These bookends (RT) Matt Norman & (LT) Isaac Miravet were keys to M-Town’s third consecutive CIF title.
(We’ve said it before. No second team, no third team, and we don’t make someone an MVP to move them up and then slide someone else into their position. Lot of debate. In the end we realize we’ve made a couple of people happy and a whole host of others very angry. Our choices, we stand by them.)
OFFENSE
El Monte quarterback Brandon Martinez
Quarterback:
Brandon Martinez—El Monte
(There was no discussion with this pick, but in a 2012 that didn’t belong to Brandon Martinez debate might have centered around Andre Nunez (Sierra Canyon), Tyler Carvalho (Paraclete), and Blake Heyworth (Monrovia).)
Northview running back Javon Taylor
Running Backs:
Jake Payton—San Dimas
Ryan Wood—San Marino
Javon Taylor—Northview
San Marino running back Ryan Wood
(Home run hitters all the way around. Ge’Vontray Ainsworth isn’t listed here, but he is on the team. Not on the team? Try Jorge Remigio (Bell Gardens), Peter Aholoka (Arroyo), and Nathan Lee (South Pasadena).)
Monrovia wide receiver Mason Bryant
Wide Receiver:
Mason Bryant—Monrovia
El Monte wide receiver Abel Barajas
Abel Barajas—El Monte
(There was some debate but not much. Barajas is just a ‘Bad Dude’ playing receiver, very physical. Bryant on the other hand conjures up memories of Paul Warfield —yeah, Paul Warfield—his route running and toe tapping on the sidelines is pure ballet. If there was a third receiver to add, it very well could have been Adolfo Sanchez of El Monte an exceptional slot guy.)
Left Tackle:
Isaac Miravet—Monrovia
(Miravet moved from guard to tackle in 2012 and gets the nod at LT over Jared Trujillo (San Dimas).
Paraclete left guard Joe Alvarez
Left Guard:
Joe Alvarez—Paraclete
(Physical Spirits trenchman beat out Roger Padilla (Northview) and Darrick Sullivan (San Dimas).)
San Dimas center Fidel Castro
Center:
Fidel Castro—San Dimas
(Tough call, this was an extremely tough call. Erik Brooks (Monrovia) and Alfred Hwang (San Marino) got votes, but in the end we went with the Saints dictator along the offensive line.)
Right Guard:
Carl Gregorio—Northview
(Lot a talent at the right guard spot, but in the end it was Gregorio over Josh Cano (Monrovia) and Keon Kornock (Paraclete).)
Right Tackle:
Matt Norman—Monrovia
(Right Tackle was a deep spot but it was opposing coaches who put Norman over the top. In this debate was Mason Van Kirk (Paraclete), Quinn Hutchings (South Pasadena), Nate Harding (San Marino), Nelson Leon (Rosemead), and Joshua Wallace (San Dimas).)
Kicker:
Andres Hernandes—Northview
(This guy had a really nice year.)
DEFENSE
Paraclete defensive end Will Pretty
Defensive End:
Will Pretty—Paraclete
(We knew about this guy last spring when the Alpha League was bounced back into the Mid-Valley…He didn’t disappoint.)
Rosemead defensive tackle Nelson Leon
Defensive Tackle:
Nelson Leon—Rosemead
(Close call. James Rivera (Arroyo) got a big push. In the end it was Leon.)
Defensive End:
Marcos Lopez—Arroyo
(Excellent defender, good person, good student, worked all summer to help family, but it was his mid-season return that jump started the Knights defense.)
Outside Linebacker:
Blade Brady—Sierra Canyon
(Might have benefited from the big numbers and names in the division playing on the inside, but then again no. Brady was consistent from start to finish for the Trailblazers.)
Monrovia inside linebacker Brett Walsh
Inside Linebacker:
Brett Walsh—Monrovia
(If we were going to go with a defensive player as MVP, it would have been this guy.)
Inside Linebacker:
Justin Bugh—San Dimas
(Great season, again. And he had to play great to beat out guys like Bryan Rodgers & Christian Ruiz (Paraclete) and David Gallegos (Monrovia).
Monrovia outside linebacker Ge’Vontray Ainsworth
Outside Linebacker:
Ge’Vontray Ainsworth—Monrovia
(Could he have been one of the running backs? Of course. Could he have been the divisions player of the year. Does any of that take away from an amazing senior season, a CIF title? No. Raised his profile and will/should get a gig to play football on Saturdays next fall.)
Monrovia craftback Anthony Craft
Cornerbacks:
Anthony Craft—Monrovia
Michael Peters—Covina
(Petition has been made to change the name of the position to “Craftback”…Craft has been an institution. Peters? Dude was amazing.)
Strong Safety:
Mitchell Giles—San Dimas
(This was a furious battle. One of the last spots settled but in the end it was Giles who emerged. Only a junior.)
Free Safety:
Isaiah Renfro—Sierra Canyon
(Don’t despise his youth. Eight picks and yet was only second team in his league and received no mention on the CIF squad. Renfro was great that’s why he was our divisional newcomer of the year and our FS in 2012. No easy trick with Sebastian Espinoza (Alhambra) and Pablo Ocegueda (South El Monte).)
Covina cornerback Mike Peters
Punter:
Chris Gonzalez—Mountain View
(The Boot)
South El Monte’s Pablo Ocegueda.
Return Specialist:
Pablo Ocegueda—South El Monte
(Ocegueda is a guy any coach would want on his team. In another season, with a few different turns, this guy could have been an MVP candidate.)
San Marino’s Matt Wofford
Patrick Perrigue Award
Matt Wofford—San Marino
(This award is named after a long ago La Canada player (Pat Perrigue 2000-2001) who did a lot of everything for the Spartans. Wofford in 2012 was the ultimate in utility for the Titans. He played quarterback, he threw, he ran, he punted, he played defense. He did it all.)
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