The Register’s All-County football team for 2018:
ALL-COUNTY FOOTBALL
Photos: All-County football | All-County First Team | Offensive Player of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | Coach of the Year | Second & Third Teams | (The All-County football stories appeared in the Tuesday, Dec. 25 edition of the Register.)
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK
Bryce Young
Mater Dei, 6-0, 185, Jr.
In his first season with the Monarchs, the USC commit completed 70 percent of his passes for 3,846 yards and 39 TDs as Mater Dei captured CIF-SS Division 1 and CIF State Open Division titles. Young highlighted his season by leading a game-winning, 75-yard scoring drive – capped by his 6-yard TD run – in the final 3½ minutes to help Mater Dei rally past national powerhouse IMG Academy of Florida 28-24. The first-team, All-Trinity League selection also led a critical scoring drive in the final six minutes against De La Salle in the Open Division final. “Bryce Young took over in that last drive,” Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson said.
RUNNING BACK
Mike Carrillo
Garden Grove, 5-8, 185, Sr.
The MVP of the Big 4 League rushed for an Orange County-leading 2,457 yards and county-high 37 TDs, and he added 307 yards and four scores receiving to lead the Argonauts to a league title and the CIF-SS Division 9 semifinals. He also had 102 tackles and seven interceptions – two returned for TDs – as an outside linebacker/strong safety and blocked four PATs. Garden Grove coach Ricardo Cepeda called Carrillo the best two-way player in school history. “A workhorse,” Cepeda said.
WIDE RECEIVER
Bru McCoy
Mater Dei, 6-3, 215, Sr.
The Register’s offensive player of the year.
WIDE RECEIVER
JoJo Forest
Mission Viejo, 5-11, 164, Sr.
Forest led the Diablos receivers with 64 catches for 1,188 yards and 12 TDs. He highlighted his season with a first-quarter, 71-yard TD reception from Joey Yellen against Mater Dei in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinals. The first-team, All-South Coast League selection also finished the season with five interceptions. He committed to Oregon State as a cornerback. “(Playing) offense helped me really stand out, so I’m thankful (Coach) Chad (Johnson) gave me the opportunity,” Forest said
WIDE RECEIVER
John Humphreys
Corona del Mar, 6-5, 205, Jr.
The Sunset League MVP this season hauled in 103 receptions for 1,783 yards and 28 TDs – all school records – to help the Sea Kings earn a share of the Sunset League title and finish as the CIF-SS Division 4 runner-up. With his senior season still remaining, Humphreys is already Corona del Mar’s career leader in catches, receiving yards and receiving TDs. “His most impressive attributes come from his heart and upbringing,” CdM coach Dan O’Shea said.
WIDE RECEIVER
Caine Savage
Western, 5-11, 175, Jr.
The Pac 4 League co-offensive player of the year teamed with quarterback Anthony Munoz to establish Orange County season records for receptions (124), receiving yards (2,103) and receiving touchdowns (32). The TDs set a Southern Section record. Savage also grabbed eight interceptions as a defensive back to help Western capture its first section title. “His biggest attribute is his desire to improve daily,” Western coach Dan Davidson said.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Alec Bank
Tesoro, 6-5, 270, Sr.
The All-South Coast League left tackle played a key role in the Titans’ run to the CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs. The Harvard commit also balanced football with his academics, maintaining a 4.35 grade-point average. “He was one of our leaders and made the other players around him better,” Tesoro coach Matt Poston said of Bank.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Jack Harlow
JSerra, 6-2, 280, Sr.
The physical left guard opened holes for running back Chris Street and protected quarterback Caden Bell to help the Lions reach the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinals. “I was comfortable throwing the ball on first down or running the ball on first down,” said Harlow, a first-team, All-Trinity League selection and son of JSerra coach Pat Harlow.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Myles Murao
Mater Dei, 6-3, 280, Jr.
The left tackle produced a dominant campaign until suffering a broken fibula in Week 9 at JSerra. The Trinity League’s most valuable lineman didn’t allow a sack and even caught a touchdown on a trick play in a 28-24 victory against national powerhouse IMG Academy of Florida. “I was having a really good year (before the injury),” Murao said.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Sean Rhyan
San Juan Hills 6-4, 311, Sr.
The UCLA-bound left tackle helped power the Stallions to the Sea View League title and the CIF-SS Division 2 quarterfinals. Rhyan was selected co-offensive MVP in the Sea View and will play in the All-American Bowl on Jan. 5 in Texas. “UCLA is getting a very good player,” former San Juan Hills teammate Isaiah Grover said. “Raw, physical talent and then you have his drive and passion for the game.”
OFFENSIVE LINE
Wyatt Terlaak
El Modena, 6-4, 300, Sr.
The first-team, All-Crestview League selection helped the Vanguards return to the playoffs one season after winning a CIF-SS title. “He was a leader on and off the field,” El Modena coach Matt Mitchell said of Terlaak, who committed to Navy. “He was reliable, dedicated and a dominating run blocker.”
