A duel between All-County teammates for the No. 1 spot. A plethora of skill players in the middle. And several potential surprises toward the end.

The annual OCVarsity Hot 150 again takes an expansive look at the many talented players in Orange County football and ranks them according to their expected impact during the upcoming season.

The selections were based on input from coaches and players, analysis of video highlights from last season, college interest, statistics and observations.

Mater Dei teammates JT Daniels and Amon-Ra St. Brown were considered for the No. 1 spot, with the junior quarterback edging his senior wide receiver.

St. Brown agreed with the selection, noting Daniels’ standing in the class of 2019 as a USC commit. But Monarchs coach Bruce Rollinson suggested another arrangement at the top.

“Both of them,” he said with a laugh. “1 and 1-A. … I’m not going to go down that route.”

For the OCVarsity Hot 150, there’s only one path toward the 2017 season, so let’s begin:

1. JT DANIELS
Mater Dei, QBMater Dei quarterback JT Daniels. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Register’s reigning offensive player of the year edged teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown for the No. 1 ranking. Daniels, named Rivals’ No. 1 recruit in the class of 2019, has the advantage as the trigger man for the most potent offense in the county. He set O.C. records last season for passing yards (4,849) and touchdowns (67) and returns nearly his entire offense. Daniels also seems as focused as ever. The reigning Trinity League MVP committed to USC the day before fall camp began and said, “Season starts tomorrow. Recruiting ends today.” Daniels’ arm fatigue will be watched. He bypassed the Battle at the Beach passing tournament in July to get some extra rest.

2. AMON-RA ST. BROWN
Mater Dei, WRMater Dei wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. (Photo by Sam Gangwer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The speedy All-County wideout pushed for the top spot on the strength of an impressive summer and junior campaign. He collected 60 receptions last season for 1,229 yards, including a school-record 21 TDs. Scout.com ranks him as the best player in the state for the class of 2018. St. Brown also has a physical concern. He missed the Battle at the Beach passing tournament with a finger injury, but he is aiming to play in the Monarchs’ season opener.

3. SOLOMON TULIAUPUPU
Mater Dei, LBMater Dei inside linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu.(Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The highly-recruited transfer from Claremont is a complete player and arrives at Mater Dei at an important time. The senior brings the size (6-2, 220), physical presence, athleticism and leadership to anchor a unit that graduated several players with those qualities after last season. Nicknamed “Solo,” Tuliaupupu had 128 total tackles last season, including 18 for loss. Mater Dei fans will love his aggressive pursuit of ball carriers.

4. OLAIJAH GRIFFIN
Mission Viejo, CB/WRMission Viejo defensive back/wide receiver Olaijah Griffin. (Photo by Sam Gangwer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The UCLA commit starts the season as arguably the county’s top two-way player. He is the best lockdown-cornerback in the county and also an elite wide receiver. Griffin had 39 receptions for 759 yards and 11 TDs last season. If you don’t believe in his receiving skills, watch him split defensive backs or just run away from others.

5. AUSTIN OSBORNE
Mission Viejo, WRMission Viejo wide receiver Austin Osborne. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
Who needs the spread formation when you have the duo of Osborne and Olaijah Griffin? The Washington commit possesses the route-running skills, 6-foot-3 size and hands to beat double coverage. Osborne averaged a staggering 26.7 yards per reception last season and caught 16 TDs. He is aiming for a third consecutive All-County season.

6. GRIFFIN O’CONNOR
Edison, QBEdison quarterback Griffin O’Connor.(Photo by Sam Gangwer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The senior appears well-positioned to deliver another huge season. While veteran Edison coach and passing-game guru Dave White retired after last season, O’Connor teams with new coach Jeff Grady, a former QB under White. The reigning Sunset League MVP also returns plenty of weapons, so he could push toward 4,000 yards passing and 40 TDs. He also rushed for 415 yards last season and 10 TDs.

7. MATT ROBINSON
JSerra, QBJSerra quarterback Matt Robinson. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
The Montana commit has the experience, skill set and weapons to produce a monster season. Robinson is a three-year starter in the Trinity League, so don’t expect much to rattle him. The dual-threat passed for just over 2,000 yards last season and rushed for another 459 yards. Robinson’s receiving corps includes speedy Munir McClain, a transfer from Santa Margarita. The Lions also feature transfer running backs Al Fisher and Jamiel Henning. If JSerra finds its chemistry on offense, watch out.

8. TOMMY BROWN
Mater Dei, LTMater Dei offensive lineman Tommy Brown. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Alabama commit holds down arguably the most important job in O.C. football: protecting the blind-side of quarterback JT Daniels. Brown has the size, toughness and drive to again perform well. And when he does his job, Daniels and his receivers are difficult to handle.

