Observations from the 2009 football season

For the last four months, every Friday night, and sometimes Thursdays and Saturdays, I’ve gotten into my 2004 Prius, moved into the car-pool lane and headed to Orange County, Ventura County, Los Angeles County or wherever the best high school football game in Southern California was supposed to be played.

If there has been a more exciting season during this first decade of the 21st century, I can’t remember it. Now that the final second has elapsed on the 2009 season, here’s my observations:

Most dramatic moments

Eric Solis of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame making a 51-yard field goal with one second left to beat Encino Crespi, 23-21. Francisco Olloqui of Gardena Serra making a conversion kick in overtime to beat Westlake Village Oaks Christian, 42-41, in the Northwest Division championship game. Huntington Beach Edison’s Luke Gane bursting through the line to stop Santa Ana Mater Dei’s Jorden Allen on a fourth-and-one play from the five to save the Chargers’ 36-29 victory in double overtime.

A year of streakbusters

Lakewood ending Long Beach Poly’s 80-game Moore League winning streak. Servite defeating Mater Dei to end an 0-19-1 winless streak against the Monarchs, with Friars alumni honking their car horns as they drove away from Santa Ana Stadium. Serra ending Oaks Christian’s 28-game playoff winning streak.

A year of running backs

Any college program not coming away with a running back from Southern California this season is going to be looking pretty silly.

The big ground gainers were Jesse Callier of Downey Warren with 3,010 yards rushing and 43 touchdowns and Deontae Cooper of Perris Citrus Hill with 2,863 yards and 34 TDs. There was Malcolm Jones of Oaks Christian, Malcolm Marable of Mission Hills Alemany, D.J. Morgan of Woodland Hills Taft, Anthony Wilkerson of Tustin, DeShawn Beck of L.A. Jordan and many more.

Trends to watch

Comeback victories in the final two minutes should no longer be considered rare. So many teams now use no-huddle offenses that moving the ball the length of the field in 50 seconds is no big deal.

The wildcat formation, where the ball is snapped directly to a running back or a player with running skills, is spreading faster than a winter storm.

Best replacement players

When Anthony Barr of Los Angeles Loyola broke his ankle in the second game of the season, junior Jared Baker stepped in to rush for 1,453 yards. When quarterback Nick Isham of Westlake broke his collarbone in the Northern Division championship game, freshman Justin Moore came off the bench to lead the Warriors to victory. When tight end Troy Niklas of Servite suffered a season-ending concussion in Week 7, sophomore Ainslie Johnson stepped in and became a standout.

Top celebrity sightings

Oaks Christian wins hands down with Will Smith, Wayne Gretzky and Joe Montana. But Crenshaw brought out Snoop Dogg at the CIF state championship bowl game.

Dealing with tragedy

Players died at Garden Grove and Hollywood, forcing communities to come together. It’s the moment no coach or parent ever wants to experience, but the outpouring of help also shows that people care and want to offer comfort and support.

Top prospects for 2011

1. Running back De’Anthony Thomas, Crenshaw; 2. Receiver George Farmer, Serra; 3. Receiver Antoine Arnold, Temecula Chaparral; 4. Receiver Victor Blackwell, Mater Dei; 5. Receiver Nelson Spruce, Westlake; 6. Quarterback Max Wittek, Mater Dei; 7. Linebacker Tre Madden, Mission Viejo; 8. Lineman Antwaun Woods, Taft; 9. Quarterback Devon Blackmon, Fontana Summit; 10. Defensive lineman Todd Barr, Lakewood; 11. Tight end Earnest Pettway, Long Beach Poly.

Most impressive sophomores

1. Receiver Jordan Payton, Oaks Christian; 2. Defensive back Rio Ruiz, La Puente Bishop Amat; 3. Linebacker Butch Pauu, Servite; 4. Receiver Josiah Blandin, Long Beach Poly; 5. Running back Kawan Rally, Woodland Hills El Camino Real.

Top five teams for 2010

1. Westlake, 2. Crenshaw, 3. Servite, 4. Long Beach Poly, 5. Serra.

eric.sondheimer

@latimes.com

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