Football's midseason best

We’re at the halfway point of the high school football season. In six weeks I have seen 13 games and 15 teams. If the season ended today, here is how my all-county first-team votes would go at the offensive skill positions.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

The favorite:
• Matt Barkley, QB, Mater Dei — I don’t care that he’s only a junior. He has been the most outstanding player in the county with the numbers to prove it. Barkley has a bevy of options and is effectively using them all.

The others:
• Blake Ayles, TE, Orange Lutheran — He has been the most dominant player I’ve seen. He looks like he should be playing on Saturdays.
• D.J. Shoemate, WR/RB, Servite — He has been the most valuable player I have watched. Shoemate lines up in a different spot on every play and, despite his team’s offensive struggles, he has been an excellent playmaker.

QUARTERBACKS

The favorite:
• Barkley, Mater Dei — 1,642 yards, 19 touchdowns, 5-0 record. Need I say more?

The others:
• Blake Hyepock, Orange Lutheran — He has been very efficient and does not force things. A first-year starter who seems to improve each week, Hyepock is proving to be more than an also-ran in an offense full of talent.
• Nick Crissman, Edison — When healthy, he is one of the two best in the county. A bigger problem has been pass protection and finding people to throw to.
• Allan Bridgford, Mission Viejo — He has one of the better arms in the county. Bridgford has struggled in Mission Viejo’s two defeats. Still in his first full season as a starter, expect him to play better in league play.

Notables I have not seen:
• Clark Evans, Los Alamitos
• Brad Curtis, San Clemente
• Bryse Blake, Fountain Valley
• Chris Morales, La Habra

RUNNING BACKS

The favorites:
• Derrick Coleman, Troy — His speed and power allow him to break a lot of runs. His versatility makes him a threat out of the backfield. He is likely to finish near the top of the leaderboards in yards and touchdowns, while playing for a top-15 team.
• Carlo Audagnotti, Santa Margarita — He is a shifty, smaller back who is sometimes hard to find running behind his blockers. Audagnotti has been consistent and lifted an Eagles offense that, at times, has struggled.

The others:
• Wes Fletcher, Valencia — How much will he be bothered by that ankle injury?
• Matt Contreras, Anaheim — If he can stay on the field, he could end up leading the county in rushing.

Notables I have not seen:
• Ray Holley, El Modena
• Josh Hawkins, Canyon

WIDE RECEIVERS

The favorites:
• Robbie Boyer, Mater Dei — In his team’s biggest test, it was Boyer who quarterback Matt Barkley looked to (and found) most. He is a big-play threat who is also very much a possession receiver for the Monarchs.
• Shoemate, Servite — Sometimes he is his team’s only option. Opposing defenses know that and he still has scored 10 of Servite’s 15 touchdowns.

The others:
• Tyler Ortiz, Pacifica — He is a big-play receiver who can line up all over the field.
• Josh Swaney, Troy — Nearly every pass attempted by his cousin, Tyler, goes his way.
• Kevin Chandler, Mission Viejo — He has been Allan Bridgford’s favorite target.

Notables I have not seen:
• Ali Meskin, Corona del Mar
• Christian Daniel, Canyon
• Darryl Jenkins, Los Alamitos
• Dakota Hopkins, Brea Olinda

Contact the writer: amaya@ocregister.com