Historically San Diego County has developed some the best running backs to ever play the game of football, with a list that includes Heisman Trophy winners: Marcus Allen, Rashaan Salaam, Ricky Williams and Reggie Bush. NFL great, Terrell Davis, one of five 2,000 yard rushers at the professional level, could also trace his roots back to the area. Even with the area’s rich history at the position, San Diego’s running back class of 2010 is arguably the most talented group ever to be coming out of any single location, let alone San Diego County.

Currently on Rivals, Dillon Baxter (6’0 205lbs), is ranked as the top overall all-purpose back in the nation and the only one with a five star rating at his respective position. As a Mission Bay Bucaneer, he led his team to a perfect season by playing both running back and quarterback. On the season, Dillon rushed for nearly 3,000 yards, scored 50 TDs rushing, 25 TDs through the air and had an impressive average of 11.4 YPC. He went over 300 yards in three different occasions and his lowest rushing mark of the year was 100 yards. As expected, Dillon was recently announced as the National Player of the Year. Dillon will be playing close to home with a commitment to USC.

Close on Dillion’s heels on the Rivals all-purpose back rankings is Brennan Clay (6’0 200lbs), who is currently holding the number two spot. During his junior year at Scripps Ranch, Brennan was a dual threat running back, surpassing 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving. He is a home run threat every time he touches the ball and is an explosive return man. Brennan recently signed with the University of Oklahoma.

Now look at Ricky Seale (5’10 190lbs), a big play back coming out of Escondido High School whose production over the last few years surely speaks for itself. His breakaway speed paired with superior vision has enabled him to amass 2,400 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns in each of the past two season. Towards the end of his senior year he became the leading rusher in CIF-San Diego Section history and first ever in the section to go over 6,000 total rushing yards. He was highly recruited within the PAC-10, and ultimately signed with Stanford.

Then, there is Damien Williams (6’0 200lbs), a newcomer to the list of star running backs leaving San Diego County this year. Everyone always knew that he had talent, but grades and changing schools prevented him from demonstrating his talent early on. During his senior year at Mira Mesa he established himself as a top-tier back by rushing for nearly 2,300 yards, 24 TDs, 9.9 YPC and closing out the season strong with a string of eight consecutive 200 yard performances. Damien is now signed with the Arizona State Sundevils.

Don’t forget about Tony Jefferson (6’1 205lbs), from Eastlake High School, he has rushed for 5 yards shy of 2,000 with a 8.95 YPC and 25 TDs on the season. The scary thing is Tony was being recruited as a Safety and not a running back, so that speaks volumes about his potential to play on both sides of the ball. After being recruited and showing high interest in playing for Michigan, Oklahoma or USC, Tony decided on Oklahoma.

These young players have history on their side; San Diego County has produced more Heisman winners than any other place in the country. Is there something in the water? Maybe it’s a little too early to be speaking about the Heisman, but each one of these players has a chance to be something special, so make sure you keep an eye out for them in the next few seasons.

Sport: Basketball Position: Forward Height: 6’6” Class: 2012 School: La Jolla Country Day, La Jolla, CA

Frankie Bamford is an extremely talented sophomore forward at La Jolla Country Day. Consistently putting up double digits, Bamford is fast becoming the go to player for his team. In a tough loss to the Francis Parker, Bamford had a double- double leading his team with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Bamford followed up one double-double game with another. In a win over Santa Fe Christian, Bamford finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocked shots while he helped his team to another win by finishing with 14 points and seven rebounds to beat out Clairemont. Bamford also led his team with 17 points in a loss to the Bishop’s School.

To view Frankie’s complete SportsForce profile click here – http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/fbamford

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

Sport: Football Positions: QB / DB Height: 5’9” Weight: 180 Class: 2010 School: Francis Parker High School San Diego, CA

Deon Randall was a one-man human highlight reel as his Francis Parker Lancers came up just short in the CIF State bowl series against Modesto Christian 44-40.  The speedy 5’9” 180 lb quarterback was nothing short of spectacular.  He accounted for 30 of his team’s 40 points, totaled 5 touchdowns: 2 through the air, 3 on the ground, and gained 386 of his team’s 437 total yards on offense.  Often cited as too short to play the quarterback position at the collegiate level, Randall’s leadership has never been questioned.  Head coach John Morrison told the North County Times, “I want the ball in his hands with the game on the line.”  While his Lancers may have come up short, Deon Randall was anything but.

