After several careful discussions, this is what I’ve come up with. I don’t pretend to have the area as clocked as I will in a few months, so I leaned on other staffers for key input.
These are the best of the best heading into the season. A couple of things really stood out to me — 1. the area is loaded with offensive and defensive line talent and 2. it’s also loaded at quarterback. I tried to include the college destinations of the choices on this list so you can have an idea just how GREAT the SGVN coverage area is. As always, you’re free to tell me where I went wrong.
QB – Chad Jeffries, Glendora, Sr. (QB MVP of Nike Camp at USC; headed to San Diego St.)
RB – Mikey Vasquez, Arroyo, Sr. (1,361 yards, maybe more if he didn’t sit so many 2nd halfs)
RB – Nate Harris, Chino Hills, Sr. (Speedster also one of the best DBs around)
WR – Dennis Rufus, Charter Oak, Sr. (CO’s top playmaker already has 3 offers)
WR – Aubery Coleman, Walnut, Sr. (Headed to Washington)
ALL – Nick Bueno, Monrovia, Sr. (Mike McDonough-esque 1,461 yards rushing in ’09!)
TE – Travis Talianko, St. Francis, Jr. (All-Star-News performer as a soph.)
OL – Allen Brown, San Dimas, Sr. (All-CIF as a jr., 6-3, 250 leads way for SD ground game)
OL – Christian Orduno, Bishop Amat, Sr. (Another in a long line of stud Amat linemen)
OL – Isaac Luatua, La Mirada, Sr. (Headed to Alabama)
OL – Patrick Carroll, St. Francis, Sr. (Rivals calls him a college-ready body)
OL – Sioasi Aiono, South Hills, Sr. (Headed to Utah)
K – Sean Wale, La Habra, Jr. (6th-ranked kicker in country, according to Chris Sailer)
DL – Jeff Worthy, Whittier Christian, Sr. (Headed to Boise St.)
DL – Ellis McCarthy, Monrovia, Jr. (6-5, 245 was All-CIF in ’09 as a soph)
DL – Donell Wilson, Blair, Sr. (Has offers from Kansas and Tennessee)
DL – Austin Johnson, Chino Hills, Sr. (Cleaned 320 this summer, All-CIF last year as a jr.)
LB – Maurice Dupleasis, West Covina, Sr. (Maggiore calls him the best LB he’s had)
LB – Wardell Crutchfield III, Baldwin Park, Sr. (Headed to UTEP)
LB – Max Gama, La Mirada, Sr. (Headed to Washington St.; 81 tackles last year)
DB – Jacoby Carter, Diamond Ranch, Sr. (35 varsity starts already!)
DB – Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Chino Hills. Sr. (Best specimen in the area?)
DB – Demetrius Jackson, Baldwin Park, Sr. (Verbal to UTEP after sitting out jr. season)
DB – Will Peppard, La Habra, Sr. (Hard to believe there’s a better safety around)