Marysville's Chandless earns defensive MVP

Football is the ultimate team game, a sport in which each member of that team must be on the same page and function as one in order to be successful.

One player missing an assignment on any given play can cost his team a touchdown, a game and in some instances, even an entire season.

And while Marysville High's run to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI title was a team-effort by every sense of the word, there was one player who exemplified the Indians' hard-nosed, physical style of play.

From his first carry of the year in which he bulled over a Wheatland linebacker and rumbled 20 yards upfield, to his last tackle of the season in the title game against Lindhurst, Marysville High fullback/middle linebacker James Chandless was the glue that held the Indians' defense together.

For his efforts on the field, Chandless has been named the Appeal-Democrat All-Area Most Valuable Player on defense.

"We had a new defense this year," said Chandless, who averaged more than 10 tackles per game. "Our defense came pretty hard and we always had pressure on the quarterback. That was the thing."

Never one to crave the spotlight, the ever-humble Chandless gives credit to his coaches and teammates for the Indians' run to the championship, the school's first in 137 years of existence.

"People worked out all summer in the weight room and during the season, which helped out a lot," said Chandless (5-foot-11, 210 pounds). "Our group of kids has always been solid, but once we beat Yuba City, I thought, 'we might have a chance.'"

The win over Yuba City was the Indians' first victory of the season and the school's first over the Honkers in 42 years. It also set the tone for a remarkable run — the Indians won 10 of their final 11 games to finish the year 10-2, clinching a share of the Golden Empire League title with rival Lindhurst.

Marysville's defense surrendered a mere 13 points per contest, while giving up more than 20 points on just three occasions.

A key to the Indians' defensive dominance was the blitz, in a scheme they called "smash-cross."

And although he was the team's leading rusher with 1,130 yards and 14 touchdowns, Chandless would rather hit than score a TD.

"I like making a big stop on defense," said Chandless. "It feels good to me."

Leading the charge on the Appeal-Democrat All-Area defensive line is Sutter High's Austin Morehead. The 6-foot, 200-pound junior defensive end led the Northern Section Division II-champions in tackles with 15 per game and his 11 sacks were also tops on the team.

Morehead was named the Butte View League's defensive Most Valuable Player and received Northern Section first-team honors.

At the other defensive end spot is Yuba City's James Haymore. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior was named the Honkers' Most Valuable Player and was co-MVP of the Tri-County Conference by racking up 7.5 sacks. He was also a force against the run.

Clogging the middle at defensive tackle is Lindhurst's massive Josh Jackson. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound senior and two-time all-area selection, was named to the Golden Empire League's first-team after averaging eight tackles per game and recording seven sacks on the year.

Playing next to Jackson up front is Wheatland senior Matt Hulsey, a member of a strong Pirate linebacking corps who was selected to the Northern Section second-team as a defensive tackle.

Husley picked off three passes this season and his 46 solo tackles were third best on a strong Pirates defense.

Spearheading that strong Wheatland defense was Clint Johnson.

The junior middle linebacker led the Pirates in tackles and his 911 rushing yards as a fullback were also the best on the team. The All-BVL performer is flat out one of the toughest kids in the area.

At inside linebacker is another junior, Colusa High tackling-machine Hayden Meyers.

One of many talented underclassmen at Colusa, Meyers led the Redskins in tackles and set the tone for the season with a 12-tackle game against Live Oak.

Ricardo Ramirez makes the cut as a technically sound outside linebacker who excelled at taking on blockers and turning plays inside where Chandless could clean-up. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound senior was a GEL first-team selection.

At the other inside linebacker spot is Sutter's Devin DeWitt, who was the backbone of a stingy Husky defense, which allowed opponents to score an average of just 14 points per game.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior was second to Morehead in tackles with 14 per game and was named to the BVL first-team, as well as to the Northern Section second team.

Marysville's Matt Horsfall (6-1, 175), one of the most intense players in the area played the run better than some linebackers and seemed to come up with the big plays when they were needed the most. The seniors picked off six passes on the year and returned one for a touchdown.

At the other cornerback position is Sutter's Dariusz Ratajczak. The 6-foot-0, 155-pound senior safety was named to the BVL first-team and earned Northern Section second-team honors after leading the Huskies with six interceptions and blocking a punt.

Playing safety is one of the best pure football players in the area in Wheatland senior Malcom Webb.

Webb, who was named the area's top defensive player last season when he was second in the state with 11 interceptions, was seldom challenged this season in the passing department. Instead, he was forced show off his tackling skills.

Selected as one of three all-purpose players on the first team was Wheatland junior Vince Vetrone, who rushed for 679 yards and six touchdowns and had more than 700 return yards, while also returning four kicks for touchdowns, and then there's Yuba City's Kevin Noall.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior led the Honkers with 30 receptions for 546 yards and five touchdowns, intercepted three passes, returned three kickoffs for touchdowns and made 15 point after kicks and a field goal this season.

Marysville sophomore Mike Barabin rounds out the first team. The 5-foot-8, 180-pounder rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and six touchdowns, completing two passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns — while having another two TD tosses called back — and was also a member of Marysville's strong linebacking corps.

Doing the punting is Biggs' quarterback John Seipert and handling the kicking duties is left-footed soccer player Tim Hollingworth of Wheatland.