Breitbard Stars of the Month, October, 2005

PROFESSIONALS

DREW BREES (Football, Chargers) – The Pro Bowl quarterback was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week after directing the Chargers to a 41-17 win on Oct. 2 over the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. Brees posted a quarterback rating of 137.5 as he completed 19 of 24 passes (79.2 percent) for 248 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and no sacks. It was the most points scored against the Patriots since the 1998 season. The 6-foot, 209-pounder also threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-20 win over Kansas City and completed 14-of-20 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown in a 27-14 win over Oakland.

ERIC CHAVEZ (Baseball, Athletics/Mt. Carmel High) – The A’s third baseman won his fifth straight Gold Glove for a third baseman in his seventh Major League season. Chavez, 27, is known for remarkable fielding plays and won the award despite playing all year with a sore shoulder. He rehabbed the shoulder but may eventually need surgery. He was second among third baseman in the AL in chances (438), second in double plays (28) and tied for third in assists (302). The voting is amongst managers and coaches. He hit .269 with 27 home runs and 101 RBI for the year.

DEENA KASTOR (Marathon, U.S. Olympic Training Center) – Kastor, who trains as a part-time resident at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, won the Chicago Marathon women’s title with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes, 25 seconds. Although it was her first marathon title, Kastor was the marathon bronze medalist at the 2004 Olympics. Kastor holds the American record in the women’s marathon with a 2:21:16 at the 2003 London Marathon.

LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (Football, Chargers) – The fifth-year running back was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season when he scored touchdowns running, receiving and passing the ball in the Chargers’ 27-14 win on Oct. 16 over the Oakland Raiders. Tomlinson became only the fifth player in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to pull of the hat trick. His receiving touchdown tied a 40-year-old NFL record set by Lenny Moore for consecutive games scoring running or receiving with 18 straight and his rushing touchdown extended his NFL record for consecutive rushing touchdowns to 18. Tomlinson earlier ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns in a win over New England and threw a touchdown pass in a win over Kansas City.

AMATEURS

RUSSELL ALLEN (Football, San Diego State/Vista High) -- The redshirt freshman was named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week after recording 10 tackles in the Aztecs’ 31-10 win on Oct. 1 for over BYU. Allen, who can play middle or outside linebacker, recorded a game-high and career-high total of 10 tackles as the Aztecs limited BYU to 44 yards rushing. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder was the CIF San Diego Section Defensive Player of the Year in 2003 as a senior at Vista. Allen, although not a starter to open the season, is eighth on the team in tackles with 41 and has one interception.

CHRISTIE DAWSON (Women’s volleyball, USD) – The junior averaged 5.1 kills per game in October, hitting .307 to reach double-figures in kills in all eight of USD matches, helping the 20th-ranked Toreros post five wins with three sweeps. Dawson set a number of career-highs during the month. Her career-best 33 kills led USD to victory over San Diego State. Later that week Dawson was outstanding during a Bay Area road-trip in which she had 16 kills, 10 digs and 6 blocks against St. Mary’s on Oct. 21 and put down 27 kills in a victory against San Francisco on Oct. 22. During a three-game sweep over Pepperdine on Oct. 29, Dawson had 24 kills. She carried the Toreros after loss of junior outside hitter Kristen Carlson to a leg injury.

REGGIE GRIGSBY (Football, San Diego State/El Camino High) -- The junior strong safety from El Camino High was named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the Aztecs’ 28-19 win over Utah on Oct. 15 at Salt Lake City, Utah. Grigsby, a 5-foot-11, 210-pounder, recorded 11 tackles with eight solo stops. He also forced a fumble and intercepted a pass at the SDSU 14-yard line when Utah was driving and trailing only 21-13. Grigsby finished the month second on the team in tackles with 75 total and 50 solo.

