Ricky Seale continues to dominate the opposition. The 5’10” 190lb senior running back out of Escondido rushed 25 times for 162 yards, including a 60-yard TD run, in a 21-21 tie with Torrey Pines last week. Seale, who now has 5,600 career rushing yards, is looking to become the all time rushing leader in San Diego-CIF Section history. He needs only 50 yards against #2 ranked La Costa Canyon to break the all-time rushing mark set by Demetrius Sumier of Cathedral Catholic. PAC-10 powerhouses including, USC, UCLA, Stanford, Cal, and Washington are heavily recruiting Seale for next years college football season.
Sam Hoekstra is an explosive running back/ defensive back out of Santa Fe Christian High School in California. Sam was simply unstoppable when his Santa Fe Christian Eagles took on the Coronado Islanders last week. Sam scored 2 touchdowns while amassing 226 rushing yards on only 13 carries, including an impressive 75 yard punt return touchdown. Sam now has 865 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in only 6 games this season while averaging a staggering 16.32 yards per carry. Sam and his 6-0 Eagles look to extend their unbeaten streak when they faceoff this week against their conference rival, the 5-2 Christian Patriots.
SportsForce athlete and Christian High School place-kicker, Michael Gruber was recently featured by the San Diego Union-Tribune in an article highlighting the superior abilities of Christian’s special teams. Gruber is a talented athlete all around as the Union-Tribune reports:
“Gruber, a starting catcher for the Christian baseball team, never thought about football until the beginning of his junior year. His place-kicking career began by chance after his father, Curt Gruber, and former football coach and now Christian athletic director David Beezer watched him play goalkeeper for the Patriots soccer team.”
“I knew he was raw, but I got a bag of balls just to see what he could do as a possible kicker,” Beezer said. “I kept it simple, and he’s gotten better and better.”
Gruber’s accuracy is especially impressive: “Gruber has placed 21 of his 25 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. In the past two seasons, Gruber and the Patriots are 16-for-16 in recovering onside kicks.”
Gruber is an extremely dedicated athlete and has taken many measures to ensure his success as a place-kicker: “When the kicking carrot was dangled in front of him, Gruber went after it. He attended a San Diego summer combine with 50 kickers and won the field goal kicking competition. He has connected on 4-of-6 field goal attempts this season with a long of 47 yards for Christian (5-2), which plays at Santa Fe Christian at 2 p.m. Saturday.”
John Matich, is a former NFL and NCAA kicker and now owner and director of The Kicking System, which offers Camps & Private Kicking Lessons in San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles.
SportsForce athletes haven been recognized over the past few weeks for their stand out performances. Previous Athlete of the Week, running back and USC commit Dillon Baxterhas been the talk of many news outlets with an explosive start to his season. 619Sports.net wrote of Baxter and Missions Bay’s 49-27 win over Point Loma:
“ He ran the ball 22 times for 133 yards and four scores; breaking through tackles and embarrassing defenders along the way. Through the air he totaled 170 yards with 2 touchdowns and only one interception.
“All week we’ve been preparing,” said Baxter after the game. Our wide receivers just had to execute, the O-line had to buckle down because we knew they have a strong front. We just came out and matched their intensity and took it over.”
Baxter had another amazing performance two weeks back against the Lincoln High Hornets, with the San Diego Union-Tribune reporting:
Baxter rushed for 268 yards and two touchdown in addition to passing for another 277 yards and four TDs while coming ever so close to 600 total yards after returning a crucial interception 41 yards to lead the Buccaneers to a 41-34 non-league victory, spoiling Lincoln’s homecoming.
Kenny Stills, Jr, has also had a very impressive season thus far, and the Union-Tribune recently published a feature on the La Costa Canyon receiver. The Union-Tribune highlighted how Stills relationship with his father has helped to nurture his sports career. Stills father is Kenny Stills Sr, former NFL player and current USD defensive backs coach. The U-T writes:
Stills Sr. knew his son had talent and drive, but he has surpassed his expectations.
“Honestly, Kenny has developed more than I ever dreamed,” Stills Sr. said. “I’ve been a coach at the high school, college and pro ranks, and I can tell you I am totally impressed with the way he has developed into a complete player.”
Stills said his son has had one big motivating factor driving him his entire career as a football player.
“He’s always wanted to be better than his dad,” Stills Sr. said.
