ALL-LEAGUE FOOTBALL TEAMS: Rask leads cast of all-league honorees

Corona del Mar High senior linebacker Erik Rask was not only a repeat selection for the All-Pacific Coast League first team, this year he was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Rask, an integral leader for the Sea Kings, had a team-high 81 tackles and 24 assists to average 11.7 tackles per game. He also picked up 4.5 sacks, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery.

Linebacker Kevin Rask, joined his twin brother Erik as an all-league honoree. He was one of three Sea Kings who were named to the Pacfic Coast League’s first team.

Kevin Rask was second on the team in tackles, finishing the season with 62 tackles and 38 assists and one interception. Junior nose guard Dan DiChiro was also significant to the defense that didn’t allow more than 27 points in eight of nine games this season.

Senior tight end Ali Meshkin was a key to the Sea Kings’ passing attack. He led the team in receptions with 38 catches for 379 yards.

Five Corona del Mar football players took second-team honors.

Senior defensive linemen Max Prescott and James McKennon were also integral in keeping the Sea Kings’ opponents’ touchdowns to a minimum. Junior wide receiver Max Haase and junior tight end Noah Molnar trailed Meshkin as the team’s second and third leading receivers, respectively.

Austin Raiger was a contributor on both sides of the ball. The senior running back/defensive back had 20 tackles and five assists, and also had 43 carries for 263 yards.

SUNSET LEAGUE

For the second straight year, Newport Harbor’s stingy defense characterized the school’s All-Sunset League success.

Linebackers Cecil Whiteside and Brandon Kula were two of the five Sailors who took first-team honors, along with free safety Michael Helfrich.

Kula, a junior, earned his second straight all-league honor.

The Sailors’ defense held Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks to just three points in one of the team’s most crucial games of the season, first round of the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division playoffs.

Senior left tackle Nate Castillo’s blocking helped wide receiver JB Green accumulate 30 receptions and 560 yards to round out the first-team selections. Castillo was also an all-league selection last year.

Six Sailors were named to the league’s second team.

Defensive back Henry Pyle, cornerback Danny Miller and nose guard Chase Obenauer were all part of the defense that held five teams to seven points or less this season.

Junior quarterback Andrew McDonald was 75 of 118 for 1,154 yards and seven touchdowns. Junior offensive lineman Scott Ward and tight end Dusty Campbell, were also second-team honorees.

Campbell, a repeat selection, was second on the team in receptions. He had nine catches for 208 yards and one TD.

Senior lineman Nate Talbott, defensive end Brandon Davis, junior tailback Ben Frazier, junior offensive lineman Peter Kinney, and punter/kicker Dillan Freiberg were honorable mention.

ACADEMY LEAGUE

Sage Hill School senior quarterback Jamie McGee led a list of 13 Lightning team members named to this year’s All-Academy League football team.

All six of Sage Hill’s first-team picks were prominent on the Lightning’s high-flying offense.

McGee led the Lightning to a 8-3 finish in his last year, and threw for 3,362 yards and 39 touchdowns. The Lightning lost to Linfield Christian in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Northeast Division playoffs.

Senior wide reciever Nick Witte, who led the team in scoring with 17 touchdowns, was also named to the league’s first team. Witte had 66 catches for 1,548 yards.

Though senior Michael Higgins was listed as a wide receiver, he was also an adept rusher, averaging 6.54 yards per carry for two rushing touchdowns. Higgins also had 40 receptions for 571 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior offensive linemen Joey Puishys and Cody Gates, and fullback Max Torres were also first-team picks, providing protection for the pass-heavy offense.

Seven Sage Hill players were second-team picks. Senior wide receiver Preston Oklejas was second on the team in receptions and had 52 receptions for 855 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Sophomore offensive linemen Adam Donchess and Brendan Killally also anchored Sage Hill’s pass protection.

Senior linebacker Craig Jackson, senior safety Tom Multari, senior linebacker Jordan Spencer, senior linebacker Nazir Katbi were instrumental on the Lightning’s defense.

— From staff reports