COD Football: Ellison & Dalton named 1st team All-State

College of the Desert Football sophomore defensive back Corey Dalton (Midlothian (IL) Bremen) and sophomore running back Anthony Ellison (Banning H.S.) were both named Region IV All-California First Team Offense by the JC Athletic Bureau and the California Community College Football Coaches Association (CCCFCA). 

Under third-year head coach Jack Steptoe, Desert finished the regular season with a record 6-5 overall and 4-1 in conference. As a reward for winning the American Division-Mountain Conference title and going to the Patriotic Bowl, Coach Steptoe was handed Coach of the Year honors. 

This is the first Coach of the Year award for head coach Jack Steptoe, who is in his 23rd season overall, who guided the Roadrunners past their 0-2 start, turning their fortunes around immediately, securing their first Bowl appearance since 2011. As a reward for their winning record, the team was bestowed with six first team All-Mountain Conference honors, including the Conference Defensive MVP and five second team All-Mountain Conference honors.

On the field, Dalton was a beast as the tip of the spear for the Desert defensive secondary, finishing tops in the SCFA with 10 interceptions garnering him a Defensive Most Valuable Player for the American Division-Mountain Conference. He played in all 11 games for the Roadrunners, patrolling the secondary grabbing two picks in the overtime win at home over Antelope Valley and two more picks against East Los Angeles in the Patriotic Bowl. Dalton also had a key "Pick-6" in the opening quarter of the game against Southwestern.

Ellison, who joined Dalton as also being named first team All-Mountain Conference, punished teams as the leader of the Desert rushing game. Ellison finished 9th in the entire State of California in yards per game with 90.4 and finished 19th in the state in rushing yards with 814. He finished with 8 rushing touchdowns and three receiving scores, along with 16 catches for 193 yards. Of the nine games Ellison played, four of those games he had over 115 yards and had a dominating performance against Victor Valley in the final game of the regular season, where he collected 194 yards and two scores. In week nine at home against Southwestern, Ellison collected Pacific Coast Athletic Conference's (PCAC) Male Athlete of the Week honors.

Photo by Brian Sylva (COD SID)
Information, Photos & Story provided by COD Sports Information.