Article 395: Vanderdoes elevates Hillmen

October 31, 2014

Placer had a 15-13 season that ended in an opening round playoff loss to East Union last season. But the future is bright for the Hillmen as they are led by forward Baylee Vanderdoes. The 6-foot-2 Vanderdoes has been a varsity starter since her freshman campaign as she averaged 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist last season.

The 2016 prospect is a versatile scorer with a consistent perimeter game to go along with a deceptive drop step move in the post. During this past summer, she played for her JBS Basketball club where she worked on improving her perimeter skills to complement her post strength and skills.

Vanderdoes has had the benefit of a supportive family in her athletic endeavors. Her grandfather, Bernard Peat, has been her personal trainer since her 2nd grade. He played collegiately at Cal on the football team while playing basketball professionally in Switzerland 1978-1981, Giessen Germany 1981-1984, Ulm Germany 1985-1989, and Ulm Germany 1990-1994 (both player and coach) in Europe for seventeen years. In addition, Vanderdoes' older brother is Eddie Vanderdoes IV who is a defensive tackle for the UCLA Bruins.

Girls basketball does not have the variance in height and size as the boys game. As a result, being versatile and having multiple skills are highly desired in the girl's game. To no surprise, Vanderdoes has those traits and has been attracting college programs.

Arizona, Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Fresno State, Hawaii, Loyola Marymount, Oregon State, Portland, San Diego, San Diego State, San Francisco, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UNLV, and Yale have been in contact. Vanderdoes has had home visits from Cal State Northridge, Fresno State, Loyola Marymount, and San Diego State. She has received offers from Florida Atlantic, Hawaii, Loyola Marymount, San Diego State, San Francisco, and UNLV.

She has no favorites in her college selection process but would prefer a family atmosphere while a basketball program that can utilize her post skills and perimeter shooting. Vanderdoes lists Communications or History as her possible college majors.

Placer Head Coach Tony Camillucci sums up his key player, "Baylee has the unique ability to play inside and out. She has great post moves and can also hit the 3-ball with consistency. She can also handle the ball and has become a great a passer. She is becoming a good leader on the court and has a strong competitive attitude. Off the court, she is very funny and easy to be around. She loves to be goofy and laugh. I feel she can and will play at the next level and hope she can get a quality education and enjoy four years of basketball at the same time. Baylee has put in the hours in the off season to deserve the success she will have."

Vanderdoes wants to help Placer to win the Pioneer Valley League and make a run in the postseason. Watch for Vanderdoes in the upcoming season to break out in Auburn, Calif.

Article 394: Bessolo striving for No. 1

October 28, 2014

Valley Christian (Dublin) has gone 58-8 over the past two seasons while being undefeated in the Bay Area Counties (East) League as well. A big reason for the Lady Vikings success has been the play of their 2016 prospect Nina Bessolo.

The two-year varsity starter helped key last season's league tournament title and the team's run to the Northern California quarterfinals. Bessolo primarily plays as forward on her high school team but her 6-foot-0 and 140 pound frame projects her to be a college level wing. That versatility allowed her to average 13.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game last year.

During the previous decade, the Lady Vikings were consistent losers on the hardcourt. But this decade has been different, as the team has transitioned from Coach Scott Babinat to Coach Jeff Gadd. Babinat, who coached Bessolo during her first two years says, "Nina is a very good athlete with length. She reads the lanes well on the break and can either fill the lane or direct the break with good finishing skills. She is also able to play inside and outside. As her coach, I had to use her more in the post, but she is fully capable of hitting the outside shots and drive well from the wing, which will be more of her position in college. Her greatest strengths on defense are her rebounding and shot blocking ability - very good timing."

Height and size does not vary in the women's game as much as it does in the men's game. As a result, being versatile and having multiple skills are highly desired in the women's game. Bessolo models her game after Candice Wiggins because the former Stanford Cardinal was apt with her outside shooting and ability to drive to the basket. Similarly, Bessolo is trying to develop a versatile game by finishing with finesse or power.

