Stevenson (Lincolnshire, Ill.) point guard Jalen Brunson has signed with Villanova.

This is a part of a regular series on prospective American Family Insurance ALL-USA basketball players. Jalen Brunson, a 6-2, 190-pound senior point guard from Stevenson (Lincolnshire, Ill.), is a two-time All-State player,  played for USA Basketball’s FIBA Americas U18 Championship gold medal team this summer, averaging 12.0 points and 5.6 assists, and has signed with Villanova. He is the son of former NBA player Rick Brunson and was a member of the American Family Insurance ALL-USA preseason boys basketball team.

Recruit ranking: Listed as the No. 20 player overall and the No. 2 point guard in the 2015 class by 247Sports.com’s composite rankings.

Style of play: Strong three-point shooter with a solid crossover and is physical enough to handle double-teams. Capable of putting up points in bunches as evidenced by his 56 points in a playoff loss last season against Whitney Young (Chicago). Makes up for a lack of athleticism with a high basketball IQ and the ability to play big in important games.

Learning from his father: “It has helped me a lot because he has a great mind and I get to pick from it every day,” Brunson said. “That’s something I should be thankful of. It gives me more motivation to get better.”

Working on: “Making the right play at the right time,” Brunson said. “I have to play better and have to play within myself. When I know someone is coming at me full-speed, I know I can’t back down from the challenge.”

Handling odd defenses: One team, Libertyville, put a triangle and two defense on him with the two players staying on him even when he didn’t have the ball. “My teammates scored 10 straight points, “Brunson said. “So they came right out of that defense.”

Last season: He averaged 26.1 points and 4.7 assists a game, leading team to the 4A semifinals.

This season: He’s averaging 23.0 points, 5.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.7 steals a game.

Big games: He put up 48 points in an 88-81 defeat of Chaminade (St. Louis) on Jan. 2. He had 41 points in a 76-69 defeat of Lake Forest on Jan. 15.

Compared to a pro: Has similar games to Derek Fisher and Deron Williams, two rugged but undersized point guards who know how to win.

They said it: “He sees the game at an incredible level,” Stevenson coach Pat Ambrose said. “In certain games, the bigger the game, the better he plays.”

Retired McFarland High School cross country coach Jim White speaks with joy in his voice in a phone interview from Hollywood, where they had an advance screening of Disney’s McFarland, USA, a based-on-a-true-story movie about the 1987 rise of a California state cross country championship contender from fields of migrant workers. The movie opens Friday.

“Have you seen the movie yet?” he asks. “It’s really good. We showed it to 300 people last night at Pepperdine, because I went to school there. It was wonderful; they gave us a standing ovation for five minutes!”

White is happy with Kevin Costner’s portrayal of him. “I don’t think they could’ve picked anybody better for me than him. We just loved it.”

He was impressed with Costner’s knowledge of his coaching style, and Costner influenced the script by telling them they had initially been portraying him in the wrong way, which wouldn’t lead to success, White says.

The screenings, including a round of 25 media interviews in Toronto, have been surreal — “I didn’t even know what a press junket was!” — for this man who worked 40 years teaching and coaching, building record-breaking teams with often impoverished students in California.

The story shows White, his wife and children, serving as friends, teachers, uncles, or second families. “I tried to teach them and console them and treat them like my own kids,” he said.

The Cougars bond was because of closeness White and his wife Cheryl (played by Maria Bello) held for the kids. “My wife became a caring mother for them,” White said. “She hugged them when they came in from practice — it didn’t matter their sweaty bodies — she’s developing a bond with them, and those things were very important to us.”

He says he didn’t try to take the place of the boys’ dads who never saw them run. “I had three Diazes on that [1987] team, but there were four more and they all ran. I’m going to expect one parent who’s just trying to survive working in the fields … to buy shoes? Or to feed them when they’re running? So I had to spend time doing that.”

White points to his faith as being key, his parents instilling Christian values: “God’s been an important part of my life,” he said.

As a Church of Christ minister, he has preached, conducted a funeral, and even performed [’87 runner] Damacio Diaz’s wedding.

“They only showed one prayer in the movie, and that’s all right,” he said. “But I wanted to be a godly man, and I wanted to be a godly example for the kids.”

White says his cross country coaching model is Joe Newton, who coached for 50 years, winning 28 Illinois state titles and helping manage marathon runners in the 1988 Olympics.

“I picked up little things from him, like how he treats the kids,” he said. “He promotes a good attitude. He would pick them up and put them in limousines, I’ve done that. He’d put them in tuxedos for different awards, and I would do that for awards banquets.”

White, now in his 70s, sums up his coaching: “I preach attitude all the time. That’s the only thing we can control. It’s more important than anything else and it’s going to carry you a long way. If you develop a good attitude. … you’re going to do better on your team. It’s going to help you do better in your profession, in your job, in all walks of life, if you can control your attitude. What I tell the kids is, everybody’s going to have problems. You’re going to have problems no matter what you do and what you did, but it’s how you let the problems affect you that you have to control.”

And his advice to student athletes facing challenges is similar.

“You have to spend time developing your own attitude in controlling those things that are happening in your life,” he said. “I’ve had some kids [who were faced with difficult situations]… all they kept thinking about were the negative, negative, negative. You have to still think of positive things.

“Things will work out. You’re not going to always be perfect. But you can still try to do the best you can do all the time. We don’t win all the time. We won our share. But you still strive to win, and strive to set your goals as high as you can. They can be achievable.”

Introducing the inaugural American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Boys Lacrosse Team provided by 3d Rising.

MORE: Preseason Super 25 Boys Lacrosse Rankings

Selections were based on on-field accomplishments during the high school season, statistics and level of competition. Player comments by Casey Vock.

FIRST TEAM

Attack

Dan Bucaro from Ward Melville (Photo: Steven Ryan, Newsday)

Dan Bucaro, Ward Melville (East Setauket, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Georgetown

Bucaro blew up as a sophomore with 87 points on the way to the 2013 New York State Class A title. But an ankle injury cut short his 2014 season. He’s widely considered Long Island’s top player, incredibly difficult to stop with his size and athleticism. Bucaro will look to lead a powerful Ward Melville team to a better season after the Patriots fell to West Islip in the Section A playoffs last year.

Timmy Kelly (Photo credit: Doug Kapustin, Baltimore Sun)

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Timmy Kelly, Calvert Hall (Baltimore)
Year: Senior
College: North Carolina

Kelly, a member of a lacrosse family dynasty, is the premier attackman in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association. Kelly is a prototypical facilitating attackman with great vision and stick skills and the ability to breakdown defenders and score on his own. He notched 51 goals and 42 assists last season. He’ll follow numerous family members to North Carolina.

Brian Willetts (Photo credit: Paul Alesse)

Brian Willetts, Smithtown East (St. James, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Notre Dame

Willetts is a 6-foot-3-inch righty with a monster shot who put up 52 goals and 11 assists as a junior. Willetts has progressed from an outstanding stationary wing shooter to being able to create his own shots. He’ll lead the way for Smithtown East as the Bulls look to battle for the Suffolk County Class A title.

Andy Matthews (Photo courtesy of bosleyjarrettphotography)

Andy Matthews, Gilman (Baltimore)
Year: Senior
College: North Carolina

A skilled dodger and intelligent player, Matthews — who is coached by his uncle, Brooks — is quick and evasive. He’s small but athletic. He has good hands and can also feed with accuracy. Gilman could be a sleeper pick in the MIAA, and an experienced and productive player such as Matthews could lead the charge. He returns after notching more than 60 points as a junior.

MIDFIELD

Ryan Conrad (Photo courtesy of Loyola Blakefield)

Ryan Conrad, Loyola Blakefield (Towson, Md.)
Year: Senior
College: Virginia

Conrad is widely considered the top midfield prospect in the Class of 2015. He is a triple threat in the midfield: he plays good defense, takes face-offs if needed and is nearly unstoppable on the offensive end. His lacrosse IQ, shooting ability and athleticism have made him one of the very best players not only in the talented MIAA conference but nationwide.

Drew Supinski, The Haverford School (Haverford, Pa.)
Year: Senior
College: Johns Hopkins

The Johns Hopkins-bound Supinski leads the way for what could be one of John Nostrant’s best teams ever. Supinski is a slippery righty with a hard, accurate shot. While Haverford is loaded with talent, many believe Supinski will lead the way. He will play both sides of the ball, but should be even more impactful on the offensive end after registering 30 goals and 25 assists in 2014.

Sam Romano (Photo courtesy of Ben Weaver / GameAction Photography)

Sam Romano, Episcopal School of Dallas (Dallas)
Year: Senior
College: Syracuse

Romano, considered to be the top player in the state of Texas, will leave the Lone Star State for upstate New York when he enrolls at Syracuse next fall. The athletic Romano is a rare blend of slickness and toughness and has proved himself against teams from lacrosse hotbeds. He is poised to have a huge senior season for Episcopal School of Dallas.

Reilly Walsh, Brunswick (Conn.)
Year: Junior
College: Duke

Walsh was highly regarded even before he transferred to Brunswick, having helped lead Bronxville to a New York State Class C finals appearance as a freshman. Walsh is a smooth and explosive athlete with a great burst and finishing ability. Putting up 40 goals and 10 assists in 2014, he headlines a loaded Brunswick roster. The talent surrounding Walsh should allow him to make even more of an impact by demanding defenses’ attention and opening up opportunities for his teammates.

FO/MIDFIELD

Alex Woodall (Photo courtesy of Glenn Giles)

Alex Woodall, St. Mary’s (Annapolis, Md.)
Year: Senior
College: High Point

A load to deal with on face-offs, Woodall is widely considered the toughest face-off specialist in the country. His athleticism and stick skills make him a threat to create offense off of his draw wins. He proved himself last season in shining against some of Maryland’s top face-off recruits. Woodall will ensure St. Mary’s has ample possession time this spring.

LSM/DEFENSE

Tommy Wright (Photo courtesy of Steve Finnell)

Tommy Wright, Garden City (Garden City, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Penn State

An impact player since his freshman season, Wright has been at the core of Garden City’s success in recent seasons as a constant presence in the middle of the field. He’s a groundball collector and is dangerous in leading transition with his speed. Following his success as a freshman, he quickly became a highly touted prospect and has since come into his own as the nation’s most polished long-stick midfielder.

DEFENSE

Nick Mellen, shown on left. (Photo courtesy of syracuse.com)

Nick Mellen, West Genesee (Camillus, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Syracuse

Melen has drawn high praise from legendary head coach Mike Messere since he became one of only a handful of players to make an impact as a freshman at West Genesee. He’s the best defender in upstate New York — maybe the whole country — and has a unique combination of toughness, athleticism and game sense.

Cade van Raaphorst (Photo: Askia Stewart, skisnaps.org)

Cade van Raaphorst, Desert Vista (Phoenix)
Year: Senior
College: Duke

An elite athlete, the 6-foot-2-inch van Raaphorst is one of the most intriguing defensive prospects to come out of the west. A linebacker and quarterback for his varsity football team, Van Raaphorst helped the Thunder lacrosse squad to a 19-0 record in 2014, covering the opposition’s best offensive player along the way.

Eddie Bouhall, Lynbrook (Lynbrook, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Lehigh

Considered the best cover man on Long Island, Bouhall led Lynbrook to its first Nassau County/Section VIII title in more than a decade with his relentless style of play last season. The 6-foot-1-inch Bouhall helped Lynbrook hold all but one opponent to less than 10 goals in 2014.

Jack Rowlett (Photo: Yvonne Landis)

Jack Rowlett, Robinson (Fairfax, Va.)
Year: Senior
College: North Carolina

An aggressive, agile and tall defender, Rowlett is able to overwhelm most attackman with his speed and onslaught of sticks checks. With the ball in his stick, he’s nearly automatic on the clear, can press transition and is a threat to score with the long pole.

