All-County Team Has Area Balance, Youth : Football: North County, city high schools have nine members each in group that includes sophomore, four juniors.

Last season’s version of The Times’ San Diego Section All-County football team was laced heavily with elite players from the North County (12), and all 23 members were seniors.

This year, the talent is more spread out, and certainly younger.

With nine representatives apiece from the city and the North County Conference, there is no dominant league. And for the first time since the early ‘80s, the first team has a sophomore--Sweetwater kicker Javier Garcia--plus four juniors.

Also bending tradition slightly, no school monopolized. In the past, one team might have been the source of as many as four players. This year, six schools had two selections each, but only one, Rancho Buena Vista--The Times’ No. 1-ranked team throughout the season except for one week--had three.

The 12th annual team was based on ballots completed by county coaches and observations by reporters who cover these teams for The Times. High school performance alone was considered. Future potential was not a factor.

Of the 23 players selected, 11 still are involved in the section playoffs.

First-team members will be honored at The Times’ annual breakfast in Anaheim on Sunday, Dec. 17. The lineman, back and coach of the year will also be announced that day.

A closer look at the first team:

OFFENSE

Brett Callan, Point Loma, wide receiver--Callan was second in county receiving with 59 catches for 1,033 yards and seven touchdowns. He was a two-way starter, also playing well at safety. A possession receiver with good hands, Callan combined with second-team selection J.J. Stokes, Point Loma’s other starting receiver, in the county’s top passing attack.

Jerome Price, University City, wide receiver--The amazing thing about this Price, this state long jump champ, this slam dunk champ, this great sprinter, is that before this season, he hadn’t played a down since Pop Warner. But he led the county in catches (64, 1,276 yards, 12 touchdowns), and gave the Centurions a reason to throw. “To take a kid who has never played before and (have him) become one of the top receivers in the country,” said UC Coach Steve Vukojevich, “well, that’s something.”

Eric Olsen, San Pasqual, tight end--He averaged 19.2 yards and scored seven touchdowns on 17 receptions in a ground-oriented offense. Coach Mike Dolan said Olsen is being heavily recruited.

Lee Johnston, San Pasqual, tackle--A three-year varsity starter and two-time All-Avocado League performer, Johnston is being recruited by almost every Pac-10 school. Dolan calls him his “best lineman ever.” The statistic “buries” was named in honor of Johnston.

Don Aliipule, Rancho Buena Vista, guard--Last year, Jack Harrington was the main man on an outstanding line. Harrington is at the University of Hawaii, but Aliipule has taken over nicely. “He has the potential to be as good a guard as Jack Harrington was when he graduated, and that’s as good a compliment as I can give any offensive lineman,” Coach Craig Bell said.

Matt Thompson, Grossmont, center--There is only one stat when it comes to an offensive lineman--how many times they successfully block the player they are supposed to. Thompson averaged 94% blocking proficiency. “And we grade out every film,” said Coach Judd Hulbert. Thompson was a two-time Grossmont 3-A all-league selection.

Troy Martz, Orange Glen, guard--Sure, Martz is big, but his biggest asset may be his speed. “He can pull and run, and he has the power to drive guys off the line, too,” Orange Glen Coach Rob Gilster said. Martz is being heavily recruited by UCLA and Arizona State.

Mike Kellner, Santana, tackle--Entering this season, Santana had had only one running back rush for more than 1,000 yards. But by the time the 1989 season was coming to a close, two Sultan running backs had passed 1,000 yards, and most of those came running behind Kellner, the key man in Santana’s complicated Delaware wing-T blocking scheme.

Danny White, Point Loma, quarterback--White led the county in passing during the regular season, completing 144 of 239 for 2,522 yards and 21 touchdowns. “He’s probably the best throwing quarterback we’ve had at Point Loma,” Coach Bennie Edens said. “He undoubtedly will be a scholarship kid. I think if he goes to a wide-open passing school, we’ll probably hear of him in future years.”

