 25 All-Area spots were accurately chosen months before the season got underway. Not bad. I’ll actually pick this list, but you guys are my eyes out there and have seen a lot of good stuff. We know the usual suspects who will head this list, like Elffers, who last season was the No. 3 passer in the country (yes, the country) among sophomores. He completed a staggering 67 percent of his passes for 3,328 yards and 37 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 269 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Minutemen to the quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Mid-Valley Division playoffs. The other usual suspects? On defense of course you can’t ignore “Big Bad” Ellis McCarthy. The guy’s just a beast, and I mean that in the most complimentary way. Muir’s Kevon Seymour will also be on this list, but he’s a little trickier: Where do you land Seymour, on offense or defense. He was a preseason defensive back and made All-Area as a defensive back, but he’ll see plenty of action on offense where he can tear it up, too. The usual list of suspects continues with Arcadia’s Taylor Lagace and St. Francis’ Travis Talianko. As for the rest … that’s where you come in.

2011 STAR-NEWS PRESEASON ALL-AREA TEAM
OFFENSE
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RB:
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PK:

DEFENSE
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DL:
DL:
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LB:
LB:
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DB:
DB:
SS:
P: