Air Strike scoreboard: Who were the stars? Who struggled?

Mater Dei junior-to-be Victor Blackwell might be the county’s best wide receiver in the fall, especially if he plays the way he did at the Air Strike Passing Tournament on Saturday at Dana Hills High.

I checked out Blackwell in a great first-round game against Dana Hills, and he was the most dangerous player on the field.

In overtime, the 6-foot-1, 187-pounder had a long reception and a short touchdown catch as the Monarchs edged the Dolphins. But that wasn’t his best moment.

In regulation, Blackwell made a spectacular leaping catch against what was basically triple coverage in the end zone on a long pass. The play was nullified, but Blackwell’s ability to go up and make the catch was impressive.

He also ran good route today and showed solid hands.

Blackwell also impressed me by playing some defensive back.

Surprisingly, Blackwell hasn't been offered a scholarship yet, but he said Cal might be close to offering. He also said USC, UCLA and Oregon are recruiting him.

“Victor is a high-profile, nation-recruit kid,” Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson said.

Oaks Christian quarterback and recent Washington commit Nick Montana impressed me with his accuracy and mobility at the tournment.

Sure, he has things to work on like all high school quarterbacks but the 6-foot-3, 191-pounder is certainly a Pac-10-level recruit. He has a strong-enough arm but not a Matt Barkley-like cannon.

His No. 1 strength at this point might be throwing on the run.

And as his Coach Bill Redell noted with a smile, the QB's father - NFL legend Joe Montana - was pretty good at that, too.

Just ask the Dallas Cowboys.

Dana Hills featured one of the best quarterbacks in the county last season in Duke-bound Sean Schroeder.

But the Dolphins showed at the Air Strike passing tournament that they have quality replacement options.

Senior-to-be Josh Dean and junior-to-be Trent Mason each had their impressive moments for a competitive Dolphins squad.

Last season, Dean backed up Schroeder, who was on the Dana Hills sideline Saturday. In the Dolphins’ opener against Mater Dei, he shined by tossing a long touchdown pass in overtime to a diving Chris Kearney, a junior-to-be who blazed down the middle of the field en route to making a spectacular catch.

That connection - on Dana Hills’ third play - almost was the winner, but Mater Dei’s Victor Blackwell scored on the Monarchs’ second play for the win.

At 6-foot-3, 190, Mason is bigger and a better runner. Mason is a former WR who can really run.

Dana Hills coach Brent Melbon said Dean has a slight edge in the competition so far.

Dean has more experience and throws a nice deep ball.

But no matter plays for Dana Hills, it appears that the Dolphins will be solid at quarterback - which is a thing in the South Coast League.

Perhaps the biggest question for Los Alamitos’ football team is who will fill the shoes of Colorado-bound quarterback Clark Evans?

At the Air Strike passing tournament, the Griffins featured left-handed Dylan Cook at the controls.

Cook certainly was respectable and impressed me at time in first high-profile assignment. This tournament is loaded with speed and top recruits.

“He’s gotten better,” Los Alamitos coach John Barnes said of the senior-to-be. “He played great in the first game (against Long Beach Poly).”

Los Al beat Poly and advance to play Oaks Christian in the second round. Against the Lions, Cook showed nice touch on a touchdown pass on the Griffins’ opening drive to Nick Richardson, a junior-to-be running back to watch in the fall.

Cook also also connected well with Robert Watson and the emerging Haven Fielding.

The Griffins ended up pushing Oaks Christian to overtime before falling on a tie-breaker. Regulation ended tied, 20-20.

Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com