These qualities in Bessolo have led her to being in contact with Colgate (Justin Paluch), Cornell, Portland (Brianna Chambers) and UC Davis (Jennifer Gross). Even though it is early for her recruiting, she had taken an unofficial visit to UC Davis and liked what she saw. She wants to play for a team where the coach can utilize her size and skills as a freshman. Bessolo sports a 3.25 GPA and is undecided about her college major.

Coach Babinat says, "I know she is getting looks since early last year. She has been playing out of position in high school for what she would play in college, but she is versatile enough to make this transition. She does need to get stronger physically for the college game. She definitely has the ability to compete well at the D-1 level on down."

During the past high school summers, this junior has been playing for her Palo Alto Midnight club where she honed her dribbling, ball-handling, and hesitation moves to help her be a greater offensive threat. In addition, she competes on the high school track and field team primarily in the middle distance running and in the long jump events. Bessolo has been playing basketball since the first grade and considers this sport to be her only college level goal.

Those efforts will slowly transition to her on the court performance as well. Babinat says, "Nina's on court demeanor is quiet. She has been surrounded by older players on the team. So, she has not had to be assertive verbally. As a junior, she could probably start to exercise more assertiveness there, but she has been able to dominate play on the court without being loud."

For many Bay Area, Chicago, and New York City basketball fans, the Bessolo name should sound familiar. Bessolo's uncle is Randy Bessolo who played high school basketball in Southern California for Thacher High, played collegiately at Columbia, coached the high school circuit in Chicago, and is currently coaching at University High in San Francisco.

In addition, Bessolo's parents competed at the collegiate level at Lewis and Clark College in Oregon. Her father, Jim, played basketball as a guard and forward while her mother, Nicole, competed in track. As a result, her parental influence has carried on in the sports that she competes currently in high school.

This Lady Viking wants to play harder and smarter while focusing on rebounding and boxing out during her junior season. She hopes all her efforts will help Valley Christian make a run to state. Watch for Bessolo to strive to be the best in the upcoming season in Dublin, Calif.

Article 393: Gators run to 6-0

October 18, 2014

Sacred Heart Prep and Terra Nova played to their strengths on Friday evening in Pacifica as the Gators ran for seven touchdowns while Tigers scored on four passing touchdowns. The Gators remain undefeated at 6-0 while Terra Nova drops to 2-4 after the Gators posted a 49-28 win.

Sacred Heart Prep jumped out to a 20-0 advantage with scoring runs by running back Lapitu Mahoni (five yards out), quarterback Mason Randall (29 yards out), and JR Hardy (14 yards out). Terra Nova finally scored in the second quarter on an Anthony Gordon to Eric Viana 10-yard pass to end the half with a 20-7 deficit.

Mahoni and Hardy would add second touchdown runs of five and 26 yards respectively in the third quarter to increase the lead to 35-7. The Tigers cut the lead to 35-28 with three straight possessions of passing scores to wide receiver Jordan Genato (29, 25, and 15 yards out) that included recovering an onside kick.

Ben Burr-Kirven made his season debut by scoring from 48 yards out to increase the Gator advantage to 42-28. Genato would return the ensuing kickoff to the Terra Nova 37 and then make two consecutive catches to the Gator 15. But the second reception dislocated his hip, which required paramedics to cart him off. The long delay was both a mental and physical drain on Terra Nova, as Gordon would throw his second interception to Mitchell Martella in the end zone. On the next offensive play, Burr-Kirven would race 80 yards to conclude the scoring.

The Gators were 5-0 without Burr-Kirven and look to be that much stronger with him. A tantalizing matchup with the other undefeated Peninsula Bay League member Burlingame (6-0 currently) in three weeks could decide the league title. The Gator passing game is suspect but it seems moot, as the running game is deep.

