On The Prep Beat: Handing Out Post-Season Awards

Jets on the verge: After on the road last Saturday, Encinal now stands one win away from its second North Coast Section Division III championship in the last three years. The Wildcats had been undefeated entering the semifinals, but the Jets held Marin Catholic below 20 points for the first time all season. Encinal also scored as many points, 20, as the Wildcats' last eight opponents had scored, combined. Now No. 4-seeded Encinal faces a second-seeded Cardinal Newman team that has gone 10-3 against a brutal schedule and is now playing its best football of the season, coming off a . The Cardinals have two big-time playmakers in quarterback Matt Sullivan and running back Stephen Tomasin, who have led the team to an average of 44 points per game in its three playoff wins.

Handing out some hardware: Last week I highlighted some of the top playmakers from around the ACCAL and BSAL, but before the NCS season ends this weekend, I wanted to get a little more specific, honoring the cream of the crop from around the two leagues. So here are my season-end awards for players from Patch-covered teams in the two leagues.

Offensive MVP — James Lewis, Pinole Valley, running back

No one meant more to their team than Lewis, who was equal parts workhorse and big-play back for the Spartans, carrying his team's offense in some of their biggest games.

Defensive MVP — Travis Feeney, Pinole Valley, safety/linebacker

The top-rated recruit in either league spent all season living up to his own hype. Feeney was a game-changer every Friday night, blowing up running plays and making plays in pass coverage on seemingly every down.

Most exciting player — Paul Okamura, Encinal, running back/defensive back

Okamura was left off the playmakers list because Encinal was so loaded that some guys had to be left out to make room for players from less successful teams, but no one was more electric with the ball in his hands than the Jets' second-leading rusher. Okamura led the team with 12.6 yards per carry, and was a threat to go the distance any time he touched the football.

Best lineman — Joshua Morrow, Encinal

Perhaps the biggest key to Encinal's success on the ground, Morrow moved mountains along the line all season long.

Top underclassman — Jalen Harvey, El Cerrito, wide receiver

The freshman didn't play until the Gauchos' fourth game, but once Harvey turned 15 and got called up to varsity, he became one of the area's most dynamic receivers and was the only freshman to finish first-team all-ACCAL. Equally dangerous going deep or making plays on short passes, Harvey should attract plenty of attention from recruiters in the coming years.

Best game atmosphere — Pinole Valley

When the crowd is roaring and the marching band's music is echoing off the Pinole hills, there's no better place to watch a game in the area than Deuker Stadium. After the Spartans beat El Cerrito to clinch the league title, fans and players dance to the drumline for an impromptu post-game celebration.

Coach of the year — Joe Tenorio, Encinal

There were several great coaching performances this year — Steve Alameda took Pinole Valley to the Division II semis, and Steve Rocklin did a great job just to get his Alameda to overcome its injuries and reach the playoffs — but you can't argue against Tenorio, who has guided Encinal to its third consecutive NCS championship game.

St. Mary's girls rolling: Last year's Division IV state runner-up St. Mary's girls basketball team has gotten off to a hot start, beginning the season 3-0 and winning the Marin Catholic Lady Cat Classic over last weekend. The Panthers have a couple more showcase games coming up, as they play in the Alisal Winter Jam in Salinas, the Presentation Shootout at Berkeley and the Miramonte Shootout at St. Mary's College. The Panthers have gotten balanced scoring so far, with five players averaging between 7.3 and 10 points per game.

El Cerrito boys off to hot start: On the boys side, El Cerrito has notched some solid early-season wins over Vintage-Napa, Acalanes, and San Marin to start the season 3-0. The Gauchos will play in the Gridley Invitational Tournament this weekend, beginning Thursday against Sacramento High.

Pinole Valley soccer starting strong: The Spartans' boys soccer team has begun the season 3-1-2, notching wins over Encinal, Kennedy-Richmond and Oakland Tech. The Spartans, who only won six games last year, look like a potential threat to defending champion Berkeley in the ACCAL.