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Sunday, December 24, 2006

All Riverside County Poly Selections

The Press Enterprise has announced their All Riverside County Football Teams. The team is led by Samoan quarterback and Riverside County Player of the Year Mike Clausen.

Others on the first team include Adam Tello (Norco), Max Tuioti-Mariner (Corona), Hamani Stevens (Hemet), and Tyler Beck (Vista Murrieta). Polynesians on the second team include TJ Tuigamala (Paloma Valley), Nate Vaiomounga (Corona), Ricky Maefau (Valley View), Chris Sautia (Riverside Arlington).

Player of the Year
Mike Clausen QB, 6'3, 200, Sr (North HS, Riverside)
What he did: Led the Huskies to a 14-0 season and the Eastern Division title ... Completed 61.4 percent of his passes and threw one interception ... Threw for 1,803 yards and 19 touchdowns, and had 10 rushing touchdowns ... Chosen the Ivy League's Offensive MVP.
What they say: "I think he played one of his best games against us. His passes always seem to be on the money and he carries out his fakes extremely well when running the option. He's just a phenomenal football player." -- Temecula Chaparral coach Tommy Leach

First Team
Tyler Beck LB, 6'2, 205, Sr (Vista Murrieta HS)
What he did: Led a defense that surrendered only 13.2 points per game ... Led the team with 13 sacks and finished second with 91 tackles ... Chosen the Southwestern League's Defensive MVP ... 2006 AIGA Foundation Combine participant...Will attend Brigham Young University.
What they say: "He was a versatile player who made all of the plays you come to expect of an outside linebacker-defensive end type." -- Temecula Valley coach Bud Kane

Hamani Stevens DL, 6'3, 290, Jr (Hemet HS)
What he did: Had 48 tackles, five sacks and nine hurries on the quarterback ... Also anchored an offensive line for a team that averaged 300 yards and 30.3 points per game ... Chosen first-team all-Sunbelt League on offense and defense. Younger brother of Tevita Stevens who will be returning to UTEP following an LDS Mission.
What they say: "We had a lot of trouble blocking him. He demands a double team on every play and he's very great in pursuit of the ball. He was a dominant defensive player." -- Elsinore coach Tony Peralta

Adam Tello OL, 6'5, 290, Sr (Norco HS)
Also selected Daily Bulletin All Valley First Team while playing on two CIF championship teams.
What he did
:
Played right guard on an offensive line that helped generate 4,055 rushing yards and more than 30 points per game ... Chosen first-team all-Mountain View League ... Will attend Colorado.
What they say: "He's an absolute beast and he possesses a mean streak I and most coaches like to see in an offensive line. He absolutely overpowers people." -- Riverside Norte Vista coach Ken Batdorf

Max Tuioti-Mariner OL, 6'3, 290, Jr (Corona HS)
What he did: Played both tackle positions on a line that helped the offense average 363 yards and 33.3 points per game ... 2006 AIGA Foundation Combine participant ...Chosen first-team all-Mountain View League ...Younger brother of Hawai'i Offensive Lineman Lafu Tuioti Mariner
What they say: "He's another one of those linemen who's also a great athlete. He's about as good of a lineman as they've had, and they produced some very good ones in the past." -- Centennial coach Matt Logan

North's Clausen is player of the year

ALL-COUNTY FOOTBALL: Notre Dame coach Pat Thompson is voted the coach of the year.
01:51 AM PST on Sunday, December 24, 2006
By ERIC-PAUL JOHNSON
The Press-Enterprise

Mike Clausen didn't have the gaudy individual statistics or the national media attention of another Southern California quarterback who shares his surname, but he accomplished many of the same feats as Westlake Village Oaks Christian's Jimmy Clausen, the nation's top-rated recruit at the position.

Showing tremendous command of the huddle and game management skills, Clausen helped Riverside North capture the CIF-Southern Section Eastern Division title and achieve a 14-0 record, the program's second undefeated season in four years.

