Where the stars collide

Getting three of the area’s top high school football recruits to unite at this point is cumbersome.

Distance isn’t a problem. The players are so close to each other they can run to a central location, stop for a few minutes, and return in time for an afternoon practice.

No one is in a rush to meet for a photo shoot before the season.

Not Cecil Whiteside of Newport Harbor.

Not Kyle Middlebrooks of Fountain Valley.

Not Jordan Zumwalt of Edison.

When these seniors see one another, they plan to take shots at each other on the field.

The race back to the top of the Sunset League has begun. Each played vital roles last year to their respective teams splitting a league crown.

Before Whiteside heads to UC Berkeley and Zumwalt to Stanford to compete on the next level, and when Middlebrooks decides on a college program to attend, the three don’t want to share anything in their final high school season.

That goes for a picture, to league title.

Two found out carving out a piece of a championship isn’t fulfilling.

While Middlebrooks as a running back carried the Barons to the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division playoffs, the tenacious pursuit of Whiteside and Zumwalt as linebackers ended in the regular season.

Zumwalt stopped Middlebrooks in his tracks, totaling almost as many tackles as yards Middlebrooks gained. Edison held on to beat Fountain Valley, 14-7, in the annual rivalry game.

Injuries caught up to the Chargers, who dropped their regular-season finale, creating a mess in league, five teams tied for first.

Whiteside and the Sailors lost sight of Middlebrooks on a 52-yard draw play resulting in a touchdown in the final 30 seconds, putting Newport Harbor in a hole early in league.

Middlebrooks ran 21 times for 221 yards as Fountain Valley’s 22-21 upset cost Newport Harbor a playoff berth.

Expectations are high at Newport Harbor, Fountain Valley and Edison. Which team reaches the No. 1 spot depends on which star shines the brightest.

Here’s a look at each of the three players.

CECIL WHITESIDE

He believes the Sailors just got the short end of the stick during last year’s tiebreaker draw.

Determining which three league teams qualified for the playoffs was a sports writer. He randomly picked three schools out of a bucket and each entered.

“It’s just more of a motivation to say we’re going to win it outright than having [us] say we tied,” Whiteside said.

“To redeem ourselves, we’re going to have to win that game [against Fountain Valley this year].”

Whiteside hates to lose. If there is someone who can bring down an elusive back like Middlebrooks, Whiteside is the player.

The 6-foot-3, 222-pounder attacks the ball fearlessly. He moves to middle linebacker this season after dropping quarterbacks from the outside.

The edge is Whiteside’s ideal position, and where UC Berkeley plans to use him.

“I would want to play [outside],” said Whiteside, considered the top player in Orange County, and the No. 142-ranked senior in the country by ESPN RISE. “But anything to help the team, I’m willing to do.

“Middle, it’s in the trenches, you have some guys flying at you, and you just have to read your keys and go after it. It’s physically demanding, but equally as hard [as playing outside].”

On defense, on offense at wide receiver and running back, on special teams as a kick returner, Whiteside will be the focus of every team’s game plan.

Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley said Whiteside is dealing with the added workload well.

“Like any playmaker, you get the ball in his hands,” Brinkley said.

When Whiteside isn’t carrying the ball, he’s trying to bring down the player who is.

Hitting the opposition again is what Whiteside loves to do. He smacked many players and earned first-team All-Sunset League and Newport-Mesa Dream Team Defensive Player of the Year honors.

On the field, Whiteside has a mean streak about him. His playful side comes out, too.

Whenever Whiteside levels someone, he talks a little.

“[To] make fun of them,” said Whiteside, who finished with 55 tackles and led the Sailors with six sacks, eight hurries and two blocked punts last year. “The Dana Hills game [last year], they were talking some trash. At the end of the game, I just let [one player] know the scoreboard never lies.

“He had nothing to say after that. He turned around and walked away.”

KYLE MIDDLEBROOKS

He sometimes talks as fast as he runs.

The 5-9, 175-pounder is electrifying whenever he runs. Last year, Middlebrooks finished runner-up in the 100-meter event at the CIF State track and field championships with a time of 10.57 seconds.

