NorCal Offensive Player of the Week Will Semone breaks into the clear for Oakdale during game earlier this season against Manteca. Photo: Sean Kahler/The Modesto Bee.
Oakdale’s Will Semone isn’t close to the state leading rushing total of Riverside Norte Vista’s Eric Melesio, but in four playoff games he’s led the surging Mustangs by rushing for 1,162 yards. Other honored this week are from Bakersfield, Moraga, San Clemente, Harbor City and El Monte.
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Note: THIS IS THE FINAL WEEK FOR FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK. WE ARE SWITCHING TO BOYS AND GIRLS BASKETBALL STARTING NEXT WEEK. Stockton office assistant editor Paul Muyskens also wrote several of these player bios. For these honors, we consider CIF Central Section players for Northern California. To find out how your business could benefit by sponsoring these honors each week or to nominate your own favorite player, email markjtennis@gmail.com.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Offensive Player of the Week
Will Semone
(Oakdale) Sr.
While playing for a program that seems to have the same kid cloned to be the featured running back year after year, Semone has broken through this season for historically great totals.
In Oakdale’s 51-14 triumph over Christian Brothers of Sacramento last Friday in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division III title game, Semone concluded five of his team’s seven scoring drives with rushing scores and finished with 337 yards.
Despite missing two games earlier in the season, Semone also now has more than 2,000 yards rushing and will get more when the Mustangs face 13-0 Sutter in the CIF NorCal D3-A title game on Saturday.
In the playoffs alone, Semone has now rushed for 1,162 yards in four games. He earlier broke the school record with a 317-yard outing in a win vs. Vista del Lago of Folsom.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Defensive Player of the Week
Tahj Wright
(Bakersfield) Soph.
One of the main reasons the Drillers were able to come back from two losses early in the season – one by a lopsided margin – and win the CIF Central Section Division I title last Friday was the rapid development of several young players, including Wright.
A sophomore who has made plays on both sides of the ball during the playoffs, Wright came up with two interceptions to help stymie Central of Fresno in the title game 21-14. Wright also had four catches as a receiver for 74 yards.
Earlier this season, Wright had eight tackles in a game vs. Frontier and against Garces he had four catches for 170 yards and two TDs.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Special Teams Player of the Week
Seppi Ortman
(Campolindo, Moraga) Jr.
Seppi wasn’t sloppy during a 40-20 win by the Cougars over Windsor in the CIF North Coast Section Division II championship game and ended up with 10 kicking points.
With four extra points and two field goals, it was the third week in a row that Ortman ended a game with at least 10 points. The week before he had a season-high 12 points during a 48-7 win over Ukiah.
For the season, Ortman has made 39 of his 40 extra point attempts with eight made field goals.
Dominic Peterson (right) and teammate Angel Zarate were pumped up after Narbonne put finishing touches on Clayton Valley in last year’s CIF D1-A state final. Photo: Mark Tennis.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Defensive Player of the Week
Dominic Peterson
(Narbonne, Harbor City) Sr.
With Peterson filling up the stat sheet, the Gauchos did enough on defense to capture the CIF L.A. City Section Division I championship with a 42-34 win over Dorsey of Los Angeles.
Peterson finished with a team-high 13 total tackles with five tackles for losses, including 1.5 sacks. The 6-foot-1, 265-pounder also was credited with four quarterback hurries, forced a fumble and recovered it.
It was the third time this season Peterson had double digit tackle totals. He now has 102 total tackles on the season and 17 sacks.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Offensive Player of the Week
Jack Sears
(San Clemente) Sr.
Not only did Sears have one of his better passing performances of the season during a 45-35 win over Murrieta Valley of Murrieta but he also set a season-high for rushing yards and combined for over 400 yards in the CIF Southern Section Division II championship game.
Completing 19 o f his 24 pass attempts for 223 yards and two touchdowns, Sears also rushed for a season-high 179 yards and two touchdowns.
On the season, he has passed for 2,256 yards and 33 touchdowns with just two interceptions while rushing for 1,015 yards and nine scores.
Sears, who is from the same high school as Sam Darnold (USC) and Travis Wilson (recently starter at Utah), will be joining Darnold at USC in college. Sears recently de-committed from Duke.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Special Teams Player of the Week
Jesse Ortiz
(Arroyo, El Monte) Sr.
Helping to make sure the game went to overtime, the Knights captured the CIF-S Division 12 championship with a 35-34 win over Rancho Mirage. Just a junior, Ortiz kicked two 41-yard field goals in the second half, including a game-tying one with 10:08 remaining. He was also a perfect 3 for 3 on extra point attempts and finished the night with nine points.
It was the third time this season Ortiz had more than one field goal in a game. He has has kicked 10 field goals this season to go with 60 extra points.
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
