Lavon Coleman hurdles a pileup in the first quarter against Cabrillo in the CIF Southern Section Northwest Division title game in 2011 at Huyck Stadium. Coleman is the No. 2 seed for Northern Santa Barbara County.
Righetti's Caleb Thomas gets quadruple-teamed as Stockdale's offensive line protects quarterback Evan Burkhart during a 2018 playoff game.
Lompoc's Toa Taua carries the ball against Camarillo during a first-round game in 2017.
Santa Ynez' Mike McCoy scrambles away from St. Joseph's Christian Tullos during their Nov. 4, 2016 game.
The Northern Santa Barbara County semifinals are set.
There was one minor upset in the first round as the rest went to chalk.
The Santa Maria Times is conducting its first-ever Player of the Decade poll and the first-round matchups were released last week. The sports staff at the Santa Maria Times, Lompoc Record and Santa Ynez Valley News polled area coaches to determine a list of nominees from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
UPDATE: Here are the vote totals for each matchup as of 3 p.m. on July 14.
Lompoc High players earned three of the eight Northern Santa Barbara County spots and two of those players have advanced to the next round.
Toa Taua and Lavon Coleman, two legendary running backs at Lompoc High, both won their first-round contests.
Ainuu Taua, a former LHS defensive lineman and the No. 4 seed, was upset by Santa Ynez' Mike McCoy the No. 5 seed.
Toa Taua was the No. 1 seed for Northern Santa Barbara County. Taua edged the No. 8 seed Fenton Will, a former St. Joseph High linebacker, 382-281 to advance.
The starting lineups for the MLS match between the L.A. Galaxy and Portland Timbers were released Monday afternoon.
Lavon Coleman, who starred with the Braves before playing running back at the University of Washington, also eased into the next round with a 260-151 win over Santa Ynez graduate Gabe Prendergast.
Toa Taua and Coleman will both have their hands full in the next round.
Taua will face McCoy, who received the second-most votes of all the contenders in the opening round with 413. McCoy edged Ainuu Taua 413-316.
Coleman is set to face off against Caleb Thomas, a former Righetti lineman who is now at Tulane. Thomas cruised past his first-round opponent, former Santa Maria quarterback Blake Truhitte, the No. 6 seed, 448-168. Thomas, the No. 3 seed, received the most votes out of all first-round competitors.
Before his second coaching stint with the St. Joseph girls, Torres had a successful run with the St. Joseph boys, guiding the Knights to two sectional divisional championships. He coached the Knights for 27 combined seasons in both boys and girls basketball and won a total of seven CIF Southern Section championships (five in girls and two in boys) and two CIF state titles in girls basketball.
Eight nominees were chosen from each Northern Santa Barbara County and all of San Luis Obispo County. The SLO County first-round winners will be announced Thursday at 5 p.m. as that contest is still live.
The eventual champion from each area will square off to determine the Central Coast Player of the Decade.
The Northern Santa Barbara County matchups will go live online Wednesday. Vote at santamariatimes.com; lompocrecord.com and syvnews.com. The votes from each site will be combined to determine the winners.
Northern Santa Barbara County semifinals:
No. 1 Toa Taua vs. No. 5 Mike McCoy
No. 2 Lavon Coleman vs. No. 3 Caleb Thomas
No. 1 Seth Jacobs vs. No. 8 Nick Kimball
Arroyo Grande's Seth Jacobs gets a block from a teammate during a game against Nipomo in 2011. Jacobs recorded 344 total tackles and eight interceptions while also scoring 22 times during his prep career at AGHS. He went on to play linebacker at Oklahoma State.
Arroyo Grande graduate Seth Jacobs is the No. 1 seed.
Jacobs, who went on to play linebacker at Oklahoma State, will face the No. 8 seed Nick Kimball, a former Nipomo High standout. Kimball played at Hancock College and the University of LaVerne.
Jacobs had an all-around standout career at Arroyo Grande, playing some quarterback, running back, receiver, linebacker and safety. He scored 22 career touchdowns while also making 344 total tackles with eight interceptions.
Nipomo's Nick Kimball reacts after scoring against Pioneer Valley during the opening game of his junior season in 2013. Kimball has been voted the Times' Player of the Decade after hauling in 31 touchdown catches in his final two seasons at Nipomo. He was named the All-Area MVP in 2014 after leading the Titans to their one and only CIF title.