To view Deon’s complete SportsForce profile click here – http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/drandall

Scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com

“Work harder” say the coaches. I say eat better if you want to work harder. My 18 year old niece trains seven days a week to become the best collegiate swimmer possible. Every weight training session, every 6 am practice, she is there with a smile and enthusiasm that screams, “Bring it on!” Yet, as I asked her about her eating habits the other day, I stopped dead in my tracks. It appears that Rubio’s has been the greatest nutritional component of her training as of late.

As a sports nutritionist, I focus on guiding professional and amateur athletes in various sports from MMA fighters and major league baseball players to pleasure surfers, and I have neglected my own flesh and blood. Let me explain myself before continuing because I feel there are many parents and athletes who might relate and learn a few things. As a young teenager my niece wisely stopped drinking sodas and decided to never eat fast food. Movies like Fast Food Nation had an impact on her, so I decided she was a rather healthy individual. But does my niece eat anywhere near the quality of nutrition she should as a hardcore athlete? Not even close! Thus, the inspiration to write this article was born and I hope it can help those who seek to achieve optimum athletic conditioning and are showing up at 6 am while their peers are sleeping in. I will be writing this article in several parts with this being part one, so stay tuned and take notes. We will start with the foundation today.

Eating 5 Small Meals a Day

As a nutritionist, I see people (myself included!) struggle to eat 5 small meals a day. It is even more challenging for busy teenage athletes going 100 miles an hour to eat well and more often. In typical teenage invincible-mode, they often believe they can skip meals without negative consequences. Worse yet, young female athletes sometimes intentionally skip meals thinking this will help them control their weight. Why is it so important to eat smaller amounts of food more frequently throughout the day?

Eating more often keeps you feeling great and full of energy. This practice helps to keep your blood-sugar level stable and avoids the highs and lows associated with other eating habits. Eating smaller, well balanced meals containing lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats will result in a healthy body ready for challenge. It also provides fuel needed for muscle repair and growth, development, and recovery.  We will explore each of these areas in the next article.

–To learn  more about athlete nutrition and Optimal Nutrition visit: http://optimalnutritioninc.com/

by Craig at 619Sports.net

CIF San Diego Section will send two schools to next weekend’s State Bowl games at the Home Depot Center, as both Oceanside and Francis Parker have earned trips to Carson.  The bowl matchups were announced by the CIF earlier this afternoon.

Francis Parker will represent Southern California in the Small Schools division, taking on the Modesto Christian Crusaders at 4pm on Friday.  Oceanside was named as the SoCal Division I representative, they will battle Bellarmine Prep Bells at 8pm on Friday night.

–Courtesy 619Sports.net

D- III: Cathedral On Top Again

Cathedral Catholic and Point Loma battled it out in what proved be a closer match than years prior considering the Dons blowout win against the Pointers in the 2007 CIF Championship , beating them 41-3. The Pointers able to lead the Dons in the second half through the third quarter with a score of 14-6, but that is where the lead would end. The Dons finally gained momentum with a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, however, their attempt at a 2 point conversion pass was knocked down.

After the defense held, Cathedral got the ball back at its own 36 with 5:19 remaining. On 3rd-and-9, Cathedral Catholic coach, Sean Doyle, sent in word to go for the downs. Dons QB, Max Brewer called a slant-and-go for WR Chance Early, who was lined up in single coverage split to the left against Point Loma’s Davis Callejon. The slant move drew in Callejon and allowed Early to get a half-step behind his coverage.

Brewer delivered a perfect throw, running back Early made the catch, then broke free of Callejon’s tackle at the 35-yard-line. The rest was clear sailing to the end zone and a third-straight Section championship.

D-IV Final: Baxter Scores 7 TDs in 48-17 Rout of Valley Center

Baxter, in a performance for the ages, rushed for 384 yards and seven touchdowns as the top-seeded Mission Bay Bucaneers (13-0) ran past Valley Center 48-17 in Chula Vista.  Baxter, who already owns the state scoring record, came within 40 yards of the single-game San Diego section rushing record, held by Kenneth James Jr. of Mt. Carmel, who ran for 424 yards against Westview earlier this year.

