SportStars 2018 All-NorCal Defense
Welcome to our fifth annual All-NorCal Team selections. We do things slightly differently than most. Rather than name first- and second-teams, we simply build a roster. And then for fun, we denote starters. But each of the 52 players named to this year's team are considered equals. This slideshow reveals the 26 defensive players on this year's team. Our Player of the Year awards will be announced in our February issue, due for release at SportStarsMag.com on Feb. 1. Here we go. Set-HUT!
DL / JACOB BANDES / Pittsburg / Sr.
STARTER: The season-ending numbers for the Washington-bound talent would've been much higher if he wasn't hobbled by a hip flexor injury after just eight games. When healthy, he blasted through double-teams to still log 11 tackles for loss with three sacks and eight QB hurries.
DL / ISAIAH FOSKEY / De La Salle-Concord / Sr.
STARTER: Developed into a premier edge rusher for the Spartans. He numbers are downright scary when one considers there were at least five games where he was done by halftime due to De La Salle's big lead. Foskey finished with 40 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, five sacks, one interception (returned for a TD) and three forced fumbles. He also caught five passes at TE and took three of them for scores. He's weighing offers from Michigan, Notre Dame and Ohio State, among others.
DL / NOA NGALU / Menlo-Atherton-Atherton / Sr.
STARTER: A Washington-signed nose tackle, Nalu was a force of nature on both sides of the line for the CIF 3-AA State Bowl champs. He was the PAL-Bay Division Player of the Year and finished with 56 tackles (14 for loss) and a team-best seven sacks. He also had two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a TD.
DL / DEJON BENTON / Pittsburg / Sr.
The 6-foot-3, 270-pounder really came into his own in 2018, benefitting from double-teams on Jacob Bandes and then stepping up following Bandes's injury during the last third of the season. Benton finished with 43 tackles (11 for loss) and a pair of sacks. He flipped from Washington State and signed with USC at season's end.
DL / GARRETT FOUNTAIN / Turlock / Sr.
The multi-sport and multi-position talent signed with San Diego State where he is expected to be a speed rusher on the edge. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound DE earned Central California Athletic League Defensive Player of the Year after recording 53.5 tackles with two interceptions and three forced fumbles.
DL / SIALE LIKU / Oakland / Sr.
Closed out his Wildcats career holding 12 offers, including four from the Pac-12. He eventually settled on UCLA and signed in December. The 6-4, 330-pound four-star talent was a first-team All-Oakland Athletic League honoree and helped Oakland jump from 2-8 in 2017 to 6-6 in 2018.
DL / TATUO MARTINSON / Del Oro-Loomis / Sr.
The senior hybrid defender was equally stout against the run and the pass. Martinson recorded 71 tackles, including 20 for loss, had six sacks, an interception, fumble recovery, and five blocked field goals for a defense which allowed just 15 points per game.
DL / JAMAR SEKONA / Marin Catholic-Kentfield / Jr.
Sekona is considered one of the Top 30 defensive tackles in the country for the 2020 Class. He's four-star rated by 247Sports.com and has a list of offers that includes Cal, Oregon, USC, Arizona State and Kansas State.
LB / DANIEL HEIMULI / Menlo-Atherton-Atherton / Sr.
STARTER: There's no trouble finding Heimuli on the football field. Just find the ball, and that's where he is. The four-star linebacker had 96 tackles (16 for loss), six sacks, two interceptions and one fumble recovery in 2018. His 2019 team remains up in the air, but the list of suitors includes Alabama, Washington and Oregon among others.
LB / JOSHUA PAKOLA / St. Francis-Mountain View / Sr.
STARTER: Pakola is headed to Stanford in the fall after a stellar three-year varsity career with the Lancers. In his final season, he recorded 46 tackles (nine for loss), seven sacks, 10 QB hurries, one interception, two fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles.
LB / TRISTAN SINCLAIR / San Ramon Valley-Danville / Sr.
STARTER: Sinclair will join Pakola at Stanford, the school where his dad played. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound backer was the leader of a defense that surrendered 10 points or less on six occasions in 2018. He was also a first-team All-East Bay Athletic League-Mountain Division running back with more than 1,000 yards rushing and 15 total TDs. The Wolves won the NCS Div. I title.
LB / HENRY TO'OTO'O / De La Salle-Concord / Sr.
STARTER: He's arguably been NorCal's best linebacker for two straight seasons. He was the physical and emotional leader to the region's best defense, accounting for 76 tackles (17 for loss), 42 solo tackles, four sacks and two fumble recoveries. He broke his foot the night before the CIF Open State Bowl final and still made six tackles the following night. Alabama, Tennessee and Washington are his most likely destinations.
LB / NICKY EINESS / Liberty-Brentwood / Sr.
College recruiters won't flock to his 5-foot-9, 170-pound frame, but they'll all agree he's a fantastic tackler. Einess led the Lions in tackles for the second straight season, posting 121 stops with 19 tackles for loss, eight sacks, four fumble recovers and four forced fumbles.
LB / LAIATU LATU / Jesuit-Carmichael / Sr.
