Tars’ Rippon tops nine All-CIF choices

All-CIF Southern Section football honorsNewport Harbor tailback is CIF Division VI Offensive Player of the Year. Sailors’ Brinkley is named Coach of the Year. Newport Harbor High senior Ryan Rippon, who led the Sailors to a CIF Southern Section Division VI football championship, highlights nine Back Bay players chosen All-CIF by section coaches.

Rippon, the Newport-Mesa Dream Team Most Valuable Player after rushing for 1,681 yards and 13 touchdowns in 10 games, is the Division VI Offensive Player of the Year.

Rippon has also been named All-Southern Section (chosen from all 13 divisions), as a member of the second-team offense.

Corona del Mar High senior linebacker Shaun Mohler is a first-team defensive honoree on the All-Southern Section team.

Newport Harbor senior offensive tackle Charles Schultz in on the All-Southern Section second-team offense.

Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley is the Division VI Coach of the Year.

Rippon and Schultz are joined on the All-CIF Division VI squad by teammates Billy Munce, Fernando Lara, Jarret Daniel, Nick Frazier and Mike Calabrese.

Joining Mohler as an All-CIF Division IX selection is senior Matt Burgner.

Rippon who missed four games recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, had eight games of 100-plus rushing yards, including a 300-yard output in the Sailors’ CIF Division VI semifinal win over Tustin.

Rippon, also the Sea View League’s Offensive Most Valuable Player, helped the Sailors win their third CIF title.

Mohler, the Dream Team Defensive Player of the Year, amassed 113 tackles. He also returned his only interception for a touchdown.

Schultz, a 6-4, 332-pounder, dominated in the trenchs, helping the Sailors finish 11-3, including a Sea View League tri-championship.

Burgner, a defensive end and a repeat All-CIF honoree, had 73 tackles, including 12 sacks. His 36 sacks in three varsity seasons are a school career record.

Daniel, a junior receiver, had 32 catches for 587 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Munce was a powerful right guard for the Sailors.

Frazier, a junior middle linebacker, led the Tars in tackles with 118.

Lara, a senior cornerback, made four of his five interceptions in four playoff games and had 51 tackles.