9. KC CARR III
Tustin, RB

The uncommitted senior will be a marked man by defenses this fall, but don’t expect the All-County back to slow down. Ranked No. 114 to start last season, Carr erupted for a county-leading 2,745 yards in the return season for Coach Myron Miller. The ground-oriented Miller remains at Tustin, so expect him and Carr to remain hungry for yardage.

10. TAE LE
Corona del Mar, WR/TECorona del Mar receiver Tae Le. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/ Orange County Register, SCNG)
Le climbed from No. 72 on the Hot 150 last year to be a first-team All-County performer. He teamed with Chase Garbers, who is now at Cal, to grab 78 receptions for 1,294 yards and 22 TDs. The Sea Kings are searching for a new quarterback, but they know what they have in the 6-foot-4, 237-pound Le. Because of his size, versatility and athleticism, he’s a matchup nightmare for defenses.

11. CHRISTIAN LaVALLE
Mission Viejo, LBMission Viejo senior linebacker Christian LaValle throws-up the “forks up” of the Arizona State Sun Devils. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The senior gives the Diablos a legit defensive player of the year candidate. The Arizona State commit led Mission Viejo in tackles as a junior with 108.

12. JULIUS IRVIN
Servite, DB/WRServite safety Julius Irvin. (Photo by Sam Gangwer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The highly-recruited senior anchors an improved secondary, but look for him to also emerge as a deep threat on offense. Irvin, the son of former Rams All-Pro LeRoy Irvin, has USC in his final-five college choices.

13. MALONE MATAELE
Santa Margarita, WR/RB/ATH.

Santa Margarita running back Malone Mataele.The dynamic Utah commit might be the county’s top return man. He had 1,341 all-purpose yards last season and returned two kicks and two punts for scores.

14. RYAN HILINSKI
Orange Lutheran, QBOrange Lutheran quarterback Ryan Hilinski.
(TERRY PIERSON,THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE/SCNG)
Orange Lutheran quarterback Ryan Hilinski.

15. DELON HURT
Servite, WRServite’s Delon Hurt.(Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
The rising senior dominated at the Battle at the Beach passing tournament and stands as the Friars’ No. 1 target

16. CJ PARKS
Mater Dei, WR/DBMater Dei wide receiver CJ Parks. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The UCLA commit is a popular pick for breakout performer to watch. He impressed at the Battle at the Beach 7-on-7 tournament in July and could help the Monarchs on defense.

17. KYLE FORD
Orange Lutheran, WRKyle Ford, shown playing for Servite in 2016, is now a potential standout for Orange Lutheran. (STEVEN GEORGES, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
Ford has emerged as the top junior wideout in the county. As a sophomore, he had 52 receptions for 950 yards, including a huge game against Mater Dei.

18. ABDUL-MALIK McCLAIN
JSerra, DEJSerra defensive lineman Abdul-Malik McClain. (Photo courtesy of Abdul-Malik McClain via Twitter)
The UCLA commit has the speed and size to be a fearsome defender. He should blow past his total of 7.5 sacks in 2016.

19. ISSAIAH JOHNSON
Los Alamitos, LBIssaiah Johnson, linebacker for Los Alamitos on Friday, July 28, 2017. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Arizona commit leads a stellar group of linebackers. His resume includes 140 tackles last season and growth in the weight room.

20. CLYDE MOORE
Corona del Mar, LBCorona del Mar’s Clyde Moore. (Photo by Ed Crisostomo, Orange County Register/SCNG)
If you’re looking for a hard hitter, watch the Colorado commit dish out the punishment.

21. BRU McCOY
Mater Dei, WR/DEMater Dei’s Bru McCoy. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The junior, with an offer from Ohio State among others, is an emerging star who improved with each game last season. He also is an explosive third-down rush specialist. His six sacks last season earn him bonus points.

22. ISAAK TOGIA
Pacifica, LBPacifica senior linebacker Isaak Togia. (Photo by Nick Agro, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The senior’s stock is soaring with recruiters. Offers this summer from Penn State and Notre Dame confirm he plays with a high-octane motor.

23. NIKKO REMIGIO
Mater Dei, WRMater Dei receiver Nikko Rimigio.(Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
The Cal commit would be the No. 1 wide receiver for most teams, but he thrives with the Monarchs’ talented bunch. He reeled in 46 receptions for 758 yards last season.

