Top 10 Northern California Coast high school football Player of the Year midseason WatchList
About half of the teams in the Northern California Coast region — that's the Central Coast, North Coast, San Francisco and Oakland sections combined — have played five games. The rest will get there this week.
With a good chunk of the season complete, here's a look at 20 top picks for Player of the Year in the region. Criteria includes leading a top-ranked team, overall production and next-level potential.
California scores Sept. 28-30: NCS | CCS | SFS | OS | SJS | CS | NS | SS | SDS | LAC
Team rankings: Northern California Coast (9-26-2023)
The early favorites (alphabetical)
QB Luke Baker, San Ramon Valley
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior quarterback, who led the Wolves to the state 2-AA championship game last year with a North Coast Section-leading 3,733 passing yards and 46 touchdowns, is on pace for those totals with 1,506 passing yards, 18 TDs for the No. 3 Wolves (5-0). His coach Aaron Becker calls him the best QB he’s ever coached — and he’s coached a half-dozen college-bound signal-callers — and McClymonds coach Michael Peters compared him to a prep Drew Brees. If he was 2-3 inches taller, every college in the country would be after him. He has a baseball scholarship to Santa Clara secured.
RB/LB Herschel Turner, Mt. Diablo
Hard to pick anyone else considering the fleet, rugged and elusive 5-10, 185-pound running back-linebacker leads the nation in rushing and rushing touchdowns, according to statistics kept on MaxPreps, with 1,584 yards (316.8 per game) and 25. Albeit against lesser competition (opponents have a combined record of 7-11), Turner is averaging a ridiculous 19.3 yards per carry). He’s also a monster on defense with 54 tackles (10.8 per game) with five forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and a scoop-and-score. A transfer from Freedom-Oakley, where as a sophomore he had 75 catches for 775 yards and rushed 450 yards and five more scores, Turner has helped turn around the unranked Red Devils (4-1), who haven't had a winning season (other than abbreviated spring pandemic season), since 2009. He has nine reported college offers, including Utah and Washington State.
QB Dominic Ingrassia, San Marin
The second-year starter for the two-time defending state champion and No. 7 ranked Mustangs (4-0), is a 6-4, 200-pound senior. He's completed 72 of 101 for 1,154 yards, 14 touchdowns and two interceptions. He has one offer from Utah Tech. If the Mustangs win a third straight state title, his chances will be helped significantly.
RB/CB/KR Charles Williams, Marin Catholic
The 6-1, 175-pound senior running back and corner is considered an athlete in the recruiting world — he has offers from Wyoming, Oregon State, San Diego State and San Jose State — and his done it all for the fifth-ranked Wildcats (5-0) with 63 carries, 528 yards and 11 touchdowns, 17 tackles, three interceptions and a dangerous return man. Like Ingrassia at MCAL rival San Marin, if the Wildcats win another state crown (they won one in 2021), Williams' chances will be helped greatly.
Charles Williams in last season's CIF Division 2-A NorCal title game at San Ramon Valley. Photo: Jim Malone (see slideshow at top of page)
Middle wave
QB Quinn Boyd, Granada
The 6-3, 185-pounder is suddenly garnering a lot more college interest with his stellar senior season for the 4-1 Matadors 1,358 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and just one interception. He threw for a school-record 446 yards and seven touchdowns while completing 22 of 26 last week in a 56-20 win over San Leandro.
LB-DE-TE Drew Cunningham, De La Salle
Much like Serra, the second-ranked Spartans are extremely balanced, but the 6-3, 220-pound senior has emerged as a hard-hitting linebacker/defensive end and tight end/tackle. Coaches single out Cunningham’s vocal leadership as a key to a current three-game win streak. He has offers from Ivy League schools and Army.
LB-QB Jabari Mann, Serra
It’s almost impossible to single out any from Northern California’s No. 1 team (4-0), but because of Mann’s ability on both sides of the ball, he gets the nod for the Padres. The 6-foot, 210-pound San Jose State-bound linebacker also takes snaps as a Wildcat quarterback.
Jabari Mann (5) always seems to be gobbling up ball carriers. Photo: Dennis Lee
QB Mike Mitchell Jr., Riordan
Only a sophomore, the 5-10, 175-pound quarterback already has reportedly received seven college offers, including Cal and Arizona State. The second-year starter has led a resurgent No. 11 Crusader team (3-1) by completing nearly 70 percent (90 of 132) for 1,262 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions.
QB Jacob Pruitt, Rancho Cotate
The 5-10, 175-pound quarterback has thrown for 501 yards and seven touchdowns, but he’s an even better runner with 729 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He rushed for 264 yards and five scores in the team’s only loss, a 35-34 vs. Redwood-Larkspur, followed by a combined 376 yards and six scores in wins over Sacramento and Freedom. Cotate is No. 21 in the NorCal Coast ranking.
QB Braden Young, Tamalpais
The 6-2, 185-pound senior leads the list — and NCS — in passing yards (1,677) and touchdowns (19) while completing 113 of 156 (72 percent) for the 4-1 Hawks. He’s surpassed 400 yards twice.
Outside shots (lots of season left)
- QB Marley Alcantara, Pittsburg — As a first-year starter, replacing current Arizona State QB Jaden Rashada, Alcantara has thrown for 235 yards per game with 13 touchdowns.
- RB/FS Jaxon Bell, Liberty-Brentwood — Only a sophomore, Bell is third in the NCS with 867 rushing yards (10.8 per carry) with 13 touchdowns. Liberty is 3-2.
- RB/DB TaJir Golden, McClymonds — A game-breaker, Golden has already rushed for 458 yards in just three games with a 9.2 yards-per-carry average and six touchdowns. Don't be surprised if he finishes with upwards of 2,000 yards.
- WR-DB Kamani Jackson, El Cerrito — The Washington State commit is one of the most versatile players in the NCS. He's a game-breaker on offense and an offense-stopper on defense.
- RB-FS Kingston Keanaaina, Saint Francis — A junior, Keanaaina has rushed for 553 yards in just four games after not starting until Week 3 last year when he rushed for 780 yards and 10 touchdowns. His future might also be as a safety.
- RB Julian McMahan, Monte Vista — A 6-2, 195-pound junior already has seven college offers and through five games has 601 yards rushing in 86 carries with eight touchdowns. He's also a excellent receiving target with seven catches for 115 yards and two more scores.
- RB-DB-KR Jamelle Newman, Lincoln — The AAA's most versatile athlete, is a game-breaker. Already with 633 yards, Newman figures to pile up the numbers in league play. The Mustangs have won three state titles since 2018.
- QB Dominic Pierini, Monte Vista Christian — Leads the CCS with 1,429 yards passing and 16 touchdowns for the 3-2 Mustangs.
- QB Maealiuaki Smith, Serra — He hasn't been asked to do much thus far, but he should by the end of the season. Thus far he's thrown for just 382 yards, but expect a big uptick in the final six games.
- QB Brayden Turner, Monte Vista — Junior looks very much like a college prospect after completing 76 of 124 for 1,239 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first five games.
- RB Evan Usher, Woodside — With 721 rushing yards and a 9.88 yards per carry, Usher ranks third in the CCS in rushing for the 3-1 Wildcats.
- RB Zachary Homan, Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa — Ranks fourth in the NCS in rushing with 808 yards and 13 touchdowns, which ranks second for the 5-0 Cardinals.
Who'd we miss? Email: Mitch@scorebooklive.com
