Scouts Grade South Bay’s Premier College Prospects

We asked Greg Dies, director of the Westminster-based Para-Dies Scouting service, and Richard Estrada, a Para-Dies scout who works the South Bay, to rate the area’s best college football prospects.

Here are their choices. Only seniors were considered:

Quarterback--Estrada rates Morningside’s Stais Boseman the best athlete and Carson’s Jamie Sander the best passer. Dies didn’t think Boseman performed up to his ability, but Estrada said that was partly because of a weak supporting group. “Ability-wise, I don’t know how you can overlook Boseman,” Estrada said. He expects Boseman to play receiver or defensive back at USC.

Best of the rest: Frank Ramirez of North Torrance, Bill Bynum of Torrance, Andre Faavi-Tua’au of Banning and Ryan Marshall of West Torrance. Estrada said college interest in Marshall has picked up in recent weeks.

Running back--Dies and Estrada agreed that Hawthorne tailback Corey McCoy, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury Nov. 6, was in a class by himself. McCoy averaged 12.8 yards a carry. “Awesome,” Dies said.

Best of the rest: Damin Hurst of Banning and Oliver Baines of Westchester.

Tight end--Although Ronnie Morrissette (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) hasn’t caught many passes, Estrada likes the Hawthorne standout based “on sheer talent.”

Best of the rest: Chris Bowman (6-3, 210) of St. Bernard and Jared Meyer (6-4, 200) of North.

Wide receiver--North’s Dean Halverson led the area in catches, but because of his size (5-8, 160) neither Dies nor Estrada see him as an NCAA Division I prospect. “He’s one hell of a ballplayer, but he’s small and doesn’t run the 40 (-yard dash) in 4.4 (seconds),” Dies said. Estrada rates San Pedro’s Bryant Thomas (6-3, 190), also an outstanding defensive back, as the best college prospect.

Best of the rest: Ernest Claxton of Carson, Antoris Coleman of Torrance, Rich Bowden of Westchester, J.J. Arnett of Hawthorne and Inglewood’s Leandrew Childs, who played quarterback this season.

Offensive lineman--Size, ability and grades make Hawthorne tackle Mostafa Sobhi (6-6, 275) the class of a strong group of area blockers. “He’s a great one,” Dies said. “He should be able to go anywhere he wants.”

Best of the rest: Jesse Misaalefua (6-3, 300) of Carson, Chad Sauter (6-6, 260) of South Torrance, Al Guerrero (6-6, 260) of West, Demetrius Hamilton (6-2, 230) of Morningside and Aaron Brice (6-0, 235) of Banning.

Defensive lineman--Dies thinks Mira Costa’s Craig Zimmerman (6-5, 220), who played linebacker in high school, has the frame to make the transition to down lineman in college. “He looks like the type of kid who can add some weight,” Dies said.

Best of the rest: Carson’s Sipo’u Mareko (6-0, 245) and Lomitusi Fa’avae (6-0, 245), Bart Glusac (6-4, 225) of Peninsula, Lonnie Powell (6-3, 220) of Inglewood and Michael Spelich (6-3, 180) of San Pedro.

Linebacker--It was a tough call, but Dies and Estrada both gave the nod to Carson’s James Pepe (6-3, 220). “He’s the best linebacker in the area and one of the best in the state.” Dies said. Both scouts also like aggressive Tevita Moala (5-11, 190) of Hawthorne, but say his size will dictate he play defensive back in college, probably strong safety.

Best of the rest: Taso Papadakis (6-0, 235) of Peninsula, Carson’s Don Moala and Aaron Jackson (both 6-1, 220), Josh Waybright (6-1, 230) of South, Mike Frias (6-1, 215) of Redondo and Chi Lam (6-2, 205) of North.

Defensive back--Banning strong safety Brandon Moore was a highly publicized preseason All-American, but Estrada says one of Moore’s teammates, cornerback Derrick Hooks, is nearly his equal in talent.

Best of the rest: Dion Brumfield of Carson and two players already listed among the receivers--Hawthorne’s Morrissette and San Pedro’s Thomas.

Kicker--Estrada gives South’s Steve Finley, who made 11 of 14 field goal attempts, a slight edge over Scott Moore of Redondo.

Torrance was not at full strength Saturday in its 15-10, 6-15, 16-14, 17-15 loss to host Corona del Mar in the second round of the State Division I girls’ volleyball playoffs.

The Tartars played without starting outside hitter Tami Bruchard after she suffered an asthma attack and was hospitalized early Saturday. Bruchard, a junior who led Torrance in kills in its first-round victory over Bakersfield, was unable to attend the match.

“Her parents said she hadn’t had an attack like that since the third grade,” Torrance Coach John Radcliffe said. “We were not prepared for it at all. She was big in our plans against Corona.”

Bruchard’s absence forced Torrance to adjust its lineup. Kim Nuechterlein, normally a back-row specialist who comes off the bench, started at outside hitter and played with foot cramps in the third and fourth games because she was not used to jumping so much, Radcliffe said. Torrance had game points in the third (14-10) and fourth (14-8) games, but Corona del Mar rallied to win each time.

“We had two people playing unfamiliar positions in the biggest match of the year,” Radcliffe said. “It hurt us a little, but the girls did a super job.”

Radcliffe said Kim Blankinship, the Tartars’ All-Southern Section outside hitter, played her best match of the year. The 5-foot-8 senior, who has given an unwritten commitment to Loyola Marymount, had a match-high 39 kills against the state’s top-ranked team. Corona del Mar will play Laguna Beach for the State Division I title Saturday night at Cal State Fullerton.

“She’s a fantastic hitter,” Corona del Mar Coach Lance Stewart said of Blankinship. “We played against some great hitters in (the) Chicago (tournament), but we hadn’t faced anyone as consistent as her.”

Blankinship’s volleyball season may be over, but she still has plenty of athletic competitions to look forward to during her senior year. She is an All-Southern Section sweeper for Torrance’s defending 3-A Division championship soccer team and a standout high jumper in track.

Notes

South Torrance was eliminated from the State Division III girls’ volleyball playoffs Tuesday, losing in the Southern California regional final to top-seeded Newport Beach, 15-12, 15-2, 13-15, 15-9. The Spartans finished 16-6.

Colorado defensive back Deon Figures, a senior from Serra High, has been named to several All-American teams. . . . Nevada wide receiver Bryan Reeves, a junior from Carson High, was named to the All-Big West Conference team.

The Southern Section girls’ tennis individual championships, featuring several players from Division I team titlist Peninsula, will be held Friday starting at 9 a.m. at the Irvine Racquet Club in Huntington Beach.

Lynwood girls’ basketball Coach Maurice Roberson, whose team lost in the Southern Section and state regional finals to Peninsula last season, has resigned and been replaced by former assistant Ellis Barfield. Roberson led Lynwood to a 103-16 record in four seasons.