Top 40 sophomores in Southern California high school football
Before the 2019 football season began, I put out a list of 25 Southern California high school football players who excelled at the varsity level as freshmen in 2018. With the 2019 regular season wrapping up in a few weeks, it's time to check in on those players' progress and break down other class of 2022 sophomores who are having strong second seasons.
Based on statistics, playing time, observations and conversations with coaches, here are the Top 40 Southern California high school football players in the class of 2022. Players from all over the Southern Section and L.A. City Section are represented, including athletes in lower divisions. Those players truly needed to stand out to make the cut. The list is in alphabetical order.
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Eddie Allain - Norte Vista RB
Allain had a magnificent freshman season and is following it up with a strong sophomore year. He's rushed for 900 yards and 15 touchdowns for 6-1 Norte Vista.
Harrison Allen - Loyola RB
Allen has been a big part of Loyola's resurgence in 2019. The sophomore has rushed for 584 yards and nine TD's in 2019.
Taariq Al-uqdah - Narbonne LB
Nicknamed Buddha, Al-uqdah has made 51 tackles in 2019 for Narbonne, eight of which have been for loss. He holds a USC offer.
Dominic Arango-Serna - Canoga Park WR
Arango-Serna andh Alemany's Kevin Green were the top freshman wide receiver in Southern California in 2018. So far this season, Arango-Serna has 37 catches for 716 yards and seven touchdowns. All three marks either lead or are tied for the lead in the City Section.
Shlomo Bass - Fairfax OL
Bass has tossed around City Section defensive linemen all season. Check the tape.
Arlis Boardingham - Birmingham WR/DL
Boardingham has hauled in 27 passes for 392 yards and five touchdowns this season. He also has two sacks and two fumble recoveries.
Derek Boyd - Oaks Christian RB
Boyd has rushed for 351 yards and five touchdowns this season. He may be the top RB on this list.
Braydon Brus - Glendora FS
Brus made 55 tackles for undefeated Glendora, ten have been for loss and three have been sacks.
Floyd Chalk - Alemany RB
Chalk has rushed for 562 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2019. He'll be a top recruit in the 2022 class when it's all said and done.
Quincy Craig - Mater Dei RB
The Mater Dei backfield is crowded, but Craig has made the most of his opportunities. He's rushed for 233 yards and five touchdowns in 2019. Craig has also blocked two field goals on special teams and recovered three fumbles.
Deville "Joker" Dickerson - Lompoc ATH
Joker Dickerson has three interceptions on defense and two blocked field goals on special teams. He also returns kicks and punts for Lompoc.
AJ Duffy - Rancho Verde QB
Duffy might be the top quarterback in the 2022 class from Southern California. He had a great year for Rancho Verde last season and is following it up with an even better sophomore season. Duffy is completing over 75% of his passes and has thrown for 1,874 yards and 20 TD's in 2019.
Noah Fifita - Servite QB
Fifita is another top 2022 QB who Servite head coach Troy Thomas couldn't speak more highly of. He's thrown for 1,653 yards and 22 TD's for the young Friars this season.
Freddy Fletcher - Cajon RB
Fletcher has rushed for 649 yards and six TD's in 2019 for a dark-horse Division 3 Cajon team.
Mekhi Fox - Pasadena WR
Fox does a little bit of everything for Pasadena. He's caught three touchdowns, runs for one more and has an interception so far this season.
Jakob Galloway - Banning RB
Get ready for some crazy stats: 82 carries for 843 yards, averaging over ten yards per carry with 13 rushing TD's. He also has 46 tackles on defense.
Max Garrison - St. Francis RB
Garrison is averaging over five yards per carry in 2019. He's rushed for a touchdown and caught another. He plays on defense and special teams for St. Francis too.
Jake George - La Serna WR
George has caught 30 balls for 467 yards and seven TD's for undefeated La Serna.
Kevin Green - Alemany WR
This isn't the first Alemany name in this list and it won't be the last. Green has caught 37 passes for 475 yards and three touchdowns so far this season.
Earnest Greene - St. John Bosco OL
Greene isn't only a Division 1 college prospect, he'll eventually be an NFL prospect because of his 6-foot-5 300-pound frame.
