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ALL-DE ANZA LEAGUE FOOTBALL
Defensive player of the year: Austin Dubuque, Sr., Big Bear
Offensive player of the year: Zakk Planz, Sr., Big Bear
Special teams player of the year: Chris Fui Fui, Twentynine Palms

FIRST TEAM
Derik Dubuque, Sr., Big Bear
Harley Chlebik, Sr., Big Bear
Jose Servin, Sr., Big Bear
Chili Bernal, Sr., Big Bear
Kyle McHolland Sr., Big Bear
Lucas Jenkins, Jr., Big Bear
Morgan Cole, Jr., Twentynine Palms
Nate McClain, Jr., Twentynine Palms
Iazaya Felton, Sr., Twentynine Palms
Cruze Candelaria, Sr., Twentynine Palms
David Haney, Jr., Twentynine Palms
Leekyi Waring, Sr., Twentynine Palms
A.J. Harper, Sr., Yucca Valley
Ben Hetz, Jr., Yucca Valley
Brandon Harshaw, Sr., Yucca Valley
Daniel Del Guidice, Sr., Yucca Valley
Christian Guzman, Sr., Desert Hot Springs
Erik Duran, Sr., Desert Hot Springs
Nick Martinez, Jr., Desert Hot Springs
Nolan Hayes, Sr., Desert Hot Springs
Geovanni Favela, Sr., Desert Mirage
Alexis Galarza, Sr., Desert Mirage
Oscar Lopez, Sr., Desert Mirage
Matt Arias, Sr., Shadow Hills
Jesiaha Devora, Sr., Shadow Hills
James Toland, Jr., Shadow Hills

MVP Offensive: Whitney Rodriguez, Yucca Valley
Co-MVP Defensive: Felicia Gonzales, Yucca Valley; Brittney Candelaria, 29 Palms

1st Team:
Cierra Peterson, 29 Palms
Erin Ingram, 29 Palms
Catherine Mount, 29 Palms
Heather Nava, Yucca
Lindsay Sullivan, Yucca
Miranda Huerta, Yucca
Liz Slaughter, Yucca
Miranda Moreno, Shadow Hills
Emily Lopez, Shadow Hills
Kalen Volkmann, Desert Hot Springs
Carly Jo Reeves, Big Bear
Kaisha Romney, Big Bear
Natalie Powell, Big Bear
Berenice Ceja, Desert Mirage
Leticia Garcia, Desert Mirage

2nd Team:
Rebecca Erickson, Yucca
Erin Stanford, 29 Palms
Jaymee Candelaria, 29 Palms
Teana Linares, Shadow Hills
Dalilah Castillo, Shadow Hills
Iris Guzman, Desert Hot Springs
Cara Burks, Big Bear
Cori Burks, Big Bear
Celseste Tarango, Desert Mirage
Stephanie Serrato, Desert Mirage

Honorable Mention:
Teresa Nava, Yucca
Brittny Wellock, 29 Palms
Aileen Pinedo, Shadow Hills
Kirstin Ukkasted, Desert Hot Springs
Kimi Etter, Big Bear
Nayeli Perez, Desert Mirage

Offensive Player of the Year: Taylor Ward, Shadow Hills
Defensive Player of the Year: T.J. Follett, Big Bear

First team
Owen David, Big Bear
Cody Ogg, Big Bear
Zakk Planz, Big Bear
Tyler Westplat, Big Bear
Adam Armijo, Desert Hot Springs
David Cortes, Desert Hot Springs
Nolan Hayes, Desert Hot Springs
David Newland, Desert Mirage
Gabriel Lopez, Shadow Hills
Daniel Mesa, Shadow Hills
Sean Lopez, Twentynine Palms
David Tuttle, Twentynine Palms
Colt Cooper, Yucca Valley

Second Team
Dylan Helme, Big Bear
Andrew Adair, Desert Hot Springs
Mike Miller, Desert Hot Springs
Ivan Alvarado, Desert Mirage
Javier Zazveta, Desert Mirage
Brandon Lemke, Shadow Hills
J.J. Uselton, Shadow Hills
Zach Belisle, Twentynine Palms
Zach Yantes, Twentynine Palms
Ethan Geeson, Yucca Valley

