Welcome to the Blue Line: This Week’s New Members

• JOSH McCREATH, Ripon: He provides many of the most difficult yards in the Indians' running game, which makes him invaluable to an offense averaging 51 points a game. A 6-foot, 195-pound senior, he needed just 10 carries to pile up 131 yards and he also carried one in for a touchdown as the Indians beat rival Ripon Christian 62-13. He has 35 runs for 312 yards and four TDs, and averages 8.9 yards every time he runs.

• JAMES SAMS, Los Banos: The Bee's Offensive Player of the Year in 2011, he is making his case for being the Player of the Year this fall. Playing against large-school power Manteca, Sams had a career-high 40 carries 669 yards and 10 TDs — he is the top rusher in the Sac-Joaquin Section. In his last two games, Sams has run for 578 yards.

• WHAT'S THE BLUE LINE?: Prep reporter Richard T. Estrada will identify members of The Blue Line, judging candidates on their body of work. The process is ongoing and new members will debut each Wednesdays as part of our weekly prep football package.

• ONLINE: Blue Line players will be hyperlinked throughout www.modbee.com — hence, "The Blue Line" name — and all content (stories, pictures, video) tagged with their names will be collected in a special area on the site.

Welcome to the Blue Line: This Week's New Members