Times Honors Prep Coach, Back, Lineman Year

Joe Sedia, who coached University High School to its first league football championship in about 25 years, University wide receiver-strong safety Paul Richardson and Santa Monica High linebacker Eric Davis won the top Westside honors at the annual Times High School Football Awards Brunch.

Sedia, whose team won the Pac-8 League title but lost the 2-A City championship game to Reseda, was named the area’s coach of the year. Richardson was back of the year and Davis was lineman of the year.

The invitational event, sponsored by the Los Angeles Times Fund, brought together parents, head coaches and 230 players from all-star first teams in 10 Times circulation areas: Westside, Central, Orange County, San Gabriel Valley, Southeast, South Coast, Glendale, Centinela-South Bay, San Fernando Valley and San Diego County.

Each player received a plaque and certificate. In addition, each the backs and linemen of the year received trophies.

A 1956 graduate of Pepperdine University, Sedia, 52, taught physical education at South Gate Junior High School for six years and at Walton Junior High for one year before going to University High in 1963.

At University, he was an assistant to Coach Duane LaRue (now the athletic director) in his first year, was co-coach with LaRue for three years and served nine years as head football coach. He was also the head baseball coach from 1964 until becoming head football coach again in 1983.

Until the past few years, University seldom had much football talent, but recent changes in busing patterns have brought to the school some top players. Sedia’s 1986 football team finished with a 10-2 record, best on the Westside.

Sedia often fielded strong baseball teams, and two of them went to the City playoff semifinals. In 1966, he was named the city’s baseball coach of the year.

Richardson was a big-play man for Sedia on offense and defense. He was among the leading receivers in the City and was particularly adept at catching long passes. He was a game breaker on kickoff returns, returning three for scores. He also had three interceptions and was a fine open-field tackler.

Davis was a three-year starter for Santa Monica and won a secure place in that school’s long tradition of producing hard-hitting linebackers. This year he averaged 15 tackles a game and often sacked quarterbacks or tackled runners for losses.

Besides Richardson and Davis, members of The Times All-Westside first team on offense are Marc Rodgers of University, Scott Roges of Daniel Murphy, Ramon Del Castillo of Santa Monica, Juan Mena of Hamilton, Jimmy Ito of Venice and Jaime Marmolejo of Murphy, Amani Davis of University, Renato Velasquez of Murphy, Willie Crawford of Beverly Hills, Mark Jackson of Santa Monica, Thomas Clark of Hollywood and Gary Melnik of Beverly Hills.

The first-team defensive unit has Naim Shah of Palisades, Jay Gould of Culver City, Brett Hayes of St. Bernard, Memo Kahan of Beverly Hills, Jerrald Hines of Hamilton, Louis Randall of Palisades, Dominique Holland of Santa Monica, Frank Dolce of Culver City and Roger Serafin of Venice. Gould was previously identified as a junior; he is a senior.

The second-team on offense consists of Billy Christen of Murphy, Bryan Bowers of Westchester, Varian Smith of University, David Lee of Santa Monica, Erez Gottlieb of Beverly Hills, Courtney Campbell of Hamilton, Scott Freedman of Beverly Hills, Ernie Soto of Venice, Daryl Hobbs of University, John Price of Culver City, Diedrick Joseph of Hollywood and Javier Laura of St. Bernard.

On defense, second-team members are DeJuan Talley of Murphy, Kevin Johnson of Westchester, Travis Fine of Beverly Hills, Iran Washington of Fairfax, Keith Bowen of Westchester, Terry Kovac of Venice, Eric Nelson of St. Bernard, Eric Crawford of Venice, Curtis Railey of University, Tate Nelson of Santa Monica and Marquis Stone of Hamilton.