We’re Giving Readers And Fans Their Own All-NorCal Football Vote — Who Will Be The First People’s Player Of The Year? •
VOTING IS CLOSED! THANK YOU TO ALL WHO VOTED. WATCH FOR THE WINNER ON FEB. 1
SportStars will be naming it’s fifth annual All-NorCal Football Teams right here at SportStarsMag.com on Friday, Jan. 25. The following week, our multiple Player Of The Year winners will be announced in our February issue when it releases on Feb. 1.
This year, for the first time, we’re adding a Player of the Year honor — and we’re putting it in your hands. We’re holding an All-NorCal Football vote to honor the People’s Player Of The Year.
We’ve compiled a list of eight NorCal players that consists of one dominant quarterback and arguably the region’s seven best two-way players in 2018. We’ll provide a small graph on each below, and leave the rest in your capable hands.
Check out: FINAL 2018 NorCal Football Rankings
We’ll announce the winner with the others in the February issue. Players are listed alphabetically. Here we go:
KAIDEN BENNETT (FOLSOM), QB, SR.
The Boise State-bound dual-threat quarterback completed nearly 74 percent of his passes for 4,254 yards, 62 TDs and just 5 INTs. He also rushed for 568 yards and 13 more scores. Kaiden nearly racked up 400 yards of total offense (with a hand in all three TDs) in leading the Bulldogs to a 21-14 CIF Div. I-AA Bowl victory.
AUSTIN JONES (BISHOP O’DOWD-OAKLAND), RB/DB, SR.
Austin Jones of Bishop O’Dowd
Jones’s epic career with the Dragons ends with him winning the 2018 Bay Area rushing title. He reached 2,005 yards and needed just 219 carries (a 9.2 yard/carry average). The Stanford-bound back rushed for 24 TDs. He added 378 receiving yards and another TD. In his first year starting at cornerback, he posted 32 tackles with one forced fumble and one recovery.
TATUO MARTINSON (DEL ORO-LOOMIS), OL/DL, SR.
Arguably the heart and soul of the Golden Eagles squad which reached the CIF 2-AA State Bowl game, Martinson was a force on the line of scrimmage. He totaled 71 tackles, 20 for loss. He had six sacks, seven QB hurries, an interception, fumble recovery and five blocked field goals. On offense, he helped pave the way for a rushing attack that averaged nearly seven yards per carry.
PAUL M ROSA (WILCOX-SANTA CLARA), RB/DB, JR.
A typical coach’s son who can make a different wherever he’s needed, Rosa amassed over 2,000 yards of total offense for the CIF 3-A State Bowl champs. He rushed for 1,588 yards and 20 touchdowns while also catching 26 passes for 573 yards and eight TDs. Defensively he had 44 tackles and three interceptions, two of which he returned for scores.
D’MARCUS ROSS (CAPITAL CHRISTIAN-SACRAMENTO), RB/DB, SR.
D’Marcus Ross of Capital Christian
Capital Christian lost to Paul M Rosa’s Wilcox team 34-30 in the CIF 3-A regional. It may be the only thing that kept Ross from even more postseason accolades. He rushed for 2,126 yards and 20 TDs, caught 23 passes for 527 yards and 8 TDs, and also completed two of three passes for two scores. He had 62 tackles (10 for loss), three sacks and three interceptions.
Read: Capital Christian Football: Taylor-Made Champions
CAMERON SKATTEBO (RIO LINDA), RB/LB, JR.
Not only did he lead all of NorCal in rushing yards, but he finished second in both the state and nation (among stats reported to MaxPreps). The junior’s massive season included 305 carries for 3,550 yards and 42 TDs. He also caught three TD passes and threw for one more. He also had 73 tackles (51 solo), an interception, fumble recovery and seven blocked FGs for the CIF 5-AA State Bowl champs.
HENRY TO’OTO’O (DE LA SALLE-CONCORD), LB/RB, SR.
We list LB first on here because he’s arguably been NorCal’s best at that position for two straight seasons. He was the physical and emotional leader to the region’s best defense. He broke his foot the night before the CIF Open State Bowl final and still made six tackles the following night. To’oto’o also rushed for more than 500 yards for the Spartans.
Read: Defensive Player of the Year: Henry To’oto’o
SIONE VAKI (LIBERTY-BRENTWOOD), WR/DB, SR.
Sione Vaki of Liberty
Another historic year for the Liberty football program would never have come to fruition without Vaki. The Bay Area’s most dynamic receiver caught 70 passes for 1,394 yards and 20 TDs. He also had a rushing TD, a kick return TD and an interception return for a score. Vaki finished second on the Lions defense with 97 tackles and added four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
Check out: FINAL 2018 NorCal Football Rankings
Catch more: CIF State Football 2018