Terra Nova squares off against Burlingame next week in a must win game if they still aspire to win league. The defense has not been competitive all season and the offense has had to shoulder the burden.

Ben Burr-Kirven 6-foot-0, 200 pounds RB/LB Sacred Heart Prep (2015): The Washington commit made his season debut with 143 rushing yards. He quietly made sure-handed tackles in the first half but made his mark in the running game with the last two touchdown runs of 48 and 80 yards to put the game away.

Anthony Gordon 6-foot-3, 180 pounds QB Terra Nova (2015): Gordon ran the high pace passing attack well with 320 passing yards. He could make all the throws but was a bit inaccurate on some of the long passes that led to interceptions. He needs to add some bulk for the college level but could fit nicely in a pass friendly scheme.

Lapitu Mahoni, 5-foot-11, 185 pounds RB/LB Sacred Heart Prep (2016): Mahoni is a bruising back who was able to run up the middle for good yardage. The junior had two running scores in the victory.

Article 392: Filipovics to Portland

October 15, 2014

Before even stepping on the court to play a regular season high school game in America, Marko Filipovics made the decision to play for the Portland Pilots next year. The 6-foot-9 and 200 pounds Hungarian import made the move to United States at the end of summer. After playing for the Hungarian U18 national team, he decided to join up the Prolific Prep program in Napa.

Filipovics says about the decision to come to the Bay Area, "I came to the Bay Area because Coach Doherty and Coach Russotti are professionals and that was the perfect opportunity for me to develop my game." He adds about the Portland decision, "I chose Portland because Coach Michael Wolf saw me play on film and at the European championship and then contacted my Hungarian coach."

The current Pilot roster has Northern California alums in Jesuit's Bryce Pressley and Cardinal Newman's Bobby Sharp. But more telling is that the roster has five international transplants including four from the European continent. Hence, Filipovics' Northern California and European pedigree makes him a natural fit for the Portland program.

The 2015 prospect with his size and skills set will remind many of the European style of play for larger players. His signature skill is his shooting but he can also slash to the basket. He is not the traditional a post player as he plays more of a wing position. Filipovics can stretch defenses with his outside shooting.

The Hungarian is from Kaposvar, which is a city in the southwestern part of the country. He last attended Munkacsy Mihaly Gimnazium as the school won their league championship. Despite the proliferation of European players being drafted in the NBA, the only NBA player ever from Hungary was Kornel David who played in the league in the late 1990s.

Filipovics will be attending Vintage High while he plays his first and final year of high school basketball. Fittingly, he will be doing so at the newly formed Prolific Prep program. Watch for this Hungarian import to shine in Napa, Calif.

Article 391: Matthews brings leadership

October 13, 2014

The Sacramento Dragons have consistently been averaging 25 wins per season for the past decade. Last season, the Dragons had a solid 23-6 record that ended in a sectional playoff loss to Grant 93-61. The team consisted heavily of underclassmen with one junior and no seniors.

That one junior, now the lone senior, is Stevie Matthews. The 6-foot-0 and 165 pound point guard has been on the varsity program since his freshman year and will be entering his third year as a starter. Matthews plays similar to former Santa Clara Bronco Steve Nash because of his decision making, shooting ability, and passing skills.

The Dragons had four players average double digit scoring. Matthews averaged 11.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, as he was also one of the captains of the team. During the summer, the 2015 prospect travelled with the Team Superstar program. Matthews was busy working on his ball handling and shooting as he wanted to be able to get anywhere on the court to score the basketball.

Team Superstar Coach Grady Dodson says, "Stevie is a solid on ball defender. He is a surprisingly good scorer. Shoots the three as well as attacks the rim. He has been adding mid range and floater shoot. Stevie is a good PG who likes to get others involved. Handles the press."

