Lewis Selected for National Honor

Quarterback Chris Lewis of Long Beach Poly was named national high school football player of the year Wednesday by Gatorade and Scholastic Coach magazine.

Lewis was selected for the award over seven other regional finalists.

Lewis, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound senior who has committed to Stanford, led the Jackrabbits to the 1997 Southern Section Division I title and to the championship game this season. Lewis completed 14 of 33 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns as Poly lost to Santa Ana Mater Dei, 33-26, Saturday at Edison Field, ending a 27-game win streak.

Lewis became the starter for Poly early in his sophomore season. He passed for 32 touchdowns, including a school-record seven in one game against Long Beach Wilson, and led the Jackrabbits to the Division I semifinals where they lost to eventual champion Mater Dei.

In 1997, he again passed for 32 touchdowns. The Jackrabbits defeated Mater Dei, 28-25, in the championship game to cap a 14-0 season and become the first public school to win the Division I title since 1993, and only the second since 1989.

This season he passed for 43 touchdowns.

Lewis also is regarded as one of the top high school volleyball players in the nation.

The other regional winners were Bo Sciafe of Mullen High in Colorado; Horace Dodd of Hamden High in Connecticut; Aaron Greving of Ames High in Iowa; T.J. Duckett of Loy Norrix High in Michigan; Chris Simms of Ramapo High in New Jersey; Nick Maddox of A.L. Brown High in North Carolina; and Shaud Williams of Andrews High in Texas.