This past weekend, the senior receiver continued his dominance and had nine catches for 130 yards, threw a 29-yard touchdown pass, returned an interception 75 yards interception and finished a 56-7 win over Mission Hills with 311 all-purpose yards.
Ian Autman is a sophomore running back out of Olympian High School in Chula Vista, CA. Ian Autman had a breakout game vs. San Ysidro which included 10 carries for 110 yards with 3 TD’s.Ian is a compact runner with explosive speed and agility. Built in the model of other undersized running backs, like Maurice Jones-Drew or Darren Sproles, his quick footwork and low center of gravity make him elusive and difficult to tackle. He is the leading rusher averaging almost 7 yards per carry for the undefeated 5 – 0 Olympian Eagles.
Nick Melka is a defensive end and tight end out of Lisle, IL. At 6’2” and 242lbs Nick is a force on the field. He is captain of the football team as well as a captain of the boys volleyball team. In his 2008 season, Nick has 51 Tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, 5 ½ sacks and one blocked punt. So far in his 2009 season, Nick has 11 ½ sacks over six games and one blocked extra point.
Sean Callahan is a midfielder for the boys soccer team at the San Diego Jewish Academy. Sean is the leading all-time scorer for San Diego Jewish Academy as well as a varsity letter man as a freshman and named to All-Citrus League Team, scoring 8 goals. Sean was named team captain as a sophomore and Citrus League Player of the Year, scoring 28 goals in 19 games.
Bernadette Butkiewicz plays outfield and 1B/2B for Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, CA. She was named the offensive MVP last season and also plays for the San Diego Chaos. Bernadette defines herself by saying, “I work hard not only in practice and in games, but I do my own personal training at Velocity in Poway and work with hitting Coach Darren Johnson.”
ESCONDIDO–Fans, college scouts and media came together at Wilson Stadium to watch one of the great running backs in San Diego Section history, Ricky Seale, as undefeated Escondido took on Vista in the 619 Sports Prep Game of the Week. But on a night of hard-hitting, the Cougars defense stole the show from Seale. Escondido (5-0) stifled the talented Vista (3-2) offense for 3 1/2 quarters, sacking the Panthers six times in a 21-10 win.
Cougars head coach Paul Gomes came into the game with his top two stars having missed practice all week. Seale was sick and seemed slowed in the game with what teammates called mono, while fullback Tim Zier was resting after a mild concussion suffered against Rancho Bernardo. That took both out of the starting defense, but Gomes said the unit didn’t skip a beat:
Zier will go a step further. He believes his Cougars defense is a championship unit:
Hear from Ricky Seale, Andrew Wahlquist, and more from Zier and Gomes below:
Tim Zier and Ricky Seale lined up in the Escondido backfield (619 Sports)
Both Seale and Zier played on offense, and both broke long scoring runs in the first half but were shut down from there. Seale struck first on a 39 yard cutback scamper through the heart of the Vista defense, making it 7-0 on the game’s opening drive. But he ran for only 32 yards on 17 carries from there. Zier led the team with 22 carries for 103 yards and two touchdowns, including a 59 yard second quarter burst up the middle.
Seale was more than happy to let Zier shoulder the load in the second half against a punishing Vista team that was keying on his every move:
The Panthers defense-led by senior linebacker Ofisa Kose-stifled the Escondido rushing attack in the second half. Seale, Zier and quarterback Cruz Navarro (10 carries, 61 yds rushing, 1-3, 33 yds passing) were held to a combined 27 yards on the ground after intermission. That set the stage for the Cougars defense to shine, and they held Vista to just a pair of second-half first downs before the final drive of the game.
Vista has a couple of highly talented playmakers on offense, but they rarely got an opportunity to find open field. With SDSU’s Brian Sipe in attendance on the sidelines, hopefully the Aztec coach took note of 5′6″ jitterbug Jordan Alexander (10 carries, 39 yards/3 catches, 49 yards, TD) , who displayed a series of spin moves, hesitations and cutbacks that brought back memories of Reggie Bush at his best. Alexander turned two screen passes into big plays, including a 36 yard catch-and-run for Vista’s only touchdown of the night.
