Jeff Tully
For a team that finished fourth in the tough Foothill League,
Burroughs High players were well represented on the season-ending
all-league list.
Along with nine Indian selections, Burbank landed five players on
the list and Bellarmine-Jefferson also had nine honorees.
"As tough as our league is, I am happy that our players got
recognized for the effort they had on the field this season," said
Burroughs Coach Keith Knoop, whose team finished 5-6 and made it to
the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs.
Leading the way for Burroughs are five first-team selections --
junior offensive lineman Fernel Vasquez, senior punter Matt Welsh,
senior linebacker Cory Brownlee, senior defensive lineman Alan West
and senior defensive back T.J McDonald.
Welsh averaged 39.2 yards a punt, and West ended his Indian career
second on the school's all-time career sacks list with 26 1/2.
Brownlee finished with 122 tackles, second in school history.
Landing on the second team is senior running back/receiver/
quarterback David Brooks, senior linebacker Mike Diaz and junior
defensive back Matt Patterson.
Along with 119 carries for 795 yards and eight touchdowns, Brooks
also caught 23 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns and was 11
for 19 for 235 yards passing with three touchdowns.
Diaz had 104 tackles and Patterson had four interceptions.
McDonald had a record-setting season, tallying eight interceptions
-- six in league. He holds the school's career interception record
with 15.
Senior strong safety Darrel Ditri is an honorable-mention
selection.
The Bulldogs (2-8) had just one first-team honoree, senior
receiver John Dincher. Dincher caught 53 passes for 683 yards and
five touchdowns.
Making the second team is senior receiver Rico Ckark, senior
defensive back Johnny Mercado and senior offensive lineman David
Martinez.
Earning an honorable- mention nod is sophomore quarterback Mike
McDonald. McDonald completed 118 of 282 passes for 1,759 yards, 13
touchdowns and 25 interceptions. His passing total ranks him second
in school history for yardage in a season and he is fourth on the
career list.
Bell-Jeff (5-6), which finished third in the Santa Fe League and
advanced to the first round of the Division XII playoffs, has six
first-team selections -- senior receiver Clarence Viray, junior
quarterback Brendon Doyle, junior defensive lineman Robert Alarcon,
junior offensive lineman Brian Alfaro, sophomore running back Derek
Leiphardt and senior fullback Richard Smith.
Not only did Doyle have a good season at quarterback, completing
103 of 203 passes for 1,553 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13
interceptions, but he also tallied seven interceptions as a defensive
back.
Leiphardt had 83 carries for 760 yards and 10 touchdowns, Smith
carried 83 times for 601 yards and had 12 total touchdowns and Viray
had 29 receptions for 562 yards and five touchdowns.
Bell-Jeff second-team selections are senior receiver Raul Cuevas,
senior defensive end Steve Ramos and sophomore running back Adrian
Anetema. Anetema carried the call 63 times for 592 yards and seven
touchdowns.
