Blanton Wins Award as Southland’s Top Player

Quarterback Billy Blanton of Santa Ana Mater Dei, who broke Orange County records this season for passing yards (3,545) and touchdowns (36), was honored Sunday with the Glenn Davis Award as Southern California’s best high school player at a Times’ football banquet in Anaheim.

Blanton, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior, edged out running back David Dotson of Moreno Valley Valley View and quarterback Stais Boseman of Inglewood Morningside for the award.

While setting the passing and touchdown records, Blanton helped lead Mater Dei to the CIF Southern Section Division I championship last month over Rialto Eisenhower, 35-14, by passing for 257 yards and three touchdowns.

Brigham Young quarterback John Walsh, a Carson graduate, won the award last year.

Winners of the back, lineman and coach of the year awards for each of the Times’ 12 circulation areas were honored Sunday at banquets in each of the regions. They were:

CENTRAL CITY--Sheldon Anderson, 6-0, 185, Sr., Washington (back); Chris Econn, 6-3, 210, Sr., Loyola (lineman); Robert Garrett and Terrell Ray, Crenshaw (coaches).

GLENDALE--Pathon Rucker, 5-11, 185, Sr., Glendale (back); Max Ocon, 6-0, 225, Sr., Glendale (lineman); Ken Gerard, Marshall (coach).

INLAND EMPIRE--David Dotson, 5-11, 190, Sr., Moreno Valley Valley View (back); John Latu, 6-0, 240, Sr., Etiwanda (lineman); Stuart Horn, Corona (coach).

ORANGE COUNTY--Billy Blanton, 6-2, 195, Sr., Santa Ana Mater Dei (back); Travis Kirschke, 6-4, 235, Jr., Anaheim Esperanza (lineman); Terry Henigan, Irvine (coach).

SAN DIEGO COUNTY--E.J. Watson, La Jolla (back); La’Roi Glover, Point Loma (lineman); Herb Meyer, El Camino (coach).

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY--Ryan Connors, 6-1, 175, Sr., Newhall Hart (back); Alex Sawatzke, 6-2, 230, Sr., Granada Hills Kennedy (lineman); Jack Bowman, Saugus (coach).

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY--Marc Ruiz, 6-2, 185, Sr., Baldwin Park (back); Wayne Countryman, 6-1, 242, Sr., Nogales (lineman); Don McKinnon, Arroyo (coach).

SOUTH BAY--Stais Boseman, 6-3, 190, Sr., Inglewood Morningside (back); Fitu Toomalatai, 6-2, 250, Sr., Wilmington Banning (lineman); Ron Tatum, Inglewood Morningside (coach).

SOUTH COAST--Aaron Flowers, 6-0, 165. Jr., Artesia (back); Frank Russell, 5-10, 180, Sr., Long Beach Wilson (lineman); Norm Flowers, Artesia (coach).

SOUTHEAST--Albert Sethman, 6-0, 187, Sr., Whittier (back); Danny Cervantes, 6-1, 260, Sr., Montebello Schurr (lineman); Dick Shelko, Pico Rivera El Rancho (coach).

VENTURA COUNTY--Ryan Fien, 6-4, 198, Sr., Simi Valley Royal (back); Jason Evans, 6-1 1/2, 250, Sr., Simi Valley Royal (lineman); Stan Quina, Simi Valley (coach).

WESTSIDE--Dameron Ricketts, 5-10, 165, Sr., Culver City (back); Greg Roach, 6-1, 205, Sr., Beverly Hills (lineman); Carter Paysinger, Beverly Hills (coach).