While Oaks Christian’s run of CIF-Southern Section championship games came to an end this year, you can hardly blame Lion senior Malcolm Jones. 
Malcolm Jones, Oaks Christian
File photo by Jann Hendry
In his final game in a Lion uniform, Jones had, perhaps, his best outing ever in a 42-41 loss to Serra in the Northwest Division championship game. Jones carried a season-high 38 times for 321 yards and four touchdowns to lead an Oaks Christian comeback that ultimately ended in the overtime loss.
While the loss in the final game was a disappointment for Jones and his teammates, it didn’t dampen an otherwise spectacular four-year career for the standout running back, as he finished his time at Oaks Christian as the school’s all-time leading rusher and scorer.
Jones rushed for 2,477 yards on 236 carries this year with 45 total touchdowns. He was also named the Gatorade National Player of the Year and was the all-area MVP by the Los Angeles Daily News.
For his career, Jones rushed 658 times for 6,280 yards and 114 total touchdowns. His touchdown total and his 690 career points both rank seventh all-time in state history, according to the Cal-Hi Sports state record book.
For his accomplishments, Jones has been chosen as the MaxPreps Division III state player of the year.
The Division III Coach of the Year honor goes to Carmel's Golden Anderson. While the Padres were the defending Mission Trail Athletic League champions, they did lose longtime coach Craig Johnston to retirement and the school's all-time leading passer, Ken Johnston, to graduation.
That didn't seem to matter, however, as Anderson led the Padres to a 12-0 season and the school's first Central Coast Section Division IV championship. Along the way, Carmel had one of the highest-scoring teams in Monterey County history, averaging over 50 points per game, including a 56-35 win over Menlo School in the section finals.
Following is the rest of the Division III all-state first and second teams with players chosen from schools within the CIF Division III State Championship Game enrollment division.
MAXPREPS DIVISION III ALL-STATE TEAM
First Team Offense
Anthony Teniente, Palo Verde Valley (Blythe), 6-2, 165, WR, Sr.
Palo Verde Valley always has a receiver among the state leaders and this year was no different. Teniente caught 79 passes for 1,651 yards and 26 touchdowns. He scored three or more touchdowns in four different games.
Josh Harper, St. Mary’s (Stockton), 6-2, 190, WR, Sr.
The Player of the Year by the Stockton Record, Harper is the son of former San Francisco 49er Willie Harper. He was the offensive sparkplug for the Rams, who won their first 11 games before falling to Del Oro. Harper caught 40 passes for 731 yards and nine touchdowns, and also ran the ball 31 times for 391 yards and four scores. Harper also averaged a whopping 19.6 yards on punt returns.
George Farmer, Serra (Gardena), 6-2, 215, WR, Jr.
Farmer should be one of the premier receiving recruits in the country next year. He caught 41 passes for 891 yards and 12 touchdowns for the state champion Cavaliers, and was named to the All-Northwest Division Team.
Casey Berry, Cloverdale, 6-2, 195, TE, Sr.
The North Central I South Division defensive player of the year, Berry was also all-league at tight end, where he caught 33 passes for 490 yards and four touchdowns for the league champions.
Erik Kohler, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 6-5, 285, OL, Sr.
Named the lineman of the year in Ventura County, Kohler was honored on the All-Southland Team by the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team and the All-Northwest Division Team. He will play at Washington next season.
Giovanni DiPoalo, St. Bonaventure (Ventura), 6-4, 260, OL, Sr.
Headed for USC, DiPoalo was selected to the All-Southland Team by the Los Angeles Times and was also named to the All-Northern Division Team and the All-Ventura County Team by the Ventura County Star.
P.J. Guttenbeil, St. Mary’s (Stockton), 5-11, 240, OL, Sr.
The lineman of the year in the Tri-Cities Athletic League, Guttenbeil was the lead blocker for the league champs. He was also named to the all-area team by the Stockton Record.
Matt Galas, Central Catholic (Modesto), 6-1, 270, OL, Sr.
A MaxPreps Small School All-American, Galas was named to the all-district team by the Modesto Bee. He was the lead blocker for the Western Athletic Conference champion Raiders and was the lineman of the year in the WAC.
Ioane Savaii, Taft, 6-2, 310, OL, Sr.
A three-time all-area player by the Bakersfield Californian, Savaii opened the holes that allowed Cody Shirreffs to rush for over 2,000 yards.
Conner Preston, Serra (Gardena), 6-2, 200, QB, Jr.
