MaxPreps 2015 All-Northern California High School Football Team

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It was an up year for high school football in Northern California, in part because of the expansion of the CIF State Football Championship Bowl games. There were more champions than before, from Open Division powerhouse De La Salle, to the smallest of the small with East Nicolaus in Division VI.

Player of the Year

RB - Najee Harris, Junior, Antioch
Dominant, destructive off tackle and a jet to the end zone, Harris electrified in racking up scores of Player of the Year honors, be it state-wide or regionally. He is the San Francisco Chronicle's Metro Player of the Year and the Bay Area News Group's Player of the Year after the Alabama commit — the No. 1 recruit for 2017 — rushed for 2,744 yards, 36 touchdowns and 33 two-point conversions in 2015 for an 11-1 team that went 10-0 for the first time since 1977.

All-Purpose Player of the Year

AP - Ryan Robards, Senior, Elk Grove
The Thundering Herd badly needed a new running back after graduation cleaned out stars, and in stepped Robards, a converted receiver. He rushed for 2,884 yards and 43 touchdowns and had 3,460 all-purpose yards to go with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries as a defensive back for a 13-1 team. He scored 50 total touchdowns — offense, defense, special teams — and he boomed 50-yard punts and 51-yard field goals. He was The Sacramento Bee's Player of the Year.

Offensive Player of the Year

RB - Justin Rice, Senior, Central Catholic (Modesto)
The driving force behind the Raiders' 16-0 CIF State Championship team, Rice buckled teams with power running, burst and leadership. He rushed for 2,914 yards and 35 touchdowns. He was The Modesto Bee's Player of the Year.

Defensive Player of the Year

DL - Damon Wiley, Senior, De La Salle (Concord)
An anchor on the state's top team that also finished No. 1 nationally in the MaxPreps Computer Rankings, Wiley led a ferocious defense that dominated teams. He led the Spartans in sacks with 11 and had a team-high 56 solo stops. He was the All-East Bay Player of the Year by the Bay Area News Group.

Coaches of the Year

Small Schools - Roger Canepa, Central Catholic
Canepa's charm and cool demeanor was paramount in powering the Raiders to their fourth successive CIF State championship. He talked of exhaustion, but reminded that it was a good sort of fatigue to be a champion.

Really Small Schools - Travis Barker, East Nicolaus
It was the dream of Barker to play football for East Nicolaus, nestled in heart of agriculture country in Sutter County. And it was his dream to coach the Spartans. He did both, and leading East Nicolaus to the Northern Section's first CIF State football title, a 16-6 victory over Coronado, will make for lasting memories.

Medium Schools - Casey Taylor, Del Oro (Loomis)
At 2-6, the Golden Eagles looked lost and out of sorts. Then they switched into a new gear and never looked back, winning Sac-Joaquin Section, NorCal and CIF State Division II-AA championships in one of the most remarkable turnarounds in state history for any sport, in any era. He was The Sacramento Bee's Coach of the Year.

Large Schools - Mike Janda, Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose)
The winningest coach in Central Coast Section history, Janda reached his third CIF Bowl game. The Bells early in the season rallied to beat eventual State Division II champion Del Oro and then rallied to beat defending Division I state champion Folsom, halting the 30-game winning streak of the Bulldogs and their 43-game home streak, too.


FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

WR - Isaiah Hodgins, Junior, Berean Christian (Walnut Creek)
A tall target at 6-3, Hodgins had 1,483 yards and 23 touchdowns, leading the North Coast Section, as he helped lead the Eagles to their first league title in 15 seasons. He earned first-team honors by the Bay Area News Group and the San Francisco Chronicle.

WR - Kyle Macauley, Senior, Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose)
Yes, this was a run-heavy double-wing team, but the Bells also went to the air, and that meant a lot of speed from Macauely. He had 1,014 yards receiving and 12 scores for a team that won the West Catholic Athletic League, a Central Coast Section championship and a NorCal Division I title.

WR - Chris Taylor-Yamanoha, Senior, Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park)
Hard to cover and just as difficult to tackle, Taylor-Yamanoha had 82 catches for 1,4723 yards and 23 scores in earning first-team San Francisco Chronicle honors. He is headed to Louisville.

TE - Devin Asiasi, Senior, De La Salle (Concord)
As good of a two-way player as there is in the country, Asiasi was a leading force for the CIF State Open Division champions. He earned first-team honors by the Bay Area News Group and the San Francisco Chronicle.

TE - Andrew Daschbach, Senior, Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton)
Also a superb linebacker and baseball player (he'll play baseball at Stanford), Daschbach had 1,286 yards receiving and 15 scores for the Central Coast Section Open Division III winners. He earned All-San Jose Mercury News honors.

OL - Jacob Capra, Senior, Placer (Auburn)
Headed to Oregon on scholarship, Capra led a dominating ground game that keyed a 12-1 season. He was a first-team Sacramento Bee All-Metro honoree.

