All-Bay Area News Group high school football 2023: Linebackers
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
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.