Recently in Dennis Taylor Category

Eight county players highlight the Southern California All-Star team for the first SoCal vs. Arizona All-Star Game, which will be held Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Surprise Baseball Complex in Surprise, Ariz. Cajon quarterback Thomas Carter, Colton linebacker Devan Hussey, Redlands offensive lineman Jordan Smith and defensive lineman John Siliga, Redlands East Valley defensive backs Taylor Fernandez and Josh Armstrong and Kaiser linebackers Davonte Manning and Dennis Taylor will be playing Saturday for the SoCal team, which will have an all-star cast of retired coaches at the helm.

Former Fontana and Kaiser coach Dick Bruich will be part of a staff that includes former Claremont coach Bob Baiz and former Damien coach Dick Larson.

Just got off the phone with Kaiser coach Phil Zelaya, who said that three players will be signing National Letters of Intent to Division I schools tomorrow at the school at 9 a.m. Signing will be defensive back Desman Carter (Nevada), linebacker Dennis Taylor (Portland State) and defensive end Walter Earnest (UC Davis).

San Gorgonio also has announced the signing time for offensive lineman Paul Rodriguez, who will sign with San Diego State. Rodriguez will sign with the Aztecs at 8 a.m. tomorrow at San G in room C-34.

Kaiser and Summit make out with the superlatives, with Kaiser RB Jimmy Awolesi nabbing offensive MVP honors while Kaiser LB Dennis Taylor and Summit DB Donte Deayon split defensive MVP honors.

Superlatives
Offensive MVP: Jimmy Awolesi, RB, Sr., Kaiser
Defensive MVP: Dennis Taylor, LB, Sr., Kaiser and Donte Deayon, DB, Jr., Summit

First Team
Offense
Bernard Porter, QB, Jr., Summit
J.R. Vallejo, QB, Sr., Patriot
Montigo Alford, RB, Sr., Summit
Nano Martinez, RB, Jr., Patriot
Edward Randolph, RB, Sr., Bloomington
Ryan Ruiz, RB, Jr., Norte Vista
Damar Sowell, RB, Sr., Patriot
Devon Blackmon, WR, Sr., Summit
Dwayne Brown, WR, Sr., Kaiser
Alex Cruz, WR, Sr., Bloomington
Jose Vizcarra, WR, Sr., Patriot
Rey Sanchez, TE, Sr., Norte Vista
Gary Dixon, OL, Sr., Summit
Jose Hernandez, OL, Jr., Norte Vista
Nick LeFay, OL, Sr., Kaiser
Ben Reyes, OL, Sr., Patriot
Devon Swan, OL, Jr., Summit
Novian Watson, OL, Sr., Kaiser
Anthony Burciaga, K, Jr., Summit

Defense
Matthew Ceja, DL, Sr., Summit
Walter Earnest, DL, Sr., Kaiser
Xavier Evans, DL, Sr., Kaiser
Chris Lavender, DL, Sr., Bloomington
Raul Ramirez, DE, Sr., Kaiser
Keenan Sykes, DE, So., Summit
Nikko Taylor, DE, Jr., Summit
Joe Canada, OLB, Sr., Norte Vista
DaVonte Manning, OLB, Sr., Kaiser
Jamaal Williams, OLB, Jr., Summit
Alex Beam, ILB, Jr., Jurupa Valley
Anthony Flores, ILB, Jr., Kaiser
Brandon Lallande, ILB, Sr., Summit
Nick Shaw, ILB, Sr., Summit
Jameel Erving, DB, Sr., Summit
Kindrick Haynes, DB, Sr., Kaiser
Joseph Henderson, DB, Sr., Summit
Sukhjit Singh, DB, Sr. Patriot

A new wrinkle we added this year, the preseason all-area team wasn't very easy to put together. But I'm sure these guys will make me look somewhat smart.

OFFENSE
QB - Thomas Carter, Sr., Cajon
RB - Dillon Pretzinger, Sr., Rim of the World
RB - Jeremiah Armstead, Sr., Oak Hills
RB - Tyler Ervin, Sr., Colton
WR - Paul Pitts, Sr., Los Osos
WR - Angel Rivera, Sr., Arroyo Valley
TE - Rodney Hardrick, Sr., Colton
OL - Jamal Prater, Sr., Etiwanda
OL - Jordan Smith, Sr., Redlands
OL - Hector Sotelo, Sr., Serrano
OL - Gary Dixon, Sr., Summit
OL - Jesus Cortez, Sr., Chaffey
Util - Devon Blackmon, Sr., Summit
K - Cody Madsen, Sr., Redlands East Valley

DEFENSE
DL - Ethan Hillyer, Sr., Serrano
DL - John Siliga, Sr., Redlands
DL - Devon Lewis, Sr., Redlands East Valley
DL - Kyle Jerkins, Sr., Apple Valley
LB - Devan Hussey, Sr., Colton
LB - Dennis Taylor, Sr., Kaiser
LB - Jamal Wilson, Sr., Miller
LB - Jimmy Musgrave, Sr., Silverado
DB - Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Sr., Chino Hills
DB - Josh Armstrong, Sr., Redlands East Valley
DB - Desman Carter, Sr., Kaiser
DB - Demontae Kazee, Jr., Cajon
Util - Sateki Finau, Sr., Rancho Cucamonga
P - Jake Van Ginkel, Sr., Upland

On the surface, Kaiser suffered devastating losses from its CIF-SS Eastern Division semifinalist team of a year ago, with running back/defensive back and all-Sun Player of the Year Anthony Brown heading off to USC and All-CIF linebacker Josh Shirley now at Washington. But you don't win nine straight Sunkist League titles, as the Cats have, without having the ability to reload.

"We lost two great football players, guys that really were big for us last year," Kaiser coach Phil Zelaya said. "We don't have those guys coming back, but two guys do not make a football team. We feel that we have a lot of guys coming back that can really help us, guys that were with us on the run to the semifinals last year and that have a lot to offer."

Kaiser looks equipped for another long playoff run, as they have 13 starters returning from last year's team and 29 seniors in all. There may not be the high-level recruits a la Brown and Shirley, but the Cats will have their typical hardnosed, physical, well-schooled unit ready to go.