Los Banos football star named Most Valuable Player by Western Athletic Conference coaches
Los Banos High senior JT Archutowski was a dominant force on both sides of the ball for the Tigers this season.
Most opponents chose not to run toward Archutowksi’s side and he still disrupted the passing game despite drawing double teams.
Offensively, the Tigers senior was a nightmare matchup for opposing defensive backs.
The Western Athletic Conference coaches noticed, selecting Archutowski as the Most Valuable Player in the conference.
“I think it was his overall performance this season,” said Los Banos coach Dustin Caropreso. “Defensively every team knew where No. 7 was and their game plan was to run away from him. Even running away from him was tough.”
Archutowski finished with 65 tackles and 12 sacks this season for the Tigers.
“Offensively, we didn’t start using him until we got to league, Caropreso added. “We decided to take advantage of his size and athletic ability against smaller defensive backs.”
Grace Davis running back Isaac Martinez was named the WAC’s Offensive Player of the Year after helping lead the Spartans to the conference championship.
Davis’ Tim Garcia was named Coach of the Year and the Spartans’ Jackson Brooks was named the Kicker of the Year.
Lathrop’s Harold Gary was named the Defensive Player of the Year and teammate Jeremy Buck was named Offensive Lineman of the Year.
Mountain House’s Matthew Andrade was named the Defensive Lineman of the Year.
The all-WAC first-team selections were quarterback Landyn Hudson (Ceres), running backs Roy Gardner Jr. (Mountain House), Adrian Ramirez (Los Banos), receivers Verlis Smith (Ceres), Jordan Mendoza (Davis), tight end Manvir Gakhal (Pacheco) and linemen Daniel Valenica (Davis), Aiden Huggins (Davis), Damian Sainz (Los Banos), Jack Love (Los Banos) and Andrade.
The first-team defensive honorees were: outside linebacker/defensive ends Lebron Stallworth (Ceres), Noah Martinez (Lathrop), inside linebacker Kahmi Smith (Ceres), Cobi Twist (Davis), linemen Idris Ahmady (Davis), Buck, Nathaniel Hernandez (Pacheco) and defensive backs Ramirez, Victor Rojas (Davis), Dexter Francis III (Mountain House) and Gardner.
The second-team offense picks were: quarterback David Herrera (Los Banos), running backs Tarrell Lee-Gill (Ceres), Jedidiah Delatorre (Pacheco), receivers Ayden Barcellos (Los Banos), Francis III (Mountain House), tight end Damian Martin (Johansen), and linemen Sinapati Shafer (Beyer), Dominic Cervantes (Davis), Dorian Alvarez (Johansen), Chris Subia (Lathrop) and Jose Martinez (Pacheco).
The defensive second-team selections were: outside linebacker/defensive ends Jose Sanchez (Davis), Jaden Hearon (Davis), inside linebackers Eddie Reynoso (Lathrop), Cedrick Major Jr. (Mountain House), linemen Shafer, Love, Jamon Cannon (Los Banos), defensive backs Isaiah Medina (Los Banos), Daniel Rivas (Pacheco), Austin Munguia (Ceres), Jr Williams (Lathrop).