OL - Sterling Strother, Senior, Campolindo (Moraga)
Headed to Yale, the 6-5 earth-mover keyed a line and team that won the North Coast Section championship.

OL - Trevor Reinwald, Senior, Elk Grove
Bright, tough and active, Reinwald keyed a dominating "Hammer Head" offensive line that led to a 13-1 season. He was a first-team All-Metro pick by The Sacramento Bee.

OL - Blake Wardy, Senior, De La Salle
The Spartans' dominant run-heavy veer offense needs linemen that explode on the snap to excel, and that's Wardy, the leader of the line

OL - Jonah Williams, Senior, Folsom
As dominant of a lineman as scores of area coaches can recall witnessing, or experiencing, Williams dominated with technique, talent and power for a 14-1 team. He is already enrolled at Alabama.

QB - Jake Jeffrey, Senior, Folsom
A year after catching 15 touchdown passes, Jeffrey switched roles and excelled, delivering scoring strikes in powering a 14-1 team that reached the CIF NorCal finals. He passed for 4,194 yards and 50 touchdowns and ran for 974 and 11 in earning Sacramento Bee Offensive Player of the Year accolades.

QB - Ian Book, Senior, Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills)
Headed to Notre Dame for his ability to make all the throws and seemingly fire a ball through a wall, Book bows out of Oak Ridge as the program's greatest quarterback, and the Trojans have had a bunch. He earned Sacramento Bee first-team honors.

RB - Deshawn Collins, Senior, Grant (Sacramento)
The first larger-school player in Sacramento-area history to rush for back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons, Collins scooted for 2,298 yards and 28 touchdowns for a 10-2 team. He earned Sacramento Bee All-Metro honors.

RB - Jullen Ison, Junior, Moreau Catholic (Hayward)
Ison rushed for 200 or more yards eight times for the Mariners, none more amazing than the 396-yard effort to beat Saint Mary's (Berkeley) in the North Coast Section playoffs. He finished with 2,964 yards and 43 scores in earning East Bay First-Team honors by the Bay Area News Group and All-Metro honors by the San Francisco Chronicle.

RB - Rashaan Fontenette, Senior, Oak Grove (San Jose)
The driving force behind a storied program, Fontenette powered Oak Grove to the Central Coast Section Open Division II finals. He rushed for 2,538 yards and 29 scores and earned San Jose Mercury News Player of the Year honors.

ATH - Antoine Custer, Senior, De La Salle
In addition to his superb defensive-back duties and those on special teams, Custer rushed for 1,340 yards and 15 scores for the state's top team. He earned San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro honors.

ATH - Isaiah Floyd, Senior, Foothill (Pleasanton)
A standout defensive back and return specialist, Floyd also ran for 1,850 yards and 38 touchdowns for Foothill. He could block and catch passes, too. He earned San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro honors.

ATH - Evyn Holtz, Senior, Rocklin
Shifty, quick, tough and versatile, Holtz had 34 touchdowns, ran 1,788 yards and made plays on defense and special teams for a team that reached the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II finals. He earned first-team Sacramento Bee honors.

ATH - Troy Martig, Senior, Bellarmine
A superb leader and quarterback for the CIF NorCal Division I champions, Martig willed his teams to achieve, including an early win over Del Oro and a late win over Folsom. He is headed to Columbia in the Ivy League to run track.

ATH - Anthony Sweeney, Senior, De La Salle
Perhaps the finest quarterback leader in program history, and there's been a ton, Sweeney was the trigger-man to the state's most dominating team. He passed for 1,435 yards and 16 scores and ran for 1,123 and 21.

ATH - Trey Udoffia, Senior, Del Oro (Loomis)
Headed to Colorado, the fast and elusive Udoffia was a driving force for Del Oro's CIF State title team. He made plays in the secondary in earning Sacramento Bee Defensive Player of the Year honors, and he stretched teams as a receiver and return specialist.

K - Bryce Wade, Junior, Central Catholic
The 16-0 CIF State champions were so good, even the kicker dominated. Wade made 94 PATs and had 37 touchbacks.

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

WR - Derrion Grim, Senior, McNair (Stockton)
WR - Scott Henrichs, Senior, Granite Bay
WR - Gavin Reinwald, Junior, Elk Grove

TE - Fasi Moala, Senior, Grant
TE - Wesley Preece, Senior, Rocklin

OL - Jacob Curhan, Senior, Redwood (Larkspur)
OL - Clayton Demski, Senior, Marin Catholic (Kentfield)
OL - Christian Haangana, Senior, Milpitas
OL - Orlando Umana, Junior, Grant
OL - Kooper Richardson, Senior, Folsom

QB - Hunter Petlansky, Senior, Central Catholic
QB - Jack Newman, Junior, Analy (Sebastopol)

RB - Brad Aquino, Senior, Oakdale
RB - Ray Jackson lll, Senior, Clayton Valley Charter (Concord)
RB - Harold Tidwell, Senior, Concord

ATH - Montel Aaron, Senior, Antelope
ATH - Darius-James Peterson, Senior, Marin Catholic
ATH - Cameron Taylor, Senior, Hillsdale (San Mateo)
ATH - Ryan Payne, Senior, Antioch
ATH - Owen Scott, Senior, Placer
ATH - Caden Voges, Senior, Sacramento

K - Peyton Henry, Junior, Monte Vista (Danville)

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL - Popo Aumavae, Junior, St. Mary's (Stockton)
A two-way standout, Aumavae was paramount in the Rams having another strong season. He earned All-Area honors for the Stockton Record.

