Top Valley Players for 2008

Top 10 Central Valley Prospects

The following ten athletes will be part of the 2009 class that looks bright for the central valley. Once again Edison High will continue to feed Division I colleges with athletes, but the Tigers will not be the only school college coaches visit this upcoming year. (No particular order of the athletes listed)

Alfonso Jackson (Bakersfield High) DB/WR- He’s as electrifying of an athlete as there is in the south valley. His versatility is what has college coaches courting him. He finished the season with 12 TDs, nine of those rushing and finished with 1410 all-purpose yards (108 per game).

Bernard Bolden (Merced High) DB/RET- His return skills are rivaled only by... Cliff Harris in the valley. A tremendous lock-down corner that will attract plenty of attention by colleges.

Cliff Harris (Edison High) DB/RET- Edison can forget about Robert Golden when they have a guy like Cliff Harris. He’s a smooth cover-corner with great athletic ability and the height college coaches drool over. Has plenty of options already, one of them none other than USC.

Greg Capella (El Diamante) OL- Capella is a mountain of man (6’5 330lbs) and is light on his feet with a tenacity that leaves you wondering how he’s still in high school. Capella will anchor the offensive line after winning every award possible for a lineman in the valley last year. It’s only a matter of time before colleges come knocking on his door.

Jontell Reedom (Tulare Union) RB- He runs a 4.4/4.5 but his vision and ability to make defenders miss is what separates him from the rest of the running backs in the valley this upcoming year. Reedom put up huge numbers as a junior (354 carries, 2707 yds, 25 TDs), and now looks to improve on those numbers.

Marquise Cooper (Edison High) RB/LB- He will graduate at 17 years old, but he’s perhaps the toughest Tiger this season. Has the ability to play anywhere on the field and being surrounded with so many great athletes will only make him better. He will be a force this season.

Nikko Motta (Sanger) DL – He’s monster on the defensive line (6’3 260lbs) and soon he will take his game to the collegiate level. Motta should definitely be one of the athletes the Bulldogs are paying close attention to. He fits the Bulldog football mold.

Rolando Jefferson (Edison High) WR- He’s got more recruiting letters than Pat Hill can send out in an entire year. Jefferson says the Bulldogs have made contact, but he wants to go further away. USC is eyeing him carefully and he’s by far the best wide receiver in the valley this year.

Tim McDonald Jr. (Edison High) DB- Is there anything really to say about an athlete that has already made a commitment to USC? McDonald has everything including pedigree (Tim McDonald Sr. was a pro-bowler with 49ers) and the grades that will help him be very successful.

Travis Brown (Clovis West) LB- Brown has already been offered by the University of Arizona. He will continue to be courted because he flat out knows how to play football. The Bulldogs are wishing they can land Brown, and may have the inside track with his father being the defensive coordinator. However, the ‘Dogs will have a lot of competition because every coach in the PAC-10 wants Brown on their roster.

Listed below are ten more athletes to be on the lookout for during the 2009 season. They may not be highly touted right now, but after camps this summer, these kids could open some eyes. They are already well known in the valley, but of course their goal is to open up the eyes of those outside the central valley.

Allan Huddleston (Merced High) DB- Speed is hard to teach and Huddleston has plenty of it. Camps are going to be his best friend this summer. The way Ebahn Feathers jumped out at everyone during a summer camp is what Huddleston is looking for.

Brant Botill (Corcoran High) LB- He was junior of the year for CBS 47 High School football award show. Has a great motor and desire, his only problem is he plays at a D-IV school and they tend to go unnoticed. Botill finished fifth in the valley in rushing yards with 1971 and also added 23 TDs. With a good summer he could open some scouts eyes.

Cameron Loeffler (Exeter High) RB- All he did as a junior was finish with 1952 yards and 24 TDs. Loeffler is 5’11 190lbs so he has the size, but like Botill plays in D-IV and gets overshadowed by the bigger schools. This kid is a winner and a playmaker.

Cougar Williams (Hanford High) WR/DB- He’s good. He’s versatile. He’s a great athlete. Offense or defense, he’s going to cause havoc for all his opponents. Most importantly, is getting himself noticed during this summer or deciding if football is what he wants in college. He’s a great point guard as well.

Damon Bragner (Los Banos High) OL- Bragner is a kid with plenty of size, but college coaches don’t like to make the trip out to the high school on Highway 152. At 6’3 285lbs, Bragner will have to make a statement at camps and with his athletic ability I believe a college will come knocking on his door by the end of his senior year.

Nate Ware (El Diamante) DB- This kid can play anywhere. He doesn’t miss tackles and has a knack for the football. He needs to focus on one position during camps this summer to impress coaches, but he’ll definitely be playing on Saturdays.

Stefphon Jefferson (El Diamante) RB- He was the backup his junior year, but was the more explosive of the two backs. Jefferson is primed to take over duties full-time in the backfield. It won’t be long before the debate/comparisons begin including him and Mr. Reedom.

Stephon Mathis (Merced High) RB- His brother was a good running back at Fresno State (Wendell Mathis), and now the younger Mathis wants his skills to be recognized. Was injured for most of his junior year, but he’s explosive, elusive and understands the game of football. Colleges will want his services before too long.

Teddy Furnish (Kerman High) LB- In case you are wondering how tough Teddy Furnish is; ask his opponents on the wrestling mat. A highly ranked wrestler in the central valley, Furnish will go into his senior year with a chip on his shoulder. The new coach in Kerman, will definitely have a leader and someone that will make plays all over the field.

Trent Eskew (Liberty High-Bakersfield) TE- This is a tough position, because it seems tight ends always get overlooked. Eskew is a great athlete with soft hands and in the summer time is when he has to display his talent to college coaches. | MORE

State Championships are in grasp!!!

A big congratulations is in order to the Memorial and Edison High boys basketball teams. Both are one win away from playing for a state championship. Memorial in DIV and Edison in DII.

Edison is set to square up against Mater Dei, who by the way has only lost one game. They are good. They have twins, that are 6'10, and both are committed to the University of North Carolina. Yeah, that Carolina, the baby blue school that was home to Michael Jordan. Oh, by the way they are juniors. Have no fear, because the Tigers don't. They bring in Greg Smith, a junior, who's 6'9 and has developed into a primetime player. The nation will soon know about Mr. Smith, yes he's that good. Good luck to the Tigers for a great season thus far.

Memorial High hasn't made it look easy or pretty. The bottom line is the Ws the team has earned. The private school located on McKinley, is ready to take down another So Cal foe. It will be interesting and exciting.

Good luck to both schools!!! | MORE