Where Are They Now? Update on former local athletes playing college sports outside Kern County
| Tuesday, Oct 27 2009 05:42 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Oct 27 2009 10:07 PM
Where Are They Now? will be a weekly feature throughout the school year. If you have a name to add to the list, even for winter or spring sports, e-mail Ron Stapp at stapp7@msn.com
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Stockdale High graduate Kate McWhorter goes up high for a hit for the University of Massachusetts-Boston.
Stockdale High graduate Kate McWhorter is a standout volleyball player now for the University of Massachusetts-Boston
With his playing time limited by a nagging hamstring injury, Brett Willis has made the most of his playing time as a wide receiver at Sacramento State this season.
The Garces High standout has just six catches, but three of them have gone for touchdowns. He had a 28-yard scoring play in Saturday's 35-20 loss to undefeated Montana.
"I've been my own worst enemy," Willis said. "I just have to prove I can stay healthy."
The injury is just another in a series of setbacks for Willis, who was a two-time all-league selection for the Rams.
Willis initially accepted a scholarship to Colorado State, but after red-shirting in 2006, he played in just two games the following season and opted to transfer closer to home. He started only one game last season, but played in all but one, making nine catches for 78 yards.
Things looked to be turning around for Willis this year. He had four catches for 52 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown in a 38-19 loss to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Week 2 before the hamstring injury started to wreak havoc. He caught a 15-yard TD pass two weeks later, but didn't get another reception until Saturday's scoring play.
"I'm feeling better now," Willis said. "I just have to show the coaches that I can stay healthy.
Across country, Katie McWhorter has finally found a home on the volleyball court.
The former Stockdale High star, who transferred to the University of Massachusetts-Boston last year after two seasons at Cal State Bakersfield, was named the Little East Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season and for the sixth time in her two years at the North Dartmouth, Mass., campus.
For the week, McWhorter made just six errors in 81 kill attempts, averaging 5.22 kills per set in three victories this week.
The senior outside hitter had more than 19 kills in two of the three matches, sweeps of Roger Williams University, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth and Plymouth State as her team took sole possession of first place in the Little East Conference.
The returning conference offensive player of the year has led the Beacons to 11 straight wins en route to a 24-4 record and she is on pace to shatter the team record for hitting percentage.
Note: Stats were not available for all athletes.
Football
Matt Akers (Liberty), DE, Fresno State -- Freshman has seven tackles in six games, three unassisted, including a tackle for a loss in the Bulldogs' 34-3 victory Saturday over New Mexico State.
Brandon Banks (BC), WR, Kansas State -- Senior leads the Wildcats with 33 catches for 368 yards and a touchdown. He also has 49 rushing yards and has returned 13 punts for 121 yards this season. He had a 41-yard kickoff return, three catches for 14 yards, two rushes for 15 yards and also returned three punts for 10 yards. In the Wildcats' 20-6 win Saturday over Colorado.
Michael Berry (Garces), WR, Texas Christian Univ.
David Born (West), OL, Sacramento State, no stats
Ryan Boschma (Bakersfield Christian), DL, Fresno State
Jacob Bower (BC), QB, Tulsa -- Junior is 6-for-13 passing for 86 yards and a touchdown, and has also rushed for 37 yards and a score for the Golden Hurricanes (4-3).
Derek Carr (Bakersfield Christian), QB, Fresno State -- Freshman is 10-of-14 passing for 112 yards in four games of limited action this season. He was 4-of-6 in Saturday's 34-3 win over New Mexico State, including a 29-yard pass.
Daniel Calvin (Bakersfield High, BC), DT, Kansas State -- Senior has 18 tackles, 10 solo, a sack and three tackles for a loss for the Wildcats. He had two unassisted tackles in his team's 20-6 victory over Colorado on Saturday.
Jack Campbell (Garces High), DL, Cornell -- Junior has six tackles, including for unassisted, for the Big Red (2-4) this season.
Justin Cheadle (Bakersfield High), OL, Cal
Bruce Frieson (BC), RB, Eastern Kentucky -- Junior has rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries for the Colonels (4-3).
Jacob Hickman (Centennial), OL, Nebraska
Curtis Huge (Stockdale), P, SE Missouri State -- Freshman is averaging 54 yards per attempt on kickoffs for the Redhawks (1-6).
Ryan Mathews (West High), RB, Fresno State -- Junior continues to lead the nation in rushing. Has 1,131 yards and nine touchdowns on 156 carries. He is averaging 161.6 yards per game and 7.2 yards per carry. He rushed for 158 yards and two scores, including a 68-yard TD run, on 25 carries in Saturday's 34-3 victory over New Mexico State.
AJ Jefferson (West), DB/KR, Fresno State -- Senior is third on the team with 20 solo tackles, has two tackles for a loss and a forced fumble. He also had 334 yards on 15 kick returns for a 22.3 average.
