Meet the 47 players who made our 2nd Annual All-NorCal Football roster.
WELCOME to the 2nd Annual SportStars All-NorCal Football Team selections.
Since this is likely the first time you’ll have seen our All-NorCal Team package, let me briefly explain our selection process. The team is determined by our editor, Chace Bryson, and the handful of writers who covered the most football for us over the course of the season.
Rather than take the traditional first- and second-team approach, we came up with the idea of selecting a 46-man roster (this year, we cheated and pushed it to 47). Every player chosen is considered an All-NorCal selection. Then for fun, we denote our starters on both sides of the ball.
OFFENSE
STARTERS
QB – JAKE BROWNING | Folsom | Sr. | 6-2, 210
OFFENSIVE PLAYER of the YEAR
Three-year starter became the most prolific quarterback NorCal has ever seen, setting or equaling national marks for career TDs (239) and single-season TDs (91) as well as the state mark for career yards (16,775). Browning led the Bulldogs to the CIF Division I State Bowl Championship and finished with 5,790 yards and 91 TDs with just seven INTs.
Just a junior, Custer will have a chance to go down as the most productive RB ever for a program with a rich history at the position. He rushed for 1,942 yards and 24 TDs without a single fumble lost. He also had a receiving and a special teams TD. In the CIF Open Div. Bowl, he rushed for 268 yards and 4 TDs to help the Spartans win 63-42.
RB — MILES HARRISON | Clayton Valley Charter-Concord | Sr. | 5-10, 205
No player meant more to a NorCal CIF Bowl representative than Harrison did. That was never more evident than in the bowl game itself when he rushed for 323 yards and 4 TDs on a bowl game-record 50 carries. He also caught a 40-yard TD pass in the 34-33 loss. For the season, Harrison rushed for 2,709 yards with a total of 34 TDs.
WR – COLE THOMPSON | Folsom | Sr. | 6-0, 195
Harvard-bound receiver set state record with 34 TD catches and led Sac-Joaquin Section with 1,705 receiving yards. In his first year as a starter, Thompson had 79 catches and averaged 21.6 yards per catch and 106.6 yards per game.
WR – JORDAN GENATO | Terra Nova-Pacifica | Sr. | 6-0, 180
The main target in QB Anthony Gordon’s record-setting season caught 104 passes for 2,000 yards and 22 TDs. Genato went over 100 yards receiving in 11 games and led Terra Nova to the Central Coast Section Division IV title.
TE — TYLER PETITE | Campolindo-Moraga | Sr. | 6-5, 230
Headed for USC, Petite could be a physical run blocker and a dangerous threat in the passing game. He nearly reached 1,000 yards receiving (969) on just 37 catches and had nine TDs. He had 4 sacks on defense with an INT and two forced fumbles.
OL — DREW SULLIVAN | De La Salle | Sr. | 6-3, 330
The Cal-bound senior captain was the linchpin to a Spartans line that dominated opposing front sevens and led the way for massive rushing seasons for both Custer and fellow junior ballcarrier Andrew Hernandez. De La Salle averaged more than 400 rushing yards per game.
OL – CODY CREASON | Folsom | Sr. | 6-3, 285
The Arizona-commit protected his record-setting QB and also opened up lanes for a Folsom rushing attack that added 150 yards per game at a clip of seven yards per carry. Creason was a three-year starter on a line that was the catalyst for a high-powered offense.
OL – JACK DREYER | Serra-San Mateo | Sr. | 6-8, 290
The Stanford-bound big man was the key cog in Serra’s offensive push this season. Earned WCAL Most Valuable Lineman honors for his work at left tackle. Also a tremendous student, Dreyer maintains a GPA above 4.0.
OL – DARRIN PAULO | Grant-Sacramento | Sr. | 6-6, 330
He anchored a massive line that led the way for a ground game that gained nearly 350 yards per game and 8.5 yards per carry. Paulo is considering multiple offers from Division I programs, including most Pac-12 programs.
OL – TEVITA MUSIKA | Milpitas | Sr. | 6-2, 330
Named the SCVAL De Anza lineman of the year for his road grading prowess on a Milpitas team that finished 12-1 and rushed for nearly 2,800 yards on the season. Also played a big role on defense.
K – ANDREW FERRERO | St. Ignatius-S.F. | Sr. | 6-2, 175
Possessor of one of the area’s strongest legs, Ferrero was WCAL co-most valuable kicker and made a CCS-best nine field goals. He had a long field goal of 49 yards and also served as the team’s punter.
QB — ANTHONY GORDON | Terra Nova-Pacifica| Sr. | 6-3, 180 | 4,899 yds., 49 TD
QB — MITCH DANIELS | Concord | Sr. | 6-2, 193 | NCS-bests 3,928 yds. and 55 TD
RB – TREY NAHHAS | Monterey Trail-Elk Grove | Sr. | 6-1, 180 | 2,599 yds., 34 TD
RB – MARCEL BROOKS-BROWN | Rio Linda | Sr. | 5-11, 210 | 2,471 all-purpose yds., 34 TD
RB — LaVANCE WARREN | McClymonds-Oakland | Sr. | 5-8, 185 | 2,300 yds., 30 TD in 12 games
RB — NICK FADELLI | Campolindo | Sr. | 5-11, 190 | 36 total TDs for CIF D-III champs
WR – JOSIAH DEGUARA | Folsom | Sr. | 6-3, 205 | 114 receptions, 1,671 yds., 24 TD
WR — KERR JOHNSON JR. | Analy-Sebastopol | Sr. | 5-11, 175 | 1,209 yds., 22 TD, 21.5 yds/catch
WR — MASON KNIGHT | Concord | Sr. | 5-10, 180 | 89 rec., 1,370 yds. & Bay Area-best 23 TDs
OL — JAMES McBRIDE | Sutter | Sr. | 6-4, 300 | 1st-team all-section tackle for 13-1 Huskies
OL – JOHNNY CAPRA | Placer-Auburn | Sr. | 6-6, 290 | Cal commit
DEFENSE
DL – SAM WHITNEY | Folsom | Sr. | 6-3, 225
Sacramento State-commit was leader of stingy Bulldogs’ defense that allowed just 10 points per game. Whitney had a team-high 13 sacks for a total loss of 134 yards.