His first carry of the night went for 34 yards, but that was just a warmup.  On his final carry of the first half, Baxter broke a 92-yard scoring run.  On his first carry of the third quarter, it was Dillon Baxter for 87 yards and another score.  A 46 yard scoring romp on 4th down sealed the deal in the final quarter.

Baxter’s take on the game:

It was a special night for Mission Bay coach Willie Matson, who saw 30 years of hard work rewarded with his first CIF title:

Baxter said he fulfilled a promise by delivering a title plaque to Matson before he left for USC:

Jaguars head coach Rob Gilster had nothing but praise for his great running back:

But in the end, both coaches could only watch and admire the individual brilliance of Dillon Baxter, who will surely go on to great things at USC in the next four years.  From the opposing sideline, Gilster could only grit his teeth after missed tackles and long Baxter runs:

Meanwhile, Baxter’s high school career can now be compared to the greats who have preceded him, such as Marcus Allen and Reggie Bush.  Has there ever been a more dominant player in the section than Baxter?  Matson said simply that Baxter was the best player he had ever coached:

–Courtesy 619Sports.net

D-I: Eastlake Holds Off Vista 21-14

Twelve seconds remained and Vista stood but 15 yards away from the tying score in the D-1 CIF championship game against Eastlake.  Down 21-0 in the 3^rd quarter, the Panthers clawed their way back into the game; both teams’ entire seasons boiled down to these final seconds.  QB Christian Gallardi snapped the ball, rolled to his left, and tossed it towards the end zone.  Qualcomm Stadium was silent as the entire crowd held their collective breaths.

With a tremendous leaping grab, Daniel Johnson intercepted his third pass of the game to secure the D-1 CIF Championship for Eastlake High School (11-0-2).  The Titan’s 21-14 victory over Vista High School (10-3) brought Eastlake the school’s first ever CIF title.

Eastlake RB Tony Jefferson:

Eastlake head coach John McFadden:

D-II Final: Oceanside Opens Championship Six-Pack

The Oceanside Pirates took advantage of sloppy play from the Helix Highlanders to win the DII San Diego Section CIF Championship 26-10.  The win extended their own record to six straight CIF Championships dating back to 2004.

Helix came into Friday’s game after stunning Valhalla and Scripps Ranch the previous two weeks.  The Highlanders started the game as well as they could have hoped.  After a tremendous kickoff return from star DB Jimmy Pruitt, the Helix offense drove the ball 56 yards culminating in a 10-yard touchdown pass from sophomore QB Brandon Lewis.

But as Quentis Clark told 619 Sports after the game, this team knew they would bounce back.  While admitting that they were not used to being down early, Clark reiterated that the team never lost its swagger that had led to a perfect record in 2009. With a sixth straight title, Oceanside is in a class all by themselves.

Oceanside head coach John Carroll:

Helix head coach Troy Starr:

Oceanside quarterback Quentis Clark:

Oceanside linebacker Jake Fely:

Oceanside linebacker Sam Niu:

–Courtesy 619Sports.net

The Championship game of the Raven Tipoff Classic in San Diego, CA featured the University City Centurions versus the Newport Harbor Sailors in an exciting rematch from earlier in the tournament. During the previous meeting the Centurions won in overtime on a fade away buzzer beater by Jordan Johnson that brought the crowd to their feet.

Early championship game action showed that both teams are still in early season form and looking to work out some kinks before the start of league play. There were many turnovers and passes that sailed out of bounds in the first two quarters of play. Though much of the scoring went back and forth, the Centurions led 24-21 over the Sailors at halftime.

Newport Harbor head coach, Larry Hirst, must have said something inspirational to his team during halftime because the Sailors came out firing on all cylinders, going on a 7-2 run to start the half and forcing the Centurions to take a quick timeout. A few minutes into the quarter Jordan Johnson drove down the middle for a layup, but went down hard on his back and was called for a charge. The star from the previous meeting was taken out of the game to be looked at by a medical trainer for the majority of the third quarter.