24. QUINN COMMANS
Whittier Christian, QBWhittier Christian quarterback Quinn Commans. (Photo by Brian Whitehead, Staff)
The senior is a must-check player on Friday nights after an eye-popping 2016. In 10 games, he threw for almost 3,800 yards and 43 TDs, including nine against Bell. For the season, he was intercepted only twice in 367 attempts.

25. BEN JEFFERSON
Pacifica, QBPacifica quarterback Ben Jefferson. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Orange County Register)
The speedy senior might be the best pure dual-threat quarterback in the county. If the Mariners make a playoff run, watch his total yards pile up. Jefferson could approach 4,000 yards.

HOT 150: PLAYERS 26-50

26. JOEY YELLEN
Mission Viejo, QB
The St. John Bosco transfer takes the reins of an offense that features wideouts Olaijah Griffin and Austin Osborne, tackle Jarrett Patterson and coordinator Rob Johnson. The junior won a golden ticket.

27. CHIGOZIE ANUSIEM
Sonora, CB/WR
County fans will be eager to see highlights on both sides of the ball from the Cal commit.

28. SPENCER LYTLE
Servite, OLB/TE
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound junior is a fast-rising defender who has been offered by UCLA among others. He plays with a mean streak.

29. ZACH RITNER
Capistrano Valley, DE
The senior led a talented defense in sacks last season with 18. He could crack 20 in 2017, so don’t forget his name during postseason awards.

30. JARRETT PATTERSON
Mission Viejo, OT
The Arizona State commit is another tackle who provides vital protection for a high-powered offense.

31. DAVID ATENCIO
Edison, WR
The athletic senior tops the list of Edison receivers set to prosper with the return of QB Griffin O’Connor. He’ll join the 1,000-yard club this fall, and then he’ll excite the school’s basketball fans during the winter.

32. CHAD MAGYAR
Santa Margarita, RB
The Eagles found their groove late last season as Magyar rolled up yards in consecutive victories against Orange Lutheran, Servite and Serra of Gardena. They’ll ride the senior, who is also an excellent receiver, again.

33. AUSTIN WHITSETT
San Clemente, RB
The highest-ranked Triton surged late in 2016 to help San Clemente capture its historic CIF and state titles. Look for him to pick up where he left off.

34. CHRIS MURRAY
Mater Dei, OG
Interior linemen don’t get much attention, but this senior is worth a look. He’s one of the county’s most improved players and holds offers from Stanford and Notre Dame among others.

35. MUNIR McCLAIN
JSerra WR
The Santa Margarita transfer gives QB Matt Robinson a serious deep threat. The junior could eventually follow his brother to UCLA.

36. RICKY LANE
Yorba Linda, WR/DB
The junior reads the game well. His instincts led to five interceptions in ’16 while his smooth routes and sure hands netted 64 receptions. He’s a smooth operator.

36. PESELAO GAUTA
Garden Grove, OL/DL
The Argonauts’ massive lineman (6-6, 330) throws opponents around like dolls. They should try to avoid him.

38. CHRIS MITCHELL
Mission Viejo, CB
Offenses would be smart to avoid Olaijah Griffin’s side of the Diablos defense, but they won’t find much relief against Mitchell. He’s outstanding and holds a Notre Dame offer.

39. TRENT McDUFFIE
Servite, CB
The 5-foot-11 junior is rising after setting a school record in the long jump. He landed an offer from USC and impressed during the summer.

40. BRANDON WON
Sunny Hills, MLB
Won’s numbers are top-40 worthy: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, 4.82 weighted GPA, 101 total tackles and four forced fumbles in ’16. The Harvard commit packs a punch.

41. TYLER CASADOS
La Habra, OG
The La Mirada transfer returns to his freshman-year roots as a road-grading offensive lineman. La Habra’s line will be stellar.

42. SEAN RHYAN
San Juan Hills, OG/DT
The two-way lineman deserves attention. Most of the teams in the Pac-12 have offered, and he’s a big reason why the Stallions could surprise.

43. CADEN FITCH
Santa Margarita, LB
The senior linebacker surfaced last season as a sure-tackler with excellent pursuit. He led the Eagles with 119 tackles.

44. MASE FUNA
Mater Dei, OLB
The transfer from Santa Margarita is being mentioned as a key player for the Mater Dei defense.

45. AJ ALLEN
Buena Park, WR/FS
The senior is one of the few well-known players who stayed with the Coyotes after their coaching change. He’s the No. 1 target at receiver and a key defender at free safety.

46. RYAN CRAGUN
St. Margaret’s WR
The Penn commit is a highlight-waiting-to-happen as a receiver or kick returner. He had 70 receptions for 1,137 yards as a junior.

