Prep football: 18 locals nominated for South All-Stars

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Decorated Newport-Mesa District football standouts

Chris Manderino, Alan Saenz, Andy Romo and Fahad Jahid top a list of 18

local players nominated to represent the South in the Orange County

All-Star Game, scheduled July 13 at Orange Coast College.

Nominees from 38 schools within the South boundaries were asked to

submit nominees for the annual summer showcase against the North. Orange

County sportswriters are assigned the task of selecting the 36-man Rebel

roster, scheduled to be announced April 10.

Manderino, the Newport-Mesa District Most Valuable Player and an

All-CIF Southern Section Division VI selection from Newport Harbor High,

could assume a role on either side of the ball, if selected.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder, who confirmed Monday he will walk on at UC

Berkeley, helped lead the Sailors to the CIF Division VI title game last

fall. He also was a two-way starter for the 1999 Tars, who went 13-0-1

and claimed the Division VI crown.

Manderino rushed for 2,141 yards on 353 carries as a senior and scored

31 touchdowns.

He opened the season as the returning starter at quarterback, but was

switched to tailback midway through the second game and flourished in

that role.

His rushing total was the third highest in Orange County and ranks

third in Newport Harbor history. His 31 TDs are a district single-season

record and his 39 career TDs rank second in Sailor history, behind Steve

Brazas (44).

He reeled off 11 straight games of at least 100 rushing yards after

starting for the first time at tailback in Week 3. Included in that total

was 226 yards against Corona del Mar, 256 against Dana Hills and a

career-high 271 against La Mirada in the Division VI semifinals.

In four playoff games, Manderino collected 692 rushing yards and 10

TDs on 93 carries.

The MVP of the Daily Pilot’s All-Sea View League team as a junior,

Manderino was the league’s Offensive MVP last fall. He also sparkled at

outside linebacker.

Newport Harbor’s Saenz, a 6-1, 260-pound middle linebacker bound for

the University of Montana, was a two-time Newport-Mesa District Defensive

Player of the Year, who earned All-CIF laurels as a junior and senior.

He twice led the Sailors in tackles, including 79 stops this season

(64 first hits). He made seven stops behind the line of scrimmage,

including a pair of sacks. He had three interceptions, caused three

fumbles and recovered three fumbles. Coaches voted him Co-Defensive

Player of the Year in the Sea View League last fall.

Romo, who scored 15 touchdowns to help Estancia High produce a

single-season record 312 points, was the Newport-Mesa District Offensive

Player of the Year last fall.

A 6-2, 185-pounder, he rushed 145 times for 1,035 yards and 12 TDs. He

also had a team-leading 27 receptions for 315 yards and two more TDs. He

returned a kickoff for a touchdown and intercepted a pass, though a

persistent knee injury limited him primarily to offense.

Jahid, the Pacific Coast League Defensive Player of the Year, also

starred for Estancia. A 6-2, 235-pound linebacker, he amassed a team-best

110 tackles. He also rushed for 957 yards and scored eight TDs on 149

carries at fullback.

Corona del Mar senior Charlie Alshuler, and Costa Mesa senior Antony

Grubisich, will also be considered, after earning All-CIF Division IX

laurels for their respective teams.

Alshuler, a 6-2, 170-pound cornerback, shared the county lead with

nine interceptions.

The 5-10, 245-pound Grubisich earned all-district recognition on both

sides of the ball his final two seasons. He will be a candidate to help

the South in the trenches.

Additional candidates from Newport Harbor are outside linebacker Andy

Rankin, defensive ends Garrett Troncale and Ian Banigan, fullback Travis

Trimble, offensive tackle Scott Lopez and punter Duke Burchell.

Rankin will play collegiately at Dartmouth.

CdM senior Eric Snell, a standout at safety last fall, was the other

nominee from the Sea Kings.

Additional Costa Mesa nominees include linebacker Louis Day, offensive

lineman Charlie Amburgey, outside linebacker Alvin Nguyen, defensive

lineman Daniel Hunter and kicker Luis Avalos.

The South will be coached by Dave White from Edison High.