Northern Arizona, South Dakota, Southern Utah, and Sacramento State have shown interest in Matthews. The point guard prospect wants to play in a system that is runs a half court system with an up tempo pace because of his style of play. He prefers an urban city setting that has a good engineering program. Matthews has a 3.5 GPA, ACT score of 19, and would like to major in Civil Engineering.

Dodson assess Matthews' college potential, "Stevie would be a good fit for the Big Sky, WAC, and Big West. His size and style play fits those schools. Stevie is a solid student with a good feel for the game."

Matthews is also confident about his abilities, "I believe I can contribute and benefit a DI college program and make an impact based on my abilities. Knowing that, I am still in the weight room working on my strength and in the gym adding to my skill set. Being that I'm only 16 years of age, I have much more room to grow as an individual player."

As a freshman, Matthews played behind then senior guards Darius Graham (UC Davis) and Erik Kinney (CSU Bakersfield) on the Dragon program. In the upcoming season, he will be the lone senior and team captain leading a talented duo of 2016 prospects in Christian Terrell and Solomon Young (Tre Finch transferred). Watch for Matthews in the upcoming season to make a run for state title in Sacramento, Calif.

Article 390: Padres stay perfect in West Catholic Athletic League

October 11, 2014

In its only allotted annual evening home game in San Mateo, Serra was able to pull away to a 32-20 victory over St. Ignatius. After going winless in their first two games, Serra is now 3-2 and undefeated in two league games. Conversely, the Wildcats started with three wins but have lost both of their WCAL games to also stand at 3-2 overall.

The Wildcats have not won against the Padres since 2005 and started the game with a fumbled kickoff that resulted in a Dominic Scarpino touchdown return for a 6-0 Serra advantage. St. Ignatius would drive their second possession for a 23-yard scoring pass from Ryan Hagfeldt to Dylan Elder. The Wildcats would extend the lead to 10-6 with a 36-yard field goal to end the quarter. Serra would counter with Sitaleki Nunn's two touchdown runs of 63 and nine yards respectively to end the half with a 19-10 advantage.

Serra's opening third quarter possession was an interception returned for a score by the Wildcats to cut the deficit to 19-17. The Wildcats had a chance to take the lead but missed on their field goal attempt. The Padres would drive 80 yards capped by Kelepi Lataimua's 22-yard touchdown run to give Serra the 26-17 margin after three quarters. The Wildcats would narrow the deficit with a field goal but Nunn would run 75 yards to cap the Serra scoring with the 32-20 win.

Serra was breaking in transfer quarterback Hunter Bishop who statistically did not have a great game but shows good size, has good arm strength, and is mobile. He replaces Nunn who provides an explosive running option in the backfield as opening season starter Kava Cassidy was lost to a collarbone injury in their second game. The Serra defense is versatile and quick as the unit registered five sacks and two interceptions. The special teams recovered a kickoff for a touchdown but also missed two PATs.

The Wildcats could not muster a running game with -8 yards rushing and that lack of balance put constant pressure on the Wildcat passing game. When given time, Hagfeldt was accurate with his passing. The defense gave up big running scores just like they did against Bellarmine in their previous game.

Creighton Felise 5-foot-10, 230 pounds DL Serra (2015): Felise is an undersized lineman but showed quickness in registering 2.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles in the game. Felise could move to the linebacker role in college if he has enough lateral movement and cover skills.

Ryan Hagfeldt 6-foot-3, 195 pounds QB St. Ignatius (2015): Hagfeldt was under duress in the second half and could not get into a rhythm. He accounted for the only offensive touchdown but also threw two interceptions. The Wildcats will need to have a more consistent running attack to give Hagfeldt more time.

Hunter Bishop 6-foot-3, 180 pounds QB Serra (2016): Statistically, Bishop had an off game as he had two interceptions too. He displayed mobility and leadership while having the arm strength to make all the throws, albeit they were not always accurate. If the running game can be this effective, Bishop should eventually ease into a comfort zone.