GOALIE

A.J. Barretto (Photo courtesy of Chuck Connolly)

A.J. Barretto, St. Paul’s (Brooklandville, Md.)
Year: Senior
College: Army

A consistent, cool presence in the cage, Barretto has improved over the course of the last few years to become arguably the best starting goalie in the MIAA this season. He frustrates shooters with his casual yet stifling play. Barretto, combined with a defense made up of Division I recruits, should help make St. Paul’s one of the toughest teams to beat in 2015.

SECOND TEAM

ATTACK

Joe Manown, La Salle Academy (Providence, R.I.)
Year: Senior
College: Duke

Manown is next in an incredible line of stocky, skilled lefties playing for Duke. He embodies a promising combination speed and power that Duke great Max Quinzani brought to the table with the skill and finishing ability of Josh Dionne. Rhode Island lacrosse shouldn’t pose much of a challenge for Manown, and he’ll likely put up monster numbers.

Ryder Garnsey, Phillips Academy Andover (Andover, Mass.)
Year: Senior
College: Notre Dame

Garnsey is an incredibly slick and inventive player who shattered the career scoring record at Brewster Academy, previously held by Syracuse star Stephen Keogh. Garnsey will spend a postgraduate year and likely star on a very deep and experienced Phillips Andover team before heading to Notre Dame.

Curtis Zappala, Episcopal Academy (Newtown Square, Pa.)
Year: Senior
College: Maryland

Zappala has been a starter at the Episcopal Academy since his freshman season, and he’s gotten better each year. He can shoot and feed off the dodge and shows range and a quick release on his shots. He’s also an excellent off-ball player. The righty finished 2014 with almost 70 points and proved to be a tough out for the most skilled of Inter-Ac defenders.

Tehoka Nanticoke, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Year: Junior
College: Uncommitted

Stout, strong and incredibly skilled, Nanticoke might be the best Native American prospect since Albany superstar Lyle Thompson came out of high school. Nanticoke’s nonchalant creativity jumps off the page. He’s a talented power player with enough finesse and touch to beat defenses in a myriad of ways. Uncommitted at this time, Nanticoke will have plenty of suitors in the coming months.

MIDFIELD

Timmy Phillips, Episcopal (Alexandria, Va.)
Year: Senior
College: Notre Dame

Phillips is able to get separation off the dodge against or outright run by many defenders at the high school level, consistently forcing opposing defenses to slide to him. He’ll have his work cut out for him as Episcopal’s most seasoned and skilled offensive player, but the Notre Dame-bound midfielder is in position to have his most productive season yet. The 6-foot-2-inch, 180-pound Phillips will be a go-to presence on both ends of the field for Episcopal.

Joey Froccaro, Schreiber High School (Port Washington, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Princeton

Fraccaro is a gritty, wildly talented midfielder who can do anything that is asked of him: he can face off, he can dodge, he can feed the ball and he can make plays on defense and in the middle of the field. The hard-nosed, intelligent Froccaro will become the third brother from his family to attend and play at Princeton. Like his brothers, he is physically gifted and understands the game.

Jack Olson, Georgetown Prep (North Bethesda, Md.)
Year: Senior
College: Johns Hopkins

A dynamic, well-rounded midfielder, Olson is one of the D.C. area’s best players. Able to win face-offs, he will be used more on offense this season as the Hoyas look to keep him fresh to help drive the team’s goal scoring. Last season, Olson put up 31 goals and won a majority of his face-offs in helping lead Georgetown Prep to the Interstate Athletic Conference title.

Dox Aitken, The Haverford School (Haverford, Pa.)
Year: Junior
College: Virginia

With size, speed, excellent hands and high-end playmaking abilities, Aitken possess an attackman’s skill set with a midfielder’s athleticism, making him a dynamic threat who is dangerous when dodging from up top or initiating or finishing closer to the cage. With the Fords’ loaded roster, Aitken and his teammates will force the opposition into matchup challenges throughout the spring.

FO/MIDFIELD

James Sullivan, Garden City (Garden City, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Harvard

One of the hottest recruiting targets on Long Island in his first couple of seasons, Sullivan has been instrumental in the Trojans’ success in his time on varsity, including back-to-back New York State Class B titles in 2012 and 2013. More than just a face-off talent, Sullivan is an athletic midfield presence who can create offense and make plays in the middle of the field, in addition to being an important leader for the team.

LSM/DEFENSE

Ryan McNulty, Bishop Shanahan (Downingtown, Pa.)
Year: Junior
College: Loyola (Md.)

A big, strong and athletic long-stick midfielder standing 6-foot-2, McNulty is an enormous presence in the middle of the field, able to outrun and outreach opponents to groundballs and make his way up the field with his large frame. His physical attributes equip him as a skilled defender and helped him shine as a sophomore last season, putting up 18 points along the way.

DEFENSE

Andrew Helmer, Summit (Summit, N.J.)
Year: Senior
College: Syracuse

Regarded as the best defender in New Jersey — an elite defensemen factory in recent seasons — Helmer helped lead Summit to a 23-2 record and a state runner-up finish in 2014. His footwork, size and confidence as a lockdown defender will help Summit look to repeat the success of 2014. Helmer will continue the stream of standout New Jersey defenders heading to Syracuse.

John Railey, Georgetown Prep (North Bethesda, Md.)
Year: Junior
College: Loyola (Md.)

A 6-foot-5-inch force on the back line, Georgetown Prep coaches refer to Railey as “a game changer” and expect him to help the Hoyas again limit opposing offenses. No team scored more than eight goals on the Hoyas last year and the rangy, swift Railey was a big part of that effort.

Tyson Bomberry, Avon Old Farms (Avon, Conn.)
Year: Senior
College: Syracuse

Hailing from the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve, Bomberry’s an accomplished lacrosse player — and student — and part of a decorated lacrosse family. A multi-sport athlete, Bomberry is a tenacious and skilled defender who helped the Six Nations Arrows win the coveted Minto Cup Junior A national box lacrosse championship in Canada last summer. He will mark the opposition’s top threat in each game this spring.

Thomas Reilly, Ward Melville (East Setauket, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Cornell

Reilly is a smart and aggressive defender who can press attackmen and not get beat thanks to his quick feet and awareness. He’s now a veteran and has seen a long list of some of the best attackmen from Suffolk County in recent seasons. He will be one of several Patriots to head to Cornell in recent seasons.

GOALIE

Jack Corbett, Hotchkiss (Lakeville, Conn.)
Year: Senior
College: Harvard

Corbett is smaller goalie but lightning quick with a hyper-competitive streak that belies his stature. He steps to shooters and is quick on his toes, sacrificing his body to make the electrifying save. His energy is unmatched and it could help his Hotchkiss squad make some noise in the Founders League.

THIRD TEAM

Attack

Henry Grass, Bronxville High School (Bronxville,  N.Y.), Senior

Bradley Voigt, Salisbury School, (Salisbury, Conn.), Senior

Timmy Monahan, Gonzaga College High School (Washington, D.C.), Senior

Dawson McKenzie, Culver Academy (Culver, Ind.), Senior

Midfield

Alex McGovern, St. Paul’s School (Brooklandville, Md.), Senior

Drew Schantz, Malvern Preparatory School (Malvern, Pa.), Senior

Ryan Tierney, Massapequa High School (Massapequa, N.Y.), Junior

Mitch Gordon, St. Paul’s School (Brooklandville, Md.), Junior

FO/Midfield

Austin Henningsen, Northport High School (Northport, N.Y.), Senior

LSM/Defense

Zach Ambrosino, The Taft School, (Watertown, Conn.), Senior

Defense

Theo Dol, Avon Old Farms School (Avon, Conn.), Senior

Michael Borda, Gonzaga College High School (Washington, D.C.), Senior

Charlie Tarry, Bronxville High School (Bronxville, N.Y.), Senior

Mark Evanchick, Darien High School (Darien, Conn.), Junior

Goalie

Hunter Sells, Landon School (Bethesda, Md.), Junior

Honorable Mention

Attack

Carter Flaig, St. Paul’s School (Brooklandville, Md.), Senior

Patrick Spencer, The Boys’ Latin School of Maryland (Baltimore, Md.), Senior

Grant Ament, The Haverford School, (Haverford, Pa.), Senior

Joey Sessa, Minisink Valley High School (Slate Hill, N.Y.), Senior

Jared Bernhardt, Lake Brantley High School (Altamonte Springs, Fla.), Junior

Simon Mathias, Ridgefield High School (Ridgefield, Conn.), Senior

Ethan  Walker, Culver Academy (Culver, Ind.), Junior

Foster Cuomo, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Senior

Nate Marano, Foothill High School (Santa Ana, Calif.), Senior

Louis Dubick, Winston Churchill High School (Potomac, Md.), Senior

Brad Smith, Mountain Lakes High School (Mountain Lakes, N.J.), Senior

Colton Rupp, Landon School (Bethesda, Md.), Senior

Midfield

Tyler Dunn, Manhasset High School (Manhasset, N.Y.), Senior

Robby Black, McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.), Senior

Tyler Kellogg, Trinity-Pawling School (Pawling, N.Y.), Senior

Decker Curran, Greenwich High School (Greenwich, Conn.), Senior

Aidan O’Brien, Niskayuna High School (Niskayuna, N.Y.), Senior

Sean Eccles, Corcoran High School (Syracuse, N.Y.), Senior

Brian Smyth, Westminster School (Simsbury, Conn.), Junior

KevinQuigley, Ridge High School (Basking Ridge, N.J.), Junior

Nick Yevoli, Massapequa High School (Massapequa, N.Y.), Senior

Terry Lindsay, Georgetown Preparatory School (North Bethesda, Md.), Junior

Sean Lowrie, The Roxbury Latin School, (Boston), Senior

Joe Licciardi, St. Anthony’s High School (Huntington Station, N.Y.), Senior

FO/Midfield

Gerard Arceri, Smithtown High School East (St. James, N.Y.), Junior

Charlie Kelly, Malvern Preparatory School (Malvern, Pa.), Senior

David Procopio, West Genesee High School (Camillus, N.Y.), Senior

LSM/Defense

Beau Botkiss, Torrey Pines High School (San Diego, Calif.), Junior

Jack Fowler, Chaminade High School (Mineola, N.Y.), Senior

Jack Halpert, Gilman School (Baltimore, Md.), Senior

Cam Hyde, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School (Sudbury, Mass.), Senior

Marc-Antoine Pion, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Senior

Defense

Jared Conners, Pittsford Mendon High School (Pittsford, N.Y.), Junior

Noah Lejman, The Haverford School (Haverford, Pa.), Senior

Austin Meacham, Brunswick School (Greenwich, Conn.), Senior

Erik Dluhy, Somerville High School (Somerville, N.J.), Senior

Arman Medghalchi, McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.), Junior

Jarrett Jones, Palos Verdes High School (Palos Verdes Estates,Calif.), Junior

Matt Borges, Garden City High School (Garden City, N.Y.), Senior

Nick DiPietro, Half Hollow Hills East (Dix Hills, N.Y.), Senior

Goalie

Willie Klan, Webster Schroeder High School (Webster, N.Y.), Senior

Jacob Giacalone, Sachem High School North (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.), Junior

Colin Reder, The Episcopal Academy (Newtown Square, Pa.), Senior

Coach Jim White (far right) poses with the members of the 1987 McFarland High cross country team that is featured in the Disney movie — McFarland, USA — that opens Friday. (Photo: Disney Pictures)

When the Disney machine rolls into your farm town to tell your high school team’s story — you know, the one where you toiled as a kid for hours with your migrant worker family, pruning trees, picking peaches, raking walnuts and hoeing weeds, then you raced home to practice a grueling 6-mile run called for by a coach building against-all-odds champions, oh that little story? — it’s thrilling and humbling.

Just ask Danny, David or Damacio Diaz, who, along with their 1987 cross country teammates are portrayed in the new movie, “McFarland, USA,” about the unlikely rise of a high school cross country powerhouse from California’s Central Valley fields fueled by Hispanic and Latino migrant workers. Led by a legendary coach and father figure Jim White, McFarland teams became a track dynasty in the late 80s and 90s. The film, which opens Friday, is based on the 1987 team’s journey.

