Stone Ridge RB Casillas named CCAA’s best offensive player

The Stone Ridge Christian High School football team mixed a record-setting defense with a relentless ground game to reach new heights this fall.

The Knights coasted through the Central California Athletic Alliance and Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII playoffs, and then won a CIF Northern California play-in game with Mission of San Francisco.

Stone Ridge’s historic season would come to a screeching halt at East Nicolaus in the Division VI-AA regional, 34-14. By then, though, the Knights’ reputation back home was safe.

In the CCAA, Stone Ridge Christian (13-2, 5-0) was the resident king – with the treasures to prove it. In a vote of league coaches, fleet-footed running back Shane Casillas was named the Offensive MVP, while many of his teammates lined the honor roll.

Casillas provided the speed element in Stone Ridge Christian’s double-wing offense. The 5-foot-9, 150-pound sophomore rushed for 1,991 yards and 28 touchdowns, averaging an eye-popping 15.1 yards per carry for one of the most prolific ground attacks in the Sac-Joaquin Section.

The Knights gained national exposure for their stingy defense, which strung together a state-record 10 consecutive shutouts, but Stone Ridge Christian took on the personality of its running backs.

If Casillas was shifty and elusive, fellow ball carriers Austin Rees and Jonathan Collazo pounded defenses like hammer on nail. All three rushed for more than 1,000 yards and Stone Ridge Christian, as a team, led the state in rushing yards (5.949), yards per game (424.9), yards per carry (12.4) and touchdowns (89).

Collazo finished with 1,758 yards and 23 touchdowns, while Rees tallied 1,441 yards and 24 touchdowns.

All three landed on the all-CCAA honor roll.

Casillas was named the Offensive MVP, while Rees joined Big Valley Christian junior Vito Merritt as a first-team running back. Collazo was a second-team selection at running back. Rees was also named to the first team as a linebacker.

Brookside Christian’s Sione Liko was the Defensive MVP. Liku finished second in the state in tackles with 202, 11 more than his league rival Rees. Liku also had three forced fumbles, and had two interceptions and a sack.

Big Valley Christian had three players named to the all-CCAA first team: offensive lineman Finn Bamrud is a 6-foot-1, 167-pound sophomore; running back Merritt led the Lions in rushing yards and scoring; and 6-foot-7 tight end Daniel Giannosa was one of the top receivers in the Stanislaus District.

Merritt had 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns on 192 carries, an average of 5.8 yards per carry. He had five 100-yard games, including a season-high 239 yards and three touchdowns in a 39-34 victory over Brookside Christian.

During a four-week stretch during CCAA play, Merritt averaged 20 carries, 153 yards and 13.5 points per game.

Giannosa ranked among the district leaders in receptions (70) and yards (767), providing all-CCAA second-team quarterback Noah Magana with a tall, sure-handed target down the field.

He had a season-high 11 receptions against eventual Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI champion Bradshaw Christian, a game the Lions won by forfeit.

Giannosa had a season-best 158 yards in a 31-6 victory over Rite of Passage, and three touchdowns in a 43-6 victory over Foresthill in the first round of the Division VII playoffs.

Stone Ridge had four others named to the all-CCAA first team: defensive lineman Mark Hooker, who led the state in sacks with 32; offensive lineman Robbie McKee; kicker Bryce Louters; and defensive back Cole Houweling, who led the team with five interceptions.

Turlock Christian defensive back Manny Preciado (1,113 all-purpose yards, three interceptions, 61 tackles) and defensive lineman Ben Balswick (nine sacks) were also first-team selections.

This story was originally published December 26, 2015 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Stone Ridge RB Casillas named CCAA’s best offensive player."