CalHi Sports Chooses Lewis Player of Year

Senior Whitney Lewis of Ventura St. Bonaventure has been chosen state player of the year by CalHi Sports.

Lewis rushed for 1,059 yards in 112 carries, caught 65 passes for 1,235 yards and scored 42 touchdowns to help St. Bonaventure win the Southern Section Division IV title, its fourth consecutive championship. The Seraphs won three Division XI titles before moving to the Channel League.

Lewis, The Times’ Glenn Davis Award winner as the outstanding football player in the Southland, becomes the second state player of the year from Ventura County in three years, following Tyler Ebell of Ventura High in 2000.

Earning CalHi player of the year honors for their positions were quarterback Kyle Wright of Danville Monte Vista, running back Maurice Drew of Concord De La Salle, receiver Steve Smith of Woodland Hills Taft, offensive lineman Drew Radovich of Mission Viejo, linebacker Michael Okwo of Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, defensive back Desmond Reed of Temple City and kicker Billy Vinnedge of Arroyo Grande.

Southland players selected to the all-state offense were Smith, wide receiver B.J. Vickers of Venice, linemen Sam Baker of Tustin, Travis Draper of Paso Robles and Radovich, and running back Terrell Jackson of Corona Centennial.

The all-state defense included linemen Sedrick Ellis of Chino, Lawrence Jackson of Inglewood and Brandon Mebane of L.A. Crenshaw, linebackers Okwo and Drean Rucker of Moreno Valley Canyon Springs and defensive backs Randy Estes of Los Alamitos and Reed.

The all-state specialists and multipurpose players included kicker Sergio Aguayo of San Jacinto, Vinnedge, wide receiver and kickoff returner Derrick Jones of Long Beach Poly, running back and defensive back Dennis Keyes of Lake Balboa Birmingham and Lewis.

Southland players selected to the all-state second-team offense included tight end Chris Barrett of Tustin, center Hercules Satele of Long Beach Poly and running back Daniel Dixon of Orange El Modena.

The all-state second-team defense included linemen Matt Malele of Carson and Alex Puccinelli of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, linebackers Lance Broadus of Taft and Jason Turner of La Canada St. Francis and defensive backs Joe Cowan of Bellflower St. John Bosco and Freddie Parish of Long Beach Poly.

The all-state second-team specialists and multipurpose players included kicker Jesse Ainsworth of Thousand Oaks, punter Mike Hughes of Moreno Valley Canyon Springs, quarterback and kicker Matt Engle of El Segundo, quarterback and running back Jeff Kline of Los Alamitos and wide receiver and kick returner Damon Morton of Riverside North.

CalHi Sports also selected players of the year and all-state teams for medium and small schools.

Those selections, as well as the all-state underclassmen, will be reported later this week.