The San Diego Hall of Champions announced its 53rd annual All-CIF San Diego Section teams for the recently completed fall sports season.
The winners, selected by a panel of media writers, featured selections in football, boys water polo, girls volleyball, girls field hockey, girls golf, girls tennis, and both genders in cross country.
Football
For only the second time in 20 years, no East County schools advanced to the section championship game in any of five divisions. Still, the region gained its share of individual awards.
The San Diego Hall of Champions announced its 53rd annual All-CIF San Diego Section teams for the recently completed fall sports season.
The winners, selected by a panel of media writers, featured selections in football, boys water polo, girls volleyball, girls field hockey, girls golf, girls tennis, and both genders in cross country.
Football
For only the second time in 20 years, no East County schools advanced to the section championship game in any of five divisions. Still, the region gained its share of individual awards.
For example, topping the list are quarterbacks Anthony Lawrence of Grossmont and Ramsey Romano of Valhalla. The pair ranked 1-2 in yardage among all passers in San Diego and Imperial counties, both gaining first team recognition. However, the third quarterback on the first team ranked first overall, as Oceanside ‘s Israel “Tofi” Paopao was tabbed the offensive player of the year.
Meanwhile, the projected top three defenders from the start of the season remained on top at season’s end. Defensive linemen De’Shawn Tone of Valhalla and Amu Milo of Helix gained first team honors, along with Valhalla defensive back Spencer Havird. Tone finished with 14 sacks this season, while leading East County with 30 tackles for loss, according to statistics compiled by East County Sports.com.
Milo, who was the lone sophomore to earn All-CIF laurels in 2010, capped his high school career by earning his third citation to the All-CIF team. He also is a standout on the offensive line and is being recruited for both sides of the football by more than two dozen colleges.
In addition, Havird recorded 163 tackles, intercepted 10 passes and recovered an East County best four fumbles. Havird’s interception total equals the best by any Grossmont Conference performer this century, matching a mark held by former all-state honoree Abraham Muheize of El Cajon Valley, among others. Chosen to the second team are Helix running back Michael Adkins, West Hills defensive lineman Jordan Arnold, Helix linebacker Rocky Fuga and Helix cornerback Jalen Davis.
Oceanside again landed the defensive player of the year in linebacker William Gulley, helping the Pirates to their ninth section team championship in 11 seasons. For their efforts, Oceanside (12-1) finished 15th in the final Cal-Hi Sports Super 50 state rankings.
Helix (10-1) was placed 44th in California, with Valhalla (9-4) right behind the Scotties at No. 45. The Norsemen were placed one spot ahead of Division III state champion Madison based on a victory over the Warhawks during the regular season, then falling late to Oceanside by just three points during the CIF Division II semifinals, 31-28, on the road.
Lincoln’s David Dunn was tabbed as coach of the year.
Boys Water Polo
When the goalie from the USA Junior National team plays in your area, chances are you’ll also be the top goalie in the county. And that’s what happened to Granite Hills senior Kevin Levine, who gained a first-team berth. Levine was also a finalist for the player of the year, but the award went to Ryder Roberts of Division I titlist Vista. Gaining second team honors was Thomas Hodgson, another senior from Granite Hills, along with Santana junior Eric Bowen.
Cross Country
Rather than a vote of the Hall of Champions’ media panel, results in cross-country are determined by the results of the section championships races held at Balboa Park ‘s Morley Field. Based on race results, El Capitan senior Daniel Gomez placed high enough for a first team berth, while second team spots went to Monte Vista junior Steven Lepe and Granite Hills senior Chris Corley.
On the girls side Valhalla gained a pair of first team honorees in junior Shea Ricketts and senior Andrea Hughes, joining Monte Vista multi-sport standout Emily Lopez, a senior who finished fifth in the section final. Second team berths went to a pair of runners from El Capitan in senior Miranda Fisher and sophomore Kayden Carpenter.
Other Sports
Following growth in the sport over the past few seasons, no student-athlete from any East County school was selected in field hockey. The same result occurred in girl’s volleyball, a sport dominated by coastal schools or ones with club feeder programs, plus girl’s golf and girls tennis.