Honorable Mention
Rex Seamen, Big Bear
Josh Ballesteros, Desert Hot Springs
Ruben Magana, Desert Mirage
Tyler Wolfe, Shadow Hills
Jerek Silvas, Twentynine Palms
Jordan Eads, Yucca Valley

Offensive Player of the Year: Lindsay Sullivan, Yucca Valley
Defensive Player of the Year: Brittany Candelaria, Twentynine Palms

First Team
Shannen Bruinsma, L, Big Bear
Carolan McCollough, S, Big Bear
Vanessa Burgos, OPP, Desert Hot Springs
Sarah DeLao, DS, Desert Mirage
Daisy Gomez, S, Shadow Hills
Naomi Leutu, OH, Twentynine Palms
Sierra Peterson, L, Twentynine Palms
Taylor Adair, MH, Yucca Valley
Liz Slaughter, L, Yucca Valley
Kaitlyn Wooling, S, Yucca Valley

Second Team
Carly Jo Reeves, OH, Big Bear
Brianna Moore, MH, Desert Hot Springs
Francis Vargas, MB, Desert Mirage
Emily Gregory, OPP, Shadow Hills
Alex Herrerra, M, Twentynine Palms
Catherine Mount, OH, Twentynine Palms
Courtney Del Guidice, DS, Yucca Valley
Allesa Peterson, OH, Yucca Valley
Whitney Rodriguez, OPP, Yucca Valley

Honorable Mention
Kelsey Davis, OPP, Big Bear
Savannah Seltzer, OH, Desert Hot Springs
Rosa Gutierrez, OH, Desert Mirage
Brooke Greenup, OH, Shadow Hills
Johnette Brown, MB, Twentynine Palms
Sarah Terreri, OH, Yucca Valley

Offensive MVP: Chris Fuifui, Twentynine Palms
Defensve MVP: Austin Dubuque, Big Bear
Special Teams MVPs: Logan Miller, Twentynine Palms and Trevor Vallo, Yucca Valley

First Team
Offense
Jeremy Ogden, QB, Desert Hot Springs
Zakk Planz, QB, Big Bear
Ryan Greer, RB, Desert Hot Springs
Ernesto Quintero, RB, Desert Mirage
James Toland, RB, Shadow Hills
Tyler Westplat, RB, Big Bear
Christian Guzman, WR, Desert Hot Springs
Michael Nicholson, WR, Yucca Valley
Ojay Feesago, OL, Twentynine Palms
Tuvalo Melei, OL, Twentynine Palms
Michael Neville, OL, Yucca Valley
Davio Quintanilla, OL, Desert Mirage
Rex Seaman, OL, Big Bear

Defense
Harley Chlebik, DL, Big Bear
Paul Topoleski, DL, Big Bear
Derik Dubuque, DE, Big Bear
Thomas Ramirez, DE, Twentynine Palms
Michael Montano, LB, Yucca Valley
Derrick Nealy, LB, Twentynine Palms
George Von-Toman, LB, Yucca Valley
Brian Walters, LB, Twentynine Palms
Javier Zazueta, LB, Desert Mirage
Antonio Desmarais, DB, Desert Hot Springs
Nate McClain, DB, Twentynine Palms
Julio Suarez, DB, Shadow Hills

Its schools may be off the beaten path a bit, but there's been some very good football played in the De Anza League this year. Not coincidentally, there's quite a free-for-all for the league's two guaranteed playoff spots going on.

1. Twentynine Palms (7-2, 4-0): The Wildcats have clinched a playoff berth regardless of how they do Friday against Big Bear. A win seals up an undisputed title and the No. 1 seed out of the league while a loss puts Twentynine into the No. 2 spot by virtue of losing the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Bears.

2. Big Bear (7-2, 3-1): The Bears would clinch a playoff spot and the No. 1 seed from the league with a victory over Twentynine Palms by virtue of winning the head-to-head tiebreaker. They can also make it with a Desert Hot Springs loss to Desert Mirage. If Big Bear loses, Desert Hot Springs wins and Yucca Valley loses to Shadow Hills, Big Bear would lose out on the No. 2 spot to DSH because of the head-to-head tiebreaker. A loss coupled with DSH and Yucca wins would cause a three-way flip for the No. 2 spot, as each team would be 1-1 against the other two. Either way, the Bears are a cinch to make it as an at-large if they don't snap up one of the two automatic slots.