Sitaleki Nunn 5-foot-10, 160 pounds RB Serra (2017): The sophomore ran for 207 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries. He switched from quarterback to running back and will have a big role on the offense going forward. Coming into the game, he led the team in rushing with 160 yards and likely will be the leading rusher for the season.

Jack Dreyer 6-foot-8, 290 pounds OT Serra (2015): The Stanford commit just stands out with his height and size on the field. Nunn's long runs came on the left side, which is also the side that Dreyer mans.

Article 389: Bellarmine stays perfect

October 5, 2014

Going into Saturday's West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL) matchup, Bellarmine and St. Ignatius won their first three games in contrasting ways. The Bells dominated their games by double digits while the Wildcats won by one score. St. Ignatius was positioned to pull out another close victory but fell short 31-28 to the Bells.

Bellarmine rotated quarterbacks but the Bells leaned on an effective running backfield in Anthony Guttadauro and Kyle MacAuley as Guttadauro ran 67 yards to setup a 4-yard running score by MacAuley on the first possession. Bellarmine fumbled on their next possession in their own territory that allowed Wildcat quarterback Ryan Hagfeldt to convert on a 7-yard passing score to wide receiver Danny Conte to even the score at 7-7. The Bells converted on a 4th and 1 in their own territory that led to a 59-yard catch and run score by MacAuley to give Bellarmine a 14-7 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

The team exchanged punts and then turnovers as the Wildcats were able to return an interception to the Bellarmine 4-yard line. Wildcat running back Brian Vollert ran it in to tie the game at 14-14. The Bells drove down the field for a 39-yard field goal to end the half with a 17-14 advantage.

St. Ignatius took the second half kickoff down the field methodically that ended with a 13-yard touchdown reception for Conte to put the Wildcats ahead 21-17. Bellarmine responded quickly as MacAuley sprinted 70 yards for the score and the 24-21 advantage. St. Ignatius engineered another time-consuming drive that ended with a 3-yd running score by Rob Meagher.

Trailing 28-24 early into the fourth quarter, Bellarmine got a big running score by running back Antonio Garcia from 31 yards out to give the Bells the final advantage of 31-28. The Wildcats had the ball three more times and went into Bellarmine territory twice. On the final possession, Hagfeldt made an accurate 30-yard pass to Conte that could have been the game winner but was dropped. The Wildcats turned the ball over on downs to end the game.

Bellarmine utilizes a dual quarterback system with Troy Martig and Griffin Quinn. Martig was the better runner on Saturday as he had a 74-yard running score nullified by penalty while Quinn has the prototypical size. Neither quarterback was effective with downfield passing while they accounted for the team's two turnovers. The Bellarmine skilled positions are deep as Macauley highlights this group of versatile playmakers. The defense had trouble stopping opposing drives but did not give up the big yardage plays.

The Wildcats have a good ball control offense led by Hagfeldt who has a plethora of receivers. The defense made big plays with two turnovers caused but also was gashed by big running plays. The special teams helped with field position, as Freddie Gaines was elusive in the return game.

Bellarmine will travel to Valley Christian while St. Ignatius makes the trip to Serra. Serra defeated Valley Christian 24-10 on Friday evening. Starting WCAL play with two losses would probably end that team's chances for the regular season crown while starting with two wins would make that path easier.

Kyle MacAuley 5-foot-10, 170 pounds RB Bellarmine (2016): MacAuley scored three times on the day. The junior is versatile as a playmaker either as a runner or receiver. He produces like a Wes Welker type of player.

Anthony Guttadauro 5-foot-10, 170 pounds RB Bellarmine (2015): The senior had a big run on the opening drive. Guttadauro complements Macauley well in the backfield, as he is more of a power runner.

Troy Martig 5-foot-11, 165 pounds QB Bellarmine (2016): The Bells employed a quarterback rotation. Bellarmine is a run control offense and Martig was effective running it on Saturday. He displayed good speed as he broke a few big runs.

