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Read more Orange County football preview: Top linemen to watch in 2026
Ranking the specialists in Orange County going into the 2026 high school football season:
TOP SPECIALISTS
1. Peter Batsaras, Cypress, K/P, Sr.: Watch out for Batsaras (5-10, 175) after he booted a school-record 53-yard field goal against Western last season. He also made field goals from 41 and 40 yards and averaged 42 yards on punts. He is the No. 2-ranked senior kicker in the nation by Chris Sailer Kicking and earned a spot in the Polynesian Bowl in January. “I think we have the best kicker in the county,” Cypress coach Rick Feldman said of Batsaras, who has been offered by Northern Arizona and Army. Batsaras teams with one of the best long snappers in the county in Dayne Saari (6-2, 195).
2. Jerry Shifman, Mater Dei, K, Jr.: The number of colleges that showed interest in Shifman (5-11, 180) this summer made him one of the best recruiting stories in Orange County. He was offered by LSU, SMU and Cincinnati among others. Shifman is the No. 1 kicker in the nation for the Class of 2028, according to Chris Sailer Kicking. He made 8 of 10 field goals last season, including a 43-yarder.
3. Caleb Sylvia, Mission Viejo, K/P, Sr.: Sylvia’s offseason included winning a field goal competition at the Kohl’s National Underclassman Challenge. Kohl’s ranks Sylvia (5-10, 195) as the No. 2 senior kicker in California. A former soccer player, Sylvia has been offered by Arizona. He made 7 of 9 field goals last season, including a 49-yarder. He converted 51 of 52 extra points.
4. Star Thomas III, Orange, P, Jr.: Thomas (6-0, 195) is one of the best quarterbacks in the county, and the returning first-team All-County punter. He averaged 50 yards a punt last season while being a threat to run or pass on a fake.
5. Kyle Gerrish, Mission Viejo, LS, Sr.: Gerrish (6-3, 250) is the No. 5-ranked long snapper in the nation for the Class of 2027, according to Rubio Long Snapping. Gerrish has been offered by San Diego, Arizona and Air Force.
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6. Asher Youderian, Aliso Niguel, K/P, Sr.: Youderian (6-1, 165) made 7 of 9 field goals and all 41 of his PATs last season. He has been offered by MIT and Carnegie Mellon.
7. Gauge Cook, Santa Margarita, K/P, Jr.: The transfer from Aliso Niguel is the No. 9-ranked kicker in the nation and No. 7 punter for the Class of 2028, according to Chris Sailer Kicking. Cook (5-11, 165) is another former soccer player.
8. Jacob Molina, Rancho Alamitos, K/P, Sr.: Molina (6-0, 170) made 7 of 9 field goals last season, including a 40-yarder, and all 25 of his extra points. “Very accurate,” Vaqueros coach Mike Enright said of Molina, who also plays soccer. “Capable of making from 50-plus (yards).”
9. William Powers, JSerra, LS, Jr.: Powers (6-1, 215) ranks as the No. 13 long snapper in the nation for the Class of 2028, according to Rubio Long Snapping. He won a long snapping competition at a recent specialist camp at Cal Poly SLO.
10T. Ethan Miller, San Clemente, K/P, Jr.: Miler (6-3, 180) made 9 of 12 field goals last season and booms his kick offs. He made 42 of 46 extra points in 2025.
10T. Aiden Wimberly, Beckman, K, Sr.: Wimberly made 5 of 6 field goals last season, including a 35-yarder with two seconds in the CIF-SS Division 8 final to force overtime. “He nailed the most important kick in Beckman history,” said Patriots coach Marcello Giuliano, whose team beat Brea Olinda 30-24 for its first title. “(Wimberly) has worked incredibly hard to improve this offseason.”
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