Kirschke Honored as Top Player : Prep football: Anaheim Esperanza lineman is selected for his dominating play by The Times in annual awards.

With Travis Kirschke in the starting lineup, the Anaheim Esperanza High football team was nearly unbeatable.

A three-year starter on the defensive line, Kirschke led the Aztecs to a 39-2 record, including two league titles and two Southern Section championships. The final section championship was shared with rival Los Alamitos, the result of a 14-14 tie last month.

The Esperanza senior has been tabbed by several local coaches, players and recruiters as the best lineman ever to come out of Orange County. He recently gave an oral commitment to attend UCLA next fall.

For his dominating play on the line, Kirschke has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Glenn Davis Award as Southern California’s best high school player.

The award is given annually by The Times.

Kirschke, 6 feet 5, 255 pounds, edged running backs Saladin McCullough of Pasadena Muir and Rodney Sermons of La Puente Bishop Amat, and quarterbacks Tim Carey of Los Alamitos and Davis Delmatoff of Newhall Hart for the award.

In three seasons at Esperanza, Kirschke had 300 tackles, 26 sacks and seven fumble recoveries.

The Times’ honors football players in 12 circulation regions. Winners of the running back, lineman and coach of the year awards for each of those areas were:

CENTRAL CITY--Marcelo Ortega, 6-0, 165, Sr., Lincoln (lineman); Clelio Boccato, 6-0, 185, Sr., Loyola (back); David Newell, Bell Gardens (coach).

GLENDALE--Jon Berg, 5-9, 165, Sr., Crescenta Valley (lineman); Aman Abye, 5-9, 174, Sr., Marshall (back); Jim Beckenhauer, Crescenta Valley (coach).

INLAND EMPIRE--Weldon Forde, 6-2, 220, Sr., Redlands (lineman); Sammy Knight, 6-2, 200, Sr., Riverside Rubidoux (back); Tim Nelson, Alta Loma (coach).

ORANGE COUNTY--Travis Kirschke, 6-5, 255, Sr., Anaheim Esperanza (lineman); Tim Carey, 6-4, 175, Sr., Los Alamitos (back). Tim Devaney, Sunny Hills (coach).

SAN DIEGO--Joe Salave’a, 6-4, 245, Sr., Oceanside (lineman); Bryant Westbrook, 6-1, 180, Sr., Oceanside El Camino (back); John Shack, San Diego Morse (coach).

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY--Shawn Stuart, 6-4, 280, Sr., Saugus (lineman); Deriek Charles, 5-9, 165, Sr., Newhall Hart (back); Jeff Engilman, Sylmar (coach).

SAN GABRIEL--Wilhans Ili, 5-11, 285, Sr., La Puente Bishop Amat, (lineman); Saladin McCullough, 5-10, 180, Sr., Pasadena Muir, (back); Mark Paredes, Bishop Amat (coach).

SOUTH BAY--James Pepe, 6-3, 220, Sr., Carson (lineman); Tevita Moala, 5-11, 185, Sr., Hawthorne (back); Mike Walsh, San Pedro (coach).

SOUTH COAST--Fia Ili, 6-0, 235, Sr., Long Beach Poly (lineman); Aaron Flowers, 6-0, 180, Sr., Lakewood Artesia (back); Mark Rose, Lakewood (coach).

SOUTHEAST--Greg Ford, 6-0, 250, Jr., Whittier (lineman); Mike Moschetti, 5-11, 170, Sr., La Mirada (back); John Mele, La Mirada (coach).

VENTURA--Leodes Van Buren, 6-1, 180, Jr., Newbury Park (lineman); Fahali Campbell, 5-10, 175, Sr., Camarillo (back); Cliff Farrar, Ojai Nordhoff (coach).

WESTSIDE--Erwin DeLeon, 5-10, 180, Sr., Pacific Palisades (lineman); Seka Edwards, 6-0, 170, Jr., Westchester (back); Jack Epstein, Palisades (coach).