California Southern Section high school football watchlist: Breakout Player of the Year

The following players have earned themselves a spot on the watchlist for SBLive's 2024 Breakout Player of the Year in the CIF Southern Section.

Orange Lutheran's Chris Flores Jr. carries the ball against Sierra Canyon. / Rene Morales

Halftime! Well, sort of.

We're halfway through the high school football season in California, and particularly in the CIF Southern Section. Apart from embarking on Week 5, another good indicator of the mid-year point is all the bye weeks. Sixteen of the Top 25 teams in the SBLive rankings are off before league play begins for most in October.

As teams begin to compete for the postseason, vying for position in league play, the performance of players will be amplified due to the magnitude of games the rest of the season. League games are colossal.

That said, the following players have done enough through the first half of the season to earn their way onto the 2024 Breakout Player of the Year watchlist. A big-time league campaign could help a player - on or off the watchlist - win the award.

St. John Bosco's Caleb Sanchez was the 2023 SBLive Breakout Player of the Year.

NOTE: A player not listed can win the award. This is not a candidate list.

2024 BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCHLIST

(Alphabetical)

RB - Braylin Drake, Corona Centennial, So.

Last year, the Huskies had more than 2,200 yards on the ground from Cornell Hatcher. Drake has filled the void wonderfully since Hatcher graduated, running for 586 yards and eight scores on 61 carries in just three games.

WR - Chris Flores Jr., Orange Lutheran, So.

Flores is the Lancers leading receiver with 393 yards on 29 receptions (13 more catches than team's second best) and four TDs. Flores is very dangerous in the open field and does a lot his damage after the catch.

Braylin Drake of Corona Centennial. / Michael Cezares

RB - Joshua Griffiths, Monrovia, Sr.

Griffiths has the Panthers unbeaten thanks to his conistent running game. He's up to 666 yards rushing and 10 TDs.

QB - Ryan Hopkins, JSerra, Jr.

The potential frontrunner to win this award is Ryan Hopkins. The junior QB has dazzled in his debut season as a varsity starter, throwing for 681 yards and eight TDs. He's also the team's leading rusher with 391 yards and six scores.

QB - Jaden Jefferson, Cathedral, So.

He's all the rage. Jaden Jefferson is emerging as one of SoCal's best 2027 QBs. Jefferson has the Phantoms 4-1 thanks to 1,281 yards passing and 13 TDs. He's completing 69% of his throws.

Cathedral QB Jaden Jefferson. / Rene Morales

DL - Gavin Kinkaid, Capistrano Valley, Sr.

Kinkaid is one of the Southern Section's leading sack getters. Capo Valley is 4-1 thanks in part to its stingy defense. Kinkaid has 10 sack in four games.

QB - Cash O'Byrne, Tesoro, Sr.

O'Byrne isn't new, but he's improved tremendously. He threw for 2,333 yards and 15 TDs last year in 10 games. He's already up to 1,395 yards and 10 TDs in four games.

LB - Tristan Phillips, Ventura, Jr.

The numbers indicate Phillips is having a breakout year. As a sophomore he tallied 49 tackles in 10 games. He already has 52 in four games this fall.

Monrovia's Joshua Griffiths. / Rene Morales

WR - Damani Porras, Downey, So.

Downey QB Oscar Rios is having a monster year ... which means he has to be throwing it to someone! That's Damani Porras.

Porras has hauled in 31 passes for 598 yards and nine TDs. He's averaging 120 yards per game.

RB - Journee Tonga, Leuzinger, Jr.

Tonga has been stellar on the ground through for games, tallying 869 yards rushing and 13 TDs already. The standout junior is averaging 217 yards per game.

QB - Dane Weber, Chaparral, So.

Weber has stepped into his firs-time starting role flawlessly. The standout QB has tossed for 914 yards and 12 TDs in four games. He can move a little, too, rushing for a team-high 264 yards and three scores.

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