SoCal/NorCal Players of the Week

Two of the week’s best are RB LaVance Warren of Oakland McClymonds and WR Trent Irwin from Newhall Hart. Photos: Everett Bass & The Signal/Santa Clarita.

Note: For purposes of this feature, we are considering the CIF Central Section to be in the north.

To nominate a player for next week, email markjtennis@gmail.com by Monday at 12 noon and be sure to include a photo that we can use (which means it’s not from the local newspaper or from another web site). Please feel free to call at 209-463-9050 as well both for nominations or to see if your business or small company would like to become a sponsor for this weekly content.

Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Offensive Player of the Week

Trent Irwin (Hart, Newhall) Sr.

A regular in our weekly State Stat Stars, it was an easy call this week to honor Trent as our SoCal Offensive Player of the Week after he became just the 13th player in California history to catch six touchdown passes or more in a game during Hart’s 43-12 win over Saugus.

According to the Santa Clarita Valley Signal, Irwin and QB Brady White got going on the first play on a 85-yard bomb.

Photo: Student Sports.

According to the Signal, Irwin also broke the previous school record of 273 yards set by Jerry Owens in 1997 for most receiving yards in a game with 284 on 13 catches. Owens played on a team that included Kyle Boller before he went on to play Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox.

Irwin, a highly recruited senior and four-year starter, may not get to the career state records of 281 catches and 5,148 yards set in 2012 by Canyon Country Canyon’s Drew Wolitarsky but he will conclude one of the best careers by any receiver in state history. Irwin has yet to commit and has reportedly recently visited Stanford and will be visiting Arizona State this weekend.

Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Defensive Player of the Week

Riley Whimpey (San Clemente) Sr.

If there was a tackle that was made last Thursday night during the Tritons’ 42-35 win over Trabuco Hills of Mission Viejo there was a strong chance that it was Whimpey in on it.

According to totals on MaxPreps, he finished with a game-high 17 tackles and 15 of those 17 were of the solo variety. Whimpey also had a sack and on special teams he blocked a punt.

On the season, this 6-foot-2, 205-pound linebacker who is definitely not whimpy has 88 solo tackles, 114 total tackles and four sacks. He also has helped San Clemente to an 8-1 season record.

Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Special Teams Player of the Week

Bryce Pasky (Paso Robles) Sr.

We’ve been looking for a good week to choose Bryce for this honor since we gave it to Cole Ramey of nearby Arroyo Grande earlier in the season. Those two are two of the best kickers in the state who just happen to be in the same neighborhood.

It became good time to pick Pasky after he scored a season-high 10 points during a 40-12 win over Righetti of Santa Maria and helped the Bearcats move to 9-0. Pasky went 4-for-4 on extra points, he was 2-for-2 on field goals with a long of 36 yards, averaged 47.7 yards on three punts and five of his seven kickoffs went for touchbacks.

On the season, Pasky has kicked 48 extra points, including a 9 for 9 night earlier this season, and he has made seven field goals with a season-long of 44 yards.

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LaVance Warren (McClymonds, Oakland) Sr.

Since the Warriors found out they would be without highly regarded transfer QB Kevin Davidson, Warren has become more of a focal point for the offense and the dynamic running back has been on fire.

In last Friday’s 40-8 victory over Skyline that gave McClymonds sole possession of first-place in the Oakland Athletic League, Warren piled up 378 yards on 35 carries and scored four times. His TDs came on runs of 10, 11, 73 and 28 yards.

A three-year standout, Warren is coming off of a junior season in which he rushed for more than 2,200 yards and scored 28 TDs. He also has shined for McClymonds as a track athlete in the 100-meter dash.

With the win, McClymonds improved to 8-0 and remains in the mix for the CIF Division IV NorCal bowl game although possible forfeits relating to Davidson could derail a third straight trip to that contest.

Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Defensive Player of the Week

Riley Vickner (Sutter) Sr.

It was a battle of two undefeated teams with identical 8-0 records last Friday night in Sutter as the Huskies took on Orland and sent the Trojans home with a 44-13 win with another impressive performance by their defense.

Vickner was all over the field as the defensive captain this season had 24 tackles and a season-high three for loss while being given half a sack. He has been impressive all season leading a defensive unit that has not allowed more than 14 points in a game this season and with four shutouts.

Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Special Teams Player of the Week

Alex Godinez (Natomas, Sacramento) Sr.

First, he had to convince his head coach not to punt and let him try the long field goal but once that happened history was made when Godinez made a 58-yard field goal during a 31-6 win over Lindhurst of Olivehurst in Golden Empire League play.

According to our own Cal-Hi Sports state record lists, Godinez tied the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section of 58 yards set in 1994 by Zack McSweeney from Nevada Union of Grass Valley. There is only one other SJS kicker on the all-time state list, which requires a 56-yard field goal to get on. The state record of 64 was set in 1982 by Erik Affholter from Oak Park.

Godinez warmed up for the long field goal against Lindhurst by making a 48-yarder the week before for the Nighthawks, who began the season with the longest current losing streak in the state.

For video of his field goal, CLICK HERE.

Paul Muyskens contributed to this content item. 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