The talent in far Northern California is deep and plentiful.
While the Northern Section might not have blue chips recruits dotting every high school football roster, there still remains a ton of great gridiron talent.
Teams will rely on that talent now more than ever in this shortened spring season. The list of 25 Northern Section football players to watch includes stat leaders, section-title winners, postseason honorees and up-and-comers.
All can flat-out play and will get the shot to prove that when the season kicks off around March 12. While some counties remain above the threshold for playing football under state guidelines, the players on those teams were included as though they will suit up for action.
Daniel Cummings, Sutter
File photo by Todd Shurtleff
Senior | RB/LB | 5-7, 210The Shasta County Sports first-team All Shasta County All Purpose pick will step into a larger role at The Pasture after running for 791 yards and eight touchdowns for the Eagles. He added 57 tackles from his linebacker spot.
Arden Anderson | Gridley
Senior | RB | 5-11, 175The Bulldogs return a ton from last year's 5-5 squad and Anderson should provide senior leadership after running for 1,083 yards and 10 TDs last season.
Hayden Boyes | West Valley
Senior | WR | 5-11, 155A speedster, he was a SCS first-team All Shasta County pick with 635 yards receiving and eight TDs for the Eagles.
Angel Bravo | Orland
Senior | T/DT | 6-4, 300A beast on both sides of the line, coach Nick Velazquez hopes for an even better senior year. Bravo led the Trojans with 61 tackles and 16.5 tackles-for-loss in addition to paving the way for an offense that gained nearly 2,000 yards on the ground.
Eli Cortinas | Enterprise (Redding)
Senior | RB | 5-9, 175One of the bright spots in a down year for the Hornets, the Shasta County Sports first team All-Shasta County back ran for 1,518 rushing with 12 TDs.
Daniel Cummings | Sutter
Senior | RB/OLB | 5-9, 180Ran for 653 yards and five TDs (seven total) in a supporting role behind Cory McIntyre. The senior came on in the playoffs, running for 144 yards and a score against Paradise in the Division III section final win.
Shane Curren | Portola
Senior | RB | 6-0, 165The Tigers again look to Curren as their bell cow back. He had a monster year rushing with nearly 1,500 yards and 20 TDs. He ran for more than 100 yards seven times last season and twice eclipsed the 200-yard mark.
Tavin Fowler | Lassen (Susanville)
Senior | RB | 5-11, 165The Grizzlies had an embarrassment of riches offensively and Fowler was a key cog in that machine. He led Lassen with 929 yards rushing and 12 TDs. New coach Jason McCloskey will likely rely on Fowler to buoy the offense.
Shavon Gramps-Green | Biggs
Senior | RB/DB | 6-0, 165
The All-Northern Section second-team all purpose pick should run wild again this year as the Wolverines have all five starting linemen back. Last year, they paved the way for Gramps-Green to run for 994 yards, while he added 500 return yards and scored 26 total touchdowns.
Grant Garretson | Pleasant Valley (Chico)
Senior | DE | 6-4, 210The Viking was a second team All-Northern Section pick after 15 tackles and four sacks. A two-sport guy (basketball), he should play a big part in what Pleasant Valley wants to do this season.
Ian Guanzon | Pleasant Valley
Junior | QB | 5-11, 185The latest in a line of standout Viking quarterbacks, he led PV to a 7-5 mark while passing for 1,047 passing and 11 TDs. PV should have one of its best teams in the last decade and that's saying a lot for the two-time state champions.
Jake Hamman | Chico
Senior | QB | 6-1, 185A stud baseball player as well, the Panthers' signal-caller was a first team All-Northern Section choice last season. He went for 1,745 passing and 24 TDs, showing an arm that's capable of making just about any throw.
Tyler Harrison | Paradise
Junior | RB | 6-2, 205The Northern Section Offensive Player of the Year led the Bobcats to the Division III title game rushing for 2,505 yards and 30 scores. A load to bring down, Harrison averaged nearly 200 yards per game.
Jahari Johnson | Enterprise
Junior | WR/CB | 6-2, 165A freakishly good athlete, the two-way Hornet burst onto the scene with 516 yards receiving and five touchdowns. A Shasta County Sports second-team pick, Johnson added 31 tackles from his DB spot and two interceptions.
Carson Lowrie | Winters
Senior | QB | 6-2, 165The Warriors got it all out of Lowrie as he threw for nearly 1,000 yards and four scores while adding 1,474 yards rushing and 20 scores on the ground. He also logged 59 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss and snagged an interception and fumble.
Jack Maready | Foothill (Palo Cedro)
Senior | OT | 6-2, 280The Cougars put up more than 4,000 yards on offense (2,230 through the air and 1,871 on the ground) and the 6-1, 270 lineman is a big part of that success. The Cougars' lineman was a Shasta County Sports first team lineman.
Eduardo Paiz | Pierce (Arbuckle)
Senior | QB | 6-0, 180The Bears' signal-caller was better than 50 percent passing for 2,368 yards and 24 TDs. He added 11 more scores on the ground with nearly 500 yards rushing.
Jake Reuss | University Prep (Redding)
Senior | RB/LB/K | 5-10 210As a junior for the Panthers, he logged 43 tackles, including 2.5 sacks, while seeing time on offense behind a senior-heavy rotation. He should get the rock more this season. He also was a second team specialist for Shasta County Sports. He was 100 percent on PATs and booted a 35-yard game-winning field goal to beat Colusa last season.
Bladen Stankey | Shasta (Redding)
Senior | G/DE | 6-3, 220The Shasta County Sports first-team lineman was a punishing two-way starter who paved the way for 3,000 Shasta rushing yards. Stankey has great speed and quickness for a big man, a motor that doesn't stop and a bit of a nasty streak.
Matthew Soderlund | Wheatland
Senior | TE/MLB | 6-3, 190As a junior, the Pirate logged 67 tackles including 10 tackles-for-loss. He added 4.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
Michael Traylor | Shasta
Senior | LB | 6-0, 180He will be the defensive signal-caller in the Wolves' new defensive scheme. Last season, Traylor was second on the team with 70 tackles and 7.5 tackles-for-loss. He added four sacks.
Marcus Trotter | Anderson
Senior | OL/DL | 6-4, 290The coach's son and Shasta County Sports first-team pick has the size and quickness to play at the next level. Held the line up front for a Cubs team that passed for 1,900 yards and ran for 1,700 more.
Kyle Watson | Sutter
Senior | MLB/SS | 6-1, 180He was second on the Huskies with 154 tackles during the championship season. He averaged nearly 12 tackles per game and had double-digit takedowns in 10 of Sutter's 13 games. The senior also added 11 tackles-for-loss.
James Weaver | Shasta
Senior | RB | 6-0, 190The Davidson commit was a Shasta County Sports second team running back. He will be the focal point of the Shasta offense after leading the Wolves with 871 yards rushing and 10 scores in 2019. He added 166 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Chris Whitney | West Valley
Senior | DT |6-2, 290A big body with speed and quickness to go with the frame, Whitney logged 56 tackles and five sacks for the Eagles last season. The Shasta County Sports second-teamer should get Division I looks with his senior tape.
James Weaver, Shasta
File photo by Michael Turner
