Central Catholic’s Rice runs away with Valley Oak League MVP award

The Valley Oak League football scene wasn’t for the weak or easily intimidated.

The deepest conference in the southern half of the Sac-Joaquin Section produced two section and CIF state bowl champions – and one of those teams finished fifth in the final league standings.

Central Catholic (16-0, 7-0) rolled the momentum from its VOL sweep into a Division III section title and CIF Open Small-School state bowl victory.

Sierra (10-5, 3-4) was issued the final playoff berth – No. 72 of 72 – and never looked back, winning Division IV section and Division IV-A state championships.

No, the Valley Oak League was for the fierce and formidable only; teams that desperately sought championships and the players who would set records along the way.

Even the year-end dispersal of awards has become a battle of supremacy amongst the alphas. In a league so rich with talent, so loaded with deserving candidates, who would land the coveted first-team spots? Who would receive the league’s major individual awards?

Only the coaches could answer those questions, and they’ve spoken.

Central Catholic running back Justin Rice was voted the league’s Most Valuable Player. The Fresno State-bound senior rushed for 1,204 yards in VOL play, averaging 172 yards per game.

Rice is the only player in Stanislaus District history to rush for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons. Following a 2,146-yard, 30-touchdown junior campaign, Rice won the district rushing title with 2,698 yards and 32 touchdowns.

He was at his best in the big games.

Rice closed the season with 10 consecutive 100-yard games, including six games of 200 yards or more. He started that streak with 285 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-6 victory at Manteca.

He was even better against Oakdale (12-2, 6-1) in their regular-season finale, a game that pitted two 9-0 teams for the Valley Oak League championship. Rice rushed for 288 yards and three touchdowns and then sealed the win with a pass break-up on Oakdale’s final play.

While Rice had to live up to his own standard, Oakdale fullback Brad Aquino had to fill shoes left behind by Frankie Trent, a touchdown machine in the Mustangs’ Wing-T.

The learning curve was made even steeper by Aquino’s lack of varsity experience. The senior had never played a varsity down before assuming the lead in Oakdale’s run-based offense.

No one was the wiser.

Aquino, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound box of dynamite, was named the Outstanding Offensive Player after thundering his way into the program record books. He set new marks for single-season rushing and scoring. Aquino finished with 1,874 yards and 37 touchdowns.

Central Catholic middle linebacker Kekupa’a Freehauf earned Outstanding Defensive Player honors after averaging 9.5 tackles per game during league play. He finished with a team-high 155 stops, emerging as the vocal and physical leader of the district’s top defense. Central Catholic surrendered only 12 points per game with lock-down performances against Sierra (zero points), Manteca (six), Kimball (three) and Lathrop (six).

East Union quarterback Jack Weaver and Manteca defensive back and wide receiver Ronaldo Tijero shared the Utility Player of the Year honor.

Weaver completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 1,855 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also led the Lancers (3-7, 0-7) with seven rushing touchdowns.

Tijero caught 40 balls for 708 yards and seven touchdowns. The 2014 all-VOL first team cornerback also paced the Buffaloes with three interceptions.

Central Catholic’s Roger Canepa and Oakdale’s Trent Merzon were named Coaches of the Year.

In addition to Aquino’s major award, Oakdale received the most first-team selections with 11, including: center Alex Pena, quarterback Adam Olsen, tight end Gregory Hickman, running back Austin Burke, offensive lineman Zac Cardoza, linebackers Robby Bagley and Cullen Bearden, defensive lineman Matt Kjeldgaard, kicker Lane Trapp, and Louis Marsella, a first-team pick on the offensive and defensive lines.

Rice and Freehauf were joined on the first team by teammates quarterback Hunter Petlansky, who accounted for three touchdowns in a 56-21 victory over San Marino in the Small-School state bowl; wide receiver Daron Bland; offensive linemen Javier Canela and Brandon Williamson; linebackers Montell Bland and Austin Escobar; defensive lineman Zak Sandelin; and safety Jacob Days.

Manteca (9-3, 5-2) had two other first-team selections along with Tijero: sophomore middle linebacker Ferrin Manuleleua and senior safety Marcus Rivas. The Buffaloes finished third in the VOL but were eliminated from the D-III playoffs in the second round by Inderkum.

Sierra had three members of its offensive unit earn first-team honors: running back Mark Paule Jr., who scored the game-winning touchdown in a 20-15 victory over Chowchilla in the Division IV-A state bowl; offensive lineman Joshua Fala; and wide receiver Daniel Wyatt.

This story was originally published December 25, 2015 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Central Catholic’s Rice runs away with Valley Oak League MVP award."