CAL-HI SPORTS ALL-STATE GRID TRACK TEAM
By Ronnie Flores & Mark Tennis, Cal-Hi Sports.com

   
Salesian of Richmond's Jahvid Best, Taft of Woodland Hills' Jeshua Anderson
and Poly of Long Beach's Bryshon Nellum are among five exceptional footballers
currently also topping the state best marks lists in their respective track and field
events. They headline this year's Cal-Hi Sports.com All-State Grid Football Team!

     To celebrate those who excel in football and in track, we combine the best players from last fall with the best going right now and have chosen 11-man units for offense and defense. We've got a pole-vaulting defensive back and a jumper from a school famous for producing non-athletes.

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     Note: All reported times include legal marks only and are courtesy of Student Sports-owned track and field site DyeStatCal.com. Please check out DyeStatCal.com and DyeStat.com for complete results of all major track and field meets in California and around the nation.

2007 All-State Grid-Track Team (Offense)

WR Jeshua Anderson (Taft, Woodland Hills) 6-3, 190, Sr.
Last year it was elite sprinter Jamere Holland that made this team as a wideout from Taft, but Anderson makes the team as a hurdler. He currently holds the fastest mark in California in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles with a 35.75 clocking, which is also the third best on the all-time state list. Anderson also has posted the third best time in California this year in the 110-meter high hurdles at 13.96. On the football field for the Toreadors, Anderson caught 40 passes for 1,013 yards 10 touchdowns, which included a 11-catch, 304-yard, six-touchdown performance in a 62-30 win over Gardena. Anderson, who will play football at Washington State, also helps Taft score points by running the 400 meters (47.26).

WR Bryshon Nellum (Poly, Long Beach) 6-0, 175, Sr.
Last year the Poly receiver duo of Travon Patterson and Terrance Austin made their mark on both the gridiron and Poly’s renowned track team and although they were more accomplished as football players than Nellum, the current Poly senior takes a backseat to no one in track. Nellum has been clocked in at 46.02 at 400 meters (over 1.2 seconds faster than Anderson¹s second best time in California) and recently he added to his growing legacy as one of Poly’s best track performers ever. He anchored the Jackrabbits to the second fastest time ever in the 113-year history of the Penn Relays with a sizzling 3:09.89 in the 4x400 meter relay. Nellum wowed a crowd of 46,363 with a 45.4 split and also helps Poly rack up points as an anchor in the 4x100 meter relay (state best 41.39). On the football field, Nellum was a special teams weapon for a team that advanced to the CIFSS Pac-Five Semifinals. Poly already has one CIF state title this year in girls basketball and with Nellum there’s a good chance for one more in boys track, not to mention a third in girls track.

TE Blake Ayles (Orange Lutheran) 6-4, 235, Jr.
A well-rounded athlete, Ayles doubles as a standout tight end and discus thrower. His best mark so far this season is 183-10, which is fifth best in California heading into the league and section preliminaries. Last fall on the gridiron, Ayles hauled in 40 passes for 616 yards and three touchdowns, helping Orange Lutheran finish with a 14-1 record while winning the prestigious CIF Pac-Five crown and a CIF Div. II state title. He could be the best tight end prospect in the nation next year in football.

OL Christopher Krychev (Monte Vista, Danville) 6-3, 255, Sr.
On the football field, Krychev helped protect another grid-track standout, Mustangs’ junior quarterback Drew McAllister, as Monte Vista posted a 7-4 mark. This lineman’s best track event is the shot put, where he currently has the third longest heave (62-10 1/2) in the state. Krychev also has one of the top 10 marks in the discus, with a 180-9 being his best so far.

OL Joe Canavan (Palm Desert) 6-3, 315, Sr.
Canavan is a special choice to this team because he actually gave up football this fall to concentrate on track and it’s paid off as he’s earned a scholarship to Utah State. This weight event standout has a top mark of 66 feet in the shot put, which is nearly two feet longer than his nearest California competitor and the top mark in the nation so far this season. Canavan actually grew up running the 100-yard dash and he’s also a baseball standout. He would have helped the Aztecs on the gridiron last fall, too, as the team posted a 8-4 record one year after Canavan was a two-way lineman for a team that went 13-1. He did play football as a junior and was listed on several recruiting lists.