The transfer from Pacific Palisades provided the perfect weapon to get the ball to Serra’s outstanding group of receivers. Preston completed 203 of 308 passes for 3,437 yards and 44 touchdowns in leading Serra to a Division III state championship. He earned all-Northwest Division honors and was named to the all-area team by the Torrance Daily Breeze.
Nick Montana, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 6-3, 190, QB, Sr.
The son of Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, Nick carved out his own legacy with a 27-1 record as the Lions’ signal-caller. He earned all-area honors by the Los Angeles Daily News and was also named to the All-Northwest Division team. He finished the season completing 155 of 267 passes for 2,636 yards and 34 touchdowns. He’ll play at Washington next year.
Malcolm Jones, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 6-0, 217, RB, Sr.
Selected the National High School Player of the Year by Gatorade, Jones ran 236 times for 2,477 yards and 40 touchdowns during the Lions' 13-1 season. Jones was also a member of the All-Southland Team by the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team and the Ventura County Star All-County Team.
Chris Adams, Marin Catholic (Kentfield), 6-0, 215, RB, Sr.
Adams was the workhorse for Marin Catholic, rushing 267 times for 2,443 yards and 30 touchdowns en route to a North Coast Section Division III championship and a berth in the Division III state title game. He landed on the San Francisco Chronicle’s All-Bay Area Team and was the Back of the Year in the Marin County Athletic League.
Devon Blackledge, St. Bonaventure (Ventura), 5-10, 175, RB, Sr.
The Offensive Player of the Year in the Channel League, Blackledge was also an All-Northern Division Selection and was named to the all-county team by the Ventura County Star. He carried the ball 232 times for 1,859 yards and 23 touchdowns during the season.
Dylan Hopkins, Carmel, 5-11, 150, AP, Sr.
The Monterey County Offensive Player of the Year by the Salinas Californian, Hopkins set a reported county record for touchdowns with 34. He carried 134 times for 1,539 yards and 26 scores and caught 18 passes for 427 yards and four touchdowns. He also averaged 20 yards on punt returns and 33 yards on kick returns.
Kyle Steffes, Paraclete (Lancaster), 6-2, 175, K, Sr.
Steffes earned all-area honors as both a punter and a kicker this year. He averaged just over 40 yards a punt and had 10 field goals as the Paraclete kicker. Named to the All-Mid-Valley Division squad and had a long field goal of 55 yards.
First Team Defense
Cassius Marsh, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 6-5, 288, DL, Sr.
Marsh earned All-Northwest Division honors and was also named to the all-area team by the Los Angeles Daily News and the All-Southland Team by the Los Angeles Times after racking up 88 tackles and 16 sacks for the Lions. He was the defensive lineman of the year in Ventura County.
Cody Kurz, St. Bonaventure (Ventura), 6-3, 245, DL, Jr.
Kurz made the All-Northern Division Team and the All-Ventura County Team by the Ventura County Star. Kurz figures to be one of the top recruits in Southern California next year.
Sean Bacon, Serra (Gardena), 6-2, 220, DL, Sr.
An All-Northwest Division pick, Bacon led the Cavaliers in sacks with 17 and also finished the season with 130 tackles.
David Moala, Serra (Gardena), 6-2, 270, DL, Jr.
Moala anchored the center of the Serra defensive line while earning All-Northwest Division honors. He had 110 tackles and 12.5 sacks.
Nick Largent, Escalon, 6-0, 225, LB, Sr.
Largent earned all-area honors by the Modesto Bee and the Stockton Record after making 110 tackles and three interceptions for Escalon, which finished the season 10-2.
Zac Stout, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 6-2, 220, LB, Sr.
One of the leading tacklers for the Lions, Stout had 113 tackles, three sacks and three interceptions while earning a spot on the Ventura County Star All-County Team, the Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team and the All-Northwest Division Team.
Josh Finau, Serra (Gardena), 5-10, 210, LB, Sr.
Paced the Cavaliers with 166 tackles on the season along with five sacks. Selected to the all-area team by the Torrance Daily Breeze and The Wave while also landing on the All-Northwest Division Team.
Darren Lee, Lassen (Susanville), 6-1, 200, LB, Sr.
Lee had 141 tackles, two sacks and three interceptions while earning Northern Section MVP honors. He also rushed for 1,383 yards on 169 carries with 17 touchdowns.
John Andrus, Palma (Salinas), 6-2, 195, LB, Sr.
Selected the Defensive Player of the Year by the Salinas Californian, Andrus was also the top defensive player in the Tri-County Athletic League. 