47. DARION GREEN-WARREN
Mater Dei, DB
The newcomer has emerged as one of the county’s top sophomores. He counts Utah as one of his offers.

48. JACOBAH FUAMATU
La Habra, OLB/RB
Fuamatu is another top sophomore. Expect Coach Frank Mazzotta to unleash him on offense and defense.

49. COOPER JONES
El Toro, QB
The senior is coming off a strong summer and has talented teammates at receiver, including Austin Derrico. The Chargers love to sling the ball.

50. JOSIAH NORWOOD
Santa Margarita, QB
The transfer from Troy faces competition for playing time but his dual-threat abilities are intriguing. The Eagles are deep at running back and tight end, so imagine the play fakes.

…

IRVINE – When will Aaron Donald show up? Or, more to the point, will he show up?

Donald’s contract holdout seemed to take a turn toward contentiousness Thursday morning when ESPN reported, through unnamed sources, that Donald might not join the Rams for the start of the season.

Those sources, almost certainly, did not come from UC Irvine, where the Rams wrapped up their 18-day training camp Thursday. The Rams have declined, publicly and privately, to divulge details of their negotiations with Donald’s agent, Todd France, who previously didn’t respond to interview requests.

It seems clear that, with Donald’s holdout approaching the three-week mark, and the Sept. 10 season opener on the horizon, someone is attempting to turn up the heat on the Rams.

Will it work?

“Whether that report is true or not,” Coach Sean McVay said Thursday, “we’re continuing to try to find a solution, and we’ve got some time until that does come. We’ve got to always have contingency plans in place, but like I said, that doesn’t change our approach. We’re still trying to find that solution and get Aaron here and be a part of what we’re doing. And if not, we need to be ready to adjust.”

The Rams play a preseason game Saturday at Oakland. After that, the practice schedule gets tighter. Most of the defense already has been installed, and not only has Donald missed all of training camp, but he also missed most of the team’s voluntary offseason program.

Even though Donald unquestionably is one of NFL’s most talented players, getting him up to speed on the new system of defensive coordinator Wade Phillips before Sept. 10 could be an issue.

That assumes, of course, that Donald’s holdout doesn’t continue into mid-September. Fellow defensive lineman Michael Brockers said he remains confident Donald will show up before then.

“Oh yeah. Oh yeah,” Brockers said. “I have a good feeling he will come back. It’s just about the (contract) numbers and stuff that I don’t want to get into. But I know he will be back sometime soon.”

It’s a complicated, perhaps unprecedented situation. Donald, 26, is a dominant defender who has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons. But under the NFL’s rookie-contract structure, Donald is set to make approximately $1.8 million this season. The Rams recently picked up his contract option for 2018, when he would make almost $6.9 million.

Donald seems to be thinking bigger, perhaps north of the six-year, $114-million deal Ndamukong Suh signed with Miami in 2015, one that included $60 million in guaranteed money.

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The issue for the Rams is, they have Donald locked up for two more seasons and a reasonable salary. They seem open to signing him to a major, long-term contract, but as always in contract talks, factors such as monetary structure and option years can be stumbling blocks.

Meanwhile, Rams players continue their on-field work. The defensive line took a big hit less than a week into camp when starting end Dominique Easley tore his ACL. The Rams have been going with Ethan Westbrooks and Louis Trinca-Pasat as bookends for Brockers, their defensive tackle.

“It’s a ‘you’ve just got to go on’ type of thing,” Brockers said. “You don’t want to make it a distraction, and it’s really not a distraction. We understand the business, and we let that be that, and we take care of what we can control. That’s what it’s really about. It’s not a distraction.

“We know what we’re going to get when he comes back. He’s a plug-in guy, so as long as we can get him up to speed on the plays, and stuff like that, we’ll be fine.”

It’s also an unenviable situation for McVay, the Rams’ first-year coach who has worked hard to foster a team-first mentality since his hiring in January. Now, his team’s best player is holding out.

McVay said he doesn’t take it personally and, in fact, when Donald spoke briefly in June at a youth football camp, he was effusive in his praise of McVay’s acumen. McVay and other Rams executives have been careful to express their respect for Donald and not escalate the holdout situation.

“I can appreciate about Aaron is, he loves this game,” McVay said. “He’s all about the right stuff. He’s one of those players that coaches love to work with. He’s one of those players who, he’s why you coach, to be around players like that. You also respect and understand that this is how people make their living.

“It certainly isn’t something, now that I have a better understanding, that I take personally. It’s something where our organization and Aaron’s people are trying to come to a solution. We’re hopeful, and we’re still optimistic, that we’ll be able to get that done.”

