Brown Is Named Top Prep Football Player in Southland

Derek Brown, Servite High School tailback, was named the recipient Sunday of the Glenn Davis Award, given to the top high school football player in Southern California, at the 30th Times’ awards ceremony at the Anaheim Hilton and Towers.

Brown, who also was named The Times’ Orange County Back of the Year, rushed for 2,301 yards in 13 games to establish an Orange County single-season rushing mark. He passed former county great Kerwin Bell, who had 2,226 yards for Edison High in 1979.

Brown scored 30 touchdowns, including kickoff returns of 92 and 93 yards in the Division I playoffs, and averaged 8.5 yards per carry. He finished his 3-year career with 4,663 yards rushing, second on the county’s all-time list to Ray Pallares (5,398 yards) of Valencia.

Oscar Wilson, Santa Ana’s prolific two-way lineman, was named the county’s lineman of the year.

Last year, Wilson became the first sophomore to earn first-team all-county honors since former Santa Ana Valley running back Myron White was honored as a sophomore in 1972.

This year, Wilson had 16 sacks, 57 tackles and 2 fumble recoveries. He is considered the premier pass rusher in the county and also plays tight end.

Mike Marrujo of Valencia was named the county’s coach of the year after leading the Tigers into their third consecutive Southern Section championship game.

Over the past 6 years under Marrujo, Valencia is the winningest program in Orange County with 67 victories. Valencia has won or shared 6 consecutive Orange League titles.

TIMES’ FOOTBALL AWARDS

Winners of the back, lineman and coach of the year for each of The Times’ 12 circulation areas:

Central City--Johann Fuller of Loyola (back), Shawn Miller of L.A. Dorsey (lineman) and Paul Knox and Eugene McAdoo of Dorsey (coach).

Inland Empire--Dennis Collier of Rialto Eisenhower (back), Mike Hinz of Riverside Ramona (lineman) and Larry Tisdale of Etiwanda (coach).

Glendale--Lamont Lovett of Franklin (back), John Garrett of Glendale (lineman) and Armando Gonzalez of Franklin (coach).

Orange County--Derek Brown (back), Oscar Wilson of Santa Ana (lineman) and Mike Marrujo of Placentia Valencia (coach).

San Diego County--Scott Garcia of Rancho Buena Vista (back), Jake Nyberg of Escondido Orange Glen (lineman) and Craig Bell of Rancho Buena Vista (coach).

San Fernando Valley--Curtis Scott of Sepulveda Monroe (back), Justin Fix of Canyon Country Canyon (lineman) and Harry Welch of Canyon Country Canyon (coach).

San Gabriel Valley--Daryl Green of La Puente Nogales (back), Terry McDaniels of Pasadena (lineman) and Mark Paredes of La Puente Bishop Amat (coach).

South Bay--Curtis Conway (back), Bob Whitfield of Wilmington Banning (lineman) and Dan Pride of Redondo Beach Coast Christian (coach).

South Coast--Johnny Robinson of Long Beach Jordan (back), Michael Loyola of Long Beach Poly (lineman) and Ken Sutch of Paramount (coach).

Southeast--Greg Willig of Sante Fe Springs St. Paul (back), David Ramos of Bellgardens (lineman) and Dave Newell of Bell Gardens (coach).

Ventura County--John Johnson of Oxnard Channel Islands (back), Matt Young of Oxnard Santa Clara (lineman) and Rick Scott of Ventura Buena (coach).

Westside--Mike Wagner of Santa Monica St. Monica (back), Kevin Kelly of Santa Monica (lineman) and Angelo Jackson of St. Monica (coach).