Robert Woods, Serra
File photo by Kirby Lee
Robert Woods, Serra (Gardena), 6-1, 185, DB, Sr.
A member of the MaxPreps All-American Team, Woods had eight interceptions on the season and was one of the top receivers in the country with 66 catches for 1,112 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Byron Marshall, Valley Christian (San Jose), 5-10, 190, DB, So.
One of the top sophomores in the country, Marshall made the all-county team by the San Jose Mercury News. He was a standout in the secondary with five blocked kicks, 40 tackles and an interception. He also rushed for 1,116 yards and scored 25 touchdowns.
Austin Fugate, Corcoran, 6-1, 163, DB, Sr.
The MVP of the East Sequoia League, Fugate had 333 tackles and 12 interceptions in his career. He completed 76 of 154 passes for 1,288 yards and 13 scores this year while rushing 105 times for 799 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had 113 tackles and five interceptions as the team’s safety.
Troy Hill, St. Bonaventure (Ventura), 5-11, 170, DB, Sr.
Headed to Oregon next year, Hill was named to the all-county team by the Ventura County Star and also made the All-Northern Division Team.
Bruce Taylor, Palma (Salinas), 5-10, 165, DB, Sr
The MVP of the Tri-County Athletic League, Taylor was honored as both a wide receiver and a defensive back for the Chieftans.
Jeremy Stein, Carpinteria, 6-1, 210, P, Sr.
Stein was an All-Northwest Division selection and had one of the top punting averages in the state with a 44.35 average on 37 punts. He landed 16 punts inside the 20-yard line and had a long of 70 yards.
Second Team Offense
Chris Paul, Laguna Beach, 6-2, 175, WR, Jr.
Selected to the All-Southern Division Team, Paul was among the state leaders with 61 catches for 909 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Clay Robbins, Menlo (Atherton), 6-1, 172, WR, Sr.
One of the leading pass-catchers in the state, Robbins grabbed 84 passes for 1,706 yards and 15 touchdowns for Menlo and earned all-county honors by the San Mateo Times.
Jordan Payton, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 6-3, 195, WR, So.
The up-and-coming Payton quickly emerged as Nick Montana’s go-to receiver, as he caught 45 passes for 1,088 yards and 18 touchdowns this year. He was named to the All-Northwest Division Team.
Jake Davis, King City, 6-3, 205, TE, Sr.
Earned a spot on the Salinas Californian All-County Team after catching 26 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns.
Ja’van Hall, Tamalpais (Mill Valley), 6-1, 210, OL, Sr.
Selected as the Lineman of the Year in the Marin County Athletic League.
John Oppenheimer, Sacred Heart (San Francisco), 6-0, 255, OL, Sr.
Selected to the All-Bay Area Team by the San Francisco Chronicle as well as the all-county team by the San Mateo Times, Oppenheimer will play at Yale next year.
Keith Bendixen, St. Joseph (Santa Maria), 6-5, 255, OL, Sr.
The top lineman in the Los Padres League, Bendixen helped St. Joseph to an undefeated regular season and landed on the All-Northwest Division Team.
Colby Varley, Palma (Salinas), 6-0, 230, OL, Sr.
The top lineman for the Chieftans the past two seasons, Varley earned a spot on the All-County Team by the Salinas Californian.
Ben Cowger, Liberty Madera Ranchos (Madera), 6-5, 220, OL, Sr.
Made the All-Area Team by the Fresno Bee and was outstanding on both sides of the line. Named the North Sequoia League Defensive Player of the Year.
Danny Diekroeger, Menlo (Atherton), 6-1, 172, QB, Sr.
One of the top baseball prospects in Northern California, Diekroeger showed off his arm this fall by completing 251 of 395 passes for 4,185 yards and 36 touchdowns. He was named to the all-county team by the San Mateo Times and the All-Bay Area Team by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Zach Roberson, Summerville, 6-3, 190, QB, Jr.
Honored on the all-district team by the Modesto Bee, Roberson led the Bears to one of their best seasons ever (10-2) while completing 160 of 296 passes for 2,893 yards and 37 touchdowns.
Jesse Soria, Strathmore, 5-4, 145, RB, Sr.
One of the leading rushers in the central part of the state, Soria helped Strathmore go 9-3 with a Central Section Division VI championship. He earned all-area second team honors by the Fresno Bee after rushing 249 times for 2,337 yards and 34 touchdowns.
Jake Cimolino, Fort Bragg, 6-0, 200, RB, Sr.
