ALL-BAY AREA NEWS GROUP FOOTBALL 2023
LINEBACKERS
First team
Marley Alapati, Serra, 6-0, 205, senior
WCAL outside linebacker of the year. Army commit had a sack in the CIF Open Division championship game against Mater Dei.
Drew Cunningham, De La Salle, 6-3, 220, senior
Stanford commit and EBAL Mountain co-defensive player of the year. Had five tackles and grabbed an interception in NCS Open title game victory over San Ramon Valley.
Marco Jones, San Ramon Valley, 6-4, 220, junior
Contra Costa County player of the year and EBAL Mountain co-defensive player of the year. Had 166 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and three interceptions as a linebacker, and also scored 12 total touchdowns via rushing, receiving and interception returns.
Danny Niu, Serra, 6-2, 210, senior
WCAL linebacker of the year was the third part of Serra’s all-time great linebacking unit. Had two sacks and two tackles for loss in the season-opening victory over Folsom.
Second team
Sean Cervantes, Amador Valley, 5-10,180, senior
First-team all-EBAL Mountain and co-defensive MVP. Leader of a defense that held 10 regular season opponents to only 79 points.
Jeramiah Lewis, Wilcox 6-2, 210, senior
PAL Bay defensive player of the year. Had 129 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss. Had 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in a victory over Sacred Heart Cathedral.
John Stowers, Overfelt, 6-3, 245, senior
BVAL Santa Teresa-Valley senior of the year. Had 138 tackles and 10 sacks as a linebacker, and also rushed for 1,438 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Etene Pritchard, Pittsburg, 6-2, 190, junior
BVAL defensive player of the year. Had 74 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and six sacks. Had 10 tackles and two tackles for loss with a sack in NCS Division I title game victory over San Ramon Valley.
Honorable mention
Michael Aliki, San Jose, junior
Zaire Calhoun, Liberty, junior
Lucas Cord, Berkeley, junior
Sui Gallegos-Hunkin, St. Ignatius, junior
Jack Giorgianni, Acalanes, senior
Guardian Harper, El Cerrito, senior
Remy Hernandez, Valley Christian, senior
Ulisses Huerta, Mills, senior
Devin Hyde, Menlo-Atherton, junior
Darnell Jefferey, Jesse Bethel, senior
Talan Jones, Monte Vista, senior
Joe Kessler, Palo Alto, junior
Junaid Khan, Kennedy-Fremont, senior
Tu’Unahala Leao, James Logan, senior
Henry Masters, Los Gatos, junior
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All-Bay Area News Group high school football 2023: Players of the year
Loni Ongolea, Silver Creek, senior
Jake Patterson, Foothill, senior
Zach Rocha, Live Oak, senior
Brayden Rosa, Wilcox, junior
Talon Salehieh, Archbishop Mitty, senior
ALL-BANG football 2023
Defensive backs
Utility players
Offensive linemen
Running backs
Wide receivers-tight ends
Athletes
Quarterbacks
Those eligible for all-BANG honors come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The news organization’s high school sports staff chooses the players and coaches.