Most of the time, Vista QBs Chris Liuchan and Christian Gallardi were staring at the Escondido sky after hitting the ground hard, with a host of Cougars on their back. Andrew Wahlquist, a senior linebacker, recorded two of Escondido’s six sacks on the night:
While Ricky Seale’s numbers were pedestrian on this Friday, Tim Zier knows Seale will have plenty more chances to rack up stats. Not just on Fridays, but Saturdays and Sundays as well:
Granite Hills kicker and SportsForce student-athlete, Tyler Strickland is garnering attention for his amazing accuracy and dedication to his team. The Union-Tribune recently covered Strickland, praising the kicker for his abilities on the field and unwavering commitment to his team and the sport. Bill Dickens of the Union-Tribune writes:
“When it comes to kicking, precision is essential for Strickland and the Eagles football team. With the help of long snapper Joe Cardona and holder Dylan Rubio, Strickland is 13-for-13 on points after touchdown this season and has made one of two field-goal attempts, connecting from 37 yards.
Granite Hills coach Randy DeWitt said Strickland routinely kicks 55- to 57-yarders in practice.
‘In a game, I wouldn’t be afraid to give Tyler a shot from 45 yards — maybe even longer, depending on the situation,’ DeWitt said. ‘He focuses on his craft seven days a week, whether we’re in season or not.'”
Strickland is not just gaining notice in the local spotlight, but has several colleges with their eye on him, the article continues:
Strickland loves to contribute to the scoring, but that’s not his favorite part of the game.
“I like kicking off because that’s when I’m allowed to kick the ball as hard as I can,” said Strickland, who played defense for the Granite Hills soccer team for the past two seasons.
DeWitt, whose Eagles (2-1) host El Centro Central at 7 p.m. tomorrow, is pleased with that part of Strickland’s game. His kickoffs usually reach the end zone, resulting in a touchback. The coach figures about 90 percent of Strickland’s kickoffs are not returned.
“Having a kid like Tyler who can kick the ball that far is like an added weapon,” DeWitt said. “It takes a lot of pressure off our defense in terms of field position.”
Strickland handles all the kicking chores for the Eagles, including punting. Much of his practice time is actually not spent punting the ball.
“It’s all about the drop,” Strickland said. “In practice I’ll stand on the line facing the bleachers and make sure that I throw the ball straight up and let it hit the line. If you drop it to the left or to the right, you’re probably going to shank the punt.”
Arizona State, Nevada and Nevada Las Vegas have expressed interest in Strickland.
“Tyler has an uncanny ability to power the ball,” Eagles kicking coach John Matich said. “He can put the ball in the end zone and has long-range field-goal abilities, which makes him a Division I prospect for sure.”
John Matich, is a former NFL and NCAA kicker and now owner and director of The Kicking System, which offers Camps & Private Kicking Lessons in San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles.
Check out Strickland in action and visit his profile page.
When it comes to kicking, precision is essential for Strickland and the Eagles football team. With the help of long snapper Joe Cardona and holder Dylan Rubio, Strickland is 13-for-13 on points after touchdown this season and has made one of two field-goal attempts, connecting from 37 yards.
Granite Hills coach Randy DeWitt said Strickland routinely kicks 55- to 57-yarders in practice.
“In a game, I wouldn’t be afraid to give Tyler a shot from 45 yards — maybe even longer, depending on the situation,” DeWitt said. “He focuses on his craft seven days a week, whether we’re in season or not.”
It’s not often you get a playmaker as talented as Kenny Stills into your program, so La Costa Canyon (5-0) is doing whatever it takes to get Stills the ball. The senior wide receiver also lined up at running back and quarterback during a 38-14 bruising of Rancho Buena Vista (1-2-1) on the LCC campus Friday night. Stills finished with 5 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown, while running out of the “Gator” formation twice for 21 yards. That’s Gator, as in Tim Tebow, as in the defending national champs who would very much like to see Stills in Tallahassee next year.
Not only is Stills multi-talented, but he is coveted by most of the top college programs in the country. Florida, Oklahoma, USC, Cal, and Penn State are all knocking down Stills’ door hoping to catch his eye. As a nod to his receiver’s brilliance, Stills told 619 Sports after the game that many of the formations the Mavericks use are named after the different schools seeking his services next year:
Hear more from Kenny Stills and LCC head coach Darrin Brown after the jump:Rancho Buena Vista actually started the game running the ball well, but the Longhorns were victims of their own mistakes all night long. A pair of botched shotgun snaps snuffed out a long, promising drive to open the game, and a pair of second-quarter fumbles, one on yet another bad snap, both were recovered by LCC.
