First Team Offense

KICKER

The reputation of the kicker has come a long way since the days when former defensive lineman and TV commentator Alex Karras characterized the typical NFL placement specialist as a short, scrawny import from Eastern Europe who ran around screaming “I keeck a touchdown!” after every successful kick.

These days, many kickers, particularly at the high school level, have attained athletic legitimacy, often through participation as a position player on the football team and/or the soccer team. The Times’ Orange County kicker, Zach Sherwood of University, is 6 feet 3 and 180 pounds. He has field-goal range of 50 yards-plus, the majority of his kickoffs land in the end zone and he didn’t miss a PAT kick all season.

RECEIVERS

The prototype modern wide receiver stands about 6 feet 4, weighs 200 pounds or so, runs with sprinter’s speed and jumps with spring-loaded legs.

The Times’ All-Orange County receivers don’t quite answer to that description, but they get the job done.

Orange Lutheran’s Jon Talmage has the size (6-4, 195), but his speed and hops are good, not great. All he does is catch everything thrown his way (a county-leading 85 receptions this season) and score lots of touchdowns (15). He’ll be catching and scoring for Montana next season.

Mater Dei senior Jeff Diulio’s physical specs (5-11, 175) might not have Division I football powers lined up around the block, but his hands, his ability to get open and his knack for making the clutch catch take a back seat to no one. He caught 81 passes this season, 13 for touchdowns, and was the guy quarterback Matt Leinart looked for whenever the Monarchs had to have a completion.

BACKFIELD

The Times’ Orange County backfield is an offensive coordinator’s dilemma.

Give the ball to the running backs who combined for nearly 5,000 yards rushing this fall? Or leave it in the hands of the quarterback who passed for nearly 3,000 yards?

Anyone would be tempted to just hand the ball to Esperanza’s Temitope Sonuyi or Mission Viejo’s Robbie Dubois and take his chances.

Sonuyi, The Times’ choice as player of the year, led the county in rushing with 2,492 yards in 12 games and scored 30 touchdowns. Dubois was right behind with 2,373 yards and 28 touchdowns, also in 12 games.

However, it would also be tempting to call play action with Mater Dei quarterback Matt Leinart, who passed for 2,847 yards in 12 games and is being recruited by major football schools from coast to coast.

Every coach should have such problems.

OFFENSIVE LINE

The offensive line is a team within a team, and probably no sub-group in football is more team-oriented.

The offensive lineman’s accomplishments typically aren’t quantified statistically, leaving him to derive his competitive satisfaction from the deeds of others - the running back for whom he opens holes and the quarterback he keeps upright long enough to launch a pass.

Selflessness does have its rewards, though, often in the form of college scholarships. And several of the linemen on The Times’ Orange County team are being pursued by some of the nation’s best programs.

Tustin tight end Chris Chester has committed to Oklahoma. Los Alamitos tackle Ian Reynoso is headed to Pacific-10 power Oregon. Laguna Hills’ Mike McCloskey is being recruited by Fiesta Bowl participant Oregon State. Newport Harbor’s Robert Chai isn’t ready to make a commitment, but then he’s only a junior.

Santa Margarita’s Ryan Lumm and Fountain Valley’s Ed Fane also are attracting Division I interest.

THE SECOND TEAM

QUARTERBACK

Richard Schwartz, Edison, 6-3, 200, Sr. Cal-bound standout completed 54% of his passes for 1,809 yards and 17 touchdowns

RUNNING BACK

Darryl Poston, Edison, 5-11, 185, Sr. May be headed to USC after racking up 1,593 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Tyler Thompson, Santa Margarita, 5-11, 210, Sr. Recorded three 200-yard games in last month of the season.

WIDE RECEIVER

Rhema McKnight, Kennedy, 6-3, 185, Jr. Flashy receiver made 62 catches for 1,142 yards, with 15 touchdowns and innumerable style points.

Daniel Fells, Fullerton, 6-5, 215, Sr. Scrappy flanker caught 48 passes for 815 yards and eight touchdowns.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Jeff Rowe, El Modena, 6-4, 290, Sr. A force at 6 feet 4 and 290 pounds, Rowe will take his game to the next level.

John Saari, Western, 6-3, 265, Sr. Led a line that helped produce more than 5,000 yards of offense.

Josh Birrell, Esperanza, 5-10, 245, Sr. Central component of Temitope Sonuyi’s blocking corps.

David Dunphy, Mission Viejo, 6-0, 210, Jr. Came out of relative obscurity to pave the way for running back Robbie Dubois.

Brian Benigar, Servite, 5-11, 230, Sr. What the 5-foot-11 lineman lacked in height he more than made up for in heart.

KICKER

Erik Hallenbeck, St. Margaret’s, 5-11, 160, Sr. Converted 52- and 47-yard field goals, 35 of 36 PATs and four of six onside kicks.