J.T. ROGAN (Football, USD/Coronado High) – The redshirt freshman running back led USD to a 5-0 record in October, including four Pioneer Football League wins to win the North Division title. Rogan rushed for 610 yards and seven touchdowns for a 122.0 yards per game. He also caught 17 passes for 190 yards and three more TDs. In a 48-24 win over then-No. 1-ranked Dayton, he rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns. In a win over Drake, he finished with 176 yards rushing and nine receptions for 92 yards. Rogan finished the month with 930 yards and 1 touchdowns.

JENNIFER SALEAUMUA (Women’s volleyball, Nebraska/Bonita Vista High) – The senior 5-foot-11 outside hitter added to her school record in career digs with 22 on Oct. 19 against No. 23-ranked Kansas State to push her total then to 1,390. It was her 15th double-digit game in digs of the year and the highest total in the Big 12 for a three-game match. Last year’s Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year and All-American pick also recorded seven kills, 10 digs and four blocks in a sweep on Oct. 26 against Kansas. Nebraska finished the month ranked No. 1 in the nation.

HALEY SCOTT (Field hockey, Wake Forest/Torrey Pines High) – The junior midfielder from Torrey Pines High was named to the All-ACC team as the defending national champions finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the nation with an 18-0 record. Scott led the Demon Deacons with four game-winning goals and was s second in scoring overall with 15 goals and 25 points. She had two goals and an assist in a 4-0 win on Oct. 16 over Virginia Commonwealth. Earlier in the year Scott was the ACC Player of the Week after scoring two goals on Sept. 12 in a 2-1 win over Duke.

PREPS

ANDREA JACOBS (Girls cross country, Vista High) – The junior won her third invitational of the year when she finished first on Oct. 22 in the Jaguar Invitational at Kit Carson Park. The 2004 Avocado League champion won the 2.6-mile race with a time of 15 minutes, 20 seconds while leading the Panthers to a second-place team finish. Jacobs earlier in the year won Vaquero Invitational and Dana Hills Invitationa.

LISA MAFFUCCI (Field hockey, La Costa Canyon High) -- The senior led the Mavericks to the Palomar League title and a No. 1 ranking in San Diego to finish the regular season. Maffucci led her team in scoring with 19 goals and 14 assists. She scored four goals in a 7-0 win over Poway.

NICO SARDO (Boys water polo, Bishop’s) – The 2004 All-CIF Player of the Year started the month representing the USA Junior National Water Polo team in the World Championships in Argentina, but he returned to home waters in time to help the Knights remain atop the Division II rankings. He finished the month with 51 goals and 33 assists in 15 games.

KATHERINE SHOWEN (Girls volleyball, Torrey Pines) -- The 5-foot-7 senior setter led Torrey Pines to the semifinal of the California Challenge and was named to the all-tournament team. The Falcons were the highest finishing San Diego team that featured some of the state’s best teams Oct. 13-14 at Torrey Pines. The Falcons finished the month as San Diego’s No. 1-ranked team.

DEMETRIUS SUMLER (Football, Cathedral Catholic High) -- The senior running back rushed for 360, 181 and 279 yards in three October games (including a bye week). His 360-yard performance in a win over against Scripps Ranch is the sixth best single-game total in section history. The 5-foot-11, 210-pounder ran for 279 yards and five touchdowns all in the first half in a win over Morse. He had led the Dons to a late lead over St. Augustine with 181 yards rushing before the Saints won on the last play of the game. Sumler finished the month with 1,704 yards and 24 touchdowns.

MARCUS YARBOROUGH (Football, Eastlake High) -- The senior linebacker scored his second touchdown of the year following a forced fumble that he recovered in the end zone in the Titans’ win over Chula Vista. The 6-foot-2, 250-pounder also had an interception in a win over Southwest and three sacks in a win over Montgomery. He leads the team in tackles with 95 (53 solo), has two interceptions and two touchdowns on fumble recoveries. Eastlake was 3-0 in October and finished the month ranked No. 6 in San Diego and 7-1 overall. Among the schools recruiting Yarborough, the son of former SDSU football player Darryl Yarborough (1978-81) is being recruited by SDSU, UCLA and Arizona.