Palomar’s Amituanai Named Player of Year

Defensive lineman Tamasi Amituanai of Palomar College has been named defensive player of the year on the All-America Community College football team, as named by the JC Athletic Bureau-California Community College Football Coaches Assn. Board of Directors recently.

Quarterback Andy Loveland, wide receiver Jerry Garrett and linebacker Al Aliipule joined Amituanai on the state team. In addition to the All-America honors, several Palomar players were named to regional All-California teams.

All four players were named to the Region IV team but had company as teammates Berie Muller, a defensive back, and Terry Sherman, an offensive lineman, were also picked.

Garrett and Amituanai were the offensive and defensive players of the year for the region and Coach Tom Craft was named the region’s Coach of the Year.

Palomar defeated Chabot, 37-24, in the Elks Bowl at Merced Dec. 7, and was named co-national community college champion with Northeastern Oklahoma by J.C. Grid-Wire. The JC Athletic Bureau gave Palomar (10-1) 13 first-place votes and was picked the No. 1 team in the state. College of the Sequoias, the second-place team, received four first-place votes.