OL Andres Vargas (St. Francis, Mountain View) 6-4, 280, Sr.
He’s actually a rare three-sport standout with wrestling being his third to go with football and track. Vargas currently ranks in the top 10 of the state in the shot put with a best mark of 57-4 ½. He was named to the All-West Catholic Athletic League football squad last fall and was on the all-area team by the Palo Alto Daily News. Vargas, who did some double duty as a defensive tackle in addition to offensive tackle, is headed to San Jose State on a football scholarship. He could be a real steal for the Spartans, too.

OL Thomas Byrd (McClymonds, Oakland) 6-0, 270, Sr.
Last fall, this Byrd flew high for the Warriors on the gridiron, earning All-Metro honors by the San Francisco Chronicle after helping pave the way for an offense that soared to 77 points in the Oakland Section championship game. Byrd is currently one of the best in Northern California in the discus with a best mark of 166-8. He was a bit undersized to be a Pac-10 level football recruit, but was targeted by many mid-majors and is going to a college (Boise State) that proved last season it’s better than most in the Pac-10 anyway.

OL Niko Gomes (Clovis) 6-3, 220, Jr.
We admit the last two lineman spots for this squad were the most difficult to pick, Gomes was a solid player for the Cougars last fall, which plays one of the toughest schedules and in one of the state’s toughest leagues. He’s now doing well as a discus thrower and although he isn’t that close to junior sensation Dayshan Ragans of Bakersfield Foothill (193-3 in discus, 64-1 in shot) he’s still one of the best in the Central Section in the discus with a top throw of 171-1.

QB Drew McAllister (Monte Vista, Danville) 6-1, 185
Those of you who thought Orange Lutheran’s Aaron Corp was fast last year haven’t seen McAllister. He isn’t 6-4 like Corp but could be one of the fastest QBs in California history. McAllister, for example, has broken the 11.00 barrier for the 100 meters with a wind legal best of 10.99. There aren’t many sprinters in the entire Bay Area, period, with that fast of a time and for an athlete who’s primarily a quarterback that’s exceptional. McAllister, who also played well for Monte Vista’s North Coast Section Div. I championship basketball team a few months ago, passed for 2,118 yards and 21 TDs last fall. As a sophomore, he threw for 1,943 yards and 19 scores. He only played 10 games and wasn’t able to play in Monte Vista’s first-round NCS football playoff loss due to injury. Another QB worth mentioning is Greg Draper (6-2, 230) of Paso Robles, who’s a rare weight event standout that doubles as a signal caller in football.

RB Jahvid Best (Salesian, Richmond) 5-10, 175, Jr.
Probably the easiest pick for this team is Jahvid, not only because his name is Best but also because he <i>is</i> the Best. He has state leading marks in both the 100 meters (10.36) and 200 meters (21.16) and would love to join the likes of Reggie Bush, Curtis Conway, Napoleon Kauffman, Justin Fargas, and Kareem Kelly as sprinters that went on to collegiate success on the gridiron. The first team all-state running back will attend nearby Cal after rushing for 3,325 yards and scoring 48 touchdowns, 25 percent of those 50 yards or longer.

RB Curtis Shaw (Lincoln, Stockton) 5-11, 195, Sr.
Two years ago we received a phone call from the father of Curtis Shaw wanting to get more information about the NIKE Football Training Camp at Stanford University. After he sent us some footage of his somewhat raw yet talented son, we extended an invite to Curtis. After clocking a 4.52 in the 40, the rest, as they say, is history. As a senior on the gridiron, he rushed for 1,619 yards and 24 touchdowns while averaging 9.47 yards per carry. Before heading off to the University of Washington on a football scholarship, Shaw hopes to challenge Best for CIF state titles in the 100 (10.54) and 200 (21.41).

 

2006 All-State Grid-Track Team (Defense)

DE Daniel Erdman (Healdsburg) 6-2, 215, Sr.
Erdman excels in the shot put and at the Viking Track Classic he came up with a toss measured at 59-5 1/2. His mark is good for No. 4 on the current state list right behind Krychev. On the football field for Healdsburg, Erdman recorded 36 solo tackles, 25 assists and 11.5 sacks, including four in a 42-14 win over El Molino.

NG Mark Weber (El Camino, Oceanside) 6-2, 250, Sr.
During a dual meet for the Wildcats’ track team, Weber threw the discus 188-10, good for No. 3 on the current state list. On the gridiron, Weber contributed along the defensive line for an El Camino team that finished 8-4.