DL – BOSS TAGALOA | De La Salle-Concord | Jr. | 6-3, 290
Dominant defensive lineman was at his best on the biggest stage, recording three sacks in the Spartans’ CIF Open Division Bowl win over Centennial-Corona. Finished with 31 tackles (nine for loss) and 6.5 sacks.
DL – GABE McCOY | Pittsburg | Sr. | 6-2, 220
One of Northern California’s premier edge rushers made his living in the backfield for one of the area’s top defenses. Racked up 17.5 sacks and 25 tackles for loss, forced two fumbles and even blocked a punt.
DE/LB – JACOB MURRIETA | Kennedy-Fremont | Sr. | 6-3, 220
He did everything for a Kennedy squad that finished 10-0 in the regular season, but his biggest value came in his ability to rush the passer. Tied for seventh in the nation (acc. to MaxPreps.com) with 25 sacks and also recovered two fumbles.
LB – CAMERON SMITH | Granite Bay | Sr. | 6-3, 225
The USC-commit was a three-year starter that won a 2012 state bowl championship and recorded 470 tackles and 11 interceptions in his career. In 2014, Smith had a team-high 148 tackles and 4 INTs.
LB – KHALIL HODGE | St. Mary’s-Stockton | Sr. | 6-0, 225
Led the state with 262 tackles and added 4 INTs during the Rams’ run to the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II final. He compiled 382 tackles and 6 INTs in his two years as a starter.
LB — BEN BURR-KIRVEN | Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton | Sr. | 6-0, 200
DEFENSIVE PLAYER of the YEAR
The Washington-bound standout produced 117 tackles, two INT (one ret. for a TD), two sacks and a a forced fumble — all in just 8 games, after missing the first five of the season due to injury. He had 11 tackles in the CCS Open Div. final as the Gators defeated Bellarmine Prep-San Jose to close out a perfect 13-0 season.
DB – JAKOB MAGANA | Downey-Modesto | Sr. | 5-8, 135
His 14 interceptions were good for most in the state and second in the entire nation. Magana led the Knights to a third straight league championship, clinching the title with three INTs on the final night of the regular season.
DB – JORDAN PARKER | Pittsburg | Jr. | 6-0, 185
Emerged as one of the top big-play threats on a Pittsburg defense full of them in 2014, he tallied five interceptions and 10 pass deflections in his first season as a Pirate, setting the stage for what should be a busy recruiting process.
DB – ISAIAH LANGLEY | Foothill-Pleasanton | Sr. | 6-0, 165
One of the most dynamic two-way threats in Northern California, Langley returned both a fumble and an interception for touchdowns this season. The multi-talented playmaker will head to USC in the fall.
DB – PRENTISS REID | Salesian-Richmond | Sr. | 6-1, 175
An unquestioned veteran leader for the NCS Div. V champion Pride, Reid intercepted six passes to earn TCAL-Rock Division Defensive Player of the Year honors. Reid wasn’t afraid to make a tackle either, recording 103.
UTIL – JARED RICE | Central Catholic-Modesto | Sr. | 6-5, 210
Three-time state champion capped an impressive career with 2 INTs to go with a pair of TD catches in the 2014 Division IV state final. Rice had 32 catches for 581 yards and 10 TDs and added 8 INTs as one of the state’s top safeties.
RESERVES
DL — DEVIN ASIASI | De La Salle | Jr. | 6-4, 225 | 5-star talent had 33 tackles, 5 sacks
DL — STEVEN DINNEEN | St. Franics-Mountain View | Sr. | 6-5, 220 | 99 tackles, CCS-leading 14 sacks
LB — JAMES OUTMAN | Serra-San Mateo | Sr. | 6-2, 200 | WCAL Co-Player o/t Year
LB – CHARLIE RAMIREZ | Pittsburg | Jr. | 5-10, 180 | 112 tackles, 25 TFL, 8 sacks, 4 INT
LB – SAM WHITTINGHAM | Folsom | Sr. | 5-11, 205 | 119 tackles, 5 sacks, 1 INT
LB — NICK TOMASIN | Enterprise-Redding | Sr. | 6-0, 230 | 134 tackles; Northern Section Def. Player o/t Year
DB – JEVARI ANDERSON | De La Salle | Sr. | 6-1, 205 | 33 tackles, INT; all-around standout
DB – RON SMITH | St. Mary’s-Berkeley | Sr. | 6-1, 165 | 6 INT; team allowed 13.2 PPG
UTIL — CHRISTIAN RITA | Milpitas | Sr. | 6-0, 180 | 9 INT (5 for TDs); 8 TD catches, 3 punt ret. TDs
UTIL – JUSTICE SHELTON-MOSLEY | Capital Christian-Sacramento | 5-11, 171 | 1,906 all-purpose yards, 29 TD, 6 INT
UTIL — WILLIE WILLIAMS | Liberty-Brentwood | Sr. | 6-1, 180 | 1,550 all-purpose yds., 16 TDs
