Hemet’s Pass-Catch Duo Leads Times’ Inland Empire All-Star Football Team

The Ivy and Citrus Belt leagues from the Inland Empire are well-represented in the 30th Annual Times football awards.

Quarterback Terry Payne and wide receiver Curt Callicott from Hemet are among nine players from four schools in the Division IV Ivy League, which also includes players from Arlington, Palm Springs and Ramona, the Ivy League champion.

Payne threw for 1,680 yards and 18 touchdowns, including 10 to Callicott, who caught 39 passes.

Running back Ron Rivers of San Gorgonio and linebacker Don Markham of Colton, the son of Ramona Coach Don Markham, are 2 of 7 players selected from schools in the Division I Citrus Belt League.

Rivers, a 5-foot 8-inch junior, started the season at defensive back and became the top tackler before he was switched to running back before the third game of the season. Rivers rushed for a total of 882 yards in 118 carries and scored 10 touchdowns for the season. He also caught 3 touchdown passes.

Markham, who was injured in an auto accident last summer, came back to have a good season, including a game high 9 tackles against Fontana.

Kipp Jeffries, a running back from Etiwanda of the Hacienda League, rushed for 1,057 yards in 186 carries with 17 touchdowns, to give Jeffries over 4,200 yards rushing in his high school career.

The Times High School Football Awards program will be held Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Anaheim Hilton & Towers.

Here’s the complete Inland Empire All Star team:

OFFENSE: TE--Gideon Murrell (Palm Springs). WR--Curt Callicott (Hemet); Danny Floyd (Etiwanda). T--Chad Barrow (Fontana); Don Wolff (Ramona). G--Chris O’Brien (Ramona); Brian Holder (Riverside Notre Dame). C--Terry Engle (Norco). QB--Terry Payne (Hemet). RB--Dennis Collier (Eisenhower); Ron Rivers (San Gorgonio). K--Jason Camp (Victor Valley).

DEFENSE: LINE--Marty Cano (Rubidoux); Jeff Bees (Cajon); Doug Dooley (Arlington); Naasan Reed (Palm Springs). LB--Mike Hinz (Ramona); Bobby Sylvester (Fontana); John Gumpf (Riverside Poly); Don Markham (Colton). BACKS--Kipp Jeffries (Etiwanda); Greg Zomwalt (Canyon Springs); James Jesse (Palm Springs).