Late in the first quarter, head coach Darrin Brown went to a hurry-up offense that delivered the game’s first touchdown on a 5 play, 43 yard drive. Seth Hanson punched in a 6-yard scoring run to make it 7-0 LCC. A bit later in the quarter, after Mavs’ linebacker Tucker Toolson recovered a high snap fumbled by RBV quarterback Willy Castillo, LCC marched a short field again. A 45-yard drive was capped with Westin Manor’s 2-yard touchdown plunge.
Coach Brown was pleased with his team’s overall effort on the night:
The signature play of the game was delivered by Stills with less than three minutes remaining in the first half. Facing a first-and-25 from their own 27, Mavericks’ QB Garrett Krstich hit Stills on a simple crossing route about 8 yards downfield. Stills then made a sharp cut upfield between two defenders, and scampered 73 yards for the touchdown.
Coach Brown on Stills’ great play:
Life is pretty good right now if you’re Kenny Stills. Tall and growing, young and talented, and coveted by most of the best teams in college football. The BMOC has found little to complain about:
The Longhorns, meanwhile, played with heavy hearts, after most of the team went to the memorial on Friday morning of one of their former players from 2007 and 2008. Michael Pyper was killed in an auto accident last Friday night coming home from the RBV game. It was a tough week for the kids according to the coaching staff, but to their credit the team kept playing late in the game, scoring two touchdowns against the LCC third team to make a 38-0 score more respectable at 38-14.
In a North County packed with top teams, the balanced Mavericks look primed for a deep run in the division playoffs, with hopes of a state bowl invite. Coach Brown won’t even think past the Mission Hills game. Stills, meanwhile, still thinks that LCC has some room to grow:
Everybody’s eyes were fixated on Eastlake’s Tony Jefferson Friday night. The standout RB/DB was the focus of the fans, the media, and most obviously the Poway Titan’s defense.
Jefferson and the 5th ranked Eastlake Titans (3-0-2) ran all over Poway (0-5) to cruise to an easy 34-7 victory Friday night in Chula Vista. Eastlake ran sweeps and misdirection plays all night that kept the Poway defense in a constant state of confusion.
There was seemingly nothing that the Poway defenders could do. Eastlake’s rushing trio of Jefferson, Chris Fletcher, and Daniel Diaz had the Poway secondary scampering to make tackles throughout the night. Whether it was pounding Jefferson up the middle, or sending it outside with Fletcher and Diaz, the rushing attack was relentless and unstoppable (31 rushes, 316 yards and 3 TDs).
Jefferson is off to an astounding start this year; entering tonight’s game with 600 yards and six touchdowns. Yet he is becoming accustomed to playing the role of decoy as of lately.
“A lot of teams are keying in on me, because of the success I have had,” he said after the game. “Less carries are coming for me, but as long as my team is getting the scores like today, it’s all good.”
Hear Tony Jefferson’s postgame comments:
While his attempts may have decreased, his production certainly has not. Jefferson ran the ball 10 times tonight for 120 yards with three touchdowns. His rushing partners Fletcher and Diaz combined for 179 yards themselves.
“It’s nice to have 3 guys that do a good job,” remarked Eastlake head coach John McFadden. “They all run hard and they all read the holes well.”
Listen to John McFadden’s postgame comments:
McFadden and his offense were using pre-snap motion to confound the Poway defenders early and often. Faking the outside sweep to either a motioning Fletcher or Diaz opened up the middle for Jefferson. While play-faking to Jefferson clogged up the line and left the outside open for the motion-man to run free.
“It’s hard for defenses to focus in on one player,” said Diaz (7 rushes, 68 yards). “Obviously Tony gets most of the attention, and rightfully so, but it’s hard for defenses to prepare for that.”
Equally as impressive as the Eastlake rushing trio was the play of their defense. Eastlake held Poway scoreless until the final minutes of the game, when a 25-yard TD strike with 1:09 depleted any hopes of a shutout.
The Eastlake defensive line and linebackers were in the backfield on almost every play. Poway QB Colton Kirkegaard (11/15, 108 yards, 2 INTs) was sacked five times and had to scramble out of the pocket any time he wished to throw. The run defense was just as stubborn, allowing Poway about 1.8 yards per carry. Besides their only score, the highlight of Poway’s night was kicker Marcus Diaz drilling 60-yard field goals during halftime.
“Our defense has really been good all year long,” said Coach McFadden. “I wouldn’t want to go against them.”
Hilltop (3-2) is the next opponent in line for Coach McFadden and the Eastlake Titans. The Lancers are coming off of a devastating 44-6 loss to Mission Bay and will be looking to rebound on October 16, when the two teams meet.