Jonathan Guerrero - Rio Hondo Prep RB
Guerrero has piled up 728 rushing yards and 10 TD's for undefeated Rio Hondo Prep in 2019.
Caden Harman - Sierra Canyon DL
Harman has nine sacks in 2019.
Josh Hunter - Mater Dei DB
Hunter has held his own in the Mater Dei secondary for the last two years. He has one interception in 2019 and has returned a punt for a TD.
Domani Jackson - Mater Dei DB
Jackson might be the best player on this list. He's the top 2022 recruit in California, per 247 Sports. Quarterbacks avoid throwing the ball to his man. He has one pick in 2019, which he returned for a score.
Rayshon Luke - St. John Bosco RB
Nicknamed Speedy, Luke has rushed for 323 yards and five touchdowns in 2019. He's also a sprinter on the Bosco track team.
Tetairoa McMillan - Servite WR
McMillan is up there with Domani Jackson; he's a top two player on this list. He's caught 30 passes for 499 yards and five TD's for Servite this season.
Jaden Mickey - Corona Centennial DB
Mickey already have five interceptions for Corona Centennial this year. He's returned two for touchdowns.
Kamari Ramsey - Sierra Canyon DB
In Sierra Canyon's win over Valencia earlier this season, Ramsey went out for one play because the referee saw something amiss with his uniform. Valencia scored their lone touchdown of the game on that play. That's how important Ramsey is to Sierra Canyon's defense.
Brandon Rose - Murrieta Valley QB
Rose has thrown for 1,925 yards and 22 TD's in 2019. Perhaps his best stat? He's thrown just two picks this season.
Luke Rotenberg – Brentwood CB
Rotenberg has six interceptions through eight games for Brentwood.
Malaki Te'o - JSerra LB
Te'o has 44 tackles, three sacks and a caused fumble in his second year of high school football.
Jason Terry - Fairmont Prep RB
Terry leads the Southern Section in rushing with 1,611 yards through seven games. He's also tied for the touchdown lead with 20.
Niuafe Tuihalamaka - Alemany DL
Tuihalamaka has made 51 tackles for Alemany so far this season.
Larry Turner-Gooden - Calabasas WR/DB
Turner-Gooden plays on both sides of the ball for a loaded Calabasas team. He's caught 15 passes and has an interception in 2019.
AJ Vaipulu - Corona Centennial OL
Vaipulu started as a freshman on the Cen10 offensive line and has kept his spot in year two. He'll be a four year starter when it's all said and done.
Jason Wagner - Reseda DB
Wagner is tied atop the City Section interception leaderboard with four picks.
Cooper Wallace - Westlake WR
Wallace has made 39 catches for 569 yards and three TD's for Westlake.
Andre Watkins - Lincoln RB/S
Watkins ranks third in the City Section in both rushing yards and TD's with 930 and 14 respectively.
C.J. Williams - Mater Dei WR
Williams has caught 31 passes for 436 yards and two touchdowns for the nation's top team.
Jordan Williams - Etiwanda WR
Williams has snagged 39 passes for 694 yards and six TD's so far this season for Etiwanda. He's also rushed for two scores and intercepted three passes on defense.
Honorable mention:
- Keyan Burnett - JSerra WR
- Jesse Carmona - Ganesha QB
- Marcus Chan - Bishop Diego S
- Kameran Charles - Reseda CB
- Jayden Max Denegal - Apple Valley QB
- Robert Ellet - San Pedro WR
- Jared Giles - Quartz Hill RB/DB
- Mason Graham - Servite DL
- Ben Hall - St. Bonaventure LB
- Tomarion Harden - Narbonne RB
- Dashaun Harris - Sierra Canyon LG
- Jason Jones - Sierra Canyon RB
- Ezekiel Larry - Notre Dame DL
- Lucas Lenhoff - Cathedral QB
- Austin Logan - Rancho Verde LB
- Hunter Lysholm - Sierra Canyon LT
- Jacob Manu - Servite LB
- Maalik Murphy - Serra QB
- Jairus Satele - St. John Bosco DL
- Maxx Silao - Servite DE
- Jaylen Thompson - Calabasas RB
