All County football defense

Defense
 Drew Dalman, Palma, DL: While his future in college will be as an offensive linemen, Dalman dominated on defense, forcing opponents to double team the 6-4, 275-pound beast, or simply run in the opposite direction. Dalman recorded eight sacks, recovered two fumbles and returned an interception for a touchdown.
Cooper Smith, Salinas, DL: A pass rushing demon that created havoc with his speed, Smith came flying off the edge all season to compile 15 sacks for the Cowboys. Offensively, he caught 40 passes for Salinas.
 Christian Stapleton, Carmel, DL: The junior stuffed the interior line for Carmel, compiling 71 tackles -- 14 of which went for losses. The 235-pound captain also had four sacks and four pass breakups. Stapleton was at his best on the biggest stage, compiling nine tackles, four for losses in Carmel's win over CCS DIV champion Soledad.
DeMarcus Hawkins Seaside, DL: A pass rushing demon, the junior compiled a county high 18 sacks and 118 tackles for the Pacific Division champions. Hawkins also broke up 14 passes and forced four fumbles.
 Andrew Hernandez, Soledad, LB: The Mission Trail Athletic League's Defensive Player of the year, Hernandez recorded a school record 165 tackles this fall for the CCS Division IV champions. The senior also had 14 sacks, giving him 26 in two seasons -- a Soledad school record.
Alan Llames, Alvarez, LB: A pass rushing specialist, the senior recorded 16 sacks this past fall for the Eagles, giving him 28 in two years. Blessed with sprinters speed, Llames also compiled 81 tackles and recovered a fumble.
Mikey Zaragoza, Palma, LB: The heartbeat of the Chieftains defense, Zaragoza led the team in sacks with 10, with six coming in the playoffs. The senior also forced five fumbles and intercepted three passes.
Andrew Padilla, Salinas, LB: A nose for the football, the senior captain was among the team leaders in tackles this past fall for the Cowboys, earning all-Gabilan Division honors. Padilla also had four sacks and forced a pair of fumbles.
 Stan Smith, Palma, S/LB: The team leader in tackles with 101, Smith floated around between strong safety and linebacker. The senior broke up a handful of passes and recovered two fumbles for the Nor Cal DIV AA finalists. He also caught a touchdown on offense.
Aaron Rodriguez, Soledad, DB: The playmaker had a knack for the dramatic with five interceptions, and 27 pass breakups. The junior also had 55 tackles and a sack. Offensively, Rodriguez caught 26 passes for three touchdowns, and blocked a field goal in the CCS DIV title game.
 Daniel Sayre, Seaside, DB: The junior defensive back turned seven interceptions into five defensive touchdowns for Seaside. His return yards on his five touchdowns was 385 yards. Sayre also broke up 15 passes and recovered a fumble. He caught a touchdown pass on offense.
 Malik Jeter, Seaside, DB: While he was asked to quarterback the team, Jeter has a number of colleges looking at him as a defensive back. A repeater on the all-county team, Jeter compiled 113 tackles and had three interceptions. The Pacific Division's Player of the Year, Jeter also threw for over 1,000 yards and rushed for 401.
 Noah Cryns, Pacific Grove, Utility: Seldom do quarterbacks start on defense. Cryns was an exception, finishing among the team leaders in tackles and interceptions. Moved to quarterback out of necessity, the senior threw for over 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed 1,020 yards and 20 touchdowns -- in nine games.
Nick Coppla, Pacific Grove, Utility: One of the county's top defensive backs, Coppla shared the team lead in interceptions for the Breakers. Offensively, the MTAL 100 meter champion was a blur in the open field, catching 40 passes while compiling over 1,000 rushing and receiving yards, finishing with 17 touchdowns. Coppla also ran back two kickoffs for touchdowns and kicked all the extra points.
Frankie Berlanga, Soledad coach: What did last year's All County Coach of the Year do for an encore? Well Berlanga took Soledad to the programs first ever Central Coast Section Division IV title with a school record 10 wins.