Terry Vaughn, Oceanside, running back--He led the county in rushing with 1,496 yards in 180 carries for a 8.3-yard average and scored 12 touchdowns rushing and one receiving. El Camino Coach Herb Meyer called him “the most elusive back I’ve seen.” Vaughn is being heavily recruited by Division I schools and has the grades (3.1 GPA) to get in almost anywhere.

Markeith Ross, Rancho Buena Vista, running back--The county’s second-leading rusher (1,341 yards during the regular season), Ross is just a junior. Bell says Ross runs sideways with the same good speed he uses to go forward, and that he isn’t tackled easily. “He can go through somebody or around somebody,” Bell said.

Javier Garcia, Sweetwater, kicker--The youngest member and only sophomore on the first team, Garcia, 16, kicked five of seven field goals and 11 of 12 extra points. Three field goals--from 43, 42 and 40 yards--came in the second half against Southwest in a 16-7 victory. “Inside the 50, I wouldn’t hesitate to use him,” said Andy Sanchez, Sweetwater’s coach.

DEFENSE

Dareke Fleming, Mission Bay, defensive lineman--Fleming has the “S” words: size, speed, strength and sacks. Mission Bay Coach Dennis Pugh called him, “the best linemen this school has had.” And the most recruited. According to Pugh, everyone on the West Coast has expressed an interest in the Western League’s co-defensive player of the year. He had 75 tackles and 11 sacks.

Peau Atoe, El Camino, defensive lineman--Of the defensive player of the year in the Avocado League, Ramona Coach Mel Galli said, “the best nose guard I’ve seen since Casey Malauulu,” a two-time all-section player in 1982-83. Atoe’s statistics: four fumble recoveries (one of which he returned 34 yards for a touchdown), two interceptions, 59 tackles (14 unassisted, 10 for lost yards). Meyer said Atoe has been double-teamed all year and triple-teamed by St. Augustine on occasion last week. The other times, Meyer said, “They just quit blocking him and let him over-penetrate.”

Andrew Turner, Lincoln, defensive lineman--Vic Player, Lincoln’s coach, speaks softly and rarely boasts about his team, a perennial section power. So when he stands up and says that Andrew Turner is the best in the county, you listen. Last year as a junior, Turner was voted to the All-Central League first team. This year, his performance was indeed all-county: 94 tackles (15 for losses), 11 sacks, one interception, two fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles. Turner did all this with little rest; he also started on the offensive line.

Mike Johnson, Southwest, defensive lineman--Johnson, a junior, is a two-time Metro Conference first-team selection and was a unanimous choice this season. He and second-team selections Jermaine Brown, a linebacker, and Laurence Estes, a defensive back, formed the nucleus of a defense that led 3-A schools with 9.3 points allowed per game. Johnson, who played both offensive and defensive tackle, had 100 tackles (64 unassisted) and 10 sacks.

Ricky Spears, El Camino, linebacker--He has not played in three weeks because of a broken bone in his foot but still recorded 57 tackles, including seven unassisted and four for losses. He also recovered four fumbles, running one back 60 yards for a touchdown. Although his brother, Ernest, is a starting defensive back for USC, Spears is said to be leaning toward UCLA.

Peter Ervin, Crawford, linebacker--Ervin never played high school football before this, his senior year. Fast learner. He was a dominating linebacker that helped Crawford become the county’s top defense, allowing only 53 points in 10 regular season games. From his outside position, Ervin came up with 13 sacks, caused for fumbles and recovered two. He also was the regular tailback and ended up with nearly 1,000 yards.

Jack Bewley, Grossmont, linebacker--”The life and heart of the defense” Hulbert called Bewley, who averaged 10 tackles a game. Bewley was indeed the leader on the county’s No. 2 defense, which allowed a 5.9-point average in 10 regular-season games. Bewley also had two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and scored two defensive touchdowns. “Wherever you find the football is where you will find Jack Bewley,” Hulbert said.

Victor Santa Cruz, Rancho Buena Vista, linebacker--Talk to coaches in the Palomar League about the hardest hitters they’ve faced, and Santa Cruz’s name keeps popping up. “He’s our team leader on defense,” Bell said.

