JUST PREPS : Picking the Top Player Is No Easy Thing

Daylon McCutcheon of La Puente Bishop Amat was an easy choice as The Times’ top local high school football player last year, but expect closer competition for this season’s award.

Several top skill position players return on teams that should contend for division titles. That could mean some great statistics compiled while playing for teams with impressive records.

Some probable candidates:

--Kevin Feterik, quarterback, Los Alamitos: Despite missing three games because of a broken bone in his left hand last season, Feterik completed 68% of his passes for 2,911 yards and 27 touchdowns. With two receivers who are major college prospects as targets, the state single-season passing record of 4,223 yards, set by John Walsh of Carson in 1990, is not out of the question.

--Durell Price, running back-linebacker, Sylmar: After finishing his junior season with 1,966 yards on the ground and 100 tackles, Price was selected the City Section Division 4-A player of the year. The Spartans have a solid group of returning players, so those numbers should go even higher. At 6 feet 1, 215 pounds, Price is the target of many recruiters.

--Ted Iacenda, running back, Newhall Hart: The 6-1, 225-pound senior can break the state scoring record of 568 points, set by Russell White of Encino Crespi in 1986-88. Iacenda has 374 points and is coming off a junior year in which he scored 41 touchdowns. He is a versatile back who led the Indians in rushing (1,538 yards) and receiving (838) last season.

Other candidates are certain to emerge. A few to watch, by position:

--Quarterback: Ortege Jenkins, Long Beach Jordan, 6-3, 205, senior.

--Running back: Michael Graham, Pasadena Muir, 5-10, 190, senior, and Jermaine Lewis, Lancaster Antelope Valley, 5-7, 165, senior.

--Receiver: R. Jay Soward, Fontana, 5-10, 170, senior; Stan Guyness, Los Alamitos, 6-1, 175, senior, and Tony Hartley, Los Alamitos, 6-2, 185, senior.

--Offensive line: Dane Beem, Atascadero, 6-5, 245, senior; Trevor Roberts, Norco, 6-4, 280, senior; Sam Benner, Ventura St. Bonaventure, 6-5, 250, senior; David Plentyhawk, Riverside Norte Vista, 6-5, 260, senior, and Edgar Nava, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 6-3, 230, senior.

--Defensive line: Ennis Davis, Reseda, 6-5, 295, senior, and Brad Williams, Santa Ana Mater Dei, 6-5, 256, senior.

--Linebacker: Na’il Diggs, Dorsey, 6-4, 215, senior; Anselmo Zamano, Fontana, 6-2, 220, senior; Chris Claiborne, Riverside North, 6-3, 225, senior, and Marc Zimmerman, Newhall Hart, 6-3, 215, senior.

--Defensive back: Ralph Brown, La Puente Bishop Amat, 5-11, 185, senior; Trymon Redick, Lancaster Antelope Valley, 6-1, 180, senior, and Waking Bailey, Granada Hills Kennedy, 5-10, 170, junior.

Notes

Mark these dates on your calendar for these feature games: Sept. 21, Bloomington at Fontana; Sept. 29, Loyola at Antelope Valley; Oct. 5, Dorsey vs. Carson at Gardena High; Oct. 6, Antelope Valley vs. Long Beach Poly at Veterans Stadium; Oct. 14, Banning vs. Carson at Veterans Stadium; Oct. 20, Los Alamitos vs. Esperanza at Valencia High; Oct. 27, Loyola at Bishop Amat and Long Beach Jordan vs. Long Beach Poly at Veterans Stadium and Nov. 3, Canyon Springs vs. Riverside Notre Dame at UC Riverside. Playoff pairings will be released Nov. 10 for the City Section and Nov. 12 for the Southern Section. The season ends Dec. 9.