Originally approached in 2001, the movie eventually came to fruition and “we’re so excited and elated,” says Danny Diaz, when reached in McFarland with his brothers for a phone interview. “The whole community was excited to have A-list actors like Kevin Costner and Maria Bello here [playing Coach White and wife Sheryl].” He speaks of director Niki Caro visiting their parents’ house more than a year ago and of meeting Costner during a filming in Orange Cove. He laughs, remembering Costner’s remark they were better looking than the actors playing them.

“He did his homework. A couple days later he still remembered my name, so not only is he a good actor but a good student,” adds David Diaz.

But this story isn’t about the actor who’s played in movies set in fields like “Field of Dreams” – or the real coach who built it and they came. And it’s not about the Diazes and teammates pacing through a field. The tale lays in the town of McFarland, with a population of 12,420, 32 percent below poverty level, according to the 2010 census. The real message here, the brothers say, is one of optimism: McFarland is a town where hope is alive. A place where it is possible to build a better tomorrow.

RELATED: Jim White talks Kevin Costner, his team and his faith

“McFarland is a city that believes. There’s always hope,” David says. “We wake up every morning believing in a brighter day. That’s how people born and raised here, that’s how we all are.”

“We didn’t know we were without,” remembers Damacio, a Bakersfield police officer and the father of six. “Our parents were field workers who got up at 4 a.m. every day, six days a week and went to work. By the time we were 7 ,8, 9, we were also getting up on Saturdays, working for 10, 11 hours in the fields. On days where school didn’t start till 10 a.m. [because of delays], we would get up at 5, work for three hours, go to school, then go back to work in the fields again, which was normal for us.”

With the temps rocketing to triple digits in the summer, it’s a rough run for even seasoned athletes, much less teenagers training in the same fields where they work.

“We were working fast,” says Danny, a school counselor in McFarland and dad of seven. Their mother said they could go home earlier if they finished their rows. They did, so they could get to practice — more running.

“There wasn’t a Saturday when we weren’t working,” he says. “And when there was a race on Saturday, Mr. White would have to go beg [our parents] to please please please let [us] go to the race.”

ose Cardenas (Johnny Ortiz, left), Danny Diaz (Ramiro Rodriguez), Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts), Victor Puentes (Sergio Avelar), Damacio Diaz (Michael Aguero), Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner), Johnny Sameniego (Hector Duran) and David Diaz (Rafael Martinez) in a scene from “McFarland USA.” (Photo: Ron Phillips, Disney Pictures)

The boys’ rigorous routine and fierce repetition of school, work, practice, homework—and no money for shoes, or food at meets—left little breathing room to dream big.

“What I really thought about the most was getting out,” admits Damacio. “The field work was brutal. I hated working in the fields. I really didn’t like spending our summers working without doing whatever everybody else was doing, like swimming in pools. For me and my brothers and sister, we learned very quickly, if we don’t do something with what we have available to us—school, church, education—you end up working in the fields.”

They’re proud of their parents, who he calls “humble, hard-working people.”

“Working in the fields taught us work ethic and discipline, some of the same things running was teaching us as well,” says Danny. His parents taught education as their way out. All 7 Diaz children graduated from college.

They credit Coach White as “the glue,” to bonding the teammates and modeling leadership and citizenship. The Whites also helped financially and served as quasi-parents, teachers and friends. [story]

David, a vice principal at North Kern State Prison’s school, says the high school teammates still run: Among the seven, they’ve ran half-marathons, triathalons, Iron Man, Boston Marathon and even ultra-marathons. (Danny jokes he runs to the bathroom a lot.) They give back, through coaching, and they’ve had kids run for McFarland.

Yet the Cougars of today are not without the controversy gripping many a school. According to Danny, “they’ve taken us out of our rightful division,” moving the more than into another division “to give other schools a chance to win.” Their 840-student school is now competing against schools with more than 3,000 students, a larger pool of talent. Though McFarland hasn’t won a state title since 2001, it “seems like a drought, but not really, we’re still a powerhouse,” says Danny.

What advice do they have for high school students in tough circumstances?

“Living in the greatest nation of the world, the United States of America, there are countless opportunities for you to find your niche, to find what you love,” says David. “You created that dream. Your subconscious did. Your dream came to you somehow, so try to achieve it. You will attain it … so I wouldn’t listen to the noise, you will get there with God’s help and good follow-through.”

Danny, who helps at-risk youth, stresses kids need goals and work ethic. “Winners can come from anywhere,” he says. “Winning is intentional. It requires you to sacrifice, to do that hard work, whether it’s studying for the test or running early in the morning or after work, you have to purposely set your mind and your heart to accomplishing these goals.” Even if you don’t win, just giving it “your best effort, you’re going to win in life. It’s going to pay off for you.”

Echoes Damacio: “If you’re going to commit to doing something, do it right…whether it’s for school, sport or job, go in there with the intent to do well…If you do that, every single time, things are going to happen.”

And then maybe someday you’ll find yourself living your own dream, coaching your own child, telling a story about how just yesterday you were pulling weeds, racing from tree-to-tree in a field. Only now that field holds a Hollywood director and crew, and Kevin Costner is driving up in his SUV, getting out, shaking your hand and telling you you’re much better looking than the guy playing you.

Kevin Costner, foreground left, and Carlos Pratts appear in a scene from McFarland, USA. (Photo: Disney Pictures)

Sumner girls basketball player Jamie Lange had three consecutive double-doubles to lead her team in the playoffs. Photo by Puyallup Herald.

Jamie Lange, a 6-foot senior power forward for the girls basketball team at Sumner, Wash., had three consecutive triple doubles to lead her team in the playoffs.

On Wednesday, she had 36 points and 18 rebounds in a 68-61 defeat of Lincoln (Tacoma) in the 3A West Central bidistrict semifinal. That was preceded by a 31-point, 16-rebound effort Friday in a district quarterfinal 50-39 defeat of Central Kitsap (Silverdale). Last Thursday, she had 20 points and 14 rebounds in a 57-31 defeat of Capital (Olympia).

“Jamie is the real deal,” first-year Sumner coach Jordan Moog told the Tacoma News-Tribune. “She’s a big girl, but she’s elusively fast. She doesn’t look fast, but she changes speeds, pump fakes and does a good job of still getting her shot off.”

Lange leads the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Performances of the Week. The rest of the top performances:

Zach Brown, boys basketball, Miami Beach, Fla.

Sophomore center had 30 points, 24 rebounds and 12 blocks in an 8A regional semifinal loss Tuesday to McArthur (Hollywood).

Karsten Chaplik, boys basketball, Stanwood, Wash.

Senior wing had 29 points, including a game-winning three-pointer in overtime, to lead his team to a 69-66 defeat of Marysville-Pilchuck on Feb. 10.

Riley Doody, boys basketball, St. Ignatius, Chicago

Senior point guard hit a half-court, buzzer-beating shot in a 45-44 defeat of DePaul Prep (Chicago) on Feb. 10.

Mason Faulkner, boys basketball, Caverna, Horse Cave, Ky.

Junior point guard had 27 points and 12 rebounds in a 63-60 defeat of Glasgow on Friday. That was preceded by 48 points and 12 rebounds in a 85-78 defeat of Warren East (Bowling Green) on Feb. 9. He’s averaging 30 points and 9.1 rebounds a game.

Kylie Jordan, girls swimming, Madeira School, McLean, Va.

Claimed her fifth and sixth individual state titles with meet records in the 100-meter butterfly and 200 freestyle in the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association meet Sunday and Monday in Richmond. She swam the 100 butterfly in 53.71 seconds, breaking a three-year-old record and in the 200, won in 1:48.44. She also swam on her team’s winning 200 freestyle relay with a 22.71 split, helping Madeira set a state record in 1:36.30.

Kamryn McIntosh, girls track and field, Suffern, N.Y.

Sophomore runner won the 600 meters Tuesday at New York’s Armory in the Section I Class AA and Class C championships with a time of 1 minute, 28.78 seconds. That was good enough to break a 10-year-old national record and improve upon her personal best by nearly six seconds.

Marcus Shaver, boys basketball, St. Mary’s, Phoenix

Sophomore guard had 46 points in a 98-80 loss to Corona del Sol (Tempe) in a Division I Super Sectional final on Saturday, preceded by a 39-point effort in a 66-47defeat of Cesar Chavez (Laveen) on Friday.

Kristen Spolyar, girls basketball, Lebanon, Ind.

Junior guard had 41 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals in a 69-34 defeat of Western Boone (Thorntown) in the Sectional 25 championship game Saturday.

Jon Viruet, boys wrestling, Central, Springfield, Mass.

Senior 160-pounder won his fourth consecutive Western Massachusetts Division I  title, pinning all three of his opponents, including Nick Godbout of Ludlow in one minute and 16 seconds in the final match on Saturday.

Introducing the inaugural American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Girls Lacrosse Team provided by 3d Rising.

RELATED: Super 25 Preseason Girls Lacrosse Rankings

Selections were based on on-field accomplishments during the high school season, statistics and level of competition.

FIRST TEAM

ATTACK

Brindi Griffin (Photo courtesy of Donald J. Hoelting)

Brindi Griffin, McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.)
Year: Junior
College: Maryland

Recently named to the U-19 National Team, Griffin is also an All-Conference field hockey player and has lead McDonogh on both the field hockey and lacrosse field to Conference “A” titles.

Lindsey Ronbeck (Photo courtesy of Ronbeck family)

Lindsey Ronbeck, Manhasset High School (Manhasset, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Florida

Ronbeck, a three-sport athlete at Manhasset, led her lacrosse team to a state title in 2014. An All-Conference and All-American honoree, she is also a member of the 2015 U-19 National Team.

Nikki Ortega, Centereach High School (Centereach, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Notre Dame

On Centereach’s varsity lacrosse squad since the seventh grade, Ortega is a four-time All-Conference player and has also received all-conference honors as a soccer player. A member of the U19 National Team, Ortega is the third leading scorer on Long Island and with 428 points in her career is on pace to surpass the 500-point.

Nicole Levy, East Islip High School (Islip Terrace, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Syracuse

The No. 4 recruit in the nation, started playing lacrosse at age four. This dual sport athlete has racked up accolades on both the field hockey and lacrosse field. Levy holds the record for most goals in one season as well as most career points and assists on the field hockey field and lead Long Island in points scored through the regular season on the lacrosse field.

MIDFIELD

Miranda Ibello on right (Photo courtesy of Bill Denison)

Miranda Ibello, Maryvale Prepatory (Brooklandville, Md.)
Year: Senior
College: John Hopkins

Miranda is a standout on the field and in the classroom. This dual-sport athlete, who also excels at field hockey, has three older siblings who all play college sports, including a sister she will join at John Hopkins next year.

Hannah Warther, Century High School (Sykesville, Md.)
Year: Junior
College: Maryland

Considered the top junior in the country, she has committed to her dream school, Maryland. Warther, a phenomenal athlete, is also an All-County soccer player and a member of the track and field team.

Olivia “Ya” Ferrucci (Photo courtesy of Kay Ferrucci)

Olivia “Ya” Ferrucci, Barron Collier High School (Naples, Fla.)
Year: Senior
College: North Carolina

If she is not in the water scuba diving or spear fishing, you can find Olivia on the basketball court or lacrosse field. Ferrucci is a crafty, fast-paced player who has received numerous accolades including being recently named to the U-19 National Team.

Charlotte Sofield (Photo courtesy of Ann Carney)

Charlotte Sofield, Bishop Ireton High School (Alexandria, Va.)
Year: Senior
College: North Carolina

Sofield was not only one of the best players on Virginia’s state championship team, Bishop Ireton, but named the WCAC Player of the Year. The North Carolina commit is also a standout basketball player and can be found working out at the gym at least three days a week.

Sydney Pirreca, Mount Sinai High School (Mount Sinai, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Florida

It is rare to have sisters who not only play the same sport, but are two of the top players in their respective classes. That is the case for the Pirreca sisters, Sydney, considered the number one 2015 in the country, and her older sister Shayna. Shayna will be playing for the Florida Gators this spring and Sydney, an All-County and All-League player, will join her next year.

