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MISSION VIEJO — Dan Albano’s top under-the-radar standouts from the South County passing tournament on Saturday:
JJ Amezcua, Western, WR: The 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior jumped out with his combination of size and playmaking. One of his highlights was a long touchdown catch against Servite in pool play.
Amezcua hauled in 55 catches for 847 yards and 11 TDs last season but seems far from satisfied.
“(Today) could have been better,” he said. “I got high expectations for myself.”
Amezcua doesn’t have a scholarship offer but has received interest from Wyoming.
Joel Perez, Western, LT: At 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, the senior was easy to spot at the tug-of-war but he’s still climbing the ranks with college recruiters.
Perez has only been playing football since his sophomore year after being spotted in physical education class by Western coach Dan Davidson.
Perez has been offered by New Mexico and Portland State.
Sammy Stremick, Newport Harbor, WR/S: The 5-foot-10 senior slot caught two touchdowns and added an interception in a victory against Servite in pool play.
Stremick transferred to Newport Harbor from Mater Dei last season and only posted a few stats. Expect that to change this fall.
It also helps that he teams with another strong receiver in senior Cade Fegel.
“That’s probably our strong point,” first-year Newport Harbor coach Matt Burns said of his receiving corps.
Burns said senior Bode Stefano and junior Jake Meer are competing for the starting quarterback position.
Luke Sorensen, Servite, TE: The 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior has grown into a physical player.
After only recording two catches last season, Sorensen looks ready to fill the spot of tight end Aidan O’Callaghan, now at Weber State.
Gavin Honore, Mater Dei, ATH: The 5-foot-10, 180-pound sophomore caught a touchdown in the semifinals against Murrieta Valley and another in finals against Mission Viejo.
The Monarchs have a lot of weapons on offense but remember Honore for the future. He also could surface playing a few different positions.
Cash Semonza, Mission Viejo, WR: The 5-foot-10 senior slot doesn’t sit atop the Diablos’ depth chart but he played a key role in the their championship run.
“He’s really an unspoken, almost hero of this team,” Mission Viejo quarterback Draiden Trudeau said of Semonza.
Last season, Semonza had 31 catches for 412 yards and three TDs. He appears ready for a larger role this fall.
Gavin Disbro, Mission Viejo, C: The 6-foot-1, 275-pound senior emerged as the Diablos’ strongest lineman with 24 reps of 205 pounds in the bench press competition.
Disbro started at guard last season but shifts to center and could play some defensive tackle. Northern Arizona and UC Davis have shown interest.
