Post by MDDad on Jan 7, 2020 13:36:06 GMT -8
I need some second opinions from people whose memories of Orange County high school football go back more than a decade or two.
About ten or 12 years ago, a retired sportswriter from Chicago called Coach Rollinson asking for some information on Mater Dei football. Rollo didn’t have the answer, so he gave the guy my number and asked him to call me. He did, and I was able to help him out with the information he requested. Apparently, he was born and raised in Orange County and played football at a county public high school. He went on to become a sports reporter for both the Chicago Tribune and the Sun-Times. He was in his mid-70’s and had decided to write a book about Orange County high school football. When I told him about the excellent reference book already published by Dennis Bateman, he was aware of it, but insisted his would be more of a narrative history than a volume for stats addicts.
Anyway, he still calls about every two or three years, sometimes to buy football sweatshirts or hats, and sometimes to pose a challenging question or request about our local football history. Before Thanksgiving this year, he called and asked if I could come up with an All-Time All-NFL Team composed of players who played their high school ball in the O.C. He must be in his mid-80’s by now, and I doubt his book will ever be finished, but I always find it fun to indulge him nevertheless.
I took a quick look at all 218 NFL players who played their high school ball in Orange County. About two thirds of them only lasted a year or two, but about 70 played long enough to be considered for this All-NFL (All-Orange County High School) Team.
My question to this forum is: Have I forgotten anyone, or are their changes that should be made? Here’s the team:
Quarterback – Carson Palmer, Santa Margarita
Backup – Steve DeBerg, Savanna (Choosing between DeBerg and Steve Beuerlein of Servite was my toughest decision in this whole exercise.)
Running Backs – DeShaun Foster, Tustin; Reuben Droughns, Anaheim
Backup – Shane Vereen – Valencia
Wide Receivers – Isaac Curtis, Santa Ana; Randy Vataha, Rancho Alamitos; Brian Finneran, Santa Margarita
Backups – Rishard Matthews, Saddleback; Emile Harry, Fountain Valley
Tight End – Tony Gonzalez, Huntington Beach
Backup – Hoby Brenner, Fullerton
Offensive Linemen – Ryan Kalil, Servite; Keith Van Horne, Fullerton; Mike Iupati, Western; Glenn Parker, Edison; Chris Chester, Tustin
Backups – Blaine Nye, Servite; Gerry Mullins, Anaheim; Duval Love, Fountain Valley
Defensive Linemen – Mike Patterson, Los Alamitos; Frostee Rucker, Tustin; Dan Owens, La Habra; Travis Kirschke, Esperanza
Backups – Mark Lomas, Garden Grove; Chris Hoke, Foothill
Linebackers – Brian Kelley, Sunny Hills; Skip Vanderbundt, El Dorado; Brian Noble, Anaheim; Chris Draft, Valencia
Backups – Kevin McLain, Loara; Richard Brown, Westminster
Defensive Backs – Brig Owens, Fullerton; Tony Parrish, Marina; Jim Steffen, Tustin; John Pitts, Laguna Beach
Backups – Orlando Scandrick, Los Alamitos; Antoine Cason, Los Alamitos
Kicker – Norm Johnson, Pacifica
Punter – Jim Norton, Fullerton
Top 10 NFL Players All-Time From Orange County High Schools
10 – Glenn Parker, Edison
9 – Jim Norton, Fullerton
8 – Mike Iupati, Western
7 – Keith Van Horne, Fullerton
6 – Isaac Curtis, Santa Ana
5 – Steve Beuerlein, Servite
4 – Ryan Kalil, Servite
3 – Steve DeBerg, Savanna
2 – Carson Palmer, Santa Margarita
1 – Tony Gonzalez, Huntington Beach (by a hundred miles)
About ten or 12 years ago, a retired sportswriter from Chicago called Coach Rollinson asking for some information on Mater Dei football. Rollo didn’t have the answer, so he gave the guy my number and asked him to call me. He did, and I was able to help him out with the information he requested. Apparently, he was born and raised in Orange County and played football at a county public high school. He went on to become a sports reporter for both the Chicago Tribune and the Sun-Times. He was in his mid-70’s and had decided to write a book about Orange County high school football. When I told him about the excellent reference book already published by Dennis Bateman, he was aware of it, but insisted his would be more of a narrative history than a volume for stats addicts.
Anyway, he still calls about every two or three years, sometimes to buy football sweatshirts or hats, and sometimes to pose a challenging question or request about our local football history. Before Thanksgiving this year, he called and asked if I could come up with an All-Time All-NFL Team composed of players who played their high school ball in the O.C. He must be in his mid-80’s by now, and I doubt his book will ever be finished, but I always find it fun to indulge him nevertheless.
I took a quick look at all 218 NFL players who played their high school ball in Orange County. About two thirds of them only lasted a year or two, but about 70 played long enough to be considered for this All-NFL (All-Orange County High School) Team.
My question to this forum is: Have I forgotten anyone, or are their changes that should be made? Here’s the team:
Quarterback – Carson Palmer, Santa Margarita
Backup – Steve DeBerg, Savanna (Choosing between DeBerg and Steve Beuerlein of Servite was my toughest decision in this whole exercise.)
Running Backs – DeShaun Foster, Tustin; Reuben Droughns, Anaheim
Backup – Shane Vereen – Valencia
Wide Receivers – Isaac Curtis, Santa Ana; Randy Vataha, Rancho Alamitos; Brian Finneran, Santa Margarita
Backups – Rishard Matthews, Saddleback; Emile Harry, Fountain Valley
Tight End – Tony Gonzalez, Huntington Beach
Backup – Hoby Brenner, Fullerton
Offensive Linemen – Ryan Kalil, Servite; Keith Van Horne, Fullerton; Mike Iupati, Western; Glenn Parker, Edison; Chris Chester, Tustin
Backups – Blaine Nye, Servite; Gerry Mullins, Anaheim; Duval Love, Fountain Valley
Defensive Linemen – Mike Patterson, Los Alamitos; Frostee Rucker, Tustin; Dan Owens, La Habra; Travis Kirschke, Esperanza
Backups – Mark Lomas, Garden Grove; Chris Hoke, Foothill
Linebackers – Brian Kelley, Sunny Hills; Skip Vanderbundt, El Dorado; Brian Noble, Anaheim; Chris Draft, Valencia
Backups – Kevin McLain, Loara; Richard Brown, Westminster
Defensive Backs – Brig Owens, Fullerton; Tony Parrish, Marina; Jim Steffen, Tustin; John Pitts, Laguna Beach
Backups – Orlando Scandrick, Los Alamitos; Antoine Cason, Los Alamitos
Kicker – Norm Johnson, Pacifica
Punter – Jim Norton, Fullerton
Top 10 NFL Players All-Time From Orange County High Schools
10 – Glenn Parker, Edison
9 – Jim Norton, Fullerton
8 – Mike Iupati, Western
7 – Keith Van Horne, Fullerton
6 – Isaac Curtis, Santa Ana
5 – Steve Beuerlein, Servite
4 – Ryan Kalil, Servite
3 – Steve DeBerg, Savanna
2 – Carson Palmer, Santa Margarita
1 – Tony Gonzalez, Huntington Beach (by a hundred miles)
