Golden Valley’s Johnathan Kaelin has been named the 2019 All-Foothill League football Player of the Year after excelling at multiple positions on the field for the Grizzlies in his senior season.
“It feels good because all I really wanted was to be the best player in the league,” Kaelin said.
Kaelin served as the main running back for the Grizzlies and racked up 1,254 yards and 18 touchdowns in the Foothill League season. Even though Golden Valley didn’t appear in playoffs, Kaelin still ranked second in the Foothill League in terms of rushing yards at the end of the prep football season.
The senior also added 301 receiving yards and three touchdowns this year on 16 catches.
His numbers on the ground broke two program records. He now holds the single-game rushing yards record with 366 against Newbury Park, surpassing Earl Johnson’s 2011 record of 345.
Additionally, he broke KJ Maduike’s 2016 single-season rushing touchdown record of 13.
“I grew up playing running back,” Kaelin said. “When they needed me to score, they’d get me there and I’d get in the end zone.”
On defense, Kaelin logged 24 tackles at safety and had two interceptions. On special teams, he tallied 197 yards on eight kickoff returns.
Kaelin is still uncommitted, but has received interest from Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.
The Grizzlies finished in a three-way tie for second in the final Foothill League standings, but lost the coin flip in the league’s tiebreaking procedure and therefore failed to get an automatic bid to playoffs.
Hart quarterback Zach Johnson was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. The University of California, Berkeley commit completed 221-of-371 passes for 2,788 yards and 27 touchdowns in his senior campaign and second year as starting quarterback.
Johnson added 246 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 109 carries.
The Indians reached the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 playoffs and lost to San Juan Hills.
After helping West Ranch to a historic season, Zach Van Bennekum was named the Foothill League Defensive Player of the Year.
At linebacker, Van Bannekum ranked second out of all Wildcats and fourth in the league in tackles with 98, 53 of which were of the solo variety and 19 of which were for a loss. He tacked on three sacks and had six interceptions for 43 yards, two fumble recoveries for 92 yards, one blocked punt and one blocked field goal.
This season, the Wildcats accomplished the longest playoff run in program history when they reached the CIF-SS Division 7 semifinals. They fell 31-28 to Temecula Valley in the game.
Valencia’s Owen Hand was named Foothill League Lineman of the Year. Hand and the Vikings won their 11th straight league title this season, but fell in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs to San Clemente.
First Team Offense
Joseph Lahn, OL, Golden Valley, senior
Lendale Cervantes, OL, Golden Valley, senior
Taden Littleford, RB, Hart, senior
Ashton Thomas, WR, Hart, senior
Tyler Thompson, OL, Hart, senior
Josh Bond, RB, Saugus, senior
Ryan Morrison, QB, Valencia, senior
Jake Santos, RB, Valencia, senior
Nick Pham, RB, Valencia, senior
Zamondre Merriweather, WR, Valencia, sophomore
Walker Eget, QB, West Ranch, junior
John Collier, OL, West Ranch, senior
Ty Morrison, K, Valencia, junior
First Team Defense
Darnell Musgrove, DL, Golden Valley, senior
Tyler Walker, DB, Golden Valley, senior
Luke McCoy, LB, Golden Valley, junior
Travis Gill, LB, Hart, senior
Leighton McCarthy, LB, Hart, senior
Cade Gallagher, CB, Saugus, junior
Mitchell Torres, SS, Valencia, senior
Johnathan Tcheumani, LB, Valencia, senior
Diego Garcia, CB, Valencia, senior
Dean Miller, DE, Valencia, junior
Bryce Buchanan, LB, West Ranch, senior
Brandon Wyre, DB, West Ranch, senior
JC Cotti, DL, West Ranch, senior
Carson Farber, P, Saugus, senior
Second Team Offense
Aydyn Litz, QB, Canyon, senior
Carlos Meza, WR, Golden Valley, junior
Mahdi Bey, WR, Golden Valley, junior
Tommy Adame, Hart, OL, senior
Ryan Tomaszewski, WR, Hart, junior
Jordan Siousset, OL, Hart, senior
Tyler Ayers, OL, Saugus, senior
Julian Bornn, RB, Saugus, junior
Tristen Lachmar, OL, Valencia, senior
Vincent Casillas, OL, Valencia, junior
Nicholas Kohl, WR, West Ranch, junior
Reiger Burgin, RB, West Ranch, senior
Jarrett Reeser, K, Canyon, junior
Second Team Defense
Evan Cox, DL, Canyon, senior
Raysean Gilmore, DL, Golden Valley, junior
David Kim, DL, Golden Valley, junior
Dylan Vradenburg, DE, Hart, junior
Max Bjorkman, DB, Hart, senior
Seth Edwards, DL, Saugus, junior
Robert Vega, S, Saugus, junior
Jackson Stein, NG, Valencia, junior
Jordan Brentley, CB, Valencia, senior
Henry Samuelson, DL, West Ranch, junior
Max Macias, LB, West Ranch, senior
Jackson Reyes, DB, West Ranch, senior
Jacob Cipperly, P, Golden Valley, junior
Honorable Mention
Reno Sifuentes, Canyon, senior
AJ Hall, Golden Valley, senior
Drew Munoz, Hart, senior
Colton Fitzgerald, Saugus, junior
Tanner Bench, Valencia, senior
Nick Aquino, West Ranch, senior