Kerrigan Miller (Photo courtesy of MSG Varsity)

Kerrigan Miller, Bayport-Blue Point High School (Bayport, N.Y.)
Year: Junior
College: USC

One of the top juniors in the country, Kerrigan Miller is fast on the field and known for her defensive ability between the 30’s. Miller will be heading to USC to play for two of her lacrosse idols, Lindsey Munday and Devon Wills.

DEFENSE

Erin Kelly #13 (Photo credit: Vincent P. Tuzzolino)

Erin Kelly, Clarkstown South High School (West Nyack, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: North Carolina

Considered one of the best defenders in the country, Kelly’s quick feet and overall speed allow her to create and cause turnovers. She will use those abilities this summer when she plays for the U19 National team and next year when she heads to Northwestern.

Sarah Platt (Photo courtesy of Lisa Barker)

Sarah Platt, Agnes Irwin School (Bryn Mawr, Pa.)
Year: Junior
College: Vanderbilt

Platt, the first Agnes Irwin player to make the U-19 National Team, is a hard-working and resilient defender. A dual-sport athlete, she is a leader on the soccer field and a team captain on the lacrosse field.

Claire Quinn, St. Anthony’s High School (Huntington Station, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Northwestern

Quinn will fit right into the winning tradition at Northwestern, as she has already been a part of a U-15 National Championship, Nike Team Cup, Duke Cup, Lax for the Cure and National Draw championship teams. The defender credits her athleticism as a key to her success. She is a field hockey and track standout as well.

Cara Trombetta (Photo courtesy of Allison Macchhio)

Cara Trombetta, Sachem High School East (Farmingville, N.Y.)
Year: Junior
College: Florida

Playing both field hockey and lacrosse runs in the Trombetta family. Her father played lacrosse at Delaware, her mother played field hockey at Michigan and she has a sister who currently plays field hockey at Michigan. The dual-sport All-State player made a tough decision to not follow her sister, but instead head to Florida to play lacrosse.

GOALIE

Sam Giacolone, Eastport South Manor Jr.-Sr. High School (Manorville, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Notre Dame

A four time All-Long Island selection, Giacolone has helped lead the Eastport South Manor Sharks to two straight Suffolk County Class B lacrosse titles. Giacolone a three-sport athlete, is a natural leader and captains both the soccer and lacrosse teams.

Second Team

ATTACK

Coeli Love, Winters Mill High School (Westminster, Md.)
Year: Junior
College: Florida

A crafty attacker, Love’s stick skills make her tough to stop, especially around the crease. Love also runs midfield, where she can utilize her speed and field sense.

Gianna Bowe, Clearview Regional High School (Mullica Hill, N.J.)
Year: Senior
College: North Carolina

This two-time team captain, has led her team on the field and off the field while nursing an injury last season. Even with limited playing time on the field, she still scored her 100th goal and was named an All-American her junior year.

Michaela Bruno, Garden City High School (Garden City, N.Y.)
Year: Junior
College: Georgetown

Bruno has lead her high school, Garden City, to three Nassau County Championships in three different sports; lacrosse, field hockey and basketball. Michaela will head to Georgetown next year, where she will compete against her older sister Alexandra who plays attack for Princeton University.

Riley Harrison, Charlotte Country Day School (Charlotte, N.C.)
Year: Junior
College: North Carolina

Harrison has helped lead Charlotte Country Day to two NCISAA girls’ lacrosse titles. The field hockey and lacrosse player is a two-time All-State team member.

MIDFIELD

Samantha Apuzzo, West Babylon Senior High School (West Babylon, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Boston College

The Boston College commit and U-19 National Team member is often described as unstoppable. Apuzzo has scored in every high school game she has played in and has been held to under three points just twice.

Francesca Whitehurst, Roland Park Country School (Baltimore, Md.)
Year: Senior
College: Georgetown

Whitehurst can not only take over a game and make things happen on the lacrosse field, she can do the same on the basketball court and soccer field. Not afraid of pressure, Whitehurst is often looked to by her teammates to make big plays, something we can look forward to seeing from Whitehurst this summer as a member of the U-19 National Team

Jennifer Giles, Mt. Hebron High School (Ellicott City, Md.)
Year: Senior
College: Maryland

Giles, who will be heading to Maryland with her Mt. Hebron teammate Jackie Gilbert, is a returning first team All-Met and All-American. The midfielder is a ball hawk, always finding a way to come up with the groundball.

Kim Harker, Mahopac High School (Mahopac, N.Y.)
Year: Senior
College: Northwestern

Already touted as the best player in Mahopac history, Harker has set the school’s all-time records for goals, points and groundballs. The Northwestern-bound midfielder is an All-American on the field and Academic All-American in the classroom.

Olivia Jenner, McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.)
Year: Senior
College: Duke

A senior at McDonogh, Jenner won the prestigious HLA National Schoolgirl Award, given to the top player in the Schoolgirl division, at last year’s National Tournament. The draw control specialist is heading to Duke in the fall.

Tess D’Orsi, St. Mark’s School (Southborough, Mass)
Year: Junior
College: Princeton

D’Orsi has received All-Independent, All-New England and All-American honors, and will be a part of the U-19 National Team heading to Scotland this summer. Her older sister, Hope, plays lacrosse for Richmond and her brother Will, has committed to play hockey at Yale.

Catherine Cordrey, Summit High School (Summit, N.J.)
Year: Junior
College: Duke

Catherine Cordrey comes from a lacrosse household. Her father was an All American at Washington College, her sister is currently at USC and her brother is a captain of the Union College lacrosse team. Gilbert is slick on attack and tough on defense.

DEFENSE

Jackie Gilbert, Amador Valley High School (Pleasanton, Calif.)
Year: Senior
College: USC

Gilbert, the first California native to be named to the U-19 National Team, is a strong and athletic defender who is set to play for USC next season. She has helped the Amador Dons to three NCS Division I championship games, where last year they took the crown.

Julia Braig, St. Paul’s School (Brooklandville, Md.)
Year: Senior
College: Maryland

Braig, a defender for the St. Paul’s School, is s grinder who causes turnovers with her hard work and persistence and is quick to get the ball up into transition.

Shelby Mercer, Century High School (Sykesville, Md.)
Year: Senior
College: Maryland

Mercer is one of Maryland’s best defenders and is talented enough to run midfield for Century. The first team All-County field hockey player won a Class 2A state championship in the fall and is also a standout on the basketball court.

Meghan Doherty, Mt. Hebron High School (Ellicott City, Md.)
Year: Senior
College: Maryland

Doherty, one of the best defenders in the country, has great field sense, which could be credited to her being a standout basketball player as well. She will be heading to Maryland with her high school teammate Jen Giles in the fall.

GOALIE

Asa Goldstock, Niskayuna High School (Niskayuna, N.Y.)
Year: Junior
College: Syracuse

Goldstock is an athletic and active goalie who has verbally committed to Syracuse. Goldstock plays the position aggressively, often coming out of goal to be an eighth defender. Her fearless play makes her one of the top players in the country.

Third Team

ATTACK

Taylor Gebhardt, Baker High School (Baldwinsville, N.Y.), Senior

Ella Bonafede, St. Anthony’s High School (Huntington Station N.Y.), Senior

Abby Shields, Vero Beach High School (Vero Beach, Fla.), Senior

Chloe Jones, The Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville, Pa.), Sophomore

MIDFIELD

Kara Klages, John Carroll School (Bel Air, Md.), Senior

Elizabeth George, McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.), Senior

Natalie Bulgier, Souderton Area High School (Souderton, Pa.), Senior

Emily Hawryschuk, Churchville-Chili High School (Churchville, N.Y.), Junior

Charlotte Allard, Notre Dame Academy (Higham, Mass.), Junior

Savannah Buchanan, McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.), Junior

Katie Hoeg, Mattituck High School (Mattituck, N.Y.), Junior

DEFENSE

Hannah Proctor, Radnor High School (Radnor, Pa.), Senior

Kristen Adams, Garden City High School (Garden City, N.J.), Senior

Alexa Radziewicz, Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.), Senior

Haley Norris, Severn School (Severna Park, Md.), Senior

GOALIE

Mallory Weisse, Westfield High School (Westfield, N.J.), Senior

HONORABLE MENTION

ATTACK

Sarah  Dickinson, Wilton High School (Wilton, Conn.), Senior

Erin McBride, Walton High School (Marietta, Ga.), Junior

Andrea Loynaz, Greenwich Academy (Greenwich,Conn.), Senior

Ellie Majure, St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School (Alexandria, Va.), Senior

Hannah Powers, Skaneateles High School (Skaneateles, N.Y.) , Senior

Leighton Yenor, Timber Creek High School (Orlando, Fla.), Senior

Mariah Matheis, Darien High School (Darien, Conn.) , Senior

Samantha DeBellis, Cold Spring Harbor High School (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), Junior

Jessi Masinko, Milton High School (Milton, Ga.), Junior

MIDFIELD

Caroline Steele, Severn School (Severna Park, Md.), Senior

Dempsey Arsenault  Midfield, New Hampton School (New Hampton, N.H.), Senior

Ivy Arlia, Thayer Academy (Braintree, Mass.), Senior

Kelly Daggett, Lancaster Country Day School (Lancaster, Pa.) , Senior

Sydney Flynn, Sacred Heart Academy (Louisville, Ky.), Senior

Madi Hall, Century High School (Sykesville, Md.), Senior

Hannah Pridemore, Vero Beach High School (Vero Beach, Fla.), Senior

Keri McCarthy, Hauppauge High School (Hauppauge, N.Y.), Senior

Genesis Lucero, La Costa Canyon High School (Carlsbad, Calif.), Senior

Samantha Lynch, Huntington High School (Huntington, N.Y.), Senior

Maggie Jackson, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School (Washington, D.C.), Senior

Mary Rahal, Queensbury High School (Queensbury, N.Y.), Senior

Natalie Wallon, Charlotte Catholic High School (Charlotte, N.C.), Senior

Julia Haney, Saint Anne’s Belfield School (Charlottesville, Va.), Senior

Kendra Lanuza, Chatfield Senior High School (Littleton, Colo.) , Senior

Kathleen Roe, Regis Jesuit High School (Aurora, Colo.), Junior

DEFENSE

Alex Argo, The Bryn Mawr School (Baltimore), Senior

Katie Karahalios, Lake Forest High School (Lake Forest, Ill.,)

Hannah Hyatt, Park City High School (Park City, Utah), Senior

Claire Smith, Milton High School (Milton, Ga.), Junior

Caroline Sdanowich, John Carroll School (Bel Air , Md.) , Senior

GOALIE

Lauren Daly, Shoreham-Wading River High School (Shoreham, N.Y.) , Senior

Kady Glynn, Summit High School (Summit, N.J.), Senior

Megan Taylor, Glenelg High School (Glenelg, Md.),Senior

Roselle Catholic guard Isaiah Briscoe (1) looks to drive past Our Savior New American’s Cheick Diallo. Briscoe had 29 points in his team’s 63-59 win on Feb. 15. Photo by Andy Marlin, USA Today Sports

This is a part of a regular series on prospective American Family Insurance ALL-USA basketball players. Isaiah Briscoe, a 6-3, 200-pound senior point guard from Roselle (N.J.) Catholic, has signed with Kentucky. He led the New Jersey Playaz to the EYBL title in summer basketball and has led Roselle Catholic to a 20-3 record going into Wednesday night’s game with St. Mary of the Assumption (Elizabeth, N.J.).

Recruit ranking: Listed as the No. 13 player overall and the No. 1 point guard in the 2015 class by 247Sports.com’s composite rankings.

Style of play: Competitive, physical guard who can convert or dish off the dribble-drive. Has good court vision. More of a scorer than a shooter. He’s strong but lacks elite athleticism. With a 6-9 wingspan, he can guard taller players.

