A resounding run through the CIF Southern Section playoffs for the Samohi Vikings caught the attention of Bay League all-league team voters, with seven of the team’s football standouts selected to either first or second-team offensive and defensive squads.
Though the Vikings finished 9-5 overall after a strong playoff push, one that resulted in a CIF Southern Section Division 9 title game appearance, the squad was 1-4 in tough Bay League play. The league boasted serious heavyweights in 2023, including league champion Palos Verdes and Culver City. Despite an undefeated regular season, Palos Verdes dropped its first Southern Section Division 2 playoff contest to eventual champion Mission Viejo. The Vikings also made it farther in the playoffs than Culver City, which lost a Southern Section Division 4 semifinal matchup to La Serna.
Three Vikings made first-team offensive honors, those being senior running back Caden McCallum, senior wide receiver Griffin Seals and senior offensive lineman Jayden Montanez.
McCallum was a force in the backfield all season long, galloping behind a strong line anchored by standouts like Montanez and second-team offensive selection Mason Oliva. McCallum carried the ball 288 times, an astounding mark that netted the senior a Bay League-best 1,604 yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground. According to MaxPreps, McCallum’s rushing yardage was the 64th-best mark in all of California, and 24th-best in the CIF Southern Section. The senior also added 26 receptions for 187 yards and two scores in the passing game, all while remaining a terror at linebacker with 108 total tackles.
Seals was the Vikings’ top passing target in 2023, accruing 86 receptions for 1,289 yards and 11 touchdowns. The senior’s receiving yards were the 20th-best mark in all of California, per MaxPreps, and Seals’ yardage cracked the top 10 in the CIF Southern Section. On top of being a primary protector for the team’s offense, Montanez also recorded 72 total sacks on defense, along with team-highs in tackles for loss (15.5) and sacks (4.5).
The lone first-team defensive selection for the Vikings was junior defensive back Charles Cravings, an absolute ball hawk for the bunch with seven interceptions and three pass deflections on the season. The junior also forced two fumbles and accounted for 69 tackles, the third-best mark on the team.
Cracking the second-team offense along with Oliva was sophomore quarterback Wyatt Brown, who broke the team’s all-time passing record with a 2,955-yard campaign in 2023. Per MaxPreps, the yardage is the 37th-highest total in California and the 19th-highest in the Southern Section. Brown’s efficiency was key to his success, completing 67.4% of passes for an average of 13.7 yards per completion. The sophomore threw for 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on the campaign, and also served as the team’s primary punter throughout the season.
Second-team defensive honors were bestowed on senior defensive lineman Paco Vandenbrook, who used his 6’5”, 235-pound frame to man the Vikings’ defensive front. Though his 32 total tackles in 2023 are not typically associated with an all-league selection, the play-by-play impact setting up teammates for easy defensive plays was priceless. Vandenbrook still ranked second on the team in tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (2.5), making each of his tackles count.
Palos Verdes freshman quarterback Ryan Rakowski was selected Bay League MVP, buoyed by extreme efficiency with a 70.2% completion rate and a 23-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Rakowski’s top target, wide receiver Luke Gayton, received co-offensive player of the year honors alongside Mira Costa receiver Reese Leonard. Palos Verdes completed the near-awards sweep on the defensive end, as linebacker Jason Reis earned defensive player of the year honors.
thomas@smdp.com