DL - Chase Hatada, Senior, Rocklin
Dominating as a run stopper with the ability to chase down quarterbacks, Hatada overcame an early season knee injury to help power the Thunder to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II finals. The Sacramento Bee All-Metro pick is off to Boise State.

DL - Akil Jones, Senior, Valley Christian (San Jose)
Headed to Colorado, Jones recorded 13 sacks for the Warriors as the top defensive standout in the West Catholic Athletic League. He earned first-team honors by the San Jose Mercury News.

DL - Boss Tagaloa, Senior, De La Salle (Concord)
The best first-name in the business, Tagaloa drew double-teams and still made an impact for the top team in the state. He earned first-team honors by the Bay Area News Group and the San Francisco Chronicle.

DL - Lau Ta'amu, Senior, Elk Grove
Also a superb offensive lineman, Ta'amu was a load anywhere in the trenches for the 13-1 Thundering Herd that reached the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I finals. He was a first-team honoree by The Sacramento Bee.

LB - Keanu Andrade, Senior, De La Salle
Andrade produced 83 tackles, including 11 to beat Centennial in a thriller to win the CIF State Open Division championship. De La Salle finished No. 1 nationally. He earned first-team honors by the Bay Area News Group.

LB - Jacob Bergstrom, Senior, Bellarmine College Prep
In producing 103 tackles for the Bells, Bergstrom keyed a defense that helped propel a CIF State Division I title appearance. He earned All-San Jose Mercury News honors.

LB - Kekupaa Freehauf, Senior, Central Catholic (Modesto)
The defensive leader for a 16-0 CIF State championship team, Freehauf had 155 tackles, including 16 against Oakdale in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III finals. He earned Modesto Bee All-Metro honors.

LB - Roger Neal, Senior, Folsom
A tackling machine who could also run people over as a running back, Neal was the defensive leader for the Sacramento region's top team, one that went 14-1. He was a first-team pick by The Sacramento Bee.

LB - Charles Ramirez, Senior, Pittsburg
Ramirez had a school-record 132 tackles and three interceptions for a Pirates team that reached the North Coast Section Division I semifinals. He earned San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro honors.

DB - Lamar Jackson, Senior, Franklin (Elk Grove)
A national recruit, Jackson also excelled at quarterback in leading the Wildcats to the playoffs. He was so good on defense that teams didn't pass his way. He earned Sacramento Bee All-Metro honors.

DB - Jordan Parker, Senior, Pittsburg
Headed to Oklahoma, Parker was a terrific cover corner for a team that reached the North Coast Section Division I semifinals. He earned honors from the Bay Area News Group and the San Francisco Chronicle.

DB - Jake Peralta, Senior, Clayton Valley Charter (Concord)
Peralta had 116 tackles, a ton for a defensive back, and had five interceptions for an Ugly Eagles team that made back-to-back trips to the CIF State Bowl finals.

DB - Bennett Williams, Junior, Saint Francis (Mountain View)
Williams had nine interceptions and 81 tackles as perhaps the best at his position in a stacked West Catholic Athletic League. He helped power the Lancers to a CIF State bowl game.

P - Ben Purcell, Senior, Del Campo (Fair Oaks)
In addition to placing 21 punts inside the 20, Purcell was a record-setting quarterback for a Cougars team that reached the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs.

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DL - Aaron Andrews, Senior, Granada (Livermore)
DL - Tucker Fisk, Junior, Davis
DL - Alex Glover, Senior, Saint Mary's (Albany)
DL - Andrew Guevara, Senior, Sierra (Manteca)
DL - Jaelen Lewis, Senior, Antelope

LB - Jake Bellecci, Junior, Elk Grove
LB - Kevin Glajchen, Senior, Saint Francis
LB - Matt Torres, Senior, Folsom
LB - Kelepi Lataimua, Senior, Serra (San Mateo)
LB - Nick Gernhard, Senior, Marin Catholic

DB - Marcel Dancy, Senior, West (Tracy)
DB - Mason Hurst, Junior, Del Oro
DB - Jamarri Jackson, Junior, Christian Brothers (Sacramento)
DB - Anu Tuiono, Senior, Oak Grove

P - Dominic Mather, Junior, Freedom (Oakley)

The Sacramento Bee's All-Metro Football Teams

The Sacramento Bee on the dominance and class of De La Salle

The Sacramento Bee sizing up the best teams in state history

Joe Davidson has covered high school sports in Northern California since 1984, including since 1988 for The Sacramento Bee. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/sacbeepreps