At the end of the third quarter, when the game clock was practically dead even with the shot clock, the Sailors made a costly turnover. With seven ticks left on the clock, the Centurions managed to get the ball to Alex Catton who nailed a 3 point shot that put them within four.

Newport Harbor played the fourth quarter with a ridiculous amount of energy on both sides of the ball. Taking the lead after halftime gave the Sailors momentum and they never looked back, resulting in a 68-55 victory over the Centurions. Chad Seeber had a number of steals and good defensive stops to give the Sailors extra possessions. Chris Anderson was a force offensively, scoring in double digits for the final quarter and lead all scorers with 19 points.

Notable Performances:

University  City: Cerone Ramcharan 17pts, Joe Gordon 10pts

Newport Harbor: Chris Anderson 19pts, Ethan Ayers 15pts, Chad Seeber 13pts

Positions: RB Height: 5′ 11″ Weight: 200 Class: 2010  School: Mira Mesa High School San Diego, CA

The CIF playoffs are finally here, and Damien Williams made sure his Mira Mesa Marauders weren’t going to have an early exit.  The 5’11” 200 lb running back ran all over the Carlsbad Lancers, rushing for 275 yards and 2 touchdowns as he led his team to a 48-29 victory.  Lancers head coach Bob McAllister was well aware of the explosive ability of Williams telling the North County Times, “He’s the real deal, we knew we had to stop him, and we didn’t. We just had to tackle better than we did.”  Williams now has 2, 285 rushing yards with 24 touchdowns on the season.  Next up for Williams and the Marauders is a date with the #3 ranked Escondido Cougars in a division 1 showdown this Friday.  With Williams and the all-time CIF San Diego rushing leader Ricky Seale positioned to receive a lot of carries, both defenses might want to brace themselves for an all out rushing assault for the ages.

Visit Damien’s full SportsForce profile

by Kyle Englehart at 619Sports.net

There was an offensive explosion Friday night at Scripps Ranch High School. The scoring frenzy left one casualty: the Orange Glen defense.  Scripps Ranch lit up the scoreboard all night long scoring a season high 63 points.

Orange Glen fought hard, but Brennan Clay and the Scripps Ranch offense were too much to handle.  Routing the Patriots 63-34, the Falcons (6-5) soared their way into the quarterfinals of the Division II CIF Playoffs, where they will face Lincoln.  Clay, a University of Oklahoma commit, looked spectacular rushing for over 150 yards with two touchdowns; all in less than two quarters of play.

The Falcon offense was firing on all cylinders throughout the game.  In the first half, Scripps Ranch got into the end zone on all but one drive.  After trailing early 14-7, the Falcons quickly rallied and entered the half with a 42-14 lead.  Déjà vu struck in the last 42 seconds of the half when QB Jake Fish found WR Jeff Brown for two 10-yard TD strikes.

“Tonight we came together and played well, these past few weeks this offense has been out of sync,” said Clay post-game.  “We finally got this offense clicking.  With the offense clicking it brings the defense together and makes them play harder.”

The Falcons defense certainly played hard, but they could have taken the night off.

Scripps Ranch punted the ball only once in the game (3:06 4^th Quarter) and scored touchdowns on all but three drives.   Halfway through the second quarter, Clay broke off a stunning 65 yard TD run that gave Scripps a 28-14 lead, the closest Orange Glen would be the rest of the game.

The victory sends the Falcons to Lincoln next week to face off against their Valley League counterparts.  Three weeks ago, Scripps Ranch was pummeled 41-7 by the Hornets.  Clay is expecting a different outcome this time around.

“That’s going to be a hard fought game, a shootout.  There’s probably going to be a lot of points scored,” said an anxious Clay.  “The defense just has to hold tight, they’re a speed team, and speed kills.”

Clay and the Falcons played what is likely their last home game of the season, and for seniors like Clay, the last home game of their high school career.

“It felt great; we had a good crowd, a lot of supporters, a lot of family and friends, and alumni.”

Next week, the Scripps Ranch Falcons travel to Lincoln in hopes of earning a spot in the semifinals.  Clay will be looking to punish the Hornets defense which allowed 306 rushing yards in their final regular season game against Mira Mesa.

–Courtesy 619Sports.net