BLACK HAT FOOTBALLS MIDSEASON SPECIAL: A QUICK LOOK AT THE BEST THE 209 HAS TO OFFER THROUGH 5 WEEKS The seasons only half over, but its as good time as any to recognize some of the first-half stars hat have been rockin and sockin in The 209. Theres a lot of football left to play, and some of these kids have the most difficult part of the schedule coming up, so there could be plenty of changes. Still, you cant help but be impressed by how much these kids have accomplished … Black Hat Football’s Player of the Year QB Nate Phillips, Modesto High – After being forced to sit his junior season due to heavy politicking within Modesto City Schools, he has come back wit vengeance. Phillips is sixth in the state total offense with 1,805 yards, and has accounted for 18 TDs while leading the Panthers to a 5-0 record. He has five 100-yard rushing games (211 in a win over Patterson, and has twice thrown for four TDs in a game). Black Hat Offensive Player of the Year RB Mark Paule Jr., Sierra High-Manteca – The 5-foot-7, 150-pound junior has exploded this season, leading the state with his 22 TDs and topping the Sac-Joaquin Section with 909 rushing yards for the 4-0 Timberwolves. He has topped 200 yards in all four games and has six or more TDs in three games. We’ll get a good feel for how good Paule and the ‘Wolves are when they host Central Catholic Friday night. Black Hat Defensive Player of the Year LB St. Mary’s Khalil Hodge, St. Mary’s High-Stockton – The 6-foot, 220-pound senior has been a tackling machine for the 3-1 Rams, getting in on 70 tackles. He is fourth in the section in tackles, including 22 in a 27-24 double-overtime loss to unbeaten St. Ignatius-San Francisco, and also has a sack. Merced County Player of the Year RB/LB Justin Stefani, Buhach Colony High-Atwater – Tough field here with Pacheco-Los Banos RB/LB Frank Ginda, Merced RB Jabar Byrd and Stefani teammate Aundre Sherman. Stefani’s on top right now, in part because his Thunder beat Ginda’s Panthers two weeks ago and second because he ran for 177 yards against talented Clovis North. The 5-9, 210-pound bowling ball has nimble feet to go with his 549 yards and 5 TDs – as well as 27 tackles, with four of those for losses. San Joaquin County Player of the Year RB/DB Marcel Dancy, West High-Tracy – He and the Wolfpack have been among the stories of the year, with Dancy providing play after play and piling hundreds of yards while leading West to four straight wins to open the season. His length-of-the-field interception return for a TD sealed an early win and created momentum for the Wolfpack. Stanislaus County Player of the Year WR/DB Damarrio Hammonds, Patterson High – He was an offer from Weber State as a defensive back (a rare feat for a player from The 209) and has been dynamic as a receiver. He has 29 catches for 469 yards and 5 TDs, including a whopping 13 catches for 197 yards in last week’s 16-6 win over Atwater. There might not be a more dynamic athlete in the section’s southern half than the electric Hammonds. Sierra Foothill Player of the Year Connor Hamilton, Calaveras High-San Andreas – His Redskins lost their first four before beating Bret Harte in last week’s Mother Lode League opener, but don’t blame Hamilton. He’s rushing for nearly 150 yards a game and has 13 TDs, and has been in on 22 tackles. He’ll also be a marked man Friday when the Redskins face MLL newcomer Sonora – an overwhelming favorite to roll to this year’s league title. Linemen of the Year Tristen Taylor, Stagg High-Stockton – His Delta Kings have struggled, rocked by a preseason dismissal of key players due to discipline and then three straight losses, but he gets the Gold Seal of approval from CalHiSports guru Mark Tennis. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound Taylor has good feet for a big man, and Black Hat is still picking the Delta Kings to win the San Joaquin Athletic Association championship. Coach of the Year Rich Alkire, Modesto – He was Black Hat’s Coach of the Year after turning around the Panthers’ program, taking the remnants of a 1-9 team and turning them into a Modesto Metro Conference co-champ last season. So why is he here again? The program was stripped of much of its talent by graduation, or so most believed. Big wins over Turlock, Patterso and Stagg have validated Modesto’s 5-0 record. Modesto QB Nate Phillips, our midseason Player of the Year, also is Alkire’s stepson and followed his dad from Gregori a year ago.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 04:49:43 +0000
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