Receiver Drew Wolitarsky, quarterbacks Jared Goff and Conner Manning and running back Olito Thompson are among the most prolific returning stat stars on 88-player preseason watch list.
Entering his senior season at Canyon of Canyon Country, receiver Drew Wolitarsky has already amassed 192 catches for 3,869 yards and 39 touchdowns.
That has helped him earn a selection to this year’s preseason all-state team (announced this week) and also gets him within reach of two Cal-Hi Sports state records.
Wolitarsky, who has offers from Arizona, Army, Hawaii and others, needs 80 more catches and just 677 yards to break the career state records of 271 and 4,486 set in 2002 by Steve Smith from Taft of Woodland Hills.
But Wolitarsky isn’t the only preseason all-state choice who could once again put up huge totals this fall.
Quarterback Jared Goff from Marin Catholic of Kentfield, who has committed to Cal, fired off 44 touchdown passes last season to go with 3,179 yards. Goff also finished in sixth-place out of 25 quarterbacks from around the nation who recently attended the Elite 11 quarterback camp in Redondo Beach.
Quarterback Conner Manning from El Toro of Lake Forest didn’t throw for as many scores as Goff, but did pile up 4,219 yards passing and 41 touchdowns. Manning, who was chosen to the preseason all-state second team, has committed to Utah.
For career totals and rushing added as well, yet another quarterback on the first team for preseason all-state is Troy Williams from Narbonne of Harbor City. Williams, who has committed to Washington, had 3,247 yards and 34 touchdowns through the air last season. He added 587 rushing with 11 more scores. For his career, Williams is reported with 5,844 yards passing and 57 touchdowns.
For running backs, Concord’s Olito Thompson is the top returnee in the state from a statistical point of view. He set a NorCal record as a junior with 3,488 yards and scored 34 times. Thompson, who is headed to Washington State, also helped Concord reach the CIF North Coast Section Division II championship.
Justin Davis from Lincoln of Stockton is another preseason first team all-state running back with big-time stats, but has an even bigger college commitment than Thompson (his is with USC). Davis led Lincoln to an 11-2 record in 2011 by rushing for 2,380 yards and scoring 39 touchdowns. He also has 3,696 yards and 56 scores so far in his career.
A younger player to watch statistically is junior running back Royce Freeman of Imperial. In gaining all-state sophomore status last season, Freeman rushed for 2,075 yards and scored 35 touchdowns.
With help from assistant editor Paul Muyskens, here are the Cal-Hi Sports preseason all-state football teams (based on high school performance from last season and on recruiting potential for some positions such as linemen):
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
WR Drew Wolitarsky (Canyon, Canyon Country) 6-2, 190, Sr.
WR Demorea Stringfellow (Rancho Verde, Moreno Valley) 6-2, 185, Sr.
OL Sean Harlow (San Clemente) 6-5, 265, Sr.
OL Cameron Hunt (Centennial, Corona) 6-4, 270, Sr.
OL John Lopez (Lutheran, Orange) 6-6, 325, Sr.
OL Robert McGee (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-3, 300, Sr.
OL Riley Sorenson (Santa Margarita, Rancho SM) 6-5, 320, Sr.
QB Jared Goff (Marin Catholic, Kentfield) 6-4, 185, Sr.
RB LaVon Coleman (Lompoc) 5-11, 205, Sr.
RB Justin Davis (Lincoln, Stockton) 6-1, 195, Sr.
RB Olito Thompson (Concord) 5-10, 210, Sr.
PK Parker Campbell (Bakersfield) 6-0, 170, Sr.
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL Kylie Fitts (Redlands East Valley, Redlands) 6-4, 245, Sr.
DL Austin Hooper (De La Salle, Concord) 6-4, 240, Sr.
DL Joe Mathis (Upland) 6-4, 250, Sr.
DL Eddie Vanderdoes (Placer, Auburn) 6-3, 295, Sr.
LB Su’a Cravens (Vista Murrieta, Murrieta) 6-3, 230, Sr.
LB Michael Hutchings (De La Salle, Concord) 6-2, 225, Sr.
LB Tanner Vallejo (Nevada Union, Grass Valley) 6-2, 225, Sr.
DB Tahaan Goodman (Rancho Cucamonga) 6-2, 185, Sr.
DB Deshon Hunt (Westlake, Westlake Village) 5-10, 175, Sr.
DB David Price (Long Beach Poly, Long Beach) 6-0, 180, Sr.
DB Max Redfield (Mission Viejo) 6-2, 185, Sr.
P Jordan Brown (Brea Olinda, Brea) 6-1, 175, Sr.
FIRST TEAM MULTI-PURPOSE
QB/RB Khari McGee (Edison, Fresno) 6-2, 200, Sr.
WR/DB Steven Mitchell (Alemany, Mission Hills) 5-10, 180, Sr.
RB/DB Brandon Monroe (Del Oro, Loomis) 5-11, 185, Sr.
QB/LB Tyree Robinson (Lincoln, San Diego) 6-4, 185, Sr.
QB/RB Johnny Stanton (Santa Margarita, Rancho SM) 6-2, 220, Sr.