Greatest strength: “He has an unbelievable desire to win,” Roselle Catholic coach Dave Boff said. “He hates to lose at even the most silly things we do in practice. (Monday), we were doing zone offense vs. zone defense. You would have thought it was Game 7 of the NBA finals. The other thing that impresses me is he can get anywhere on the court he wants to at any time. He has such great strength.”

Jimmy Salmon, his coach with the NJ Playaz, said at times last spring and summer, Briscoe willed his team to wins.

“He’s the No. 1 leader in America,” Salmon said. “I don’t think there’s another kid who is as charismatic with his teammates and his coach. He wants the moment, he’s not shying away from it.”

His competitive fire: “I’m the youngest, so I grew up playing against my dad (George Briscoe, a former guard who is in Stockton College’s Hall of Fame), my two sisters (one of whom, Isia Hemingway, played at Georgia Tech and Syracuse and now plays professionally overseas) and my brother,” Briscoe said. “I had to work for everything I got. I just feel even on the court, I always have to work for everything.”

Working on: “Just my defense, playing for a whole possession,” Briscoe said. “I do everything well, to be honest.”

Boff said that Briscoe will have to continue to improve to thrive in college.

“I think he’s a strong ballhandler,” Boff said “At the next level, everybody is a great athlete. He has to make sure he evens that playing field. He has to make sure he’s mastered the basics and the things he can control.”

This season: He’s averaging 20.3 points, 2.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals a game.

Last season: He averaged 22.1 points, four assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game.

Big games: He put up a season-high 29 points Feb. 15 in a 63-59 defeat of Our Savior New American (Centereach, N.Y.) in the Nike Zoom City Classic in New York City. In a 71-64 loss to No. 2 Montverde (Fla.) Academy on Feb. 13, he had 18 points and three rebounds. On Jan. 31, he had 25 points, eight rebounds and four steals in a 61-46 defeat of Linden.

Compared to a pro: Boff said that Briscoe is often compared to a young Deron Williams. Salmon said Briscoe reminds him of a different pro.

“He’s like Chauncey Billups was in high school,” Salmon said. “Chauncey was probably a better athlete, but I think Isaiah has an higher basketball I.Q. earlier in his career.”

Choosing Kentucky: “He wants to win and he wants to be pushed,” said his father, George. “He’s not worried about whether he’ll be able to play because he’s confident.”

USA TODAY High School Sports is proud to announce the inaugural American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Softball Team chosen by Brentt Eads of FullCountSoftball.com.  He selected the 20-player team based on talent, performance from last year and expected excellence on the field this spring.

Softball has always been strong in the West and that holds true for the ALL USA team, which has seven players from California and another from Arizona.

Only two other states, Texas and Ohio, have more than one pick (each had two), but, showing that fast pitch is growing all over the nation, states such as Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia also have elite players on the preseason team.

Note that more than a half dozen states, including Georgia, Missouri and Oklahoma, play their high school campaigns in the fall so players who’ve already finished their 2014-15 seasons won’t be recognized on this list, but will be included in the year-end ALL-USA Softball Team.

That group includes the top senior pitcher in the nation, Kelly Barnhill, who led Pope (Marietta, Ga.) to a state championship, was selected to the U.S. Junior National Team and has signed with national champion Florida.

PITCHERS (5)

P Taran Alvelo
School: Bloom-Carroll (Carroll, Ohio)
Year: Senior

One of the most feared pitchers in the country, Alvelo was the Gatorade State Player of the Year after leading her team to the Ohio Division III finals, where she pitched 13 2/3 innings of no-hit ball but lost on an unearned run despite 24 strikeouts. Alvelo, who throws in the high 60’s, was chosen to the Junior National Team and has signed with Washington.

P Rachel Garcia
School: Highland (Palmdale, Calif.)
Year: Senior

Garcia emerged as a national prospect when she was the Gatorade State Player of the Year as a sophomore, going 22-2 with a 0.50 ERA in the circle and hitting .709 with 13 home runs.  She’s a pure heat pitcher who also had a strong junior season, finishing 21-3 with a 0.36 ERA and 325 strikeouts in 156 innings.  The UCLA signee also was selected to the Junior National Team.

P/1B Regan Green
School: Laurel (Del.)
Year: Senior

Green has led her high school to back-to-back state titles and is a big talent from a small state who could pitch anywhere and win.  Her deadly riseball and dropball helped her go 16-2 with two saves, a 0.50 ERA and 269 K’s in 139 innings to earn Gatorade State Player of the Year honors. She is headed to Mississippi State.

P Taylor McQuillin
School: Mission Viejo (Calif.)
Year: Senior

McQuillin hit an unbelievable trifecta last year: she was honored as the Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year and led her high school and club team to championships. She has a nasty drop curve and strong movement on her pitches. She went 25-1 last season with a 0.69 ERA and 316 K’s with only 17 walks in 173 3/4 innings. The lefty pitcher has signed with Arizona and is rated as the No. 3 prospect in the 2015 class by FullCountSoftball.com. Mission Viejo is ranked No. 1 in the USA TODAY High School Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Preseason Super 25.

P/UT Tara Trainer

School: Lebanon (Ohio)
Year: Senior

Trainer had a dominating freshman year and then missed most of her sophomore season after a near-fatal car crash.  She bounced back in 2014 in a big way, going 19-1 with a 0.45 ERA and 256 K’s for a team that went to the state semifinals before losing to the eventual state champion. The Indiana signee has great speed, movement and control of her pitches.

CATCHERS (2)

C Paige Halstead
School: Los Osos (Calif.)
Year: Senior

Halstead is a 6-foot-1 athlete who also can play shortstop and outfield, but is a franchise-type backstop.  She’s a lefty power hitter who also hits for average and batted .500 last year with 30 RBI. Defensively, she has a cannon for an arm and is smooth and fluid behind the plate. The UCLA signee also was invited to play on the Junior National Team.

C Bailey Hemphill
School: St. Thomas More (Lafayette, La.)
Year: Junior

As a sophomore, the power-hitting catcher led her team to a state title, hitting .630 with 17 home runs and 56 RBI. A two-time first-team all-state honoree, the Alabama commit has great hitting mechanics and drives the ball to all fields.  Behind the plate, she has a strong arm and excels in blocking pitches and picking off baserunners.  The Louisiana standout is rated as the No. 3 overall prospect and top positional player in the 2016 class by FullCountSoftball.com

INFIELDERS (6)

2B/OF Aubrey Leach
School: The Woodlands (Texas)
Year: Senior

Leach is one of the best leadoff hitters in the nation and can slap hit or drive the ball with power.  She draws a lot of walks, too, and coaches rave about her on-field smarts.  The Texan hit .589 with 49 RBI, had 66 runs scored and hit six home runs.  The Tennessee signee also showed her speed by stealing 51 bases and smacking eight triples. The Woodlands is ranked No. 3 in the preseason Super 25.

1B Kyra Lockhart
School: Scotch Plains-Fanwood (Scotch Plains, N.J.)
Year: Sophomore

Lockhart is one of only two sophomores to make the list and she’s rated so highly because she’s a power-hitting machine who can also hit for average. The Alabama commit batted .481 as a freshman with an on-base percentage of .593. Her pitch selection is so good that she didn’t strike out once last year. Defensively, she’s light on her feet and is a prototype first baseman.

SS/2B Sydney Romero
School: Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, Calif.)
Year: Senior

Younger sister of Michigan All-American Sierra Romero, this California senior is as equally skilled as her sibling. The Oklahoma signee hit .612 with 63 hits, 11 home runs and a strong 1.106 slugging percentage last season.  She is rated the No. 4 overall prospect in the senior class by FullCountSoftball.com and was also invited to play on the Junior National Team this summer.

SS Vada Sherrill
School: Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.)
Year: Senior

Sherrill was the sparkplug for the No. 1 team in the final USA TODAY Sports/NFCA poll last year and was the first player in state history to have 60 hits and score 60 runs in the same season. She led the school to a 35-0 record batting .526 while going 52-for-54 in steals. The record-setting year resulting in her being named the Gatorade State Player of the Year and her father and coach, Monte Sherrill, was selected as the USA TODAY National Coach of the Year. Taylorsville opens the season at No. 4 in the preseason Super 25.

2B Kiana Sherlund
School: Fairfax (Va.)
Year: Senior

Sherlund is a triple-threat lefty hitter who can slap, drag or hit with home run power.  The North Carolina-bound senior batted .630 with a 1.041 slugging percentage, stole 26 bases and, most impressively, went 17-for-24 (.708 average) with runners in scoring position.  The speedy Virginia all-state pick also set her school’s indoor track record in the 55-meter dash and has been clocked in a time of 2.60 seconds from home to first.

2B Taylon Snow
School: Chino Hills (Calif.)
Year: Sophomore

Snow had an explosive freshman campaign, tying a section record with 72 hits while batting .567 for a team that reached the semifinals. She reached base 78 times and scored 39 runs in 34 games, but her most impressive stat was having multi-hit games in her last 16 contests, including four playoff games. The Washington commit is rated as the top position player in the 2017 class by FullCountSoftball.com and No. 2 overall.

OUTFIELDERS (3)

OF Hannah Edwards
School: Catasauqua (Pa.)
Year: Junior

Edwards is a five-tool player with great speed.  She has been clocked at 2.60-2.65 seconds from home to first and can play the short game (bunt, chop and soft slap) as well as power slap and swing for the fences.  The Pitt verbal is a two-time all-state pick and has a .619 batting average in high school. She’s also a standout field hockey player and has earned all-area honors in that sport.

OF Amanda Lorenz
School: Moorpark (Calif.)
Year: Senior

Lorenz is rated as the No. 1 recruit in the 2015 class by FullCountSoftball.com.  She is considered by many as the best pure hitter at the high school level and batted .642 last year with 30 RBI, eight home runs and 22 doubles. A fierce competitor, she’s a lefty who is so feared she has been walked intentionally to start off games. The So Cal senior has great bat control and advanced softball instincts and is headed to Florida.

OF Alyssa Palomino
School: Mission Viejo (Calif.)
Year: Senior

Palomino plays on the same championship team as pitcher Taylor McQuillin and is also headed to Arizona.  She’s one of the most dangerous power hitters at the high school level and clubbed 17 home runs last year after hitting 18 as a sophomore. The strong athlete also hit .506 with 34 RBI and has hit home runs of more than 300 feet before. She was picked as the Orange County Player of the Year last year and was another player invited to play on the Junior National Team.

MULTI-PURPOSE (4)

P/UT Miranda Elish
School: Crown Point (Ind.)
Year: Junior

Elish was the Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year as a sophomore after going 29-1 with a 0.31 ERA and a batting average of .480. The Oregon commit is a power pitcher with good down movement and keeps batters off-balance.  She earned all-state honors and is ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2016 class by FullCountSoftball.com.

P/UT Brittany Finney
School: Bishop Carroll (Wichita, Kan.)
Year: Senior

Finney went 12-0 in the circle with a 0.46 ERA and gave up just three runs all season while batting .553, knocking in 47 runs and hitting a team-leading 12 home runs to lead her team to a fourth consecutive state title. The Oklahoma commit throws in the upper 60’s and has a drop and drop curve that makes her tough to hit.

P Samantha Show
School: East Bernard (Texas)
Year: Senior

Show was the Lone Star State’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a sophomore after going 30-3 with a 0.65 ERA. The Texas A&M signee missed much of the 2014 season because of a school transfer issue. When she returned, she didn’t allow an earned run all season until the state title game. She finished with a 14-1 record, 0.33 ERA and 173 K’s in 83 2/3 innings while also hitting an amazing .732 with six home runs.

P/IF Tamara “T” Statman
School: Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Year: Senior

Statman is a dual threat in that she won 20 games with 289 K’s and also batted .515 with 52 hits and a .595 on-base percentage.  In the circle, the Arizona signee has good movement on her pitches and mixes speeds well; at the plate she is a gap hitter with power.  Off the field, Statman is a third-degree black belt in taekwondo and started “T K’s for Skin Cancer” to raise money for each strikeout she records.

FIVE MORE TO WATCH:

SS Kaitlyn Alderink, Keller (Texas), Sr.