AJ Johnson (Highland), WR, Fresno State
Christian Johnson (Centennial), long snapper, New Mexico
Kevin Kobliska (Garces), DB, Chapman
Zach Lewis (Garces), TE, San Diego -- Junior has two catches for 16 yards for the Toreros (3-4).
Daron Mackey (West, BC), LB, Boise State -- Junior has 17 tackles, 12 unassisted, a forced fumble, three tackles for a loss and two pass deflections for the fifth-ranked Broncos (7-0).
Will Mahan (Bakersfield High, BC), P, Washington -- Junior is averaging 41.8 yards per punt, including 12 inside the 20-yard line. He has seven kicks over 50 yards for the Huskies (3-5).
Princeton McCarty (West High), RB, Idaho -- Sophomore has 446 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 74 carries for the Vandals (6-2). He also has four catches for 70 yards and a score. He had four carries for 14 yards in a 70-45 loss to Nevada on Saturday.
Alex Mitchell (Bakersfield High), DB, Whittier -- Freshman has three tackles, two of them unassisted for the Poets (2-4).
Peter Mitchell (Bakersfield High), QB, Whittier -- Has yet to throw a pass this season in limited action. Caught a 9-yard pass in the Poets' 15-7 loss to Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday.
Emmanual Ojeriakhi, (Stockdale), WR, Utah State
Ben Ossai (Stockdale), OL, Washington
Gerrit Otten (Liberty, BC), DB, Cal Poly SLO
Brandon Owens (Ridgeview), DB, Colorado State -- Sophomore has five tackles in five games, including one solo tackle, for the Rams (3-5).
Devin Pruett (Liberty, BC), DB, Hofstra -- Junior has five tackles, one unassisted and one for a loss in eight games for the Pride (4-4).
Colton Schmidt (Liberty), P, UC Davis -- Freshman is averaging 39.1 yards per punt, placing 13 of his 33 kicks inside the 20 yard line for the Aggies (4-3).
Ryan Skidmore (East), TE, Fresno State
Brandon Smith (West), WR, Arizona State
Attrail Snipes (BC), WR, Kansas State -- Senior has 17 catches for 268 yards and two touchdowns for the 5-3 Wildcats, who have won four of their last five games. He had two catches for 33 yards in Saturday's 20-6 victory over Colorado.
Patrick Su'a (Highland), LB, Fresno State
Gary Sumlin (West, BC), OL, Western Illinois
Christian Taylor (Bakersfield Christian), RB, Humboldt State (Red shirt)
Phillip Thomas (Bakersfield High), DB, Fresno State -- Freshman has 12 solo tack1es, including one for a 2-yard loss in seven games for the Bulldogs.
Brett Willis (Garces), WR, Sacramento State -- Junior has six catches for 95 yards and three touchdowns for the Hornets (2-5). He caught a 28-yard scoring pass in his team's 45-30 loss to undefeated Montana (7-0) on Saturday.
Cross country
Chris Schwartz (Foothill), Cal Poly SLO
Volleyball
Cassandra Anderson (Bakersfield High), Florida -- Sophomore leads the Gators (16-3) with eight stuffed blocks and is sixth on the team with 76 kills in 19 matches.
Kailee Blair (Centennial), S, Westmont -- Sophomore leads the Warriors with 559 assists and also has 17 aces.
Charlene DeHoog (Bak. Christian), OH, UC Santa Barbara -- Junior has 88 kills, three aces and a stuffed block in 19 matches for the Gauchos.
Carolyn Ewert (Centennial), Navy -- Freshman is second on her team in kills with 156 and also 7 aces for the Naval Academy (6-18).
Clare Flood (Bakersfield Christian), MB, Boston College
Mallori Gibson (Foothill), OH, Pacific -- Senior is second on the team in kills with 247 and has 28 aces for the Tigers (15-5).
Lize Hicks (Liberty), DS, Houston Baptist -- Senior has 81 digs and five assists this season.
Michele Keathley (Stockdale), DS, Fordham -- Freshman has 159 digs and seven aces for the Rams.
Jamie Kidd (Bakersfield High), OH, Cal Poly Pomona -- Freshman has three kills and seven digs in five matches for the Broncos.
Breanne Menees (Centennial), DS, Sacramento State -- Sophomore leads the Hornets in digs with 415 and also has 23 aces in 25 matches.
Ashley Oscars (Liberty), OH, Maryland-Baltimore County -- Senior is second on the team with 166 kills for the Retrievers (12-8).
Natalie Robinson (Liberty), OH, Pacific
Stevi Robinson (Stockdale), OH, Pepperdine -- Sophomore has a team-high 336 digs and 30 aces for the Waves (11-9).
Shelby Staab (Garces), MB, San Diego -- Freshman has eight kills and an assist in five matches for the Toreros this season.
Caitlin Tittl (Liberty), OH, Northeastern -- Junior is third on her team in kills with 165 and second in aces with 25.
Lexi Watson (Liberty), OH, Fresno State (red shirt)
Elisse Wolff (Bakersfield Christian), OH, Westmont -- Junior has 20 kills and is fourth on the team with 135 digs in nine matches.