Cimolino helped Fort Bragg return to dominance in the North Coast Section, leading the Timberwolves to the North Coast Section Division IV championship. He rushed for 2,206 yards on 253 carries with 27 touchdowns during Fort Bragg’s 12-2 season and was the MVP of the North Central I South Division.
Cody Shirreffs, Taft, 6-0, 210, RB, Sr.
A member of the Bakersfield Californian’s all-area team, Shirreffs raced for 2,214 yards on 289 carries with 22 touchdowns.
Amir Carlisle, King’s Academy (Sunnyvale), 5-11, 175, AP, Jr.
The explosive junior ran for 2,037 yards on 187 carries with 28 touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 182 yards and returned punts and kicks for the Knights. Named to the all-county team by the San Jose Mercury News.
Miguel Rodriguez, Salesian (Los Angeles), 5-11, 174, K, Sr.
Selected to the All-Northeast Division Team, Rodriguez had 10 field goals and 39 extra points for Salesian. He had a long of 49 yards.
Second Team Defense
Grant Stanley, San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno), 6-5, 230, DL, Sr.
Named the North Yosemite League Lineman of the Year, Stanley helped San Joaquin Memorial win the league title and post a 10-2 overall record. He will play at Yale next season.
Tony Popovich, Marin Catholic (Kentfield), 6-3, 270, DL, Jr.
Popovich was the defensive leader along the front line for the Wildcats and earned Marin County Athletic League honors for the second time while leading Marin Catholic to a 13-2 record and the state Division III championship game.
Austin Morehead, Sutter, 6-0, 220, DL, Sr.
One of the top wrestlers in the state, Morehead is also a two-time All-Northern Section first team pick. He had 141 tackles on the year to go with six sacks.
Max Gibbon, Palma (Salinas), 6-0, 210, DL, Sr.
Earned the Defensive Lineman of the Year award in the Tri-County Athletic League while helping the Chieftains win the league title. Also named to the Salinas Californian All-County Team.
David Garcia, San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno), 5-11, 205, LB, Sr.
Selected as the North Yosemite League Defensive Player of the year, Garcia was also a member of the Fresno Bee’s All-Area Team. Garcia averaged 11 tackles per game and was also the team’s tight end, fullback and punter.
Drew Howell, Tehachapi, 6-3, 210, LB, Sr.
Committed to Oregon, Howell averaged 11 tackles a game for the Warriors and was named to the Bakersfield Californian’s All-Area Team.
Domenic Rivera, Carmel, 5-11, 185, LB, Sr.
Rivera was named the defensive player of the year in the Mission Trail Athletic League and was also an all-county pick by the Salinas Californian after registering 96 tackles and helping the Padres to a 12-0 season.
Austin Cole, Twentynine Palms, 6-0, 190, LB, Sr.
Cole led Twentynine Palms in tackles with 131 and had two interceptions. A two-time all-league selection, Cole also made the All-East Valley Division Team.
Kevin Schofield, Dos Palos, 6-0, 175, LB, Jr.
Selected the Merced Sun Star Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the Fresno Bee All-Area Second Team, Schofield was one of the area leaders with 149 tackles.
Billy Flamion, Central Catholic (Modesto), 6-1, 180, DB, Jr.
The league defensive player of the year in the Western Athletic Conference, Flamion had 81 tackles and four interceptions for the Raiders. Also an outstanding baseball player, Flamion made the all-district team for the Modesto Bee and also had 34 receptions for 588 yards and 11 touchdowns on offense.
Bene Benwikere, Serra (Gardena), 6-0, 190, DB, Sr.
Made the All-Northwest Team and the Torrance Daily Breeze All-Area Team. Finished the season with five interceptions and 65 tackles.
James Yoder, Valley Christian (San Jose), 5-10, 205, DB, Sr.
An all-around player, Yoder had 60 tackles and an interception on defense for Valley Christian and also caught 29 passes for 602 yards and seven scores. Made the San Jose Mercury News all-county team.
Nathan Wishart, Seaside, 5-9, 180, DB, Sr.
Helped Seaside to a Central Coast Section Division II championship and was named the Monterey Bay League’s Defensive Back of the Year. Also made the Salinas Californian’s All-County Team.
Kevin Running, Valley Christian, 6-5, 215, P, Sr.
Besides throwing for 2,446 yards (175 of 265) and 22 touchdowns and earning All-Mid-Valley Division honors, Running was also one of the top punters in the state, averaging 39.4 yards per kick and dropping eight punts inside the 20-yard line.
Updated: Palma's Bruce Taylor was inadvertantly left off the original team.