3. Desert Hot Springs (6-3, 2-2): The Golden Eagles would qualify as the No. 2 team out of the De Anza with a win over Desert Mirage and losses by Big Bear and Yucca Valley by virtue of owning the head-to-head tiebreaker with Big Bear. A loss by Big Bear and a win by Yucca Valley would cause a three-way flip for the last automatic playoff spot. A loss of any kind would eliminate DSH from getting an automatic berth, but the Golden Eagles would be in good shape for an at-large with a 6-4 or 7-3 overall record.

4. Yucca Valley (4-4-1, 2-2): Yucca Valley needs a win, a Desert Hot Springs win and a loss by Big Bear to get into a three-way flip for the last automatic spot. Otherwise, Yucca Valley needs a win of any sort to keep any at-large hopes alive. A loss would certainly eliminate the Trojans from all playoff consideration.

5. Desert Mirage (1-8, 1-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

6. Shadow Hills (1-8, 0-4): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

The first part of last year was a painful one for the Big Bear football team. The Bears - consistently one of the best smaller schools in the county - were breaking in a mostly-new offensive line and lost senior, Craig Hall, to a season-ending injury during a 1-5 start. But a 3-1 finish, plus a load of returning experience, has coach Dave Griffiths feeling pretty good about 2010.

"It's a very positive outlook right now," Griffiths said. "With the way we ended the season and the players we have coming back, we feel pretty good about where we are at. Last season didn't start out too well, but we kept battling and fighting and we were really starting to put some things together. That's what has us excited right now."

The positions that were in question last year - quarterback and offensive line - seem to be on point as the Bears enter this season. Junior Zakk Planz, who was thrown into the mix after Hall was hurt, won three games down the stretch - including two in De Anza League play - and has the correct mix of mobility and headiness to join Hall and current Navy quarterback Kriss Proctor as quality Big Bear triggermen.

Many years, the overall roster for the Yucca Valley High School football team barely sports more than 23 players. Needless to say, the Trojans are pumped up by a 2010 roster that has 23 seniors on the roster - something that is unheard of for smaller schools.

"We are really excited about this group of kids," Yucca Valley coach Tim Cannavo said. "The last few years we've really made an effort to get numbers up and get kids excited about this program and this is the result of it. Any time you have experience like this coming back, it's a great thing."

A third of those seniors have been starting since their sophomore year and have seen their share of success at Yucca Valley, as the Trojans have finished second in the De Anza League the past two seasons, qualifying for the playoffs both times. Yucca Valley won its first round playoff game in 2008 before losing a close quarterfinal matchup with eventual champion St. Margaret's.

Twentynine Palms has established itself as the gold standard in the De Anza League over the last three years, winning league titles all three seasons and progressing to the East Valley Division championship game in 2008. But in the midst of all this success, it's the last failure that weighs on Wildcat coach Ernie Martinez's mind.

"Our playoff loss last year was heartbreaking," Martinez said. "Losing on a Hail Mary pass to the team (Ontario Christian) that lost 12-10 in the championship game is a tough way to go out. I thought we had a really good team last year and we were close to doing something big."

Whether or not the Wildcats will do something big this year depends on how they reload. Twentynine Palms saw both of its all-CIF linebackers - Robert Caldwell and Austin Cole - graduate, along with starting QB Aaron Anderson. The Wildcats also got a tough break when running back Michael Pinto, who contributed over 800 yards of total offense and scored six touchdowns as a sophomore, moved away.

A quick cheat sheet of what it will look like the next two years.

Football playoff divisions for 2010 and 2011

CENTRAL DIVISION (one at-large)
Mt. Baldy (4 teams)
San Andreas (4 teams)
Desert Valley (3 teams)
Inland Valley (4 teams)

EASTERN DIVISION (one at-large)
Desert Sky (3 teams)
Mojave River (3 teams)
Sunkist (3 teams)
Mountain Pass (3 teams)
Sunbelt (3 teams)

EAST VALLEY DIVISION (four at-large)
Ambassador (2 teams)
De Anza (2 teams)
Mountain Valley (2 teams)
Academy (2 teams)
Alpha (2 teams)
Frontier (2 teams)

INLAND DIVISION (zero at-large)
Baseline (3 teams)
Citrus Belt (3 teams)
Sierra (3 teams)
Big 8 (4 teams)
Southwestern (3 teams)

An expansion of what I blogged about last night in reference to the new football realignments. Got a hold of some coaches on the topic. This will also run in the Sun and Bulletin tomorrow.