QB/RB Troy Williams (Narbonne, Harbor City) 6-1, 175, Sr.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
WR Darrell Daniels (Freedom, Oakley) 6-3, 210, Sr.
TE Marcus Baugh (J.W. North, Riverside) 6-4, 230, Sr.
OL Aaron Cochran (Buhach Colony, Atwater) 6-8, 350, Sr.
OL Dane Crane (Santa Margarita, Rancho SM) 6-3, 310, Sr.
OL Nico Falah (St. John Bosco, Bellflower) 6-4, 270, Sr.
OL David Maka (Tustin) 6-3, 320, Sr.
OL LeRoy Tanoai (Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks) 6-4, 280, Sr.
QB Conner Manning (El Toro, Lake Forest) 6-2, 195, Sr.
RB Zach Green (St. Bonaventure, Ventura) 5-9, 210, Sr.
RB Craig Lee (Redlands) 6-0, 190, Sr.
RB Terrell Newby (Chaminade, West Hills) 5-10, 180, Sr.
PK Jose Morales (Lompoc) 6-0, 195, Sr.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL Luca Bruno (Oak Park, Agoura Hills) 6-4, 280, Sr.
DL Kenneth Clark (Carter, Rialto) 6-3, 280, Sr.
DL Jack Powers (Palma, Salinas) 6-6, 260, Sr.
DL Vita Vea (Milpitas) 6-4, 280, Sr.
LB George Frazier (Monrovia) 6-3, 230, Sr.
LB Viliami Latu (Rancho Cucamonga) 6-2, 225, Sr.
LB Marcus Stamps (Jefferson, Los Angeles) 6-1, 200, Sr.
DB Derek Babiash (Poway) 6-1, 170, Sr.
DB Chris Hawkins (Rancho Cucamonga) 5-11, 175, Sr.
DB D.J. Moffett (De La Salle, Concord) 6-2, 205, Sr.
DB Connor O’Brien (Santa Margarita, Rancho SM) 6-4, 205, Sr.
P Jonathan Gonzales (Apple Valley) 6-2, 180, Sr.
SECOND TEAM MULTI-PURPOSE
QB/RB Brandon Dawkins (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-4, 215, Jr.
WR/DB Adoree Jackson (Serra, Gardena) 5-10, 175, Jr.
RB/DB L.J. Moore (Central, Fresno) 6-1, 180, Sr.
TE/LB Kevin Palma (Mission Oak, Tulare) 6-1, 225, Sr.
FB/DL Elijah Qualls (Casa Grande, Petaluma) 6-1, 285, Sr.
DB/RB Cameron Walker (Loyola, Los Angeles) 5-10, 180, Sr.
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
WR Darren Carrington (Horizon, San Diego) 6-2, 190, Sr.
WR Trent Erwin (Hart, Newhall) 6-0, 160, Soph.
OL Tua Lobendahn (Lakewood) 6-3, 285, Jr.
OL Scott Quessenberry (La Costa Canyon, Carlsbad) 6-4, 275, Sr.
OL Ryan Steele (Kingsburg) 6-2, 285, Sr.
OL Kevin Sundberg (Fowler) 6-3, 280, Sr.
OL Pu’e Togia (Carson) 6-5, 245, Sr.
QB Zack Greenlee (Lincoln, Stockton) 6-2, 185, Sr.
RB Denzel Foster (J.W. North, Riverside) 5-8, 185, Sr.
RB Royce Freeman (Imperial) 6-1, 200, Jr.
RB Khalfani Muhammad (Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks) 5-8, 175, Sr.
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
DL Griffith Gates (Foothill, Pleasanton) 6-3, 230, Sr.
DL Paulo Lepua (Narbonne, Harbor City) 6-3, 255, Sr.
DL Tony Mekari (Westlake, Westlake Village) 6-3, 260, Sr.
LB Jack Ferguson (San Luis Obispo) 6-2, 230, Sr.
LB Joel Foy (Servite, Anaheim) 6-2, 225, Sr.
LB Cameron Judge (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-2, 215, Sr.
LB Shaunne Katoa (Monterey) 6-2, 225, Sr.
LB Alec Moreno (Poway) 6-2, 220, Sr.
DB Darius Allensworth (Heritage, Romoland) 5-11, 175, Sr.
DB Jason Black (Clovis) 6-0, 185, Sr.
DB Hatari Byrd (Central, Fresno) 6-1, 190, Sr.
THIRD TEAM MULTI-PURPOSE
WR/DB Kevin Hayes (Bakersfield) 6-3, 175, Jr.
WR/DB Trayvon Henderson (Grant, Sacramento) 6-1, 195, Sr.
RB/DB Na’im McGee (St. Mary’s, Stockton) 6-1, 195, Sr.
DE/WR Tyrell Robinson (Lincoln, San Diego) 6-4, 185, Sr.
WR/DB John Ross (Jordan, Long Beach) 5-11, 170, Sr.
QB/RB Nick Stevens (Vista Murrieta, Murrieta) 6-4, 185, Sr.
Comments or corrections? Email Mark.Tennis@espn.com or markjtennis@gmail.com. If you check back and do not see Cal-Hi Sports content on this ESPN page, check our twitter page @CalHiSports or go to our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/CalHiSportscom/162897664162 for updates.