Laguna’s Paul is league’s best

Chris Paul has said that his favorite sport is probably baseball.

Try telling that to opposing football defenses in the Orange Coast League.

Paul has been named Most Valuable Player of the league for football, after the junior receiver/defensive back helped lead the Breakers to their first league title since 2006.

Among other top awards, senior running back Alec Jaffe was named league Offensive MVP.

Paul finished the year with 909 yards receiving on 61 catches, as well as 19 touchdowns. The latter number is a school record, as are his 27 career touchdown receptions. Defensively, he led the Breakers (5-6) in tackles, Coach Jonathan Todd said.

“He was such a dominant force on offense that a lot of teams would double-team him,” Todd said. “That opened up our running game Chris was always giving 100% out there.” Paul was also named league MVP in baseball last spring.

And, just as Paul has been called the best receiver in school history, Todd “” himself a former running back “” called Jaffe the best back in school history.

Jaffe finished his season with 1,503 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. His 1,415 regular-season yards was second in Laguna annals, second only to Todd himself in 1986.

First-team all-Orange Coast League selections for the Breakers included junior quarterback Austin Paxson, who Todd said is the best quarterback the Breakers have had. Other first-teamers included senior lineman Drew Gerhold, sophomore running back Norton Penney, junior lineman Taylor Preston, senior lineman Ryan Raffo, senior linebacker Ethan Quirarte and sophomore linebacker Shane Selfridge.

Todd said it was left to the individual coaches to come up with second-team and honorable mention honorees. He said his second-team offense selections included sophomore Ricky De La Torre and senior Chris Hillemann. On defense, sophomores Derek Reigel and Thomas Munayyer, along with senior Rouzbeh Kazemian and freshman Robert Clemons, earned accolades.

Todd said his honorable mentions were juniors Mike Hyden and C.J. Rodrigues.

Other top league awards went to Santiago Fuentes of Godinez (Defensive MVP), Travis Whitlock of Costa Mesa (Lineman of the Year) and Brandon Perez of Calvary Chapel (Special Teams MVP).