DE Kyle Wilson (Arroyo Grande) 6-1, 225, Sr.
Nearly every year there is an athlete from the Eagles’ track program that excels in the throwing events and 2007 is no different. Wilson¹s best mark so far in the discus is 182-3, good for No. 7 on the state leader board. Wilson also performed well for AG’s football team, although the Eagles sported an uncharacteristic 3-5-1 record. Last season’s grid-track standout for Arroyo Grande was Kyle Pollock while current teammate Dari Saber also sports a top 15 mark in the discus (180-0).

LB Travis McNaughton (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) 6-0, 224, Sr.
This two-way standout on the gridiron has a best mark of 55-0 in the shot put, which places him one spot in front of tight end Ayles and one spot behind track-basketball standout Drew Gordon on the current state list. For coach Bruce Rollinson’s football team, McNaughton recorded 38 tackles with 17 assists from his linebacker position. He also carried the ball 30 times as a rugged lead fullback for a team that finished 8-3 playing in the toughest league in the state.

LB Chris Galippo (Servite, Anaheim) 6-0, 215, Sr.
Another linebacker that has done a good job in the shot put this year, Galippo¹s best heave so far this year measures 54-4 1’2. Although that won’t be good enough to win a CIF state title, the gridiron is where Galippo’s future is. The USC-bound ‘backer was a two-time Orange County Register Defensive Player of the Year and first team EA SPORTS All-American this season. He finished the 2006 season with 98 tackles, including 20 for losses, seven sacks, two caused fumbles and five blocked kicks.

ROV Chris Polk (East Valley, Redlands) 6-0, 200, Sr.
Polk can play all over the football field; big and strong enough to be a run stopper on this team while also having the ability to cover receivers downfield. On defense, Polk had two interceptions and a fumble recovery. On offense, he used his legal 11.02 100-meter speed to catch 62 passes for 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns.

DB Shane Vereen (Valenica) 5-11, 175, Sr.
Although Valencia had its worst season in years (2-8) on the gridiron, Vereen is definitely not to blame. He rushed for 890 yards, added another 455 yards receiving and scored 22 total touchdowns. Of course, he was also a standout on defense, recording 18 tackles and a pick and that¹s where he makes this team. The Cal recruit’s best legal marks so far in the sprints are 10.88 (100) and 22.11 (200).

DB Chris Owusu (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-2, 178, Jr.
Last year it was Marshall Jones that made this team, but with Owusu’s teammate getting ready to play football at USC, we¹ll go with an Oaks Christian underclassman for the second consecutive year. Jones clocked a slightly faster 200 meters last spring (22.05 compared to Owusu’s 22.14) with the junior defensive back/receiver a little faster at 100 meters (10.65 compared to Jones’ 10.81). Owusu still has time to better his marks, but it will be a long time before a football team does better than Oaks Christian did last fall. The Div. III state champs finished 15-0 as Owusu had 18 tackles and an interception while catching 33 passes for 747 yards and nine scores.

DB Mark Rodgers (Luezinger, Lawndale) 5-9, 180, Sr.
The diminutive yet durable Rodgers is another back that excels in the sprints, as his legal marks of 10.83 (100 meters) and 22.09 (200 meters) are both in the top 25 among all performers in the state. On the gridiron, Rodgers had 100 tackles and an interception and also made his mark running the ball. He lugged the leather 267 times for 2,319 yards with 18 scores.

DB Connor Landry (Placer, Auburn) 6-2, 185, Sr.
We admire what Landry does because we like it when skill position football players excel in other track events besides the sprints. Landry’s specialty is the pole vault and he’s cleared 16-2, the third best mark in California so far this season. Landry was also one of the better defensive backs in the CIF Sac Joaquin Section last fall, recording 23 solo tackles, 60 assists to go along with five interceptions, including two picks in a 7-6 win over El Dorado.

DB Gyasi Rivers (Hollywood) 6-0, 170, Sr.
The Sheiks are known for producing famous non-athletes like Nobel Peace Price winner William Shockley and actress Judy Garland, but Rivers probably is the best all-around athlete the school has produced in some time. As a defensive back, Rivers picked off seven passes which he returned 202 yards, recovered four fumbles and racked up 57 solo tackles. On offense he rushed for 1085 yards, scored 20 touchdowns, caught 30 passes and even completed six. His 49-1 1/2 triple jump is tops in the state so far this year and his long jump is also among the leaders on the current state list.

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