Ryan Hagfeldt 6-foot-3, 195 pounds QB St. Ignatius (2015): Hagfeldt is efficient in his passing and makes good decisions. He was sacked only once and did not put his team in bad down and yardage situations. His arm strength is good as he was able to make all the throws accurately and with good placement for his receivers.

Danny Conte 6-foot-0, 150 pounds WR St. Ignatius (2015): Conte had two touchdown receptions and almost had a game winning third touchdown reception. The senior had a knack of getting open throughout the game as he also made several drive extending catches.

Jack Mckeon 6-foot-1, 180 pounds DE/TE St. Ignatius (2017): The sophomore made the fumble recovery that led to the first Wildcat score. Mckeon was active and made several of the running tackles. He projects to be a linebacker at the next level who can direct the defense.

Article 388: Elan looks to be Prolific

September 30, 2014

One of the top stories in the upcoming high school basketball season will be the inception of the Prolific Prep Crew basketball academy in Napa. The roster will be deep and noteworthy. One of the players to be on the team will be former Lick-Wilmerding point guard, Micah Elan.

Elan is the No. 28 player in the NCP 2016 basketball class as the point guard had been a two-year varsity starter for Lick-Wilmerding. Playing time was not an issue for Elan at his former Division 4 school, as his teams won 18 and 13 games respectively during his first two years. With a 3.81 GPA and being a high potential basketball player, Elan was invited to transfer to the invitation only Prolific Prep program, as his academic studies will be at nearby Justin-Siena High.

Elan says about the decision to transfer, "I decided to transfer to Prolific Prep for both training and competition reasons. Jeremy Russoti is one of the best trainers out there, and I believe the best way to maximize my high school basketball productivity would be to train with him every day of the year. The competition that I play against every day at practice, and against other teams in games is some of the best in the country, and will no doubt improve my abilities as a player, as well as prepare me for college. I also love the coaching style of Coach Doherty, and am extremely excited to play for him."

The 6-foot-3 and 165 pound point guard has good size and athleticism. He plays similar to former Santa Clara Bronco Steve Nash, as he is able to protect the ball and to play with control. Elan goes to the basket strong and is able to setup his teammates.

Elan played for Team Superstars 16U during this past summer. Team Superstars Coach Grady Dodson says, "Micah's strengths are getting to the rim to score and being a solid jump shooter. He knows where to insert himself and not force things. He is surprisingly athletic and has a high basketball IQ. He will be a low DI player mainly because of his size. He will be about a 6-foot-3 combo PG/SG. Now that HS school visits are open, he may have picked up more college interest."

A big, multi-skilled point guard is always in demand. Cal Poly (Coach Fortier), UC Irvine (Coach Tons), Montana (Coach Cobb), Portland (Coach Pfaff), and San Francisco (Coach Wicks) have been in contact. Elan wants to play in a system that is fast pace, pick and roll, and cutting / off ball screens. He cares more about the academic programs of the school than its geographical location.

Elan will be switching schools midway in his high school career. He measures his success for his final two years as such, "My measure of success for my final two years of high school basketball will be how coach Doherty and Russotti help me improve to become a contributor to start, and success of Prolific Prep, as well as if I am able to earn a scholarship to a competitive basketball school as well as high academics like I aspire to."

Prolific Prep will begin its journey in the upcoming season with a number of high profile transfers, some of whom had to journey from out of state. Elan, only had a journey across the Golden Gate Bridge, says it was a difficult decision nonetheless, "The opportunity was too good to pass up on, but it was hard leaving my friends, my high school team, and my home city to join the new academy." Watch for Elan this upcoming basketball season to help the Crew in Napa, Calif.

Article 387: SI rallies in wild one

September 21, 2014

St. Ignatius pulled out a double overtime victory of 27-24 at home against St. Mary's-Stockton. The Wildcats remain undefeated at 3-0 and are one win away from matching last season's four win total. The Rams go to 2-1 and have another tough non-league game against Los Gatos.

