Two of this week’s NorCal/SoCal Players of the Week are Alex Aguilar of Shafter and Colton Snipes from Santana of Santee. Photos: Hudl.com & TYRAN Photography/EastCountySports.com.
We always look for unusual outings to highlight each week in these honors and found one of the most unusual in a long time. It was by Colton Snipes from Santana of Santee, a versatile athlete who blocked four kicks in a single game. Others selected this week are from Shafter, Sacramento, Dublin, Victorville and El Centro.
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Note: For these honors, we consider CIF Central Section players for Northern California. To nominate someone by 12 noon on most Mondays, email markjtennis@gmail.com.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Offensive Player of the Week
Alex Aguilar
(Shafter) Jr.
This was a nomination by Central Section historian and Cal-Hi Sports friend and contributor Bob Barnett, and it’s another good one.
This 5-foot-10, 160-pound quarterback had been putting up decent numbers for the 4-1 Generals but against Arvin in a 59-35 victory last Friday he was the Field Marshall.
In what Barnett called “a career night,” Aguilar was 20 of 35 for 437 yards and four TDs passing and he rushed 15 times for 132 yards and three more scores. That’s seven TDs and 569 total yards if you don’t want to do the math.
On the season, he’s passed for 1,310 yards and 14 TDs and rushed for 423 yards and found paydirt nine times.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Defensive Player of the Week
Marshaun Hunter
(Del Campo, Fair Oaks) Sr.
It’s been an exciting start of the season for Cougars who are 5-0 for the first time since 2008, and this leader of a very stingy defense was at his best in an important 30-17 victory over Rocklin Whitney that gets the team to 2-0 and tied with an Antelope team that in recent years has dominated the Capital Valley Conference.
For the second straight week, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Hunter scored on defense, but the one two weeks ago in a blowout of Roseville wasn’t anywhere near as important as the one against Whitney.
With less than two minutes left in the first half, the senior outside linebacker picked off a pass and took it 11 yards for a score to give Del Campo a 13-7 lead it would never relinquish. Then, on the ensuing Whitney drive, he ended it with a quarterback sack.
Hunter, who turned some heads at The Opening at El Sobrante De Anza, is the kind of player that when he gets his hands on the ball he is likely to score. His reported stats are not complete but through his first three games at tight end he only had nine pass receptions with six going for scores.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Special Teams Player of the Week
Jason White
(Dublin) Jr.
The Gaels have been taking their lumps in the rugged East Bay Athletic League but outside of league they have two wins and all along this 5-foot-10, 155-pound junior has kept on ticking and kicking.
Last week, in a 32-0 shellacking of Oakland Stellar Prep, White was right on target after drilling a season-high 42-yard field goal and splitting the upright on all three extra points he attempted. He also had touchbacks on all his kickoffs.
It was White’s third 40-yard or more field goal of the season and he’s converted on all 11 extra points he’s kicked. He is also the Gaels punter but didn’t have to punt against Stellar Prep.
We just added Levi Taylor to state record book for his seven TD passes in one half and now he’s a player of the week. Photo: YouTube.com.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Offensive Player of the Week
Levi Taylor
(Silverado, Victorville) Sr.
The Hawks are flying high and riding a four-game winning streak heading into Desert Sky League play this week, and a big reason is their senior quarterback and team captain.
Last week, in a 63-34 victory over visiting Los Osos of Rancho Cucamonga. the 6-foot, 185-pound Taylor was 27 of 45 for 447 yards and six touchdowns. That gives him an even 1,900 yards passing with a whopping 26 TD passes already this season.
Earlier this season, in a huge blowout of Lancaster Eastside, Taylor tied for second on the Cal-Hi Sports Record Book list for Most Touchdown Passes (Half) when he tossed seven. Taylor had seven TD passes in a half last year as well when he passed for 3,866 yards and 44 touchdowns.
Seven players have passed for seven TDs in a half including 2014 Mr. Football State Player of the Year and current Washington Huskies quarterback Jake Browning when he was at Folsom. Not only that but this record is a Taylor family affair as well. Another of the seven players to do it is Levi’s older brother, Sam Taylor. He tossed seven TDs in a half against Riverside Rubidoux in 2014, the same year Browning did it twice and also had a record eight in a half as well. That is tied with Kaylor Sullivan of Fort Bragg, who also had eight in a half and also in 2014.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Defensive Player of the Week
Thadeo Campbell
(Central, El Centro) Jr.
For the first time this year we go out to Imperial County where we honor a young man on a 5-0 team that likes to get his hands on the ball on both defense and offense, however for this feature it’s his defense as a cornerback that earns him the award.
Last week, in a 56-41 victory over Vincent Memorial of nearby Calexico, the 6-foot, 170-pound Campbell had three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He also batted down four passes and had five tackles with four solo.
As a wide receiver, Campbell also had what would be a career game for some players after catching six passes for 140 yards and a 61-yard touchdown to give him a team-leading 371 yards receiving with five TDs.
Campbell also now has seven interceptions this season and according to reported stats that ties him for the most in the state.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Special Teams Player of the Week
Colton Snipes
(Santana, Santee) Jr.
The CIF San Diego Section not only snags the defensive award but the special team honor as well. Unfortunately for Snipes and the Sultans faithful it came in a 34-28 loss on the road at Mar Vista of Imperial Beach.
The old TV Superman show used to start out with “it’s a bird, it’s a plane, no it’s Superman,” and although he’s not Superman Snipes flies in and has a penchant for blocking kicks.
According to the San Diego Union Tribune Snipes tied a San Diego Section record by blocking four kicks in the Mar Vista loss. He blocked two field goal tries and two point after touchdown attempts.
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