With the first-place winner graduating, Middlebrooks is the state’s fastest sprinter.

“My whole family has been fast,” Middlebrooks said. “Our family is real competitive.”

Schools are noticing the drive, speed and talent.

Washington, Washington State, UNLV, San Diego State, San Jose State and Idaho have offered Middlebrooks scholarships.

Middlebrooks is patient. Picking a college is like choosing the right hole. Why settle for a five-yard carry when there’s an opening to take a 50-yarder to the house?

On his way to breaking a 27-year-old single-season rushing record at Fountain Valley, Middlebrooks showcased long runs during a 1,522-yard season on the ground.

“I always think about big-time schools and everything, but I’m just happy I’m getting those scholarship offers,” said Middlebrooks, who earned the Sunset League Offensive Player of the Year award after rushing for 20 touchdowns, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns and catching one pass for a touchdown.

“I would like for a big-time school like a UCLA … to [recruit me]. It would be amazing, one of my dreams.”

The push to live up to another dream-like season keeps Middlebrooks grounded. He’s humble, giving credit to his offensive line.

Three starters return in junior tackle Courtland Drummond, junior center Brandon Moss and senior guard Anthony Vega. Fountain Valley Coach John Shipp said they’re beginning to get looked at by colleges because of Middlebrooks presence.

The Barons, picked in years past to finish fifth in league, are creating a buzz again.

“Kyle has helped put us back on the map,” said Shipp, whose team went into the 2008 season with three league victories in three years. “He’s one of those kids that you don’t see very often, with the ability to be explosive and powerful. He doesn’t lose speed [when] he cuts.

“He’ll be all over the place. We’re just not going to line him up at quarterback.”

JORDAN ZUMWALT

All the attention given to Zumwalt is pure hype to him.

“But I got to live up to it,” Zumwalt, a 6-4, 215-pound inside linebacker, said of the expectations after sharing the Sunset League Defensive Player of the Year honor.

Zumwalt was born a Charger. His parents, Rick and Nanette, met at Edison, and went off to college together at Arizona State.

Back when Rick played defensive end at Edison in the early 1980s, his son said he wore a funky, old-raggedy jersey.

“I saw his highlight video,” Zumwalt said. “It was pretty funny. It was like way old school.”

Zumwalt also grew up a Sun Devil because of his father.

He changed allegiances in May, when he verbally committed to Stanford a month after an unofficial visit to the school he rooted for as a kid.

“I thought for sure Arizona State was the place I was going to go,” Zumwalt said. “But I like Stanford a lot. I feel I fit in very well there. The coaches, I don’t know how to explain it.”

No further explanation needed. Rick was fine with the decision.

He was actually the one who encouraged his son to visit Stanford after checking out Arizona State.

“This kid has been dreaming about this opportunity since he was 4,” Rick said. “If you looked at his room, he had football cards taped to the walls. He wanted this, and for me, I’m happy for him because he’s getting what he wanted and his hard work is paying off.”

The next one in line is Zumwalt’s younger brother, Erick.

The junior is more of the wrestler mold. Come to think about it, maybe that’s why Zumwalt pounds running backs to the ground.

Zumwalt is now hitting the books hard. The grueling schedule doesn’t end on the field.

In order to get into Stanford, Zumwalt has to improve his ACT and SAT scores.

“I have tutoring freaking three times a week for two hours,” Zumwalt said. “I have to get like a 1500 [on the SAT]. [Might be] easy for a lot of people, but it’s pretty tough.”

Edison Coach Dave White has faith in Zumwalt. He coached his father.

White still gives Zumwalt a hard time at practice.

“My coach is always like, ‘Cecil! Cecil!’” Zumwalt said. “I don’t really care. He’s Cecil. I’m me.

“I just do what I do.”

One of those is not taking pictures with Whiteside and Middlebrooks until the real shots start coming on the field.

Whiteside agrees. The two will be rivals in college.

“Our relationship is nothing more than [the one] on the field,” Whiteside said. “Can’t be friends.”