THE TIMES’ FOOTBALL BANQUET : Blanton Wins Award as Southland’s Top Player

ANAHEIM â€”  Mater Dei quarterback Billy Blanton, who broke Orange County records this season for passing yards (3,545) and touchdowns (36), was honored Sunday with the Glenn Davis Award as Southern California’s best high school player at The Times’ football banquet at the Anaheim Marriott.

Blanton, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior, edged running back David Dotson of Moreno Valley Valley View and quarterback Stais Boseman of Inglewood Morningside for the award.

While setting the passing and touchdown records, Blanton helped lead Mater Dei to the Southern Section Division I championship last month over Rialto Eisenhower, 35-14, by passing for 257 yards and three touchdowns.

Brigham Young quarterback John Walsh, a Carson graduate, won the award last year.

Esperanza junior Travis Kirschke was chosen Orange County’s lineman of the year, and Irvine Coach Terry Henigan, who led the Vaqueros to the Division II title, is the coach of the year. Former Ram quarterback Vince Ferragamo was the guest speaker and presented the awards.

Glenn Davis is a former Times employee who played football at La Verne Bonita High before starring at Army. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1946.

Winners of the back, linemen and coach of the year awards for each of The Times’ 12 circulation areas were honored Sunday at banquets in each of the regions.

The honorees:

ORANGE COUNTY--Billy Blanton, 6-2, 195, Sr., Mater Dei (back); Travis Kirschke, 6-4, 235, Jr., Esperanza (lineman); Terry Henigan, Irvine (coach).

CENTRAL CITY--Sheldon Anderson, 6-0, 185, Sr., Washington (back); Chris Econn, 6-3, 210, Sr., Loyola (lineman); Robert Garrett and Terrell Ray, Crenshaw (coaches).

GLENDALE--Pathon Rucker, 5-11, 185, Sr., Glendale (back); Max Ocon, 6-0, 225, Sr., Glendale (lineman); Ken Gerard, Marshall (coach).

INLAND EMPIRE--David Dotson, 5-11, 190, Sr., Moreno Valley Valley View (back); John Latu, 6-0, 240, Sr., Etiwanda (lineman); Stuart Horn, Corona (coach).

SAN DIEGO COUNTY--E.J. Watson, La Jolla (back); La’Roi Glover, Point Loma (lineman); Herb Meyer, El Camino (coach).

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY--Ryan Connors, 6-1, 175, Sr., Newhall Hart (back); Alex Sawatzke, 6-2, 230, Sr., Granada Hills Kennedy (linemen); Jack Bowman, Saugus (coach).

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY--Marc Ruiz, 6-2, 185, Sr., Baldwin Park (back); Wayne Countryman, 6-1, 242, Sr., Nogales (lineman); Don McKinnon, Arroyo (coach).

SOUTH BAY--Stais Boseman, 6-3, 190, Sr., Inglewood Morningside (back); Fitu Toomalatai, 6-2, 250, Sr., Wilmington Banning (lineman); Ron Tatum, Inglewood Morningside (coach).

SOUTH COAST--Aaron Flowers, 6-0, 165. Jr., Artesia (back); Frank Russell, 5-10, 180, Sr., Long Beach Wilson (linemen); Norm Flowers, Artesia (coach).

SOUTHEAST--Albert Sethman, 6-0, 187, Sr., Whittier (back); Danny Cervantes, 6-1, 260, Sr., Montebello Schurr (lineman); Dick Shelko, Pico Rivera El Rancho (coach).

VENTURA COUNTY--Ryan Fien, 6-4, 198, Sr., Simi Valley Royal (back); Jason Evans, 6-1 1/2, 250, Sr., Simi Valley Royal (lineman); Stan Quina, Simi Valley (coach).

WESTSIDE--Dameron Ricketts, 5-10, 165, Sr., Culver City (back); Greg Roach, 6-1, 205, Sr., Beverly Hills (lineman); Carter Paysinger, Beverly Hills (coach).