Hilmar running back, quarterback earn two of the top Trans-Valley League honors by coaches
Luis Vargas played all over the field for the Hilmar High football team. The Yellowjackets senior was their leading rusher, he played linebacker and special teams.
Vargas did it all well.
After rushing for 1,270 yards and 15 touchdowns to help lead Hilmar to a perfect 6-0 run through the TVL, the league coaches selected Vargas as the TVL Most Valuable Player.
“He was a team leader for us,” said Hilmar coach Frank Marques. “He played solid at running back. He had a great season. He played linebacker for us and special teams. He did it all and he one of the few guys that stayed healthy all year for us.”
Vargas’ speed and agility made him one of the premiere running backs in the TVL. He combined with sophomore quarterback Caden Bailey to give the Yellowjackets to big-play threats in the backfield.
“(Vargas) worked hard in the offseason and that paid off on the field,” Marques said.
Bailey also earned one of the TVL’s top honors, being named Outstanding Offensive Player. The sophomore rushed for 800 yards and 13 touchdowns in eight games this season after being promoted from the junior varsity team.
Marques says Bailey reminds him of former Hilmar quarterback Nathan Costa, who was the best quarterback to come out of the Yellowjackets program and eventually played at the University of Oregon.
“Caden was special with the way he ran the ball,” Marques said. “Watching the highlights, he reminds me a lot of Nathan Costa with his elusiveness and ability to run for power. He doesn’t throw the ball as well yet, but as far as running, he’s pretty special.”
Hughson linebacker David Burns was named the Outstanding Defensive Player. Huskies teammate Naui Arretche was selected as the Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Escalon’s Logan Anderson was named Outstanding Offensive Back and Escalon teammate Owen Nash was picked as Outstanding Receiver.
The Outstanding Defensive Lineman was Escalon’s Ryan Lewis and Hilmar’s Landon Gomes, the Outstanding Linebackers were Hilmar’s Jerado Ponce and Escalon’s Jamin Miller and the Outstanding Defensive Back is Hughson’s David Delgado.
Hughson’s Shaun King was named the Coach of the Year.
The all-TVL first-team offensive selections included offensive linemen Mana Itete (Modesto Christian), Cameron Arriola (Ripon), Hunter Budd (Escalon), Naui Arretche (Hughson), Brandon Freitas (Hilmar), running backs Ryker Peters (Escalon), Anderson, Carlos Baez, Livingston), Raymond Corral (MC), Liam Bridgford (Hughson), receivers Nash, Derek Taylor (Hilmar), Jeremiah Bernard (MC), Larkin Meyer (Hughson), tight end Israel Padilla (Livingston), quarterback Robert McDaniel (Hughson).
The defensive first-team picks were linemen Arriola, Lewis, Gomes, Isaac Agueda (Hilmar), Alex Casillas (Livingston), outside linebackers/defensive ends Bridgford, Jac Inderblitzen (Hilmar), Anderson, inside linebackers Corral, Jamin Miller (Escalon), Ponce and defensive backs Jesse Ochoa (Ripon), Javier Guiterrez (Escalon), David Delgado (Hughson) and Noel Lopez (Hilmar).
The second-team offensive selections were linemen Nate Moore (MC), Emiliano Acosta (Ripon), Jacob Rauch (Escalon), David Burciago (Hughson), Edwin Olivo (Hughson), Isaac Agueda (Hilmar), Gomes (Hilmar), Alex Cardenas (Hilmar), Saul Hernandez (Hilmar), Casillas, Diego Barajas (Livingston), Armando Partida (Livingston), running backs Xzavier Clark (MC), Jax Branco (Hilmar), Zack Duran (Livingston), receivers Jesse Ochoa (Ripon), David Delgado (Hughson), Abraham Montes (Hughson), Elmo Wartson (MC), tight end David Burns (Hughson), quarterbacks Ross Widemon (MC) and Donovan Rozevink (Escalon).
The second-team defensive picks were linemen Ayden Wilson (Escalon), Tate Christensen (Escalon), Ryan Borrelli (Hughson), Max Mankins (Hughson), Saul Hernandez (Hilmar), Alex Cardenas (Hilmar), Chris Salinas (Livingston), outside linebackers/defensive ends Derek Taylor (Hilmar), Nate Krieger (Escalon), Gabe Pires (MC), NEli’Jah Cook (MC), inside linebackers Zack Duran (Livingston), Aidan Krupa (Ripon), Ricardo Ochoa (Ripon), Kevin Jones (Hughson), Logan Cardoso (Hilmar), Alex Nisperos (Riverbank), defensive backs Matthew Baptista (Escalon), Luke Cox (Hilmar), Jax Jarvis (Hilmar), Sebastian Casanova (Livingston), Jason Reyna (Livingston), Max Nolasco (Livingston), Jeremiah Bernard (MC), Elmo Wartson (MC), Donovan Jones (MC), Gavin Stone (Hughson), Larkin Meyer (Hughson) and specialist kicker/punter McKade Jensen (Hilmar).
Southern League Honors
Le Grand High senior Fermin Villegas was named the Southern League’s Offensive Lineman of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Villegas helped pave the way for a potent Bulldogs offense.
Orestimba’s Kai Brazil was named the SL Most Valuable Player after helping lead the Warriors to league championship and rushing for 1,202 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Orestimba quarterback Alex Millan was named the Offensive Player of the Year and Ripon Christian linebacker Grant Sonke was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Delhi’s Jose Flores and Orestimba’s Pedro Barajas were named the co-Defensive Linemen of the Year.
The all-league first-team offensive selections were linemen Villegas, Mario Gonzalez (Orestimba), Carson Bunnell (RC), Coupe Thompson (Waterford) and Adrian Murillo (Orestiimba), running backs Brazil and Eli Rutherford (Waterford), quarterbacks Millan and Julian Bucio (Le Grand), receivers James Perez (Orestimba), Reyes Diaz (Le Grand), tight end Thys Van Der Hoek (RC) and utility players Ian White (Mariposa) and Alek Fuentes (Delhi).
The defensive first-team selections were linemen Pedro Barajas (Orestimba), Villegas (Le Grand), Jacob Kowes (RC), Ezra Fluharty (Mariposa) and Flores (Delhi), defensive end/outside linebackers Eli Terpsma (RC) and Giovanni Torres (Gustine), inside linebackers Brazil and Sonke, defensive backs Drew Felber (Orestimba), Brady Gronz (RC), Victor Mares (Le Grand), Alex Ramirez (Gustine), utility Gilbert Sotelo (Gustine) and kicker Carlos Castaneda (Le Grand).
The second-team offensive picks were linemen Anthony Flores (Delhi), Jarett Ruiz (Waterford), Miachel Ramirez (Gustine), Ezra Fluharty (Mariposa) and Jose Flores (Delhi), running backs Alexis Granados (Le Grand), Sonke (RC), quarterbacks Trey Fasani (RC), Caleb Hilton (Waterford), receivers Oscar Peral (Waterford), Johan Hill-zeck (Mariposa) and tight end Julian Nessi (Gustine).
The second-team defensive players were linemen Tristan Bruce (Orestimba), Alonzo Heavner (Mariposa), Kenny Rutledge (Mariposa), defensive ends/outside linebackers Reyes Diaz (Le Grand), Appollos Powell (Mariposa), inside linebackers Dustin Hoekstra (RC), Ty Holt (Mariposa) and kicker Fernando Navarro (Orestimba).