Kimball, the 2014 All-Area MVP, caught 31 touchdown passes over his final two seasons at Nipomo, with 21 of those coming in 2014 when the Titans won a CIF Southern Section title.
Jacobs led Arroyo Grande to its most recent CIF title, a Western Division championship in 2011.
No. 1 Seth Jacobs, Arroyo Grande, LB, S, RB, QB (2008-11)
Career accomplishments: 26 for 47 passing, 355 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs; 115 carries, 861 yards, 16 TDs; 28 catches, 520 yards, 4 TDs; 344 total tackles (251), 18 TFLs, 6 sacks, 8 INTs, 15 pass breakups, 3 fumble recoveries, 4 forced fumbles, 22 total TDs in career.
8. Nick Kimball, WR/DB, Nipomo (2012-14): 88 catches, 1,812 yards, 31 TDs (21 TD catches in 2014); 35 total tackles, 3 INTs. The 2014 All-Area MVP had 1,240 yards in receptions, and 21 touchdowns, as he helped lead Nipomo to the Southern Section Northwest championship. Also made 35 tackles that year. Had 572 yards in receptions, and 10 touchdowns, in 2013.
Player of the Decade: Seth Jacobs vs. Nick Kimball
No. 2 Patrick Laird vs. No. 7 Emilio Corona
Running back Patrick Laird carries the ball during his playing days at Mission Prep in San Luis Obispo. Laird topped 4,500 rushing yards and scored 50 touchdowns during his three varsity seasons with the Royals. Laird is now a member of the Miami Dolphins.
Mission Prep grad Patrick Laird, who also grew up in Arroyo Grande, is the No. 2 seed.
Laird piled up 4,551 rushing yards in his days with the Royals, scoring 50 touchdowns on the ground. He had 3,117 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior in 2013. He walked on at Cal and made the team, eventually topping 2,000 career rushing yards with the Golden Bears. He is currently in the NFL as a running back with the Miami Dolphins. He scored a rushing touchdown last season, the only player from the area to score an NFL touchdown last decade.
Laird will go up against No. 7 Emilio Corona, a 2020 graduate of San Luis Obispo High. Corona, a quarterback, led the school's recent resurgence, capturing 18 wins over two seasons. Corona accounted for 81 touchdowns over his final two campaigns.
San Luis Obispo quarterback Emilio Corona (11) puts the brakes on as Pioneer Valley's Andres Vargas prepares for the tackle during a Homecoming game in Santa Maria on Oct. 25. Corona accounted for 81 touchdowns during his final two varsity seasons at SLO.
No. 2 Patrick Laird, Mission Prep RB (2011-13) vs. No. 7 Emilio Corona, SLO QB (2017-19)
Laird's resume: 4,551 yards rushing, 50 TDs (3,117 yards rushing, 32 TDs as senior). Played running back at Cal. Currently on Miami Dolphins' roster. Only area player to score an NFL TD last decade.
Corona's resume: 281 for 508 passing for 4,635 yards; 56 TD passes, 21 INTs; 189 carries, 1,762 yards and 25 TDs; PAC 4 League MVP, Will play baseball at Washington.
No. 2 Patrick Laird vs. No. 7 Emilio Corona
No. 3 Bradley Mickey vs. No. 6 Matt Albright
Arroyo Grande's Bradley Mickey runs with the ball during a 42-10 Eagles win at Pioneer Valley on Sept. 18, 2015.
Arroyo Grande grad Bradley Mickey is the No. 3 seed.
Mickey is currently a defensive back at Cal Poly. He was named the 2015 All-Area MVP as a two-way star with the eagles. He rushed for more than 1,200 yards and topped 1,100 receiving yards while also intercepting 21 passes on defense with 205 total tackles in his varsity career. He scored 31 total touchdowns and accumulated nearly 2,500 all-purpose yards.
Mickey will square off with the No. 6 seed Matt Albright, Nipomo's former quarterback.
Albright had two dynamic seasons at QB for the Titans, helping them win a CIF title in 2014 with Kimball at receiver. Albright threw 62 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons, topping 5,600 yards. He was named Northern League MVP in 2014 and landed All-CIF honors.
