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The Cerritos College football team
had 12 players selected to the Mission Conference
National Division teams, with five of them earning 1st
Team recognition. In addition to the selections,
freshman offensive tackle
Mike Diaz
(Schurr HS) was a unanimous selection, which
automatically earns him All-American status. Of the five
1st Team choices, three of them were on offense,
including Diaz. Sophomore tight end
Brennan
Houston (Gahr HS), who is being
recruited heavily by many Division I programs, was named
1st Team, as was sophomore wide receiver
Cory Rhoane
(Gahr HS), who led the team in receptions. At
one point in the year, Rhoane led the entire conference
in receptions. On defense, sophomore defensive end
Jamal
James (La Mirada HS) was joined by
sophomore cornerback
Dean Laing
(Bellflower HS) on the 1st Team.
Earning 2nd Team offensive honors included sophomore
running back
Rylon Thomas
(Valencia HS), sophomore offensive guard
Brett
Haagsma (Valley Christian HS) and
freshman offensive tackle
Phillip Garcia
(Schurr HS). The defense was represented by
sophomore defensive tackle
Justin
Vasquez (Diamond Bar HS),
sophomore inside linebacker
Aaron Alonzo
(Mayfair HS), freshman outside linebacker
Kupono
Kaawa (Santa Fe HS) and sophomore
safety
Terrell Cole (Lakewood HS).
Diaz,
as well as Haagsma (who was a 2nd Team pick as a
freshman) and Garcia, helped the offense accumulate
3,475 yards on the season despite a 3-7 record. They
were the cornerstone of the offense all season, which
helped lead to three position players earning
post-season recognition. Houston, a great blocker and
route runner, pulled in 15 passes for 204 yards and one
touchdown, while Rhoane led the team with 39 catches for
594 yards and four touchdowns. As for Thomas, he led the
team with 757 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns and also
caught 11 passes for 47 yards and another touchdown.
On
defense, James had 43 tackles from his defensive end
position and also shared the team lead in sacks with
three. He also had seven quarterback hurries, six
tackles for loss and also forced a fumble, recovered a
fumble and broke up a pass. Vasquez, a two-time 2nd Team
selection, ended the season with 46 tackles as a
defensive tackle and led the team with nine tackles for
loss. He also shared the team lead in quarterback sacks
with three, while adding six quarterback hurries and
forced two fumbles. Alonzo finished tied for second on
the team with 60 tackles and posted two tackles for
loss, to go along with a fumble recovery, quarterback
hurry and a pass break-up, while Kaawa improved as the
season progressed and concluded with 56 tackles, fourth
on the team. He also had two tackles for loss, two
quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, one quarterback
sack, fumble recovery and broke up a pass.
In the secondary, the hard-hitting Laing had 32 tackles
along with five pass break-ups and forced a fumble,
while Cole, who played out of position all season, was
second on the team with 60 tackles. He also broke up
five passes and added two tackles for loss, while
forcing and recovering a fumble. |