P/3B Darby Bishop, Newton County (Decatur, Miss.), Sr.

P Mariah Lopez, Saugus (Calif.), Jr.

3B/SS Shannon Rhodes, Brewer (Fort Worth), Jr.

P/UT Sydney Smith, Maple Grove (Minn.), Sr.

San Clemente (Calif.) baseball star Kolby Allard is a member of the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Baseball Team (Photo: Kevin Dahlgren)

San Clemente (Calif.) baseball players Kolby Allard and Lucas Herbert haven done a lot of things together: surfing; signing letters of intent to UCLA and helping Team USA win the COPABE 18U Pan American Championships gold medal in September.

In June, they’ll also likely be selected high in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Allard and Herbert also are two of the 20 players on the 2015 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Baseball Team, the only duo from the same high school.

The pair are two of the five players from California on the ALL-USA team, 25% of the total. Texas also had five players.

Allard, a 6-foot left-handed senior pitcher, led San Clemente with a 1.32 earned-run average and was 6-2 with 98 strikeouts in 62.2 innings last season. He also was the Most Valuable Player in the Perfect Game All-American Classic in August. Unlike many hard throwers, he has excellent control and walked only 17 as a junior.

“On the field, he’s all business,” San Clemente coach David Gellatly said. “Off the field, he’s your typical lefty. As far as any pitcher we’ve had here, he’s got the best control in the strike zone that I’ve seen.

It’s gotten to the point, that when you run him out there and someone gets a hit on him, he gets frustrated with himself. He primarily throws a fastball and a curve ball. He has a change-up, but at the high-school level, he doesn’t have to use it.”

MORE: Photos and bios of the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Baseball Team

The 6-1 Herbert hit .284 with 11 doubles and 16 RBI and 24 runs in 33 games and threw out the only runner brave enough to run on him at the Pan American Championships.

Herbert and Allard also play together in the summer for the Southern California Renegades, where they’ve gotten used to high-level competition. Last season, Allard was the No. 3 pitcher for the Renegades, because the No. 1 pitcher was Brady Aiken, the top player in the 2014 MLB draft, and the No. 2 pitcher was Jacob Nix, who was taken in the fifth round.

“My team has been very lucky with the talent that we’ve had,” Renegades coach Si Pettrow said. “Kolby definitely is a gem. He has great control and has gotten better every year. We’ll often have him start out with off-speed stuff early in the count, because he can always throw fastballs for strikes if he has to. Normally, you have guys throw fastballs outside, but when he goes inside, a lot of hitters can’t catch up to him.

“Herbert may be the best athlete we have,” Pettrow said. “He rarely catches for us. We can play him at first, the outfield or shortstop. He’s become a leader. He started out as a No. 7 hitter for us and now is hitting No. 3 or No. 4.”

Lucas Herbert from San Clemente, Calif., has emerged as a power hitter along with a strong defensive force. (Photo: Keith Dahlgren)

The 2015 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Baseball Team was selected by USA TODAY’s Jim Halley, in consultation with coaches. All statistics are from last season unless otherwise noted. Players are listed alphabetically.

Kolby Allard, LHP, 6-0, 170, San Clemente (Calif.)
The UCLA signee will probably never end up on campus as he is expected to be a high first-round draft pick. Though he’s not tall for a pitcher, he throws in the mid-90s with a decent breaking ball. He led the Tritons with a 1.32 ERA and 6-2 record with 98 strikeouts in 63.2 innings and was the MVP of the Perfect Game All-American Classic in August.

RELATED: Kolby Allard and Lucas Herbert are lone ALL-USA Preseason Baseball teammates

Christifer Andritsos, RHP-1B, 6-4, 230, The Woodlands (Texas)
Oklahoma signee went 10-0 with a 1.51 ERA, striking out 107 batters in 74.1 innings with only 10 walks. He also hit .453 with 11 homers, eight doubles and 35 RBI.

Luken Baker, RHP-1B-OF, 6-4, 240, Oak Ridge, (Conroe, Texas)
Texas Christian signee won the Under Armour Home Run Derby and the MLB Junior Select Home Run Derby last summer. He hit .430 with 30 RBI and was 8-3 with a 1.40 and 96 strikeouts in 65 innings.

Chris Betts, C, 6-2, 210, Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.)
Tennessee signee hit .330 with five home runs. Finished second in Area Code Games home run derby.

Beau Burrows, RHP, 6-2, 200, Weatherford (Texas)
Texas A&M signee has steadily improved his velocity. Was 5-1 with 101 strikeouts and 27 walks in 55.2 innings with a 0.75 ERA.

Daz Cameron, OF, 6-0, 186, Eagles Landing (McDonough, Ga.)
Florida State signee is the son of former major league outfielder Mike Cameron. Hit .390 with six home runs and 26 RBI, while helping the Chargers earn a 28-3 record and advance to the Class A Final Four.

Trenton Clark, OF, 6-foot, 200, Richland (North Richland Hills, Texas)
Texas Tech signee hit .538 to lead Team USA in the COPABE Pan American Games. At Richland last season as a junior, he hit .441 (49-for-111) with 48 runs, 10 home runs, 38 RBI, 28 walks, only six strikeouts and 19 stolen bases.

T.J. Collett, C, 6-1, 210, North Vigo (Terre Haute, Ind.)
Junior has said he plans to sign with Kentucky. He hit .536 with 17 homers and 51 RBI, leading team to Class 4A runner-up finish.

Shortstop Cadyn Grenier leads Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas Photo: Greg Cava.

Cadyn Grenier, SS-RHP, 5-10, 188, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

Oregon State signee hit .491 with 31 RBI, 49 runs, eight doubles, 16 stolen bases and four home runs.

Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B-RHP, 6-1, 207, Concordia Lutheran (Tomball, Texas)
Tennessee signee is the son of former Major League third baseman Charlie Hayes. He hit .419 with 27 RBI for Concordia Lutheran then hit .486 with a .629 slugging percentage over 11 games for Team USA last summer.

Lucas Herbert, C, 6-1, 195, San Clemente (Calif.)
UCLA signee led the U.S. 18U National Team to a gold medal at the COPABE Pan American Games. At San Clemente, he hit .284 with 11 doubles and 16 RBI and 24 runs in 33 games.

Justin Hooper, LHP, 6-7, 230, De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)

His fastball tops out at 97 mph. The UCLA signee was 6-3 with a 2.04 ERA and had 58 strikeouts in 44.2 innings, holding opponents to a .128 batting average.

Alonzo Jones, INF-OF, 5-10, 182, Columbus (Ga.)
Vanderbilt commit hit .394 with 22 stolen bases. Runs the 60-yard dash between 6.17 and 6.33 seconds.

Nick Madrigal, SS, 5-7, 145, Elk Grove (Calif.)
Oregon State signee hit .421 with seven doubles, 15 RBI and 28 stolen bases for Elk Grove and is known for his defense. He hit .481 with seven RBI and seven stolen bases for the USA Baseball 18U National team in the Pan Am Games.

Mike Nikorak, RHP, 6-4, 205, Stroudsburg (Pa.)
The Alabama signee had a strong summer, throwing as fast as 97 mph with a decent curve and change-up. At Stroudsburg, he was 4-3 with a 1.01 ERA, striking out 66 batters in 47.2 innings.

Nick Plummer, OF-DH, 5-11, 205, Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
Kentucky signee hit a team-leading .573 with 34 RBI, 16 doubles, three triples and eight homers.

Austin Riley, INF-RHP, 6-3, 235, DeSoto Central (Southaven, Miss.)
Mississippi State signee hit .486 with nine homers, 35 RBI and 10 doubles and led team to 6A runner-up finish. He was also 8-3 with a 1.51 ERA and 79 strikeouts and 21 walks in 63.1 innings.

Brendan Rodgers, SS, 6-1, 190, Lake Mary (Fla.)
Florida State commit hit .397 with eight home runs and 18 RBI in 22 games.

Ashe Russell from Cathedral (Indianapolis) is heading to Texas AM after originally committing to Notre Dame. Photo: Charlie Nye, Indianapolis Star

Ashe Russell, RHP-OF, 6-4, 195, Cathedral (Indianapolis)

Texas A&M signee was 8-1 with an 0.88 ERA and 74 strikeouts and eight walks in 49 innings. Throws a mid-90s fastball. Hit .371 with 25 RBI and 21 runs.

Garrett Whitley, OF, 6-2, 200, Niskayuna (N.Y.)
Wake Forest signee hit .474 with 10 doubles, two homers, 25 RBI and a .569 on-base percentage.

Rancho Buena Vista (Vista, Calif.), at left, won her fourth state girls wrestling title on Saturday. (Photo: Facebook)

Rancho Buena Vista (Vista, Calif.) senior Alyssa LaFrancis hasn’t lost a high school girls wrestling match since she was a freshman. Saturday night, she won her fourth consecutive state title, pinning Modesto’s Marianne Schaeur in 1 minute, 38 seconds for the 160-pound championship.

LaFrancis, who had been home schooled but competed for West Covina her first two years of high school and Poway last year, is taking regular classes this year as a senior at Rancho Buena Vista.

The University of the Cumberlands signee has competed in 15 countries for Team USA and is a three-time Body Bar national champion and a five-time Girls Folkstyle national champion.

LaFrancis had the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Performance of the Week. The rest of the ALL-USA Performances:

Dwayne Bacon, boys basketball, Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va.

Senior guard, who has signed with Florida State, put up 40 points in his final regular-season game Tuesday, an 118-66 defeat of Southwest Christian (Little Rock, Ark.).

Connor Cashaw, boys basketball, Stevenson, Lincolnshire, Ill.

Senior guard, who has signed with Rice, had 27 points, 11 rebounds and five steals in a 79-38 defeat of Maine East (Park Ridge) in a Class 4A regional semifinal on Tuesday.

Alexa Efraimson, girls track and field, Camas, Wash.

Senior, who was running for Nike, finished fifth in the 1,000 meters at the U.S. Indoors in Roxbury, Mass., on Sunday with a time of 2 minutes, 41.23 seconds, the second-fastest time by a high school girls runner.

James Gollon, boys basketball, Pacelli, Stevens Point, Wis.

Senior guard, who has committed to Ohio University, scored 40 points in a 74-63 playoff loss to Spencer on Tuesday. He finished the season averaging 30.7 points a game.

Tyler Hooker, boys basketball, Hillcrest, Simpsonville, S.C.

Senior guard, who has signed with East Tennessee State, had 34 points in an 80-76 double-overtime defeat of Wade Hampton (Greenville) in the Class AAAA Upper State championship on Monday. He also had a 40-point game in late February to lead his team to a 78-69 defeat of Woodmont (Piedmont) for the Region 1-AAAA title.

Jason Jolly, boys basketball, Stone Bridge, Ashburn, Va.

Senior guard scored a school-record 50 points in an 88-83 overtime defeat of Edison (Alexandria) in the a state 5A quarterfinal on Saturday.

Ross Palazzo, boys swimming, Hudson, Ohio

Florida signee broke a 10-year-old state record in the 100-yard breaststroke Saturday at the state Division I meet in Canton, finishing in 54.35 seconds.

 Tucker Russell, boys swimming, Lander Valley, Lander, Wyo.

Senior won all four events he entered in the state 3A meet last weekend, winning the 200-meter individual medley in 1 minute, 59.55 seconds, the 100 backstroke in 53.99, leading Lander Valley to a win in the 400 freestyle relay and swimming on a state-record 200 medley relay team that finished in 1:39.15.

 Muhammed Zahr, boys basketball, Fordson, Dearborn, Mich.

Senior point guard set a school single-game scoring record with 50 points and 10 rebounds in a 69-34 defeat of Garden City on Thursday.

Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) pitcher Zach Pederson threw an 11-strikeout perfect game in a defeat of Pinnacle (Phoenix).

Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) right-hander Zach Pederson threw a seven-inning perfect game in a 3-0 defeat of Pinnacle (Phoenix) on Friday.

For his effort, Pederson had the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Performance of the Week. The rest of the top performances:

Lauren Barber, girls swimming, Wilmington Area, New Wilmington, Pa.

