SportStars 2018 All-NorCal Offense
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 offensive 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!
QB / KAIDEN BENNETT / Folsom / Sr.
STARTER: The Boise State-bound dual-threat quarterback completed nearly 74 percent of his passes for 4,254 yards, 62 TDs and just 5 INTs. He also rushed for 568 yards and 13 more scores. Bennett nearly racked up 400 yards of total offense (with a hand in all three TDs) in leading the Bulldogs to a 21-14 CIF Div. I-AA Bowl victory.
QB / JAY BUTTERFIELD / Liberty-Brentwood / Jr.
Rivals.com lists Butterfield as the No. 2 QB in the country for the 2020 Class. His numbers make it easy to say why. The 6-foot, 6-inch slinger passed for 3,294 yards and 43 TDs over 14 games. He completed 64 percent of his passes and had at least three TD pass in every game but two in leading the Lions to a 13-1 mark and CIF 1-A State Bowl title.
QB / JACKSON PAVITT / Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa / Jr.
Pavitt was a dominant dual-threat quarterback for a Cardinals team which went 11-1 and may have gone further had a coin toss not ended their season. The 6-2 signal caller completed a whopping 77 percent of his passes for 2,494 yards, 30 TDs and just three interceptions. He was also Newman's second-leading rusher with 552 yards and 11 scores.
RB / AUSTIN JONES / Bishop O-Dowd-Oakland / Sr.
STARTER: Jones's epic career with the Dragons ended with a 2,000-yard season and his second NCS title. He reached 2,005 yards and needed just 219 carries (a 9.2 yard/carry average). The Stanford-bound back rushed for 24 TDs. He added 378 receiving yards and another TD. De La Salle defensive coordinator Terry Eidson recently told SportStars that Jones "was hands down the best athlete we faced this season."
RB / CAM SKATTEBO / Rio Linda / Jr.
STARTER: Not only did he lead all of NorCal in rushing yards, but he finished second in both the state and nation (among stats reported to MaxPreps). His massive season included 305 carries for 3,550 yards and 42 TDs. He also caught three TD passes and threw for one more. On defense, he provided 73 tackles (51 solo), an interception, fumble recovery and seven blocked FGs for the CIF 5-AA State Bowl champs.
RB / JAYLEN "FRESH" ISON / Moreau Catholic-Hayward / Jr.
A 5-10, 220-pound dynamo, Ison rushed for 2,130 yards and 32 TDs as the Mariners won their first 12 games before losing in the NCS Div. IV final. He also caught two TD passes and had more than 300 return yards with a pair of punt return touchdowns.
RB / JARMAR JULIEN / McClymonds-Oakland / Sr.
A bruising back with surprising quickness, Julien rushed for more than 1,800 yards and netted 23 TDs for the now three-time defending CIF State Bowl champions. Julien was at his best in the two CIF games, combining to rush for 372 yards and five scores in wins over Aptos and Garfield-L.A.
RB / ISAIAH NEWELL / Las Lomas-Walnut Creek / Jr.
Newell has a chance to set all kind of career rushing records for the Knights next season. He followed up a 1,500-yard sophomore season with a junior year that included 2,166 rushing yards and 31 TD. He had over 2,500 yards from scrimmage when adding in his 337 receiving yards (plus another TD). Las Lomas finished 12-1.
RB / DANIYEL NGATA / Folsom / Jr.
After what he accomplished in 2018, it's hard not to wonder if Ngata could notch 1,000 yards rushing AND receiving as a senior. The dual-threat tailback rushed for 874 yards and 10 TDs and caught 36 passes for 666 yards and 10 more scores. He also returned two kicks for touchdowns.
RB / TYERELL STURGES-COFER / Liberty-Brentwood / Sr.
Seven running backs is a lot, but Sturges-Cofer made sure he'd be on this list with a dazzling performance in the CIF 1-A State Bowl game. He rushed 21 times for 188 yards and all three Lions touchdowns in a 19-17 win over Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth. On the season, he had 1,531 yards and 18 TDs on the ground. He added one receiving TD and a fumble return score on defense.
WR / JOE NGATA / Folsom / Sr.
STARTER: Despite being the focal point of every defensive secondary he faced, the Clemson-bound Ngata caught 66 passes for 1,269 yards and 22 touchdowns. He hauled in the game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter of the CIF 1-AA State Bowl game that the Bulldogs would eventually win in OT.
WR / SIONE VAKI / Liberty-Brentwood / Sr.
STARTER: Another historic year for the Liberty football program would never have come to fruition without Vaki. The Bay Area's most dynamic receiver caught 70 passes for 1,394 yards and 20 TDs. He also had a rushing TD, a kick return TD and an interception return for a score. Vaki finished second on the Lions defense with 97 tackles and added four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
WR / ELIJAH BADGER / Folsom / Jr.
Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, Oregon, USC, Nebraska and — yes, the Wisconsin BADGERS — are among the schools lined up to jockey for Badger's commitment and signature. The 6-1 wideout caught 55 passes for 1,113 yards and 20 TDs. He also racked up 528 return yards and scored TDs on three punts, one kickoff and one interception.
WR / CALEB COOLEY / Pleasant Valley-Chico / Sr.
Catching almost everything that came his way, Cooley closed out his Vikings career with a senior season in which he averaged nearly 24 yards a catch. He caught 45 passes for 1,064 yards and 15 TDs as Pleasant Valley went 10-3 and won the CIF 4-AA State Bowl.
WR / JAKE GREEN / Colfax / Sr.
It was an historic season for the Colfax program. The Falcons were undefeated Sac-Joaquin Section champions and reached the CIF 5-A State Bowl game before falling 21-10 to San Diego High. Green had 106 yards receiving and Colfax's only TD in the state bowl final. He finished the year with 1,035 receiving yards and 15 TDs.
WR / JAMIR SHEPARD / Palo Alto / Jr.
Named the SCVAL-De Anza League's Most Outstanding Junior, Shepard appears destined to join the lineage of great receivers to play for the Vikings. In just 12 games, Shepard caught 48 passes for 1,074 yards and 19 TDs. He also added six points on a kickoff return.
TE / CONNOR BARBATO / Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park / Jr.
STARTER: Barbato may end up playing defense at the next level, but he was arguably NorCal's most proficient tight end in 2018. He caught 55 passes for 1,134 yards and nine TDs to help the Cougars post an 11-2 record. We mentioned his defense? Try 107 tackles and 23 sacks. You read that right.
OL / JOEY CAPRA / Placer-Auburn / Sr.
STARTER: The youngest of three road-grading brothers to block for the Hillmen, Joey Capra anchored a bruising offensive line that continued Placer’s dominance as a running team. Behind the San Diego State signee and his linemates, the Hillmen rushed for 5,269 yards and 75 TDs.
OL / ZACK GIEG / Valley Christian-San Jose / Sr.
STARTER: Gieg was honored as the West Catholic Athletic League's Offensive Lineman Of The Year for his efforts up front for the Warriors. He helped pave the way for a rushing attack that gained nearly 3,800 yards on the way to a CCS Open Division II championship and 11-3 record. He has an offer to play for Air Force in the fall.
OL / GUNNAR RASK / De La Salle-Concord / Sr.
STARTER: Rask was a consensus first-team pick across three different media-named all-region teams. The three-year varsity player started on both lines for the Spartans, but the offensive side was where he brought his greatest impact. De La Salle delivered a punishing run game on its way to a 12-1 record and yet another CIF Open Division State Bowl appearance.
OL / JUSTIN SCREMPOS / Milpitas / Sr.
STARTER: The 6-foot-8, 340-pound offensive tackle was a hulking presence on the Milpitas line for the past three years. The three-star talent will take his game just down the road to San Jose State this coming fall.
OL / ZAC WELCH / Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills / Sr.
STARTER: The 6-foot-5, 293-pound Welch is headed to the University of Nevada after anchoring the Trojans’ offensive line for three years. Oak Ridge QBs were seldom bothered by anyone lined up against Welch, and key yards were typically gained on the ground behind this workhorse.
OL / GEORGE BECKER / Gridley / Sr.
After missing his sophomore season due to a steer wrestling injury, Becker filled out his 6-foot-frame to earn the job as the Bulldogs’ left tackle. In his final high school season, the Eastern Washington-bound blocker helped pave the way for Gridley to average nearly 300 yards per game on the ground.
OL / ISAAC DUENAS / Alisal-Salinas / Sr.
While the Trojans 2018 wasn't nearly as successful as their 2017, Duenas was no less dominant up front. The 6-4, 320-pounder was once again among the best linemen in the Central Coast Section.
OL / FRANK POSO / Branham-San Jose / Jr.
Ranking among the Bay Area's top offensive linemen in the 2020 Class, the three star-rated Poso is already garnering interest from several Pac-12 schools. He was named the Blossom Valley Athletic League-Santa Teresa Division's Most Outstanding Lineman and will be one to watch in 2019.
K / RONAN DONNELLY / Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton / Jr.
The PAL-Bay Division Special Teams Player of the Year is one of the 2020 Class's top-ranked kickers in the country. Donnelly converted 12 of 17 field goals, three from beyond 40 yards, and sent 70 percent of his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. His season long FG went for 47 yards.