All-Southern Section high school football team: Meet SBLive's 2023 selections

SBLive's All-Southern Section 2023 high school football team selections for offense, defense and special teams

Here is the All-Southern Section high school football team for the 2023 season presented by SBLive.

This team is comprised of players that best represent the section. It is not an all-star team.

Less than 30 players from the entire section are listed, including an offensive team, defensive team and two all-purpose players. 

SBLive also selected a Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Breakout Player of the Year and a Freshman of the Year.

At least one player from each CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoff team is included in this year's All-Southern Section awards, along with players that stood out in their own right - some of which went on to win a CIF State championship.

YEARLY AWARDS

• Player of the Year: Cornell Hatcher, Corona Centennial, Sr.

• Offensive Player of the Year: Brady Smigiel, Newbury Park, So.

• Defensive Player of the Year: Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, St. John Bosco, Sr.

• Breakout Player of the Year: Caleb Sanchez, St. John Bosco, Sr.

• Freshman of the Year: Richie Wesley, Sierra Canyon

• Coach of the Year: Mark Carson, Rio Hondo Prep

ALL-SOUTHERN SECTION TEAM

(Position - Name, school, year (college, if applicable))

OFFENSE

QB - Darius Curry, Long Beach Poly. Sr. (Colorado State)

• 3,197 yards, 41 TDs, 11 INTs, 63%; 2 rushing TDs

QB - Madden Iamaleava, Warren, Jr. 

• 3,626 yards, 43 TDs, 4 INTs, 63%; 3 rushing TDs

RB - Aiden Rubin, San Clemente, Sr.

• 1,790 yards, 20 TDs, 162ypg

RB - Dylan Riley, Rancho Verde, Sr. (Boise State)

• 2,059 yards, 29 TDs, 187ypg

WR - Trent Mosley, Santa Margarita, So.

• 81 receptions, 1,282 yards, 11 TDs

WR - Vance Spafford, Mission Viejo, So.

• 83 receptions, 1,576 yards, 22 TDs

WR - Zacharyus Williams, Gardena Serra, Sr. (Utah)

• 51 receptions, 943 yards, 13 TDs, 2 KR TDs

WR - Jordan Ross, Warren, Sr. (Colorado State)

• 72 receptions, 1,633 yards, 27 TDs

OL - Wade Helton, Corona Centennial, Sr. (Iowa State)

• Helped Cornell Hatcher run for 2,200 yards and 42 TDs

OL - Brandon Baker, Mater Dei, Sr. (Texas)

• CIF-SS D1 and CIF State Open champion

OL - Shaun Torgeson, St. Bonaventure, Sr. (Portland State)

• Anchored a Seraphs team that won the CIF-SS D3 title

OL - Samuel Utu, Orange Lutheran, So.

• Aided O-Lu to D1 playoff berth

OL - Phillip Ocon, St. Francis, Sr. (Colorado State)

• Named the Angelus League MVP - don't see that often

K - Ryon Sayeri, Chaminade, Sr.

Scored 60 points this season, including a 53-yarder

DEFENSE

DL - Jaden Williams, Mission Viejo, Jr.

• 139 tackles, 39.5 TFL, 18.5 sacks, 2 FF, 

DL - JT Houston, Warren, Sr. (Cal Poly SLO)

• 69 tackles, 20 sacks, FF, 2 blocked punts

DL - Carnell Ferguson, Sierra Canyon, Sr.

• 60 tackles, 20.5 TFL, 13 sacks, 2 FR

DL - Nasir Wyatt, Mater Dei, Jr.

• 41 tackles, 21 TFL, 14 sacks, 7 PD, 3 FR, 3 FF, TD

LB - Owen Long, La Serna, Sr.

• 139 tackles, 6 TFL, 2 INTs, 15 PD, 1 FF

LB - Dylan Williams, Long Beach Poly, Sr. (Oregon)

• 83 tackles, 11 TFL, 3 sacks, 4 FF, INT

LB - Noah Mikhail, Bonita, Jr.

• 166 tackles, 15 TFL, 1 sack, 2 INTs, 3 PD, 

LB - Madden Faraimo, JSerra, Jr.

• 101 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 sacks, FR, FF

DB - Zabien Brown, Mater Dei, Sr. (Alabama)

• 22 tackles, 3 INTs, 5 PD, 2 FR

DB - Royce Mendoza, Riverside Ramona, Sr.

• 62 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack, 10 INTs, 20 PD, 3 FF, 4 TDs

DB - Marcelles Williams, St. John Bosco, Sr. (USC)

• 65 tackles, 2 INTs, 8 PD, FG blk

DB - Jeilani Davis, Mater Dei, Sr. (Utah)

• 43 tackles, 5 INTs, 5 PD, 1 FF, TD

P - Michael Salgado-Medina, Mission Viejo, Sr. (Arizona)

• 48 punts, 1,887 yards, 39.3 avg, 20 inside the 20, 61 long

ALL-PURPOSE

WR/DB - Shane Rosenthal, Newbury Park, Jr.

• OFF: 1,947 yards receiving, 122 receptions, 21 TDs
• DEF: 12 INTs, 2 INT TDs

RB/LB - Sire Gaines, Orange Vista, Sr. (Boise State)

• OFF: 1,685 yards rushing, 27 TDs, 129ypg; 16 receptions, 351 yards, 3 TDs

• DEF: 30 tackles, 7 TFL, 2 sacks, INT, 2 FR,