The 2026 all-league football selections for the Foothill League have been released, and Valencia senior running back Nico Funez earned the top honor, Player of the Year, after leading the Vikings to a fourth-consecutive Foothill League championship.
Player of the Year: Nico Funez, senior, Valencia.
The Valencia senior running back is this season’s Foothill League Player of the Year after leading the Vikings to a fourth-consecutive league title.
Throughout the season, the senior running back ran for 1,302 yards and recorded 20 rushing touchdowns through 11 games.
While Funez saw success on the ground, he also caught 14 receptions throughout the season and tallied 233 receiving yards along with four touchdowns.
With impressive statistics both as a running back and receiver, Funez also showcased his arm talent during the final game of the season against Hart for the Foothill League title when the senior tossed a 39-yard touchdown pass en route to the championship.
Offensive Player of the Year: Matix Frithsmith, senior, Hart.
With 29 total touchdowns throughout 11 games, Hart’s Matix Frithsmith was named as this year’s offensive player of the year for the Foothill League.
Frithsmith, who ended his high school football career as the leader in rushing yards in the Foothill League with 1,405 yards, also led the league in total points with 174.
He recorded 2,014 all-purpose yards and led the Hawks to an 8-3 record and second-place finish in the Foothill League.
Defensive Player of the Year: Caysen Badawi, senior, Valencia.
Valencia senior Caysen Badawi is this year’s defensive player of the year after the defensive back helped lead the Vikings to a fourth-consecutive Foothill League title.
Badawi, who’s committed to continuing his football and academic career at San Diego State University, led the Vikings’ defense that allowed 24.3 points per game this season.
And in Foothill League play, the Vikings allowed 12.3 points per game with Badawi leading the secondary.
Co-Linemen of the Year: Gabe Degl’Innocenti, senior, Hart; and Thomas Konrad, junior, Valencia.
Hart’s Gabe Degl’Innocenti and Valencia’s Thomas Konrad each were named as co-lineman of the year following the season.
Degl’Innocenti, a Hart senior, recorded 58 tackles throughout the season and led the Hawks in tackles for loss with 7.5 along with 6.5 sacks.
As for Konrad, the junior lineman recorded two tackles for loss and helped Funez en route to his player of the year campaign and protected sophomore quarterback Evan McCalister, who tossed for 2,168 yards through the air.
First Team Offense:
- Aaron McCormick, senior, Golden Valley (RB).
- Joel Rocha, senior, Golden Valley (OL).
- Joshua Rogozik, senior, Hart (RB).
- Silas Tucker, junior, Hart (WR).
- Kadin Saalih, senior, Hart (WR).
- Landon Lattimore, senior, Saugus (WR).
- Beckham Welch, senior, Saugus (OL).
- Evan McCalister, sophomore, Valencia (QB).
- William Mayberry, junior, Valencia (OL).
- Anthony Baca, junior, Valencia (OL).
- Michael Wilder, junior, Valencia (WR).
- Charlie Samuelson, senior, West Ranch (WR).
- Tyler Thornton, senior, Valencia (K).
First Team Defense:
- Kayden McIntyre, senior, Golden Valley (DB).
- Javier Quinones, senior, Golden Valley (DL).
- Bailey Hill, senior, Hart (DB).
- Dylan Monterrosa, junior, Hart (DL).
- Matai Kaisa, junior, Hart (DL).
- Mono Ortega, senior, Saugus (LB).
- Uyliem Huynh, senior, Saugus (DL).
- Carson DeLeon, senior, Valencia (LB).
- Rocco Testa senior, Valencia (LB).
- Anthony Vernon, senior, Valencia (DB).
- Brady Stockland, junior, Valencia (LB).
- Mesziah Ramos, senior, West Ranch (WR).
- Lucas Duryea, junior, Castaic (P).
Second Team Offense:
- Jeremiah Herrers, senior, Canyon (WR).
- Takai Bogan, junior, Castaic (WR).
- Cornell Glass, sophomore, Golden Valley (RB).
- Ian Henriquez, senior, Golden Valley (WR).
- Valentino Cederholm, junior, Hart (OL).
- Derek Michel, junior, Hart (WR).
- Landon Bartl, sophomore, Saugus (WR).
- Jacob Ceja, sophomore, Saugus (OL).
- Hudson Sanders, junior, Valencia (WR).
- William Skinner, junior, Valencia (OL).
- Nathan Striplin, junior, West Ranch (WR).
- Isaiah Fabela, junior, West Ranch (WR).
- Jacob Nunez, senior, West Ranch (K).
Second Team Defense:
- Phillip Yrigoyen, junior, Canyon (LB).
- Tristian Arriaga, senior, Castaic (LB).
- Zane Crosby, junior, Golden Valley (LB).
- Adin Gonzalez, senior, Golden Valley (DL).
- Will Greenfield, senior, Hart (DB).
- Michael Toner, senior, Hart (DB).
- Ryker Wixon, junior, Saugus (LB).
- Elijah Ham, senior, Saugus (DL).
- Isaiah Reid, senior, Valencia (DB).
- Ryan Galvan, senior, Valencia (DL).
- Jayden Guzman, senior, West Ranch (WR).
- Robert Toepfer, senior, West Ranch (WR).
- Anthony Toccacelli, sophomore, Hart (P).
Honorable Mention
- Julian Carlin, senior, Canyon.
- Billy Palm, junior, Castaic.
- Andrew Markovich, senior, Golden Valley.
- Trevor Tristian, senior, Hart.
- Jeremiah Caradine, junior, Saugus.
- Deshawn Palmer, senior, Valencia.
- Khalil Calhoun, junior, West Ranch.