While there aren't any 300-yard games on his résumé, Clausen did have some very efficient numbers on the field. Clausen completed 61.5 percent of his attempts for 1,803 yards and 19 touchdowns, and he threw only one interception.

"He always put his team in a position to win the game," Riverside Norte Vista coach Ken Batdorf said.

Clausen was voted the winner of the Garland Rose Award as the Riverside County Player of the Year. Clausen edged out Temecula Chaparral's Talmadge Jackson.

Riverside Notre Dame's Pat Thompson has been selected the Riverside County Coach of the Year after leading the Titans to their first league title and playoff appearance since 1999.

Moreno Valley Rancho Verde senior slotback JoJo Moore was chosen the winner of the Pete Lanzi Sportsmanship award for his unselfishness and his leadership on and off the field.

The awards and all-county teams were chosen by members of The Press-Enterprise staff who cover high school sports.

Clausen's knack for making crucial plays in big games is what stood out for many coaches. When North faced Chaparral in a non-league contest early in the season, Clausen kept drives alive by completing 4 of 7 passes on third downs while converting four other third or fourth downs on the ground.

That big-play ability continued well into the postseason, when Clausen completed 67 percent of his passes for 616 yards and six touchdowns and ran for five more touchdowns.

Clausen, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior southpaw, accounted for all four scores in the Huskies' 26-10 victory over La Quinta in the Eastern Division championship game.

"His play was more amazing as the games got tougher," North coach Lou Randall said. "As he improved himself, the other players caught on. When he stepped into the huddle, he had everybody's attention, and when they left the huddle, everybody knew he wouldn't allow something to go awry."

Clausen had a corps of talented skill players around him, but there never was a doubt about who was the leader of the pack.

"His leadership was second to none," Riverside Arlington coach Pat McCarthy said. "He really made that team go."

Notre Dame was the area's top small school team for many years, but a recruiting scandal rocked the school in 2002, sending the program into a seemingly endless downward spiral. The Titans went 2-27 on the field over the next three seasons.

Thompson, an assistant at Notre Dame in the late 1970s, returned to the school in 2005 -- his first head coaching position in seven years -- and quickly helped rebuild the program.

"They were going through some tough times when he took over, and he did a good job improving the program and getting the school's family and community together," San Jacinto coach Bill Powell said. "He's bringing back the Notre Dame tradition."

Moore was an all-league tailback as a sophomore, but he moved to wide receiver last season because of the emergence of Deshawn Grayson. Moore filled in wherever needed, even moving back to tailback temporarily when Grayson was injured.

Off the field, Moore is a standout student who often tutors his teammates. Moore took a job as a sign flipper this season. When he was promoted, he helped a few of his teammates land jobs.

"If he ever had any complaints, I never heard them," Rancho Verde coach Pete Duffy said. "He's a player who loves contributing for his team, and he never pops off about himself."

The player of the year award was named after the late Garland Rose, a former Press-Enterprise sports writer. Lanzi coached at California School for the Deaf, Riverside.

Second Team
Ricky Maefau DL, 6'3, 290, Sr (Valley View HS, Moreno Valley)
Also 1st Team All Inland Valley League
Chris Sautia LB, 6'1, 225 Sr (Arlington HS, Riverside)
1st Team All Ivy League
Nate Vaiomounga LB, 5'11, 192, Sr (Corona HS)
1st Team All Mountain View League, According to MaxPreps finished the season with 71 tackles (44 solo) and 9 sacks. Verballed to Colorado
TJ Tuigamala OL (Paloma Valley HS, Menifee)
1st Team All Sun Belt League

Honorable Mention
Eli Maefau OL, 6'3, 350, Sr (Valley View HS, Moreno Valley)
Larue Naea RB, 6'1, 185, Sr (King HS, Riverside)
1st Team All Ivy League, Finished the season with 821 rushing yards on 136 carries (74/Game) and 10 rushing TDs and 2 receiving TDs according to MaxPreps.
Wayne Soliai WR, 5'11, 200, Sr (Norte Vista HS, Riverside)
1st Team All Sunkist League

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