Hakeem Mays, one of this week’s Le Boulanger South Bay/Peninsula Players of the Week, has made the Willow Glen Rams a team to watch. Photo: Student Sports.
Presented by LE BOULANGER bakery, this is the latest in a new feature highlighting the most outstanding players from the South Bay/Peninsula region of the CIF Central Coast Section. This week’s three honorees are Hakeem Mays from Willow Glen of San Jose, Nicholas McMurray from Archbishop Mitty of San Jose and D’Angelo McKenzie from Mt. Pleasant of San Jose.CLICK HERE for details on how South Bay/Peninsula football fans can win 2 free San Francisco 49ers tickets.
For details on San Francisco 49ers ticket giveaway at Levi’s Stadium, CLICK HERE
Le Boulanger South Bay/Peninsula
Offensive Player of the Week
Hakeem Mays (Willow Glen, San Jose) Sr.
A standout returner on both sides of the ball who made the State Stat Stars of the Week feature several times last season, Mays is our third La Boulanger Offensive Player of the Week after his performance last Friday night in a wild 49-43 victory over crosstown Lincoln. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound running back and defensive back rushed for 239 yards on 16 carries, including TD runs of 37, 21, 43, 18 and 32 yards. It would be unfair not to mention Hakeem’s Willow Glen teammate and quarterback Josh Landers. He had 101 yards passing and 172 yards rushing with three TDs on runs of 4, 66 and 43 yards.
For details on S.F. 49ers ticket giveaway for Levi’s Stadium, CLICK HERE
Le Boulanger South Bay/Peninsula
Defensive Player of the Week
Nicholas McMurray (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) Sr.
Defense has been a strength this season for first-year head coach Dave Brown in helping get the Monarchs off to a 2-1 start heading into wild-and-wacky West Catholic Athletic League play this week. Even in the game they lost 21-13 to Los Gatos, the defense played well. This past week the defense actually gave up more yardage than the offensive output of the Bay Area No. 11 ranked Monarchs but they only allowed visiting Pittsburg to find the end zone once in a huge 13-7 victory. McMurray, a 6-foot, 190-pound senior and team captain, along with his mates but a real crimp in the Bay Area No. 14-ranked Pittsburg passing game with five sacks and two pass interceptions. McMurray had three of his team’s five sacks. Senior Luke Allen chipped in with a sack and an interception.
Le Boulanger South Bay/Peninsula
Special Teams Player of the Week
D’Angelo McKenzie (Mt. Pleasant, San Jose) Fr.
It isn’t often we honor a freshman for a state or area-wide award, but not only has the 5-foot-11, 175-pound safety and wide receiver been a major reason why Mt. Pleasant has gotten out to a 3-0 start he’s also a team leader and co-captain despite his tender age. In a 57-20 victory over Harker Academy of Sunnyvale, he took it to the house twice with neither on offense. First McKenzie scored on a 65-yard kickoff return, and then he scored on defense when he took an interception back 36 yards to pay dirt.
Note: To send in nominations for next week’s Le Boulanger South Bay/Peninsula Players of the Week, send info to markjtennis@gmail.com or to marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Please include usable photo if possible as well, which means not from a newspaper or major national website.
Harold Abend is the associate editor of CalHiSports.com and the vice president of the California Prep Sportswriters Association. He can be reached at marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @HaroldAbend
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
