Hall of Champions names Shaw among Prep Stars of the Month

The San Diego Hall of Champions named Derek Shaw as one of the Prep Stars of the Month for December.

Shaw, who attended three Fallbrook Union Elementary School District schools and currently attends Oceanside High School, was one of ten Prep Stars of the Month selected by the Hall of Champions.

“It’s a big honor,” Shaw said. “I think it’s a great thing.”

Shaw was the quarterback for Oceanside High School, which won the CIF Division II football championship. He also earned a berth on the all-CIF first team and was named as the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Offensive Player of the Year. Shaw completed 139 of 255 passes during the season, or 54.5 percent, and his season totals included 2,796 passing yards and 30 touchdowns.

Shaw had 282 passing yards and three touchdown passes as Oceanside defeated Helix in the 27-10 game December 14 at Qualcomm Stadium. “It was just an amazing experience playing for the championship at Qualcomm,” Shaw said. “I set a bunch of goals out, and it was like everything was complete after that.”

Shaw, who has signed a letter of intent to play football at Arizona State University, has since set additional goals.

One of the other Prep Stars of the Month for December was Shaw’s teammate Russell Tialavea, who was one of Shaw’s offensive linemen as well as one of the leaders on Oceanside’s defense. “That’s pretty sweet,” Shaw said of Tialavea also being selected. “We’ve got some good athletes on our team.”

After the Shaw family moved to Fallbrook from Mission Viejo, Derek Shaw spent fourth grade at Live Oak Elementary School, fifth and sixth grades at La Paloma Elementary School, and seventh and eighth grades at Potter Junior High School. After his family moved to Murrieta, Shaw spent ninth grade and part of tenth grade, including the football season, at Murrieta Valley High School. Shaw moved again during tenth grade, this time to Oceanside.

Hall of Champions staff members read newspapers, speak with coaches and athletic directors, and watch games to obtain information about potential nominees. Each month’s nominations are sent to the Hall of Champions’ Awards Committee for approval and selection of the best performers. After the Awards Committee makes its selections, they are presented to the Hall of Champions’ Board of Trustees for approval.

Each year the stars of the month, along with the professional and amateur stars of the year and the inductees into the Breitbard Hall of Fame, are honored at the Salute to the Champions banquet. The banquet for the 2004 stars will be held on February 22, 2005. “I think it’s real cool that they picked me, and I’ll be there,” Shaw said.