Teddy Lawrence, Morse, defensive back--Lawrence made his mark more as a quarterback this season, but his work on defense for the past two seasons has been noteworthy. He has excellent speed and a good head for the game. “He’s got a tremendous presence on the field,” Morse Coach John Shacklett said. “He never gets flapped.”

Pat Betancourt, Mission Bay, defensive back--His 78 tackles and seven interceptions made him a force on defense, but Betancourt also had 102 carries for 721 yards, accounted for 14 touchdowns (two throwing), put 50% of his kickoffs into the end zone and was the crux--as a player and leader--of the entire team. “As Pat went, we went,” Pugh said. “When he wasn’t in, you knew.”

John McCartney, Lincoln, defensive back--McCartney would like to continue his football career at USC or UCLA. That he is able to make that kind of choice speaks volumes about his skill. “John McCartney is as good as they come,” said Crawford Coach Dan Armstrong. The regular-season numbers back that: six interceptions, two run back for touchdowns; 21 passes defended; 83 tackles; two fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles. McCartney also started at receiver and gained 165 yards and scored two touchdowns on 12 receptions.

John Geis, Rick Hazeltine, Jim Lindgren, Dave McKibben, Scott Miller and Don Patterson contributed to this story.

ALL-COUNTY OFFENSE

Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Yr. WR Brett Callan Point Loma 6-1 195 Sr. WR Jerome Price University City 6-0 160 Sr. TE Eric Olsen San Pasqual 6-1 192 Sr. T Lee Johnston San Pasqual 6-1 262 Sr. G Don Aliipule Rancho Buena Vista 6-0 240 Jr. C Matt Thompson Grossmont 6-1 205 Sr. G Troy Martz Orange Glen 6-4 250 Sr. T Mike Kellner Santana 6-3 246 Sr. QB Danny White Point Loma 6-5 185 Sr. RB Terry Vaughn Oceanside 5-9 175 Sr. RB Markeith Ross Rancho Buena Vista 5-10 185 Jr. K Javier Garcia Sweetwater 6-0 170 So.

ALL-COUNTY DEFENSE

Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Yr. DL Dareke Fleming Mission Bay 6-4 1/2 230 Sr. DL Peau Atoe El Camino 6-0 225 Sr. DL Andrew Turner Lincoln 6-3 215 Sr. DL Mike Johnson Southwest 5-11 210 Jr. LB Ricky Spears El Camino 6-1 190 Sr. LB Peter Ervin Crawford 6-0 200 Sr. LB Jack Bewley Grossmont 6-3 210 Sr. LB Victor Santa Cruz Rancho Buena Vista 6-1 205 Sr. DB Teddy Lawrence Morse 5-11 177 Jr. DB Pat Betancourt Mission Bay 6-1 180 Sr. DB John McCartney Lincoln 6-1 190 Sr.

SECOND TEAMS

OFFENSE

WR--J.J. Stokes, Point Loma, Senior; Darnay Scott, Kearny, Junior. QB--Derek Chapman, Chula Vista, Senior. RB--Keith Price, Grossmont, Senior; O.J. Hall, Rancho Buena Vista, Senior. OL--Pulu Poumele, Oceanside, Senior; Derrick Ross, Mt. Carmel, Senior; Irwin Mendiola, Morse, Junior; Louie Zumstein, Chula Vista, Senior; Dan Hancher, Rancho Buena Vista, Senior. TE--Mike Jackson, Grossmont, Senior. K--Eric Abrams, La Jolla Country Day, Sophomore.

DEFENSE DL--Mondola Wilkins, Point Loma, Senior; Sale Isaia, Oceanside, Senior; Nate Fleck, San Dieguito, Senior; Allah Hille, Crawford, Junior. LB--Wayne Pittman, Mira Mesa, Junior; Jermaine Brown, Southwest, Senior; Junior Faave, Oceanside, Junior; Rodger Blake, Hoover, Senior. DB--Jerry Avrey, El Camino, Senior; Laurence Estes, Southwest, Senior; Steve Hamaguchi, Mira Mesa, Senior.