Nipomo's Matt Albright passes against Lompoc in November of 2013. He had 2,648 passing yards last season with 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions as the Titans finished his junior year with a 5-6 record. Then, as a senior in 2014, Albright led the Titans to a 10-4 record and a CIF title while throwing 33 touchdowns.
No. 3 Bradley Mickey, RB/DB/WR (2012-15) vs. No. 6 Matt Albright, Nipomo QB (2013-14)
Mickey's resume: 1 for 1 passing, 26 yards, TD; 132 carries, 1,244 yards, 15 TDs; 82 catches, 1,106 yards, 9 TDs; 3,484 all-purpose yards; 205 total tackles (129 solo), 3 TFLs; 21 career INTs for 284 yards, 38 passes defensed, 3 fumble recoveries, 4 forced fumbles; 31 total TDs. Nearly 2,500 all-purpose yards. The 2015 All-Area MVP. Saw significant playing time in the Cal Poly secondary the past two years.
Albright's resume: 62 career TD passes, 20 career INTs; Threw for 5,672 yards in two seasons; completed over 60% of passes (423 for 700); Northern League MVP in 2014. Won CIF title with Nipomo. Played at Hancock College and the University of LaVerne.
No. 3 Bradley Mickey vs. No. 6 Matt Albright
No. 4 Bailey Gaither vs. No. 5 Garrett Owens
Bailey Gaither of Paso Robles catches the ball over Santa Ynez defender Nick Neilsen during a Sept. 8, 2012 game in Santa Ynez. Gaither caught 167 passes for 3,277 yards and 41 touchdowns in three varsity seasons for the Bearcats. He's now a sixth-year senior at San Jose State.
Former Paso Robles great Bailey Gaither is the No. 4 seed. Gaither caught 41 touchdown passes with the Bearcats and also led that team to a CIF title in 2014 (where they beat Mickey's Eagles in the semifinals). Gaither has gone on to play at San Jose State, where he has over 1,500 receiving yards with the Spartans.
Gaither will face off with former Arroyo Grande standout Garrett Owens, who was a standout receiver and defensive back while also becoming one of the greatest placekickers the area has ever seen.
Owens topped 1,300 receiving yards while also making 160 total tackles and intercepting 10 passes for the Eagles. He also handled all kicking and punting duties there. He went on to play at Oregon State, where he became the Beavers' starting kicker. He transferred to Iowa State as a senior and earned the starting role there, too, making 17 field goals in his final college season.
Arroyo Grande receiver Garrett Owens shakes a tackle during a 28-7 win against Righetti during the 2011 season.
No. 4. Bailey Gaither, Paso Robles WR (2012-15) vs. No. 5 Garrett Owens, Arroyo Grande WR/DB/K (2009-2011):
Gaither's resume: 2 for 3 passing, 54 yards, 1 TD; 63 carries, 396 yards, 6 TDs; 167 catches, 3,277 yards, 41 TD catches; 1,666 kick return yards; 5,546 all-purpose yards; 1 INT; 52 career TDs; won CIF Southern Section title at PRHS and named 2014 CIF Player of the Year. Entering sixth season at SJSU; 94 catches, 1502 yards, 14 TD catches at SJSU.
Owens' resume: 371 yards rushing, 4 TDs; 90 receptions, 1,363 yards, 12 TDs; 161 total tackles (149 solo), 10 interceptions; 134 touchbacks on 174 kickoffs; averaged over 35 yards on 61 career punts; 23 for 36 on FGs; 118 for 124 on PATs; Made 57-yard field goal. Kicked at Oregon State/Iowa State. Made 32 of his 45 career field goal attempts at Oregon State, with a long of 50. As a Cyclone, Owens was good on 17 of 22 FGs with a long of 45.
The Jacobs-Kimball winner will face the Gaither-Owens winner in the next round. The Laird-Corona winner will face the Albright-Mickey winner in the next round. Those winners will face off before squaring off with the Northern Santa Barbara County winner.
No. 4 Bailey Gaither vs. No. 5 Garrett Owens
Player of the Decade: We're looking for the top player of the last 10 seasons
The sports staff at the Santa Maria Times, Lompoc Record and Santa Ynez Valley News is looking for the top football player from Northern Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County over the last 10 seasons of high school ball.
See who our nominees are thus far.
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