No First Teams Or Second Teams — These Are Simply The 20 Defensive Players We Selected To Honor As All-NorCal Standouts This Spring •
TOP IMAGE: De La Salle-Concord’s Zeke Berry (left) and St. Mary’s-Stockton’s Nick Murray. (Jean-Paul Toshiro photo)
Our All-NorCal Football Offense and Defense were chosen a little differently from years past. With so much disparity between the schedules that programs were able to play, we decided to replace our usual NorCal Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, with Regional Players of the Year.
In addition to the overall NorCal Player of the Year (Lu-Magia Hearns), we also named a Bay Area Player of the Year and Sac-Joaquin Player of the Year.
BAY AREA PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Hassan Mahasin, Serra-San Mateo, Jr. — His nickname is “The Missile” and he skyrocketed himself to regional and national attention this spring. Cal-Hi Sports named him its State Running Back of the Year as he racked up 745 total yards and 10 touchdowns for the 5-0 Padres. He made plays all over the field and finished the spring as a four-star recruit with a number of Power 5 offers. In addition to being our Bay Area Player of the Year, he was also a Cal-Hi Sports 1st Team All-State selection as well as NorCalPreps.com’s NorCal Player of the Year.
SAC-JOAQUIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Chris Lands, Monterey Trail-Elk Grove, Sr. — When USC-bound star Prophet Brown opted out of the spring season, it was Lands who inherited the Do-Everything Role for the Mustangs. Maybe the only thing Lands didn’t do is complete a pass this spring (he was 0-for-1). However, he did manage to rush for 612 yards on just 50 (!) carries, an average 12.2 yards per tote. He also caught a 17-yard TD pass and had 176 return yards and two scores (one via kickoff and one via interception). He also added 16 tackles and a sack.
Following is our 20-man All-NorCal Football Defense roster. To check out who we got on the other side of the ball, visit our All-NorCal Football Offense.
All-NorCal Football Defense | Spring 2021
DL Dominic Oliver (Valley Christian-San Jose), Sr.
Earned 2nd Team All-State honors after racking up 10.5 tackles for loss in just four games; San Diego State commit.
DL Sioeli Helu (Serra-San Mateo), Sr.
New Mexico State commit had big time impact on defense that held opponents to 10 or less in four of five games.
DL Joey Carrillo (Acalanes-Lafayette), Sr.
Non-stop motor led him to 47 tackles (14.5 for loss) and 3.5 sacks over six games.
DL Miles Bailey (Benicia), Jr.
Posted 31 tackles and four sacks and was also an impact tight end; San Diego State commit.
DL John Carter (Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton), Sr.
Also a standout lacrosse player, Carter used his quickness to land seven sacks for 5-1 Gators.
LB Austin Hauptman (Whitney-Rocklin), Sr.
Sac Bee’s Defensive Player of the Year averaged 12 tackles/game in tough Sierra Foothill League.
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LB Fynn Williams (Serra-San Mateo), Sr.
The 3rd Team All-State selection led Padres with 41 tackles while also adding two sacks and an interception.
LB Josh Tremain (Folsom), Jr.
Twin brother to All-NorCal QB led the other side of the ball with 57 tackles (10.5 for loss).
LB Nekhi Broadway (Monterey Trail-Elk Grove), Sr.
Racked up 49 tackles (31 solo) and four sacks for 5-0 Mustangs.
LB Maurice Jamison (Pittsburg), Sr.
BVAL Defensive Player of the Year made plays against opponents run and passing games.
LB Dylan Seeley (Clayton Valley-Concord), Sr.
Leader of a stingy defense averaged more than eight tackles a game and led team with three interceptions.
DB Zeke Berry (De La Salle-Concord), Jr.
A playmaker in all three phases of the game, Berry holds offers to play corner for several Power 5 programs.
DB Lu-Magia Hearns (De La Salle-Concord), Sr.
Cal-bound triple threat was named NorCal Player of the Year by multiple outlets, including us.
DB Nick Murray (St. Mary’s-Stockton), Sr.
Fearless cornerback had 38 tackles and an interception across four games for the Rams.
DB Josh Gerlach (California-San Ramon), Sr.
One of just four players in the state to post six interceptions on the season, also added 45 tackles and a fumble recovery.
DB Isaac Greene (Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland), Jr.
Grabbed four interceptions on a defense that allowed just 40 points across five games.
AP Chris Lands (Monterey Trail-Elk Grove), Sr.
Our Sac-Joaquin Section Player of the Year as well as the Sac Bee’s Player of the Year had 805 all-purpose yards and scored four different ways to amass 10 TDs.
AP Matteo Perez (Marin Catholic-Kentfield), Sr.
UC Davis commit was just shy of posting 600 yards from scrimmage; scored 10 TDs while adding 33 tackles and three interceptions on defense.
AP DJ Crowther (Christian Brothers-Sacramento), Jr.
Every-down star averaged more than 200 all-purpose yards/game and totaled 17 TDs.
AP Noah Short (King’s Academy-Sunnyvale), Sr.
Three-sport athlete (basketball, track) starried on offense, defense and special teams for the Knights.
AP Dylan Smith (Vintage-Napa), Jr.
Two-way workhorse for dominant 6-0 Crushers team; rushed for 847 yards, 15 TDs.