Pressure, Chris Hannible has discovered, is nothing when mixed with talent and a lot of preperation.

Sure, Hannible had the unenviable task of replacing three-year starter Brian Burrell as Bakersfield High's quarterback. But it didn't take him long to realize he could make it work.

"Yeah, there was a little pressure, coming in with a team so young, first year starting at quarterback," Hannible said. "But it's been a dream of mine to live up to those big standards, and I was very excited to take charge."

Did he ever. In Bakersfield's triple-option offense, Hannible threw for 1,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions, and he ran for 1,239 yards and 22 touchdowns. Most important, he led the Drillers to a 13-0 season -- the legendary program's first unbeaten run since 2001 -- and their record 35th Central Section championship.

For that, Hannible is The Californian's All-Area Football Player of the Year.

"He did an unbelievable job of managing the game when it needed to be managed," Bakersfield coach Paul Golla said. "For a first-year starter, that's pretty special."

Of course, Golla had more than an inkling his offense would be OK with Hannible taking over. Rewind back to the 2010 section playoffs, when Hannible would stay after practice and zip around passes for the scout team, doing a passable impersonation of Centennial's All-American quarterback, Cody Kessler.

"He's explosive, he's strong, he works hard in the weightroom," Golla said. "He's really developed himself in those areas. But he's always been a team guy. You tell him to play whatever position, and he'll do it. He just wants to compete. Even as a scout-team quarterback, he's yelling at our guys. He's special in that way."

And the Drillers needed that quality during several sticky spots during their unbeaten run. First, at Frontier, the host Titans erased a big deficit to tie the game 35-35 late. Bakersfield's Kevin Elijah -- The Californian's Defensive Player of the Year -- made an interception with less than two minutes left, and Hannible did the rest, running the ball in for the winning touchdown.

More notably, with Bakersfield facing a 42-21 deficit and the premature end of its season in the section quarterfinals against Centennial, Hannible went to work.

He was 6-of-7 for 154 yards and two passing TDs and ran the ball six times for 42 yards and a touchown in Bakersfield's frantic comeback, including two perfectly placed deep balls to Kevin Hayes for the tying and winning touchdowns in a 49-42 victory.

"We just said, 'Heck yeah,' which to us means not to get down, just go forward, stay calm and do your technique," Hannible said. "That was a huge down, but we had to keep our heads up."

Hannible was more of a game manager in a semifinal victory against Clovis -- the Cougars took away his lane to run in the option, so he handed off to fullback Silas Nacita 16 times for 153 yards -- but he was back to his explosive self against Bullard, throwing for 154 yards and running for 98.

"It was crazy how it's all worked out," said Hannible, who started on defense as a sophomore and junior. "My sophomore year we lost in the semifinals. Last year, we lost in Valley, and my senior year we made it back and won it. All in order."

Hannible, who has moved around Bakersfield with relatives because of an unstable family situation, is waiting on first-semester grades to come in before he's certain he'll qualify academically to play in Division I college ball.

"Football has been everything to me," Hannible said. "I've played since I was 8 years old, and it helps me a lot.

If Hannible does continue his career at a four-year school, there is plenty of interest from Fresno State (as a safety) and Nevada (possibly as a quarterback). If that route doesn't work, he'll likely play at a junior college near you.

"It really doesn't matter; I'll play anywhere," Hannible said.

Wherever he lands, be assured that Hannible plans on making an impact.

"He wants to compete, and when he understands what he's supposed to do, he's going to get it done," Golla said. "He's a lot like (Fresno State standout safety and former Driller) Phillip Thomas. He's extremely intelligent and he understands the game.

"He's a gift."