Booker, Seau, Burke Honored by Times for Football Exploits

Vista High School running back Tommy Booker, who led the county in rushing this season with more than 1,800 yards, was named The Times’ Back of the Year Sunday at the annual Times’ All-County high school football awards banquet at the Anaheim Hilton.

Oceanside linebacker Junior Seau was named Lineman of the Year, and San Dieguito Coach Ed Burke was named Coach of the Year.

Booker, whose team was upset by Fallbrook, 28-14, Saturday night in the Section 3-A championship, averaged more than 160 yards a game. Vista Coach Dick Haines labeled him as the “Eric Dickerson of the high schools” because of Booker’s powerful running style.

Seau played several games at receiver, but was the mainstay of the Oceanside defense, switching between end and linebacker. Seau was a Times’ All-County pick for basketball last season. He has maintained a 4.0 grade-point average the past three years.

In his first season since transfering from Torrey Pines High, Burke guided San Dieguito, which finished 0-6 in league play last year, to second place in the Palomar League with a 5-1 record. San Dieguito was narrowly defeated by first-place Vista, 27-20, in the final minutes of a game early in the season. San Dieguito also defeated Section 3-A champion Fallbrook, 21-12.