OCVarsity has released the 2017 O.C. Hot 150, which ranks the county’s high school football players based on their expected impact on the upcoming season.

To go with the rankings, we had many of the top players take part in a special photo shoot.

Here are the photos:

HIS TIME IN THE SUN: Ten months after his death, James Galanos will be the subject of a new exhibition at the Phoenix Art Museum.
For more than 50 years, the designer amassed a clientele that included Duchess of Windsor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Rosalind Russell and Diana Ross. The designer died last fall at 92.
Born to parents who had come to Philadelphia from Greece, Galanos pitched in with his three sisters at his parents’ restaurant. After that service-oriented start, Galanos moved to New York following high school hoping to enroll in a fashion school led by Russian stage designer and costumer Barbara Karinska. Due to a delayed opening, he scrapped that plan to take classes at the Traphagen School of Fashion. Eight months later Galanos decided more hands-on experience was needed.
He officially entered the world of fashion by way of Hattie Carnegie in New York working as an assistant. The several years that followed led to posts like assisting Robert Piguet in Paris and later working as a part-time sketch artist in Columbia Pictures’ costume department under the guidance of Jean Louis. The way Galanos told it, the hiring was “out of pity,” although understatement

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ZONING BATTLE HEATS UP: Rezoning NYC’s garment district — a debate that has been dragging on for decades — is about to intensify significantly. In what appears to be a preemptive strike in advance of Monday’s City Planning Commission meeting, about 40 designers, union leaders and elected officials are planning a press event on the steps of City Hall Friday at noon.
For nearly 200 years, the Midtown West neighborhood has housed the largest concentration of manufacturers, designers and suppliers — the heart of New York City’s garment industry. Those looking to lift the zoning argue that the continued dwindling base of manufacturing (due largely to more affordable overseas production) no longer merits the 1.4 million square feet. In total, the neighborhood has 1 million square feet earmarked for apparel manufacturing and another 1 million set aside for support purposes. Earlier this year New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a $136 million “Made in New York” campus at Bush Terminal in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park.
Friday’s recommendations have been gleaned from a series of six Garment Center Steering Committee meetings with landlords, tenants, designers, BID officials and various interested parties in the past two or three months. The Council of Fashion

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Designer Adriana Castro is expanding her luxury handbag line with a small collection of shoes and an exclusive deal with Moda Operandi.
The Colombian-American designer whose father operated a crocodile farm when she was a child has been making handbags from leather and exotic skins for several years, but this is her first foray into footwear and her first time selling with Moda, an online retailer that deals exclusively with high-end brands.
While Castro said she’s “honored” to be working with Moda, she puts design before distribution.
“[I spent] a lot of time, months, in the factory in Spain learning the shoe-making process,” Castro said. “We had to make a piece that managed to seduce a critical eye. It was worth it.”
The spring 2018 shoe collection is limited to a single style of loafer mule priced between about $400 and $850 that’s being offered in an array of colors and skins, from a canary yellow leather to a soft pink python and will be available for pre-order on Moda’s web site beginning this week.

Adriana Castro’s new spring 2018 shoe line in yellow leather and pink python. 
Adriana Castro

Castro said once spring rolls around, shoes will also be for sale on her own web site,

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Condos with water views are increasingly selling for twice as much as identical ones with city views.

BRIGITTE MANIA: Amid signs of “Brigitte mania” sweeping across France,  the Aug. 18 edition of French Elle includes the first interview with the country’s fledgling First Lady, Brigitte Macron.
The cover of the issue, out on newsstands today, depicts Macron at the Élysée Palace in a casual chic ensemble pairing a shapely cream jacket by Dior with a white T-shirt and slim jeans by Saint Laurent.
Pictures accompanying the 10-page feature inside show her walking in a courtyard hand-in-hand with her husband, President Emmanuel Macron, in the same look only swapping in a tailored red jacket by Azzedine Alaïa with mesh accents. She is also seen sitting at her desk in a red short-sleeved biker-inspired dress by Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton.
In the article, Macron shares her admiration for Ghesquière and Karl Lagerfeld, whom she considers friends. She also lists among her other favorite designers Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing, Alexandre Vauthier, and Alaïa, but concedes she finds the latter’s skirts too short. “I wear above-the-knee, not minis! Although I loved to wear minis when I was younger, we would hide them in our bags when we went out…. and we’d slip bloomers on underneath to dance to rock ‘n’ roll,” Macron says. “We

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The chef unveils her big plans for her first Los Angeles restaurant, Hearth & Hound.

The new Hatteras 90 Motor Yacht supersizes the saloon and offers twin fold-down balconies.