DAILY PILOT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DREAM TEAM:

Touchdown passes aren’t easy to throw in a high school football game.

Try throwing 21 in one season.

The number is so high Corona del Mar Coach Jason Hitchens quit counting late in the season.

Injuries down the stretch piled up, causing more of a concern for the first-year CdM coach.

Quarterback Mitch Sands never set out to match the Sea Kings’ single-season touchdown passing record.

Thirteen games into his senior season, Sands was one touchdown away from doing so.

In the way before the 13th game was Sands’ legs.

Sands scored four rushing touchdowns in the first two CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoff games. Compare that to Sands’ three touchdowns in the air.

The milestone was his before the 13th game if he hadn’t run so much.

In the way, beside an unlucky number for a game, Mayfair of Lakewood. Yet, Sands found the end zone late in the first quarter.

Again, on a run, his fifth of the postseason.

Sands never found the end zone again, costing him a chance at the record, more importantly a chance to play for the championship.

The No. 2-seeded Sea Kings lost to the No. 3-seeded Monsoons, 14-6, in a semifinal game at Newport Harbor High on Dec. 6.

Sands would trade in his 21 touchdown passes for a championship ring and another shot at Laguna Hills, the team the Sea Kings finished second to in the Pacific Coast League and would’ve faced in the section final.

Reaching the top was more important to Sands than seeing his name in the CdM record book. Fans will see his name in the game program next season. His four-touchdown passes against University in the ninth game of the season gave Sands 18 touchdown passes, a CdM regular-season record.

What mattered most to Hitchens was that the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Sands almost led the injured Sea Kings (10-3) to the section championship game.

For his remarkable year, in which he threw for 1,560 yards and 21 touchdowns, to only nine interceptions, and ran for eight touchdowns, Sands is the Newport-Mesa Dream Team Player of the Year.

No other quarterback in town fired 21 touchdown passes or rushed for eight touchdowns this season.

Not many guided their respective program to one of its finest seasons.

With Sands under center, or in shotgun, CdM won 10 games for only the third time in school history. Not even Taylor Hughes, the quarterback still holding the single-season touchdown pass record of 22 set in 2006, can say that.

Sands’ production in the postseason, 348 yards and three touchdowns on 25-of-47 passing for 225 yards and five touchdowns on 34 carries, accounted for 58% of CdM’s total offensive yards.

Of the 10 touchdowns scored by the Sea Kings in three playoff games, Sands had an arm or leg in eight.

Sands also started at cornerback toward the end of the season with injuries knocking out cornerback Dillon Norton (broken leg) and free safety Will Morrow (torn meniscus).

Sands even intercepted a pass in the playoffs, making it difficult for another quarterback to find the end zone.

It’s not easy throwing touchdown passes.

The rest of this year’s Dream Team follows:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

JB GREEN

WR/Newport Harbor

Green showcased his scoring ability all over the field as a senior. The 6-1, 190-pound all-purpose threat finished with 12 touchdowns, seven on receptions, two on rushes, one on a 77-yard kickoff return, one on a 51-yard punt return, and one on a 10-yard fumble return. Green led the Sailors with 53 catches for 735 yards and he averaged 32.5 yards on kickoff returns and 15.9 yards on punt returns. For a career, his 102 receptions rank fourth all-time at Newport Harbor and his 27 touchdowns rank eighth. As a cornerback, he finished with 29 tackles and one interception. Green earned the Sunset League Back of the Year honor, making him a two-time first-team all-league selection.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

CECIL WHITESIDE

OLB/Newport Harbor

Whiteside earned this award for the second straight season with his tenacious play. The 6-3, 207-pound junior finished with 55 tackles and led the Sailors with six sacks, eight hurries and two blocked kicks. Whiteside scored a touchdown after recovering his own blocked punt inside the opponent’s 10-yard line during Newport Harbor’s 58-7 season-opening victory against Aliso Niguel. Whiteside recovered two fumbles, tying him for first on the team, and added an interception. As a receiver, he caught 33 passes for 429 yards and seven touchdowns. Whiteside, who is being heavily recruited by UCLA, is a two-time first-team All-Sunset League selection.

ANDREW McDONALD

QB/Newport Harbor

McDonald threw for 1,697 yards and 15 touchdowns, and only six interceptions, helping the Sailors to a share of the Sunset League championship, their first in the league since 1974. The senior completed 134 of 201 passes, an impressive 66.7% completion rate. In his career, McDonald went 15-7 as a starter and threw for 3,207 yards, ranking fourth all-time at Newport Harbor. His 1,697 yards ranks seventh for a single-season total. McDonald is a first-team All-Sunset League selection.