The Rams scored within the first minute of the game as quarterback Noah Righetti ran 57 yards for 7-0 lead. The defenses battled for field position for the rest of the half, as St. Ignatius was able to start in Ram territory and driver 47 yards that culminated with a Brian Vollert 1-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 7-7. The Rams ended the half with a Righetti 3-yard pass to Stephen Gudino to give St Mary's a 14-7 advantage.

On the first offensive play for the Rams in the second half, a key fumble in their territory setup a Ryan Hagfeldt to Rob Meagher 3-yard touchdown pass to trim the Ram lead to 14-13 with the missed extra point. St. Mary's had all the momentum as Righetti ran 31 yards to give the Rams a 21-13 lead early in the final quarter. The Wildcats were able to come up with several key conversions on their final drive that allowed Vollert to run for his second touchdown from 2 yards out with less than a minute in regulation. The two point conversion was caught on a misdirection pass to Dominic Burke to tie the game at 21-21. The Rams frantically drove down the field but the 35-yard field goal attempt on the final play of regulation was no good.

In the first overtime, the teams started in the red zone at the 10-yard line. Both teams were stopped short of the endzone and exchanged field goals to make the score 24-24. On the second possession for the Rams, a deflected Rightetti pass ended up being intercepted by Peter Katz. The Wildcats ran one play before kicker Andrew Fererro converted on his second straight attempt to win the game 27-24 for St Ignatius.

St. Ignatius has a bye week before starting league play against Bellarmine. The team has played with a "bend but don't break" approach as each victory was by one score. West Catholic Athletic League play has always been tough but the Wildcats look like they will finish in the upper half of the standings this year.

The Rams committed the only two turnovers of the game. In addition, they seem to play too conservatively after going up 21-13. St. Mary's has two more non-league battles in Los Gatos and Buhach Colony before looking to challenge for the Tri-City Athletic League.

Ryan Hagfeldt 6-foot-3, 195 pounds QB St. Ignatius (2015): Hagfeldt made the necessary plays at the right time and did not make any costly mistakes. He converted several third downs on the Wildcat scoring drives including a fourth down conversion on the game-tying drive in regulation. He passed for 166 yards on an efficient 21 of 28. Hagfeldt said that his recruiting is mostly limited to feelers from Ivy League schools currently.

Dylan Elder 6-foot-1, 165 pounds WR St. Ignatius (2015): Elder is a possession receiver who made several critical catches. In the final possession in regulation, he snatched the ball from a defender in keeping the game tying drive alive. He also was the recipient of the key fourth down play.

Jack Mckeon 6-foot-1, 180 pounds DE/TE St. Ignatius (2017): Mckeon is a sophomore to watch as he made several key tackles both on special teams and in the opponent's backfield. He made the key fumble recovery that led to the Wildcats second score.

Noah Righetti 6-foot-1, 206 pounds QB St. Mary's Stockton (2015): Righetti is a dual threat quarterback who accounted for all three touchdowns for the Rams. He has the arm strength to make all the throws and made good decisions on the offense. The Rams also have skilled playmakers to complement Righetti.

Myles Cunningham 5-foot-11, 208 pounds DE/G St. Mary's Stockton (2015) and
Cutler Salmon 6-foot-5, 245 pounds DL St. Mary's Stockton (2015): Cunningham is undersized for the next level but he was providing a solid pass rush as he got to the opposing quarterback a few times. Salmon is probably a few inches shorter than his listed height but he also met Cunningham in the backfield on several occasions. The duo was effective in applying a consistent pass rush.

Marcell Spady 5-foot-10, 220 pounds RB St. Mary's Stockton (2015): Spady is a big bruising back who was able to get chunks of yards on his rushes. Spady does not have lightning speed but is difficult to take down on the initial hit. He should be the team's leading rusher for the season.