ALL-PURPOSE
Joey Hobert
San Juan Hills, 5-10, 165, Jr.
Hobert produced numerous highlight plays in all three phases to lead the Stallions to the Sea View League title and a victory in the CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs against Edison, which beat San Juan Hills earlier in the season. The league MVP had 46 catches for 643 yards and nine TDs and grabbed four interceptions as a defensive back. He also punted, kicked and returned kicks. Hobert returned two punts for TDs and one kickoff for a score and finished with 1,256 all-purpose yards.
ALL-PURPOSE
Zion Alefosio
Villa Park, 6-1, 190, Jr.
The Crestview League player of the year was a force on both sides of the ball for the Spartans, who defended their league title and reached the CIF-SS Division 4 semifinals. The Mater Dei transfer rushed for six touchdowns, caught four TD passes and returned four punts for TDs. He also grabbed three interceptions as a defensive back, returning three for touchdowns. “He will have over 20 offers before spring,” Villa Park coach Dusan Ancich said.
– Dan Albano
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FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE
Shawn Nielsen
JSerra, 6-2, 260, Sr.
He was All-Trinity League first team for the second season in a row after recording nine sacks. Nielsen signed with San Diego State. He also had offers from Northern Illinois and Eastern Washington.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Cade Albright
San Juan Hills, 6-5, 215, Sr.
Albright had 19 sacks and 33 tackles for losses for the Sea View League-champion Stallions. He was league defensive MVP. Albright has scholarship offers from UCLA, BYU and Utah.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Keyon Ware-Hudson
Mater Dei, 6-2, 298, Sr.
He was All-Trinity League defense first team. Ware-Hudson, who signed with Oregon, had 15 tackles for losses and 6.5 sacks. Arizona and Florida State were among the schools who offered him a scholarship.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Nick Larriva
Santa Ana, 6-4, 240, Sr.
Larriva had 31 tackles for losses and a county-high 24 sacks. He was a co-lineman of the year in the Orange Coast League as the Saints finished 10-3 and won the league title. He has scholarship offers from Idaho State and Wyoming.
LINEBACKER
James Giles
Capistrano Valley, 6-4, 230, Sr.
He finished with 164 tackles including 16 tackles for losses and five sacks. Giles, an All-South Coast League, first-team selection, had 22 tackles in a league game against Mission Viejo and earned the Orange County defensive player of the week honor.
LINEBACKER
Michael-Allen Reddy
Los Alamitos, 6-0, 203, Sr.
Allen-Reddy had 15 tackles for losses, 17 sacks, caused four fumbles and recovered three fumbles for the Sunset League co-champion Griffins. He was a league co-defensive player of the year. Allen-Reddy was the county defensive player of the week after compiling nine solo tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery in a win over Long Beach Poly.
LINEBACKER
Brant Gass
Tesoro, 5-10, 185, Sr.
He was the South Coast League’s defensive MVP. Gass got the most out of his physical stature, finishing with 153 tackles including 15 tackles for losses. He has no college football plans, having decided to concentrate on pursuing a business degree in college.
DEFENSIVE BACK
Elias Ricks
Mater Dei, 6-2, 185, Jr.
Ricks supplied some of the top highlights of the 2018 season when he returned three interceptions for touchdowns in a win over Centennial of Corona in the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals. Ricks finished with a county-high nine interceptions and recorded 239 yards in return yardage on those interceptions.
DEFENSIVE BACK
Moses Sepulona
Mater Dei, 5-10, 195, Jr.
He collected 3.5 sacks from his free safety position. Sepulona, selected All-Trinity League first team, recovered two fumbles that led to Mater Dei touchdowns in the win over De La Salle of Concord in the CIF State Open Division championship game.
DEFENSIVE BACK
Clark Phillips III
La Habra, 5-11, 178, Jr.
It was an all-round great year for Phillips who has scholarship offers from UCLA, USC and many others. He had two interceptions, although it was a rare occasion when a quarterback threw the ball in his area. As a receiver, Phillips, the Freeway League player of the year, finished with 54 receptions for 1,210 yards and 19 touchdowns.
DEFENSIVE BACK
Akili Arnold
Mission Viejo, 6-0, 170, Sr.
The Register’s defensive player of the year.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PUNTER
Chris Vartanian
St. Margaret’s, 6-2, 205, Sr.
Punters or kickers don’t always receive all-league recognition, but Vartanian was named All-San Joaquin League first team. He averaged 46 yards a punt. As a kicker Vartanian made 44 of 48 extra-point attempts, was 6 of 11 on field goals and 52 of his 65 kickoffs were touchbacks.
KICKER
Nick Lopez
Mater Dei, 6-0, 185, Sr.
Lopez, the Trinity League kicker of the year, was 77 for 80 on extra-point attempts and made three of his six field-goal tries with a long of 42 yards. Of his 101 kickoffs 73 were touchbacks. Lopez recently received an offer from Navy.
– Steve Fryer