J.D. ABBOTT

RB/Corona del Mar

Abbott finished with 1,072 rushing yards and an area-best nine rushing touchdowns. The 6-2, 190-pound junior averaged 6.2 yards per carry and he had two receiving touchdowns. Abbott recorded a career day with 205 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries, including a 75-yard run in Corona del Mar’s 55-3 season-opening victory against Costa Mesa. He also started at safety. Abbott is a first-team All-Pacific Coast League selection.

ANTWON BYRD

RB/Costa Mesa

Byrd started the season at receiver after suffering injuries at running back in 2007. The position change didn’t last. The 6-2, 190-pound senior moved back to the backfield and stayed healthy. Byrd delivered, rushing for 931 yards and eight touchdowns to earn the Orange Coast League Offensive MVP honor. During the Mustangs’ undefeated league championship run, Byrd recorded 517 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

DILLON NORTON

WR/Corona del Mar

Norton averaged 17.3 yards per catch, finishing with 18 receptions for 312 yards and four touchdowns. The 5-11, 175-pound senior returned three kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns. In a 49-20 win against Troy, he scored on a 20-yard pass, a 92-yard kickoff return and a 57-yard punt return in a span of 2 minutes, 10 seconds. He also started at cornerback. Norton is a first-team All-Pacific Coast League selection.

MAX HAASE

WR/Corona del Mar

Haase caught 33 passes for 453 yards and four touchdowns. The 6-3, 205-pound senior scored one of his touchdowns during the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoffs. Quarterback Mitch Sands hit Haase for a 30-yard touchdown, allowing the Sea Kings to put away Laguna Beach early and win, 41-0. He also started at linebacker. Haase is a second-team All-Pacific Coast League selection.

NED LYON

TE/Newport Harbor

Lyon protected the quarterback and opened holes for the running game better than anyone locally at his position. The 6-2, 188-pound senior finished with 11 receptions for 127 yards and one touchdown. He also started at outside linebacker. Lyon is a second-team All-Sunset League pick.

SCOTT WARD

OT/Newport Harbor

Ward is considered the biggest and most skilled tackle in the area. The 6-7, 241-pound senior helped the running game average 5.1 yards per carry and he also protected McDonald’s blindside. He also started at defensive end. Ward is a first-team All-Sunset League selection.

ARGENIS VALENCIA

OG/Costa Mesa

Valencia is one of the smallest linemen in the area at 5-11, 195 pounds, but the senior ranked as one of the most consistent and better guards with his ability to pull and block. Valencia is a first-team All-Orange Coast League selection.

JUAN GARCES

C/Costa Mesa

Garces led the way for the Mustangs to claim back-to-back Orange Coast League championships as the offense abandoned the pass and pounded the ball with the help of the 5-8, 205-pound senior. Garces is a three-time first-team All-Orange Coast League selection.

PETER KINNEY

OG/Newport Harbor

Kinney overcame an early knee injury and returned to make the Sailors’ line one of the toughest and best in Orange County. The 5-11, 221-pound senior is a second-team All-Sunset Leaguer.

WILL HAM

OT/Corona del Mar

Ham stood out on an undersized line. The 6-3, 210-pound senior paved the way for the Sea Kings’ running game and protected Sands’ blindside. He also started at defensive end. Ham is a first-team All-Pacific Coast League selection.

OMAR GUTIERREZ

DL/Estancia

Gutierrez recorded an area-best 10 sacks in his first year starting on varsity. The 5-10, 174-pound sophomore used his speed and agility to wreak havoc on the quarterback, forcing and recovering a handful of fumbles. Gutierrez is a first-team All-Orange Coast League selection.

DAN DICHIRO

NG/Corona del Mar

DiChiro surprised the opposition with his ability to take on larger linemen and stuff the run despite his 5-8, 175-pound frame. The senior’s presence made it possible for the defense to allow only 13 points per game and also record two shutouts. DiChiro is a two-time first-team All-Pacific Coast League selection.

JB SALEM

DL/Newport Harbor

Salem has a promising future and he made a difference despite being the lone sophomore on a senior-laden Newport Harbor defense. The 6-4, 225-pounder finished with 34 tackles, two sacks, two hurries and forced a fumble. Salem received honorable mention in the All-Sunset League voting.

