The Bee's 2008 All-District Football Team

By Bee Staff Writer

Deven Cannon didn't have much football experience when he enrolled at Johansen High four years ago.

A spindly freshman, he was too small to play in most youth football organizations.

Even now, Cannon checks in at 5-foot-6, 155 pounds. But the Vikings senior stood very tall on the football field.

He rushed for 2,054 yards, becoming only the fourth running back in Stanislaus District history to rush for more than 2,000 yards. He scored 33 touchdowns, leading the district with 200 points. He was the major reason Johansen won the Modesto Metro Conference championship, beat McNair for the first playoff victory by an MMC team since the league formed four years ago, and took Central California Conference champion Merced to the brink.

For his efforts, Cannon has been named The Bee's 2008 High School Football Player of the Year.

Cannon said the goals were all team-related.

"We wanted to win an outright MMC title and we hoped to make some noise in the playoffs," he said. "Then we got off to a slow start (1-3) and a lot of people doubted us. But we believed in ourselves."

Johansen's -- and Cannon's -- fortunes turned on an offensive change. They'd just been handled, 35-0, by Central Catholic and Cannon was held to a season-low 40 yards rushing.

"After that game, we switched from the Wing-T to an I formation," Cannon said. "We stopped attacking horizontally and went right at people.

"I liked the 'I' way more. You could see the holes open up. I owe everything I did to the line, they were outstanding all season."

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Cannon and the Vikings became a team possessed. They won their next seven games, including a 47-13 drubbing of McNair in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs. It was the first playoff victory for a Modesto City School since Davis won a postseason game in 2000. Cannon rushed for 375 yards and five touchdowns. He hit 400 yards on a touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter, but it was called back because of a penalty and he left the game after that.

"That was a memorable game, not just because of the win," Cannon said. "It was the best game we played all year. Everybody clicked. We basically had one defensive breakdown, and that was it."

Cannon is unsure if he'll continue playing football. With a 3.77 GPA, he's ranked No. 6 in his senior class.

"Academics is my strong point," said Cannon, who also plays basketball. "I'd love to continue playing football if somebody makes an offer. But I'm looking to get in a good school and continue my education."

And he'll always have 2008's memories.

"I was lucky enough to be coached by (Jason) McCoy for four years," he said. "And I played with a lot of my teammates are all those years. We've built a lot of relationships.

"That's what I'll remember the most."

Bee staff writer Will DeBoard can be reached at wdeboard@modbee.com or 578-2300.