With the way Valencia handled the Foothill League for a ninth straight season, it shouldn’t come as a shock that the Vikings scooped up a hefty portion of the All-Foothill League honors.
Junior Mykael Wright was voted the league’s Player of the Year, starring at cornerback and wide receiver for the Vikings.
“It was a big honor for me,” said Wright, who cited the team’s win over Hart to seal a ninth straight league title as his favorite moment of the year. “It’s really cool to see all my teammates that made it, too. It just shows all the work we put in.”
Wright, who holds offers to several Pac-12 programs, along with Nebraska, ended the year with 1,317 yards receiving to go with 18 touchdown catches. He also led the Vikings with four interceptions – all coming in league play.
“He’s one of the best football players I’ve been around in my 25 years of coaching,” said Vikings coach Larry Muir. “The impact he has on both sides of the ball is pretty incredible.”
Wright’s four rushing touchdowns all came in league play as well, including a 146-yard, two-touchdown performance against Saugus on just three carries.
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Valencia senior quarterback Connor Downs won Offensive Player of the Year, senior defensive lineman Josh DeNeal won Defensive Player of the Year and senior offensive lineman Justin Aguirre won co-Lineman of the Year.
“A very deserving group,” Muir said. “They were as successful and as fun of a group as I’ve ever had.”
Downs had 13 passing touchdowns through Foothill League play – most of any quarterback – and threw just two interceptions in that span – both coming against Saugus. DeNeal led the Vikings with 9.5 sacks and was second with 19 tackles for a loss, per MaxPreps, tallying six in their win over Golden Valley.
Aguirre helped pave the way for a rushing attack that collected over 3,600 yards in 14 games, including 66 touchdowns.
Golden Valley’s CJ Ravenell, who was the Grizzlies’ left tackle and top defensive end, also won co-Lineman of the Year.
“It was good to see my name up there because Valencia was all up over the awards,” Ravenell said. “It was definitely nice to get my school some recognition.”
Ravenell led Golden Valley with 13 sacks, 22 tackles for a loss and three fumble recoveries. He’s still awaiting his first collegiate offer but is garnering interest from San Jose State, UNLV, Wyoming and Sacramento State.
“He’s a kid destined to play on Saturdays,” said Golden Valley coach Dan Kelley of the 6-foot-5, 230-pound senior. “With his size, ability and attitude, I absolutely believe he’ll get there.”
Valencia led all teams with eight first-team performers. Jayvaun Wilson, Parker Kernek, Zachary Semko and Cole Edwards made it on offense and Ben Seymour, Reilly Royce, Josh Washington and Anthony Hernandez on defense.
Hart was second with seven first-teamers. Its wide receiver tandem of DJ Palmer and Da’Von Jones, along with offensive lineman Nathan Bradder, made the offensive team. C.J. McMullen, who set the school’s single-game and single-season sack records this year, made the defensive team, as well as Julian Salazar, Trevor Laibl and punter Aaron Rodriguez.
Saugus running back Quinn Sheaffer’s 1,000-plus yard season on the ground helped earn him first-team honors. Offensive lineman Nathan Tripp and kicker Tanner Brown, who made 16 of 18 field goals with a long of 47 yards, also landed on the first team.
Centurion linebackers Tyler Hampsten and Jimmy Stirwalt, who combined for 156 tackles on the year, made the defensive first team. DeMaurea Pride-Ruiz joined them on the first team defense as well.
Golden Valley had two players make each first team, with running back DJ Turner and Jalin Lewis on offense, and DeGabriel Floyd and Ahvie Harris on defense.
Canyon’s Shawn Gallagher was named the league’s first-team quarterback. West Ranch’s Ryan Camacho was selected as a first-team cornerback.
First Team Offense
Shawn Gallagher QB Jr. Canyon
DJ Turner RB Sr. Golden Valley
Jalin Lewis WR Sr. Golden Valley
DJ Palmer WR Sr. Hart
Da’Von Jones WR Sr. Hart
Nathan Bradder OL Sr. Hart
Quinn Sheaffer RB Sr. Saugus
Nathan Tripp OL Jr. Saugus
Jayvaun Wilson RB Jr. Valencia
Parker Kernek OL Sr. Valencia
Zachary Semko WR Sr. Valencia
Cole Edwards OL Sr. Valencia
Tanner Brown K Sr. Saugus
First Team Defense
Ahvie Harris SS Sr. Golden Valley
DeGabriel Floyd FS Jr. Golden Valley
Julian Salazar LB Sr. Hart
Trevor Laibl LB Sr. Hart
CJ McMullen DL Sr. Hart
Jimmy Stirwalt LB Sr. Saugus
Demaurea Pride-Ruiz CB Sr. Saugus
Tyler Hampsten LB Sr. Saugus
Ben Seymour DL Jr. Valencia
Reilly Royce LB Sr. Valencia
Josh Washington DL Sr. Valencia
Anthony Hernandez LB Sr. Valencia
Ryan Camacho CB Jr. West Ranch
Aaron Rodriguez P Jr. Hart
Second Team Offense
Jacob Lopez OL Jr. Canyon
Aaron Castaneda OL Sr. Golden Valley
Johnathan Kaelin WR So. Golden Valley
JT Shrout QB Sr. Hart
Ben Rosen RB Sr. Hart
Marc Caporal OL Sr. Hart
Richard Meza OL Sr. Saugus
Devin Thompson RB Jr. Saugus
Moises Haynes RB Sr. Valencia
Cody Paul OL Sr. Valencia
Jovan Camacho WR Jr. West Ranch
Dylan Joscak OL Sr. West Ranch
Second Team Defense
Richard Bueno DL Sr. Canyon
Henry Vera DB Jr. Canyon
Derrese Morganfield LB Jr. Golden Valley
Corey Neal LB So. Golden Valley
Josh Clark DB Sr. Hart
Thomas Bambrick DL Sr. Hart
Jordan Durden DL Sr. Saugus
Gabriel Velasco LB Sr. Saugus
Luring Paialii LB Jr. Valencia
Zion Dunson DB Sr. Valencia
Jake Killingsworth LB Sr. West Ranch
Matthew Heinrich P Sr. Valencia
Honorable Mention
Luke Stuart Fr. Canyon
Alex D’Ambrosio Sr. Golden Valley
Michael Colangelo Jr. Hart
Matthew Ballentine Jr. Saugus
Kyle Quintal Sr. Valencia
Giovanni Nicolazzo Sr. West Ranch