The Marauders’ defensive star used his prototype 6-foot-5, 242-pound frame to cover the field and make 94 tackles, including 29.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. The Washington-bound OLB finished a three-year varsity stint with 178 tackles and 21 sacks.
LB / TYCE MULLINS / Eureka / Sr.
There wasn't much Mullins didn't do in leading the Loggers to a 12-1 record and a CIF 3-AA NorCal Regional appearance. The 6-1, 210-pound two-way force made his largest impact on defense with 123 tackles, 86 of which were solo and 30 of which were for loss. He also posted seven sacks, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a blocked field goal. On offense, he scored seven TDs from his tight end position.
DB / AMIR WALLACE / De La Salle-Concord / Sr.
STARTER: Wallace stated his claim as the region's best cover corner as early as Week Zero. That's when he held Clemson-bound Folsom receiver Joe Ngata to just six catches for 50 yards and no TDs in a 14-0 shutout win. He also had the primary assignment of All-NorCal Liberty-Brentwood WR Sione Vaki in the NCS Open Div. championship game. Vaki had three catches for 30 yards and no TDs. Wallace had an interception in the 42-7 win.
DB / DANIEL ROANHORSE / Freedom-Oakley / Sr.
Roanhorse was a ballhawk and tackling machine in the Falcons' secondary. He finished the year with 94 tackles (50 solo) and had six interceptions and seven pass defenses. He returned two of his six interceptions for TDs. Freedom went 9-4 and reached NCS Div. I final.
DB / LOVELACE RUFUS / Moreau Catholic-Hayward / Sr.
One of the Mariners best two-way players, Rufus proved to be a playmaker in all three phases of the game. On defense he had 43 tackles (37 solo) with seven interceptions and two pick-6's. He also had a fumble recovery and returned a kickoff for a score. On offense he led the team in receiving with 48 catches for 776 yards and eight TDs.
DB / JOHNNY SERRANO / Rio Linda / Jr.
This speedy ball hawk took care of business in the secondary with 107 tackles and six interceptions, including a pick-6. Serrano also recorded seven pass defenses and returned a fumble for a score during the Knights’ postseason run to the CIF State Division 5-AA Bowl Championship.
AP / D'MARCUS ROSS / Capital Christian-Sacramento / Sr.
STARTER (DB): As powerful as he is versatile, Ross rushed for 2,126 yards and 20 TDs, and added seven receiving TDs and a pair of passing scores to help the Cougars win an SJS title. Despite rushing for more than 1,000 yards in all four years on the varsity roster, his path to the next level is likely on the defensive side of the ball where he made 62 tackles and hauled in three interceptions from his OLB and safety positions in 2018.
AP / SHAMAR GARRETT / De La Salle-Concord / Jr.
STARTER (DB): In addition to being nearly a 1,200-yard rusher with 16 TDs, Garrett was an x-factor in the secondary for the extremely stingy Spartans defense. He had six interceptions and returned three for TDs while also forcing a fumble. Garrett racked up 255 yards as the team's primary return specialist, and also threw a pair of TD passes on option plays.
AP / EVAN WILLIAMS / St. Francis-Mountain View / Sr.
STARTER (DB): The West Catholic Athletic League's Player of the Year led the Lancers on both sides of the ball. He's being recruited as a free safety where he made 35 tackles (22 solo), grabbed three interceptions and added seven pass defenses in 2018. He also had a fumble recover and a forced fumble. On offense, he had more than 850 yards receiving and 14 TD grabs.
AP / GILES JACKSON / Freedom-Oakley / Sr.
The Michigan-bound slot receiver only needed a kickoff return for the TD Bingo blackout. He had 14 receiving scores, four rushing TDs, two pick-6's, a punt return TD and a 99-yard fumble return. He finished with 1,923 all-purpose yards, 1,414 of which came on 74 pass catches. On defense, he had 39 tackles (26 solo), two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
AP / ZACH LARRIER / Monterey Trail-Elk Grove / Sr.
The two-way stalwart had a breakout senior season, especially on the offensive side of the ball, posting 34 total TDs to lead the Mustangs to a Metro League title and SJS Div. I championship game berth. Larrier threw just one interception against 18 TD passes, and contributed to a defense that allowed just 9.75 points per game in 12 victories, including four by shutout.
AP / PAUL M ROSA / Wilcox-Santa Clara / Sr.
A typical coach's son who can make a difference wherever he's needed, Rosa amassed over 2,000 yards of total offense for the CIF 3-A State Bowl champs. He rushed for 1,588 yards and 20 touchdowns while also catching 26 passes for 573 yards and eight TDs. Defensively he had 44 tackles and three interceptions, two of which he returned for scores.
AP / BAILEY SULZER / West Valley-Cottonwood / Sr.
A leader on both sides of the ball, the Eagles’ RB/MLB rushed for 2,054 yards and totaled 30 TDs. Defensively, he led the team with 150 tackles, including 17 for loss. The Northern League Offensive MVP helped the program win its first section title since 2013. A member of the Mormon faith, he will attend and play for BYU after serving his mission.