ALEX SWIGERT

ILB/Corona del Mar

Swigert excelled in defensive coordinator Eric Johnson’s 3-4 defense due to his speed, aggressive play and tackling. The 6-0, 185-pound junior led the Sea Kings in tackles and whenever CdM stuffed the opposition inside the five-yard line, Swigert was usually around, driving back the running back. As a running back, he finished with 548 yards and five touchdowns. Swigert is a first-team All-Pacific Coast League selection.

BRANDON KULA

ILB/Newport Harbor

Kula was the heart and soul of Newport Harbor’s punishing linebacker crew, which proved critical to the team’s success in the Sunset League for the third straight year. In a new 3-4 scheme, the 6-2, 217-pound senior led the Sailors with 89 tackles and he had three sacks, one hurry, one interception, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Kula is a two-time first-team All-Sunset League selection.

NICK SVENDSEN

ILB/Newport Harbor

Svendsen played a major role in the Sailors’ defense only giving up 14.4 points per game in the tough Sunset League. The 6-2, 205-pound senior ranked second on the team with 66 tackles and had a sack and fumble recovery. Svendsen is a second-team All-Sunset League selection.

JEFF DYE

OLB/Costa Mesa

Dye returned to football after a one-year absence and made big plays defensively as a senior. The 6-2, 175-pounder finished with 48 tackles, two interceptions and one fumble recovery. Dye returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown in Costa Mesa’s 35-7 playoff-clinching win against Calvary Chapel. Dye is a first-team All-Orange Coast League selection.

NOAH MOLNAR

CB/Corona del Mar

Molnar moved around from cornerback and safety due to late-season injuries to two other starters. The 6-2, 205-pound senior elevated his play in the playoffs. Molnar was always near the ball, coming up with a fumble in CdM’s 26-15 opening-round victory against La Mirada and an interception in a 41-0 quarterfinal win at Laguna Beach. Molnar is a first-team All-Pacific Coast League selection. Molnar also excelled at receiver, hauling in 10 catches for 153 yards and one touchdown in the postseason.

DANNY MILLER

CB/Newport Harbor

Miller is one of the best cover cornerbacks in Orange County. The 5-10, 177-pound senior intercepted one pass, giving him eight during his Newport Harbor career. Teams challenged Miller with Green on the other side, but Miller’s acute awareness and ability to bat balls away made him successful. He made 28 tackles and forced a fumble. Miller is a first-team All-Sunset League selection.

MICHAEL HELFRICH

S/Newport Harbor

Helfrich delivered ball-jarring hits, turning him into one of the most-feared safeties in Orange County. The 6-0, 187-pound senior finished with 65 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, the last two categories tied him for the team lead. In the regular-season finale against Los Alamitos, Helfrich intercepted a pass in the end zone, allowing the Sailors to mount a come-from-behind drive with 4:19 left. As a running back, he ran for 847 yards and seven touchdowns and had 14 catches for 116 yards and one touchdown. Helfrich is a two-time All-Sunset League selection.

BRIAN WALDRON

S/Costa Mesa

Waldron earned the Orange Coast League Defensive MVP award. The 5-9, 155-pound junior started the season at safety and moved to linebacker because of his sure-tackling ability. He finds himself back at safety due to leading the Mustangs to their first outright league championship since 2002. Waldron led Costa Mesa with 96 tackles and he had two interceptions and one sack. As a quarterback, he rushed for two fourth-quarter touchdowns to rally the Mustangs to a 38-30 win against Laguna Beach in the league title game.

LUIS GOMEZ

R/Costa Mesa

Gomez earned the Orange Coast League Special Teams Player of Year Award after returning two kickoffs for touchdowns as a junior. In the Mustangs’ 17-14 loss to Santiago in the opening round of the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoffs, he scored on a 90-yard return. Gomez had a 95-yard return for a touchdown in a game against Ocean View. He averaged close to 35 yards per return.

DILLAN FREIBERG

K-P/Newport Harbor

Freiberg made five of six field-goal attempts, the biggest coming in the Sailors’ 24-23 upset of Los Alamitos in the regular-season finale. Freiberg hit a 22-yard game-winner with 13 seconds left, helping Newport Harbor to a share of the Sunset League crown. The junior made 38 of 38 extra points and his current streak of 54 consecutive extra points are a school record. He averaged 37.8 yards per punt and 10 times he pinned the opposition inside the 20-yard line. Freiberg is a second-team All-Sunset League selection.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].