El Monte quarterback Brandon Martinez
Welcome to Awards Season
(The criterion for “Newcomer of the Year” is simple; Underclassman with no extensive previous varsity experience.)
Like the recent wind storm so was the coming of Brandon Martinez on the scene in 2011. By the end of summer all knew Martinez was coming but no one could have guessed the force with which he hit.
Originally slated to be the Lions back up in 2011 and starter in 2012, Martinez played his way into the starting line up to lead El Monte to a 7-4 record and the brink of a Mission Valley League title.
The benchmark for Lions quarterbacks for the last three decades has been Henry Omana’s season in 1979. That fall, 32 years ago, Omana fired 24 touchdown passes in 12 games. In 2011 Martinez not only threw for 27 touchdowns in ten games (he did not play against Whittier Christian) but he rushed for 793 yards and eight more scores; something Omana did not do.
Four times Martinez threw four touchdowns in a game, while throwing for five in another. In El Monte’s 48-28 victory over Gabrielino on October 28, Martinez completed 11 of 15 passes for four touchdowns and rushed for 155 yards and three scores to account for all seven of his team’s touchdowns.
For that effort and results Martinez is the Mid Valley Sports, Mid-Valley Division “Newcomer of the Year” in 2011.
(Mid-Valley Division Offensive Assistant of the Year: Chris MacMillan)
(Southeast Division Offensive Assistant of the Year: Mike McKay)
(Mid-Valley Division Defensive Assistant of the Year: Craig Schuster)
(Southeast Division Defensive Assistant of the Year: Jason Heilman)
(Friday Southeast Division “Newcomer of the Year”)
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