Set a state 200 individual medley record Wednesday at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Association Swimming and Diving Championships. She defeated Allie Szekely of Gwynedd Mercy Academy (Gwynedd Valley) with a time of one minute, 59.46 seconds, erasing the existing mark of 1:59.51 held by Szekely.

Kalani Brown, girls basketball, Salmen, Slidell, La.

Senior 6-5 center, who has signed with Baylor, had 30 points and 23 rebounds in a state-final loss to Warren Eaton (New Orleans) on Saturday. Between the 4A state semifinals and the final, she had totals of 46 points and 34 rebounds.

Joe DeMers, baseball, College Park, Pleasant Hill, Calif.

Washington signee, a senior right-hander, struck out seven batters in a seven-inning perfect game against Monte Vista (Danville) on Tuesday. He was also 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI in the 9-0 victory.

Titiana Marsh, girls track and field, Thomas Dale, Chester, Va.

Set a freshman national record while winning the 6A state meet in the triple jump Monday with a distance of 41 feet and two inches. It’s the second-best jump in the USA this season and seventh best in state history.

Cameron Peppiatt, baseball, Oviedo, Fla.

Senior left-hander threw a seven-inning, 11-strikeout perfect game in a 7-0 defeat of Winter Springs on Friday.

 Zach Taglieri, baseball, Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Junior second baseman did all the damage his team needed Wednesday in a 21-3 defeat of Sebastian River. He went 5-for-6, hitting for the cycle, including a grand slam, finishing with nine RBI.

Brice Turang, baseball, Santiago, Corona, Calif.

Freshman hit for the cycle with five RBI in a 16-2 defeat of El Rancho (Rivera) on Friday.

Destiny Williams, girls basketball, Amite County, Liberty, Miss.

Junior had 32 points and 24 rebounds in a 77-61 defeat of Calhoun City in a 2A quarterfinal on Friday.

Annie Willis, softball, Westminster Christian, Huntsville, Ala.

Threw an 11-strikeout no-hitter and had two RBI in a 4-0 defeat of West Point (Cullman) on Saturday.

The American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Boys Track and Field team was selected by Fred Baer, the founder of the Track and Field Writers of America, and Jack Shepard, the high school editor for Track & Field News.

Performances are from 2014 unless otherwise noted. Asterisk (*) denotes a returning ALL-USA first-team selection.

i – denotes indoor performance; all others are outdoors.

w – indicates wind over the allowable limit of 2.0 meters per second for record and ranking purposes.

Sprints (100 & 200)

Ryan Clark, Bannecker (College Park, Ga.), Sr. – 10.38, in 100 (’15); 20.82 in 200.

Darryl Haraway, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.), Sr. – 10.20 in 100.

Noah Lyles, T.C. Williams (Alexandria, Va.), Jr. – 20.71 (20.83i ) in 200 (’15).

Haraway is the top returning outdoor sprinter, but Clark had been dominant most of this indoor season, holding USA-leading marks in the 55, 60, and 200 meters — until Lyles set a junior class 200 record of 20.83 (No. 2 all-time high school) to win New Balance Indoor Nationals in New York last weekend ahead of Clark (20.85, No. 3 all-time). Clark beat Lyles in the 60 by .003 earlier in the meet.

Mount Vernon (N.Y.) runner Rai Benjamin is a preseason ALL-USA selection. (Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/The Journal News)

Long Sprints/Middle Distance (400 & 800)

Rai Benjamin, Mt. Vernon (N.Y.), Sr. – 46.59i, in 400 (’15).

*Josephus Lyles, Jr. T.C. Williams (Alexandria, Va.) – 46.23 in 400.

*Myles Marshall, Sr. Kingwood (Texas) – 1:48.43 in 800.

Noah and Josephus Lyles (also the indoor leader at 500 meters this year, 1:03.57) have been called the “nation’s fastest set of brothers” by Track & Field News. Although Noah is a year older, both are juniors and are the sons of former Seton Hall stars Keisha Caine and Kevin Lyles (a World Championships relay gold medalist).

Grand Blanc’s (Mich.) Grant Fisher was named Gatorade National Cross Country Runner of the Year / Susan Goldman

Distances (1,500, mile, 3,200, 2-mile, steeplechase)

*Grant Fisher, Grand Blanc, Mich., Sr. – 3:46.71 in 1,500; 4:02.02 in mile.

Andrew Hunter, Loudoun Valley (Purcellville, Va.), Jr. – 8:16.31 in 3,000; 8:48.22i in 2 mile (’15).

Fisher, the 2014 mile and 2-mile leader, won the Indoor Nationals mile in 4:03.5 (No. 3 all-time indoors) and Hunter took the 2 mile.

Hurdles (110, 300, 400)

Norman Grimes, Canyon, Texas, Jr. – 36.73 in 300 hurdles.

Daniel Roberts, Hampton, Ga., Jr. – 13.84, 110 in high hurdles.

There are no clear hurdles favorites. Indoor Nationals winner Grant Holloway of Grassfield (Chesapeake, Va.) should be in the mix here and is also a 7-1 high jumper.

Vertical Jumps (high jump, pole vault)

*Paulo Benavides, Franklin (El Paso, Texas), Sr. – 17-11i in pole vault (’15).

Brendon Rivera, Vela (Edinburg, Texas), Sr. – 7-3 in high jump.

Deakin Volz, South (Bloomington, Ind.), Sr. – 17-11 1/4i in pole vault (’15).

Benavides and Volz have both broken the high school indoor pole vault record of 17-10 3/4 in 2015 — Volz broke the record last weekend — and will target the outdoor mark of 18-3 1/2 set in 2012 (by Shawn Barber of Kingwood Park, Kingwood, Texas). Seven former high school athletes have vaulted 18 feet.

Horizontal Jumps (long jump, triple jump)

Joey Souza, Kingsburg. Calif., Sr. – 24-10 (25-7w) in long jump.

*Ja’Mari Ward, Cahokia, Ill., Jr. – 25-7 1/4i in long jump; 51-7 3/4i in triple jump (both ’15).

Top triple jump returnee Ward won both jumps at the Indoor Nationals with personal bests.

Throws (shot put, discus, hammer, javelin)

Carlos Davis, Blue Springs (Mo.), Sr. – 212-5 in discus.

Matt Katnik, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), Sr. – 68-9 in shot put (’15).

Discus leader Davis faces competition from his twin brother Khalil, who is the No. 2 returnee from 2014 with a 198-5 best.

Anna Rohrer, who won the Foot Locker title in December, set the 5,000-meter indoor record last Friday. MileSplit photo

All Anna Rohrer needed was a little competition to set a national record last Friday.

The Mishawaka, Ind., senior, pushed by Ryen Frazier of Ravenscroft (Raleigh, N.C.), set a national indoor record in the 5,000 meters at the New Balance Indoor Girls Meet at the Armory in New York City. Rohrer edged Frazier by two seconds, finishing in 16 minutes and 10.79 seconds to 16:12.81 for Frazier.

Rohrer, who has committed to Notre Dame and was named the Gatorade Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, leads our American Family Insurance ALL-USA Performances of the Week. The rest of the top performances:

Matt Adams, baseball, Countryside, Clearwater, Fla.

Sophomore right-hander threw a seven-inning no-hitter Tuesdayto hand Northeast (St. Petersburg) its first loss of the season, 2-0.

Kadi Borries, softball, Teutopolis, Ill.

Junior pitcher threw an eight-strikeout, five-inning perfect game in a 17-0 defeat of St. Elmo-Brownstown (St. Elmo) on Thursday.

Anthony Busconi, ice hockey, Watertown, Mass.

Senior goalie, who will play lacrosse next season at St. Anselm College, didn’t allow a goal until seven seconds remained in his team’s 2-1 defeat of Agawam in the Division 3 state title on Sunding, ending a streak of 128 scoreless minutes for Busconi. He allowed only five goals in six tournament games.

Tyler Dorsey, boys basketball, Marantha, Pasadena, Calif.

Oregon signee scored 52 points Saturday in an 85-60 defeat of Chaminade (West Hills) in a regional quarterfinal Saturday.

Cassidy Huff, softball, Saraland, Ala.

Junior went 3-for-3 with a double, triple, three runs and six RBI in a 24-4 defeat of LeFlore (Mobile) on March 12. She is hitting .636 this season.

Foster Loyer, boys basketball, Clarkston, Mich.

Freshman point guard scored a career-high 35 points, including 13 in the final quarter, in a 63-58 playoff defeat of Dakota (Macomb) on Wednesday.

Steven Santa Ana, boys basketball, Ardrey Kell, Charlotte

Put up a state tournament-record 44 points in a 70-64 4A state championship loss to Garner on Saturday.

Trey Schroefel, boys basketball, Buffalo, Wyo.

Junior guard scored 42 points Saturday to lead his team to a 70-67 double-overtime defeat of Worland in the state 3A championship.

Zach Starnes, weight lifting, Mauldin, S.C.

Senior set a state record in the squat with a lift of 710 pounds at the South Carolina Strength Coaches Association state meet on Saturday. He will play football next year at Marantha Baptist.

The American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Girls Track and Field team was selected by Fred Baer, the founder of the Track and Field Writers of America, and Mike Kennedy, the high school editor of Track & Field News.

Performances are from 2014 unless otherwise noted. Asterisk (*) denotes a returning ALL-USA first-team selection.

i – denotes indoor performance; all others are outdoors.

w – indicates wind over the allowable limit of 2.0 meters per second for record and ranking purposes.

Sprints (100 & 200)

*Teahna Daniels, The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.), Sr. – 11.31, in 100; 23.68, in 200.

*Candace Hill, Rockdale County (Conyers, Ga.), So. – 11.44 (11.34w), in 100; 23.12, in 200.

Diamond Spaulding, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Sr. – 11.62 (11.51w), in 100; 23.36 (23.00w), in 200.

With 2014 athlete of the year and national 100 meter recordholder Kaylin Whitney (11.10 seconds) of East Ridge (Clermont, Fla.) turning pro before her junior season earlier this month, the 2015 sprint field is suddenly wide open. Leading the group are All-USA returnees Hill and Daniels (the New Balance Indoor Nationals winner at 60 meters this month). Hill won both sprints at USA Track & Field’s Junior Olympics. Spaulding’s wind-aided 200 in 2014 ranks among elite company on the all-conditions all-time high school list for the event.

Long Sprints / Middle Distances (400 & 800)

*Kaelin Roberts, Poly (Long Beach, Calif.), So. – 52.52, in 400.

Zola Golden, Arlington (LaGrangeville, N.Y.), Sr. – 52.82, in 400.

Roberts impressed as a freshman in 2014, winning the California State (CIF) 400-meter title. Golden was the New Balance Outdoor Nationals champ.

Distances (1,500, 1,600, mile, 3K, 3,200, 2-mile, 5K)

*Hannah DeBalsi, Staples (Westport, Conn.), Jr. – 9:26.10, in 3,000; 9:55.05, in 2 mile.

Ryen Frazier, Ravenscroft (Raleigh, N.C.), Sr. – 4:41.21i, in mile; 10:02.86i, in 2 mile (both ’15).

Katie Rainsberger, Air Academy (Colorado Springs), Jr. – 4:41.07, in mile.

DeBalsi had the No. 3 all-time 2-mile time in 2014 (ranking behind record holder Bethan Knights, now at California). Rainsberger ranked No. 2 in the mile in 2014. Frazier was the top indoor distance runner this winter.

Hurdles (100, 300, 400)

*Reonna Collier, Vacaville (Calif.), So. – 13.76, in 100H, 40.90, in 300H; 58.55, in 400H.

*Alexis Duncan, DeSoto (Texas), Jr. – 13.33, in 100H; 43.89, in 300H.

*Sydney McLaughlin, Union Catholic (Scotch Plains, N.J.), So. – 13.34, in 100H; 55.63, in 400H.