The playoff alignments for various sports, including football, for the 2010-2012 seasons were released by the CIF-SS offices Monday, with some interesting changes in football.

The Baseline and Sierra Leagues, which were in the Central Division the last two years, will swap back into the Inland Division to play against the Citrus Belt League, the Big 8 and the Southwestern Leagues. The Inland Valley League will swap out, moving back to the Central Division with the expanded San Andreas and Mt. Baldy Leagues and the Desert Valley League, which moves up from the Eastern Division. The Sunbelt League switches places with the Desert Valley, moving into the Eastern Division.

These changes will make life tough on the Baseline League, which ripped up the Central Division in both seasons in it. Three of the four semifinalists during the last two years were Baseline teams, with the Central Division title game being an all-Baseline affair (Rancho Cucamonga over Upland in 2008 and Upland over Los Osos in 2009) both seasons.

Another change that will impact the Baseline is the zero at-large entries in the Inland Division. Considering that the Central champion this past year, Upland, was an at-large entry from the Baseline, a brutal league will become even more cutthroat.

This one is pretty much all subjective, as the top two spots in the De Anza League are sealed up, leaving Big Bear, Desert Hot Springs and a freelance upstart to fight for bids.

1) Twentynine Palms (6-4, 4-0): The Wildcats clinched the De Anza League championship and top seed with a victory over Big Bear Saturday.

2) Yucca Valley (2-7, 2-1): The Trojans have clinched the No. 2 spot in the De Anza League, as they own head-to-head tiebreakers over Big Bear and Desert Hot Springs.

3) Big Bear (3-6, 1-2): Have to defeat Desert Hot Springs Friday to have any shot at an at-large bid, as the Bears lose the head-to-head tiebreaker in event of a win and a Yucca Valley loss. Even then, 4-6 might not be good enough to get in.

4) Desert Hot Springs (3-6, 1-2): The Golden Eagles are in the same exact boat as Big Bear, as they need to win to have any shot at an at-large bid. And it still may not be enough.

5) Desert Mirage (3-6, 0-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

And the two freelance teams, which are eligible for the East Valley playoff if I'm not mistaken.

1) Oak Hills (7-2) - I really can't see any way the Bulldogs don't make the postseason. Not only do they have a lot of wins, but they have quality wins over teams like Aquinas and Laguna Beach. Can't imagine a scenario where they wouldn't be able to play in the playoffs.

2) Citrus Valley (2-7) - Eliminated from playoff consideration.

Mountains, deserts, a lake here and there. The De Anza League has it all, including a playoff breakdown now.

1. Twentynine Palms (7-3, 3-1): The Wildcats have already clinched a playoff spot. Would grab the No. 1 spot in the league with a Big Bear loss and holds the tiebreaker over Yucca Valley by virtue of a win over the Trojans a couple weeks ago. Should Big Bear and Yucca Valley win, a three-way flip to determine the seeding for all three spots would take place.

2. Yucca Valley (5-4, 2-1): Would clinch with a win over Desert Mirage and get the No. 2 seed with a win and a Big Bear loss. A win and a Big Bear win would cause a three-way tie at the top, therefore a coin flip would determine seeding. A loss and a Big Bear win would knock the Trojans down to fourth, where they'd have to sweat out an at-large bid. A loss and a Big Bear loss would cause a three-way flip between Yucca, Big Bear and Desert Mirage for two spots.

3. Big Bear (6-2-1, 2-1): The Bears would clinch a playoff spot with a win over Desert Hot Springs or a Desert Mirage loss. They would grab the No. 1 seed in the league with a win and a Yucca Valley loss by virtue of a victory over Twentynine Palms last week. A win and a Yucca Valley win would cause a three-way flip for seeding. A loss and a Desert Mirage win would cause a three-way flip for the final two spots behind Twentynine Palms, though Big Bear would be a cinch at-large pick if available.

4. Desert Mirage (4-5, 1-2): Desert Mirage would clinch a playoff spot with a win over Yucca Valley and a Big Bear win by virtue of its win over the Trojans. A win and a Big Bear loss would cause a three-way flip for two spots, with Desert Mirage having to sweat out an at-large bid should it come short on the flips. A loss spells elimination in any and all situations more than likely.

5. Desert Hot Springs (3-6, 0-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.