All-Bay Area News Group high school football 2023: Linebackers

ALL-BAY AREA NEWS GROUP FOOTBALL 2023

LINEBACKERS

First team

Marley Alapati, Serra, 6-0, 205, senior

WCAL outside linebacker of the year. Army commit had a sack in the CIF Open Division championship game against Mater Dei. 

Drew Cunningham, De La Salle, 6-3, 220, senior

Stanford commit and EBAL Mountain co-defensive player of the year. Had five tackles and grabbed an interception in NCS Open title game victory over San Ramon Valley. 

Marco Jones, San Ramon Valley, 6-4, 220, junior

Contra Costa County player of the year and EBAL Mountain co-defensive player of the year. Had 166 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and three interceptions as a linebacker, and also scored 12 total touchdowns via rushing, receiving and interception returns. 

Danny Niu, Serra, 6-2, 210, senior

WCAL linebacker of the year was the third part of Serra’s all-time great linebacking unit. Had two sacks and two tackles for loss in the season-opening victory over Folsom. 

Second team

Sean Cervantes, Amador Valley, 5-10,180, senior

First-team all-EBAL Mountain and co-defensive MVP. Leader of a defense that held 10 regular season opponents to only 79 points. 

Jeramiah Lewis, Wilcox 6-2, 210, senior

PAL Bay defensive player of the year. Had 129 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss. Had 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in a victory over Sacred Heart Cathedral. 

John Stowers, Overfelt, 6-3, 245, senior

BVAL Santa Teresa-Valley senior of the year. Had 138 tackles and 10 sacks as a linebacker, and also rushed for 1,438 yards and 11 touchdowns. 

Etene Pritchard, Pittsburg, 6-2, 190, junior

BVAL defensive player of the year. Had 74 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and six sacks. Had 10 tackles and two tackles for loss with a sack in NCS Division I title game victory over San Ramon Valley. 

Honorable mention

Michael Aliki, San Jose, junior

Zaire Calhoun, Liberty, junior

​Lucas Cord, Berkeley, junior

Sui Gallegos-Hunkin, St. Ignatius, junior

Jack Giorgianni, Acalanes, senior

Guardian Harper, El Cerrito, senior

Remy Hernandez, Valley Christian, senior

Ulisses Huerta, Mills, senior

Devin Hyde, Menlo-Atherton, junior

Darnell Jefferey, Jesse Bethel, senior

Talan Jones, Monte Vista, senior

Joe Kessler, Palo Alto, junior

Junaid Khan, Kennedy-Fremont, senior

Tu’Unahala Leao, James Logan, senior

Henry Masters, Los Gatos, junior