Three ALL-USA hurdlers return. McLaughlin set age 14 and freshman class records in the 400 hurdles last year but was too young to compete in the World Junior Championships in Oregon. Collier set an age 15 record and was the California champ in both hurdles, also as a freshman. She was the co-national leader in the 300 hurdles and has transferred from Piedmont Hills (San Jose) to Vacaville. Duncan cracked the all-time top 20 in the 100 hurdles.

Vertical Jumps (high jump & pole vault)

*Vashti Cunningham, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), Jr. – 6-3, in HJ.

*Kaitlyn Merritt, Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), Sr. – 13-9. in PV.

*Lexi Weeks, Cabot (Ark.), Sr. – 14-3 1/4i, in PV (’15).

University of Arkansas-bound Lexi Weeks has already set a national indoor pole vault record this year.
Only the outdoor record of 14-7 1/4, set last year by Desiree Freier of Northwest (Justin, Texas), is better. Lexi’s twin sister, Victoria (Tori), has cleared 14-0 1/2 indoors already this year to rank No. 4 on the all-time high school list. Two-time ALL-USA high jumper Cunningham ranks No. 3 all-time at 6-3, an inch shy of the high school record.

Horizontal Jumps (long jump & triple jump)

Asa Garcia, Texas City (Texas), Sr. – 43-2 1/4i, in TJ (’15).

Kate Hall, Lake Region (Naples, Maine), Sr. – 20-11 1/4i in LJ (’15).

Chinne Okoronkwo, Mount Terrace (Wash.), Jr. – 41-10i, in TJ (’15).

Hall won the long jump and Garcia the triple jump at the NB Indoor Nationals this month.

Throws (shot put, discus, hammer, javelin)

Tairyn Montgomery, Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Jr. – 168-1, in JT.

Haley Showalter, Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Sr. – 193-4, in HT.

Montgomery won the NB Outdoor Nationals and USATF National Junior Olympics javelin throw in 2014. Showalter won the USATF Junior Nationals hammer throw.

Tristan Lowry threw a five-inning perfect game in his first start of the season for Warren Central (Vicksburg, Miss.). Facebook photo.

Warren Central (Vicksburg, Miss.) pitcher and first baseman Tristan Lowry is better known for his skills as the Vikings’ starting center in basketball, but in the first game of a doubleheader March 20, the 6-8 senior showed he can pitch a little as well.

Making his first start of the season, he needed only 47 pitches for a five-inning perfect game in a 10-0 defeat of Murrah (Jackson). That’s pretty impressive, but then his teammate, Layne Tedder followed with a three-inning no-hitter in a 15-0 defeat of Murrah in the second game.

The pair’s effort is the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Performance of the Week. The rest of the ALL-USA Performances:

 Matt Donnelly, lacrosse, Clearview, Mullica Hill, N.J.

Senior attacker, who has signed with Penn State, got his season off to a great start Wednesday night with seven goals in a 14-6 defeat of Haddonfield.

Jake Fried, baseball, Sierra Canyon, Chatsworth, Calif.

Senior outfielder/pitcher had three hits for five RBI in a 6-0 defeat of Paraclete (Lancaster) on March 20.

 Kiah Gillespie, girls basketball, Capital Prep, Hartford, Conn.

Maryland signee had 42 points and 22 rebounds to lead her team to a 87-59 defeat of Northwest Catholic (West Hartford) in the state Class L championship on Sunday.

Eva Merrell, girls swimming, Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, Calif.

Freshman, swimming her first high school dual meet against Irvine on Wednesday, set two school records, winning the 100 butterfly in 54.26 seconds and the 100 backstroke in 56.20.

 Peyton Montgomery, girls track and field, Barbe, Lake Charles, La.

Senior, who has signed with Auburn, tossed the javelin a season-best 152 feet and 5.5 inches at the Lafayette Oil City Relays on March 20.

 Adam Munoz, baseball, El Diamante, Visalia, Calif.

Junior went 3-for-4 with a homer, four RBI and two runs in a 9-0 defeat of Hanford (Visalia) on Wednesday. He’s hitting .412 with 18 RBI through 16 games this season.

 Austin Peeler, baseball, Thatcher, Ariz.

Senior threw a seven-inning perfect game with 12 strikeouts in a 10-0 defeat of Coolidge on March 20.

 Gabriella Salvador, softball, New Dorp, Staten Island, N.Y.

Freshman, in her first varsity game, threw a five-inning perfect game March 19 in a 10-0 defeat of Curtis (Staten Island).

 Jackson Sanchez, baseball, Green Run, Virginia Beach

Sophomore right-hander threw a seven-strikeout perfect game in a 2-0 defeat of Bayside (Virginia Beach) on Wednesday.

Jaylen Brown from Wheeler High in Marietta, Ga. (Photo: David Butler II, USA TODAY Sports)

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PLAYER PROFILE
Name: Jaylen Brown
School: Wheeler, Marietta, Ga.
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
Height: 6-7
College: Undecided

Details: Led team to a 30-2 record and state AAAAAA championship, averaging 28 points and 12 rebounds, including the deciding free throws in the state championship. Was the Most Valuable Player in the City of Palms Tournament in Fort Myers, leading his team to the title. During the summer, he led Game Elite with 26.1 points and 8.6 rebounds. Is the nephew of Houston Texans cornerback Arlandus Bouye.

Toughest to guard: Kevin Durant. I got to play against him at his camp. He’s very skilled.

Biggest basketball influence: My older brother, Quenton, who plays football at the University of North Texas.

High point of your season: Winning state.

Started basketball: When I was 4.

First car: 2005 Nissan Altima

Biggest disappointment: Losing two games.

Favorite saying: Stay hungry.

Who’s cooler, SpongeBob or Patrick: Patrick.

Favorite musician: JCole.

Hidden talent: I’m pretty good at table tennis and I can play chess.

What do your teammates say about you? I’m not sure. Maybe that I’m funny.

Melvin Randall of Blanche Ely in Florida is the ALL-USA Coach of the Year (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

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VIDEO: Meet the ALL-USA First Team  

PROFILE
Name: Melvin Randall
School: Blanche Ely, Pompano Beach, Fla.

Details: Coached team to 28-0 record and the 7A state title. He has won four state titles at Ely since 2007. He also won a state 6A title at Deerfield Beach in 1999 and a 5A title at Deerfield Beach in 1995. He was an All-State player at South Plantation (Plantation) and played for an NCAA tournament team at Mercer University. Has been a coach for 23 seasons with an overall record of 482-141.

Toughest to coach against: Darryl Burrows of Dillard (Fort Lauderdale) does a tremendous job. I always had to be on the top of my game with him. Another one is Marty Seidlin from Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale).

Super power I’d like to have: In previous years, I would have liked the power to reverse time and change a play that I had drawn up in certain situations.

My biggest basketball influences: I have maybe five or six. Coach Butch Ingram at Dillard, who passed away about 10 years ago. Greg Samuel was great coach at Hallandale. John Keister, my old coach at South Plantation. Wade Edmonds, whom I studied at Blanche Ely when they won their state title in 1993 and Otis Gray, the late football coach at Dillard, who was winning consistently and winning championships. Last but not least, Louise Crocco, who was a longtime volleyball coach at Cardinal Gibbons. She is a living legend. I went to her games, just to see what this lady was doing to win multiple state and national titles and see what her demeanor was with her players. Those are the people who played a very important role in my career.

More dress shoes or sneakers: Dress shoes.

Favorite saying: I always ask my guys, ‘What is our defensive philosophy.’ They answer, “Aggressive and intense deny defense.’ But it’s more than just saying it, it’s displaying it.

Favorite teachers: My high school basketball coach, John Keister and his wife Carol Keister. I had her as my teacher for all four years in math at South Plantation. I had to earn everything I got in that class. As a result of those two, I’m a high school basketball coach and a math teacher of 29 years.

Hidden talents: I’m a heck of a card player when it comes to SpadesOne of my athletes about eight years ago taught me how to fish and now I love it.

First car: I had a Buick LTD, I think it was a 1978 or 1979, when I went off to school at Mercer.

First job: I had a job in the summer as a recreational leader in high school.

Favorite musicians: Toni Braxton and Luther Vandross.

My inspiration: When I was coaching in middle school, I had good teams but I could never win a county championship. After leaving middle school coaching and getting into the high school sector, things started coming around for me. I guess when I was coaching in middle school, it just wasn’t my time yet. The light came on for me after we won our first district title in high school.

Isaiah Briscoe of Roselle, N.J. (Photo: Ed Mulholland, USA TODAY Sports)

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VIDEO: Meet the ALL-USA First Team  

PLAYER PROFILE
Name: Isaiah Briscoe
School: Roselle Catholic, Roselle, N.J.
Year: Senior
Position: Point guard
Height: 6-3
College: Signed with Kentucky

Details: Led team to its second consecutive state Non-Public B championship, averaging 20.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Last summer, he helped lead the New Jersey Playaz to the title in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League and played on the winning team for USA Basketball in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship. His father, George Briscoe, played basketball for Stockton College and is in the school’s Hall of Fame. One sister, Iasia Hemingway, played basketball at Georgia Tech and Syracuse and plays professionally overseas.

Toughest opponent I’ve guarded: Probably Antonio Blakeney.

Super hero I’d like to be: Plastic Man.

My biggest basketball influence: My dad.

High point of your season: Winning state.

I have so many sneakers that I: Don’t even know how many I have.

Favorite saying: If you don’t grind, you don’t eat.

Favorite teachers: My English teacher (Ms. Maureen Murin) and my history teacher, Ms. (Francine) Galante.

Hidden talent: I played football and volleyball when I was younger.

What do you teammates say about you? They love me.

First car: A 1986 Audi.

First time you beat your sister in one-on-one: I haven’t and she won’t play me anymore.

Best show on TV: SpongeBob. SpongeBob and Patrick are both cool.

Biggest thing I’ve overcome: Transferring schools (from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark). It was just hard because I don’t like change. I like sticking to what I’m doing, but sometimes change is necessary.

Ben Simmons is the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Boys Basketball Player of the Year (Photo: Reinhold Matay, USA TODAY Sports)

MORE: American Family Insurance ALL-USA Boys Basketball Teams
VIDEO: Meet the ALL-USA First Team  

PLAYER PROFILE
Name: Ben Simmons
School: Montverde Academy, Montverde, Fla.
Year: Senior
Position: Power forward
Height: 6-9
College: Signed with LSU

Details: Simmons, originally from Melbourne, Australia, led the Eagles to a 56-1 record the past two seasons and back-to-back titles in the DICKS’ Sporting Goods High School Nationals. He is averaging 28 points, 11.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists this season. He helped the Australian U17 national team win a silver medal in the 2012 FIBA World Championships. His father, Dave, played for 13 seasons in the Australian National Basketball League.

Toughest opponent I’ve guarded: LeBron James is definitely the hardest. His strength and his quickness makes him hard to guard. As soon as he tucks the ball into his chest, you have a very hard time taking it from him.

Super power I’d like to have: Mind reading.

My biggest basketball influences: Definitely my dad and LeBron. My dad is the reason I’m playing basketball and watching LeBron and being able to talk to him at the LeBron camp really helped me.

Favorite basketball sneakers: I have a lot of them, but I try to give them to people who have the same shoe size. My favorite right now is the LeBron 12 NikeiD.

Favorite saying: Go out and play hard because only your hardest is good enough.

Who’s cooler, Finn or Jake (Australian comic characters) or SpongeBob or Patrick: Patrick for sure. He doesn’t care.

Favorite teacher: I love all my teachers, but I really like Mrs. (Lori) Treweek for psychology

Hidden talent: I think I am the best video player in the class of 2015. I am usually into Call of Duty.

What do you teammates say about you? Off the court, I joke around, but as soon as I am on the court, I’m serious.

First car: Dodge Charger. 2014.

First job: Back home I had a paper route when I was younger.

First time I beat my dad in one-on-one: When I came back the end of my sophomore year. I think he realized my game had been raised coming to Montverde. These days, he just sticks to the domestic League for old guys.

My inspiration: My country. Based in Australia. I am always representing my county and my city, every time I step out on the court. All the support back home gives me motivation.

Musician: Here, Drake, from back home, a guy called 360.