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OAKLAND, january 6, 2026 – The defensive trenches in Bay area high school football are stacked with talent, and several players are already committed to prestigious college programs. Leading the charge is Nemyah Telona of De La Salle, a Cal commit who anchored a formidable defensive line for the Spartans.
All-Bay Area Defensive Standouts Named
Top players recognized for their performance on the defensive line during the 2025 season.
- Nemyah Telona of De La Salle headlines the first team, having recorded 30 tackles and three sacks.
- Koi Taiese of McClymonds, a San Diego State signee, was instrumental in leading his team to the CIF 3-A state championship game.
- DJ Sanchez of Archbishop Riordan dominated with 13 sacks and 33 quarterback hurries.
- Palmer Riley of Menlo School earned PAL Bay defensive player of the year honors.
- japheth Tofaeono of Pittsburg tallied an impressive 97 tackles.
Telona, a 6-foot-2, 285-pound senior, registered 30 tackles, seven for loss, and three sacks as the cornerstone of De La Salle’s defensive line. Taiese,a force on the edge for McClymonds,played a pivotal role in the Warriors’ run to the CIF 3-A state championship game. Sanchez, a relentless pass rusher from Archbishop Riordan, wreaked havoc on opposing offenses with 13 sacks and 33 quarterback hurries.
Riley,a Vanderbilt commit and the PAL Bay defensive player of the year,amassed 74 tackles,23 tackles for loss,10 sacks,and five forced fumbles.
Goldsworthy, a 6-foot-6, 220-pound senior, led Amador Valley to a co-EBAL Mountain championship, despite recently decommitting from UNLV. Tofaeono, a dynamic defender, finished the year with 97 tackles, 23 for loss, four sacks, and 20 quarterback hurries, adding a fumble recovery to his impressive stat line.Williams, a long and rangy three-star player, anchored the edge of Sacred Heart cathedral’s D-line, contributing 24 tackles (four for loss), a sack, a fumble recovery, and five quarterback hurries.
Honorable Mentions
Jiraiya Bellamy (Sacred Heart Cathedral), Federico-Mario Cobarubio (Valley Christian), Sione Fanaika (Archbishop Riordan), Colby Faumui (Santa Teresa), Xander Grayson (Serra), jeziah Gonzalez (San Jose), Xavier Hernandez (Silver Creek), Gabriel Jimenez Yanez (Christopher), Tucker Jones (St. Ignatius), Cole Krings (Los Gatos), Carlos Latu (Woodside), Jordan Lavulo (Menlo-Atherton), Israel Lopez (San Leandro), Viliami Lotoaniu (Liberty), Tywan Melrose (Hayward), Ose Oriabure (Bishop O’Dowd), Vince Parmann (Half Moon Bay), Joseph Paasi (Wilcox), Tekiteki Pekipaki (Santa Teresa), Omri Phillips (Lincoln-San Jose), aaron Pita (Aragon), agustin Sedano (Irvington), Johnathan Soudah (Hillsdale), Ha’angana Tau (Pittsburg), Tevita Taupaki (James Logan), Peyton Thomas (Serra), Siaosi Vai (Christopher), Matthew Williams (Leigh), and Trevon West (Pittsburg) also received honorable mention.
Looking Ahead
The announcement of the All-Bay Area football team will continue with the Coach of the Year on Monday, January 5, followed by player of the year selections for Alameda, Contra Costa, peninsula, and Santa Clara counties on January 6. Kickers/punters, offensive line, and athletes will be recognized on January 7, with linebackers, running backs, and utility players following on January 8. The selections will conclude with defensive backs, wide receivers/tight ends, quarterbacks on January 9, and the entire team will be featured in a single article on January 11.
Players eligible for all-BANG honors come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, with selections made by the news organization’s high school sports staff.
