Patterson playmaker Lawson named WAC football MVP

At least three quarterbacks made a convincing case for the Western Athletic Conference’s lone first-team slot.

Los Banos High School senior Adam Herrera edged Patterson’s Kevin Todd (second team) and Ceres’ Chris Lubinsky (honorable mention) for the accolade, illustrating the WAC’s depth under center.

While there were almost too many quality quarterbacks to choose from, there was only one Michael Lawson.

The Patterson playmaker was named the WAC MVP after guiding the Tigers to historic heights.

Central Valley running back Moses Ghiorso took home Outstanding Offensive Player honors, while Los Banos linebacker Anthony Machado was picked as the Outstanding Defensive Player.

Seth Gibson of Ceres was the Outstanding Special Teams Player.

Patterson finished atop the WAC in coach Rob Cozart’s return to his alma mater. The Tigers went 10-0 for the first time in school history with an offense that couldn’t be slowed, even in defeat.

The Tigers averaged nearly 500 yards of total offense and 46.4 points every Friday night. Patterson scored 50 or more points in its final five games, including a season best in a 73-42 victory over Yuba City in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs.

In the Tigers’ only loss, a 65-52 season-ending defeat to Placer in the D-III quarterfinals, Patterson scored 21 points in the fourth quarter.

Lawson represented the versatility of Cozart’s “Spread ’em and Shred ’em” offense, a blend of the spread and triple-option offenses. He was second on the team in rushing and receiving, while leading the high-scoring attack in total touchdowns.

He was named a first-team running back and defensive back.

“People wonder why we held our breath every time he touched the football? He was a TD threat one out of every three times, and that was just on offense or kick returns,” Cozart said. “His play on defense was outstanding. What people don’t realize is that we used him vs. Los Banos to shut down their offense. We had designed a coverage around him and it worked out great. He is the ultimate competitor and an amazing athlete and leader. Pretty good combination.”

Lawson finished with 1,201 yards of total offense, rather tame numbers when compared to others in the WAC and around the Stanislaus District.

The separation: Lawson needed far fewer touches. He averaged 30.8 yards per reception and 12 yards per carry. According to MaxPreps, of his 75 touches on offense –16 catches, 59 carries – 25 finished in the end zone.

Ghiorso was named the top offensive player after spearheading the Hawks’ surprising dash to second place. Central Valley was picked to finish third by the coaches in The Modesto Bee’s preseason poll. The race was supposed to be dominated by Patterson and Los Banos, the 2014 champion.

As Los Banos faded, Central Valley took advantage. Ghiorso had four 200-yard rushing games, including 224 in a 42-21 victory over Los Banos.

He finished his senior season with 2,639 all-purpose yards, which counts rushing (1,515), receiving (411) and punt (250) and kickoff returns (463). He had 25 touchdowns.

Machado kept the Outstanding Defensive Player award in Los Banos for a second consecutive season. Last year, linebacker Alec Barcellos, also a Lions All-Star, won the award.

Machado’s role at Los Banos has been ever-changing. The outside linebacker had changed positions as a sophomore and junior, bouncing between spots on the offensive and defensive lines.

He finally settled at outside linebacker this fall and led Los Banos in tackles. He was a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season.

With quarterback Adam Herrera back, Los Banos was picked to win the WAC and make a run at a section championship.

Instead, Los Banos slipped to fourth in the final standings behind Patterson, Central Valley and crosstown rival Pacheco.

“When I found out I got the award, I was at a loss for words,” Machado told the Merced Sun-Star. “I didn’t really think it was a possibility the way we fell apart at the end of the season. It means a lot to have finished fourth and still be recognized like that. I’m honored.”

Joining Lawson and Ghiorso on the all-WAC first team were:

▪ Quarterback: Herrera, Los Banos.

▪ Running backs: Jamarea Lumpkin, Central Valley; Carlos Garcia, Pacheco; Lawson; and Ghiorso.

▪ Wide receivers: Austin Stiles, Ceres; and Pierre Williams, Patterson.

▪ Tight end: Franky Ramirez, Central Valley.

▪ Offensive linemen: Jerry Arredondo, Patterson; Jacob Geist, Los Banos; Thor Rodoni, Pacheco; Noah Postley, Central Valley; and Art Prieto, El Capitan.

The all-WAC first-team defense included:

▪ Defensive linemen: Deamian Collins, Patterson; Erik Mejia, Central Valley; Thomas Turner, Patterson; and Carlos Pineda, Los Banos.

▪ Defensive end/outside linebackers: Emani Anitelea, Central Valley; Caden Johnson, Patterson; and Machado.

▪ Inside linebackers: Nikolaus Priester, Patterson; and Mason Leao, Los Banos.

▪ Defensive backs: Alec Espos, Patterson; Chris Munoz, Pacheco; and Estevan Barragan, Central Valley; and Lawson.

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 6:39 PM with the headline "Patterson playmaker Lawson named WAC football MVP."