Samohi Players Earn All-League Honors

It was a breakthrough 2011 season for the Santa Monica High School football team and now many Vikings players are being recognized for their contributions.

Senior running back and linebacker Kori Garcia has been named Most Valuable Player in the Ocean League and senior linebacker Chris Collins has been named Defensive Player of the Year after leading Samo to the league title and into the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Western Division playoffs.

Also making first team All League for the Vikings are senior offensive lineman Matthew Shultz, junior offensive lineman Andres Meza, junior wide receiver Sebastian LaRue, senior defensive back Dylan Muscat, junior defensive lineman Nick Cardiel and senior defensive lineman Craig Lowe.

Representing the second team from Samo are senior quarterback Christian Salem, senior running back London Lewis and junior offensive lineman Steve Becerra. 

Derrick Woods of second-place Inglewood was named Offensive Player of the Year. Rounding out the first team are quarterback Lukas O'Connor of Culver City; running backs Frank Brown of Beverly Hills and Isaih Brame of Hawthorne;  offensive linemen Hugo Salcedo of Inglewood, Mitchell Westover of Culver City and Mike Davis of Hawthorne; wide receivers Alex Jackson and Kevin Porche of Culver City and Cameron Countryman of Beverly Hills; tight end Madison Moore of Beverly Hills; defensive backs Devion Shelton of Inglewood and Anthony Luckett and Yamen Sanders of Culver City; linebackers Ronald Jones and Khalil Pettway of Culver City and Darien Williams of Inglewood; and defensive linemen Julian Jackson of Beverly Hills, Deon Young of Culver City and Daren Barrett of Inglewood.

In girls volleyball, Samo freshman Blossom Sato has been selected Most Valuable Player of the Ocean League and teammate Sarah Krenik, a senior outside hitter, has been named Most Outstanding Player. 

Others on the first team for the league champion Vikings are junior outside hitter Jordan Levy, senior libero Dana Ritchie, junior middle blocker Joslyn Hayes, senior middle blocker Abby Southman and junior opposite hitter Avalon Lennon. Senior libero Sam Moore made the second team.

In boys water polo, senior attacker Charlie Olsen is the lone Samohi player to make the All-Ocean League first team. Three Vikings players have made the second team: sophomore attackers Jackson Hauty and Matthew Ciafron and senior attacker Jordan Bishop.

Senior Evan Peterson of El Segundo was named the league's Most Valuable Player while senior Dillon Silverstein of Beverly Hills was selected Most Outstanding Player.