Preseason all-BANG high school football 2023: Running backs/Athletes

Los Gatos, St. Francis, Valley Christian, Mt. Diablo standouts lead all-Bay Area News Group preseason running backs and athletes list

PRESEASON ALL-BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

RUNNING BACKS/ATHLETES

Elias Antillion, 5-9, 160, senior, Branham

Led the playoff team in rushing yards with 1,219 and had 32 receptions for 393 yards out of the backfield. As a DB, he had a team-high three interceptions and scored 10 touchdowns from scrimmage.

Micah Avery, senior, El Cerrito, 5-10, 180

Last season, Clayton Valley Charter’s All-EBAL Mountain Division first-team running back rushed for 732 yards and 10 touchdowns. El Cerrito’s talented team reached the NorCal final.

Concord, Monte Beam, 5-10, 175, senior

Concord’s offense was led by a first-team all-DAL Valley selection as the Minutemen improved from 1-9 to 9-1. He rushed for 1947 yards and 20 touchdowns and is the league MVP favorite.

Elijah Bow, 5-9, 205, junior, Pittsburg

Bow was named first-team all-BVAL as a member of Pittsburg’s illustrious junior class after rushing for 1195 yards and 16 touchdowns for the NorCal Division I champions. In the regional final, he rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns.

Valley Christian’s Uchenna “Clinton” Eke, 5-10, 210, is a senior.

One of the few bright spots in VC’s dreadful 1-9 season was WCAL RB of the year. Rushed for 923 yards and 11 touchdowns and should find it much easier to run behind a retooled offensive line.

Tajir Golden, McClymonds, senior, 5-10, 185

Despite rarely being healthy, he rushed for 376 yards and four touchdowns on 19 yards per carry and had 313 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Is making a full-time switch to running back and will be asked to replace graduated Alameda County player of the year Jaivian Thomas.

Berkeley senior Jalen Harris, 6-0, 170

Berkeley’s leading rusher gained 660 yards and scored eight times. Cal and San Jose State have both made offers to the three-star recruit. With all-BANG WR Jackson Harris now at Stanford, he will be an even bigger part of the offense, having caught three touchdowns and returning one punt for a score.

5-11, 190, junior Kingston Keanaaina, St. Francis

Despite only starting the final four games of the season, he rushed for 785 yards and 10 touchdowns, putting him in line to be the Lancers’ next great feature back in the school’s power-running offense.

Dominic Kelley, De La Salle junior, 5-11, 190

As the team’s featured back, the junior rushed for 204 yards against Amador Valley, and games like that should become more common. Averaged 6.9 YPC and has scholarship offers from San Jose State and Nevada.

Aaron Lipscomb, Fremont-Oakland, senior, 5-10, 185

Fremont will look to him, an all-Oakland Athletic League selection and one of the few returning players with experience, to put up another stellar statistical season. Last season, Lipscomb rushed for 812 yards.

Devan Love, 5-10, 170 pounds, senior, from California

First-team all-EBAL Mountain Division selection had 803 yards on the ground, 21 tackles, and two interceptions. Will combine with QB Jayden Macedo to provide the Grizzlies with an experienced backfield.

Jeremiah Madrigal, Palo Alto, senior, 5-7, 170

First-team all-SCVAL De Anza Division selection rushed for 803 yards and ten touchdowns for a team that advanced to the 6-AA state championship game. Rushed for a touchdown in Paly’s come-from-behind CCS Division V championship victory.

Monte Vista junior Julian McMahan, 6-3, 210

Cal, Arizona, and other FBS schools have offered him a three-star recruit. Despite playing in only four games, he led the team in rushing yards and can also play linebacker.

San Ramon Valley’s John Pau Mendoza, 5-8, 180 pounds, is a senior.

The NorCal Division II champions’ second-team all-EBAL selection at DB stuffed the stat sheet. As a DB, he rushed for 868 yards and 10 touchdowns, caught 24 passes, and had 14 pass breakups.

Leigh senior Shayan Shariat, 6-1, 220

The BVAL Valley Division junior of the year rushed for 1,011 yards and 12 touchdowns while also leading the team in receptions and receiving yards. As a linebacker, he had 38 tackles.

Jaylen Thomas, 5-10, 180, senior, Los Gatos

The PAL De Anza most valuable player was an RB/WR/DB hybrid who had 1,046 total yards and 11 touchdowns. For the Wildcats, he also scored two touchdowns, blocked two punts, and was 6-7 on PATs.

Mt. Diablo senior Herschel Turner, 5-10, 185

Last season, a three-star recruit with offers from Utah and Washington State was named second-team all-BVAL for Freedom. As a junior, he rushed for 911 yards and 14 touchdowns and caught 280 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns.

Jeaden Underwood, The King’s Academy, senior, 5-7, 190

TKA’s reigning PAL/SCVAL El Camino MVP rushed for 1,312 yards and had 16 total offensive touchdowns. He also had an interception, a fumble, and a kickoff return for a touchdown.

Woodside junior Evan Usher, 6-1, 185

After rushing for 1,749 yards and 23 touchdowns as a sophomore, he was named the PAL-Lake Division’s most valuable player. Last season, he had four consecutive games of 200 yards or more.

Wilcox senior Elijah Walker, 5-7, 155

In Wilcox’s veer attack, PAL De Anza Division running back of the year produced 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns. With the graduation of prolific runner Andrew Palacios, he should be the top back.

In the coming two weeks

The high school football preview package from the Bay Area News Group will be released over the next two weeks. Please subscribe if you have not already done so. Your contributions enable us to continue operating.