DAILY NEWS ALL-AREA FOOTBALL TEAM 2023
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Shane Rosenthal, Newbury Park, Junior
Rosenthal broke multiple records this season at Newbury Park, and did it all with a smile on his face.
The Canyon League’s Most Valuable Player hauled in 122 catches for 1,947 yards and 21 touchdowns. He averaged 139.1 yards per game.
“He’s all that and a bag of chips,” Panthers coach Joe Smigiel said. “He just goes 1,000 miles an hour during games, during practices, no matter what he’s doing.”
Rosenthal set Newbury Park records in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions. He also rewrote the Ventura County record for receiving yards and is second in single-season receptions as well as second in career receptions.
His route-running and understanding of the game allowed him to get open for catches and fully utilize his chemistry with quarterback Brady Smigiel, who set the program record for touchdown passes this season. The two have been playing together since they were kids.
Rosenthal is being recruited as a receiver, Joe Smigiel said, but has also contributed on defense. He grabbed 12 interceptions this season.
“We averaged 190 plays per game and he probably played 180 of them,” Smigiel said. “So you’re talking about a guy who is doing all that while going both ways.”
Lots of attention fell on Rosenthal this season, and he made sure to share the knowledge and experience that has come with his success with his teammates.
Newbury Park finished in a three-way tie for first place in the Canyon League and reached the CIF Southern Section Division 5 championship game.
“Football is a team sport,” Joe Smigiel said. “So you need a bunch of guys like that who just want to win the game and want to help each other out and be able to be in a position where no matter what happens, as long as we win and I do my job, then I’m going to be successful. And that’s the way he is.”
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Carnell Ferguson, Sierra Canyon, Senior
Carnell Ferguson had a breakout year on the defensive line for Sierra Canyon. He was named the Mission League Most Valuable Defensive Player after a season that included a team-high 13 sacks, 60 total tackles 20.5 tackles for loss and nine quarterback hurries.
The uncommitted senior was part of a Trailblazers defense that allowed seven points or less six times this season. Sierra Canyon went 11-1 overall and reached the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs for the first time in program history.
“He just plays with an incredible motor and he’s very skilled and has worked hard at his craft,” Sierra Canyon coach Jon Ellinghouse said. “You combine that with just a relentless effort to get to the football, and it makes him pretty much unblockable.”
Ferguson’s four years of experience at Sierra Canyon gave him familiarity with the program’s system, and he worked with defensive line coach Joe Cohen to further refine his craft.
Ellinghouse added that Ferguson always brought an infectious, positive energy to practice and served as a mentor to younger players on the defense.
“Carnell has always been a really good football player, but he put himself on a stage of being elite this year,” Ellinghouse said. “Honestly, I think he was the best defensive player on the field almost every game this year.”
COACH OF THE YEAR
Jim Rose, Birmingham
Jim Rose continued to uphold the high standard of winning that Birmingham football has become known for during his time as the team’s coach.
He led Birmingham to its fourth straight CIF Los Angeles City Section Open Division title this season. That brings the program’s Open Division championship total to nine.
Birmingham also made its second appearance in a state championship game in three years and fourth straight regional championship appearance.
Rose technically won two Open Division titles this fall — one with the school’s tackle football team and another with the school’s girls flag football team, which also went undefeated this season.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Richard Wesley, Sierra Canyon
Sierra Canyon’s defense had top-to-bottom skill this season, but Richard Wesley was able to crack the starting lineup and make an impact, too.
He logged 50 tackles and 11.5 tackles for a loss while ranking second the team in sacks with 9.5.
Wesley, 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, set a lofty goal of four sacks per game this season. His high motivation level and competition on the Trailblazers’ defense helped shape him into a formidable defensive player.
ALL-AREA FOOTBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB — Brady Smigiel, Newbury Park, So.: Canyon League offensive back of the year, 282 of 479 passing, 4,222 passing yards, 301 yards/game, 52 touchdowns, 14 interceptions
RB — Dane Dunn, Sierra Canyon, Jr.: Mission League first team offense, 120 carries, 698 yards, 5.8 yards/carry, 13 touchdowns
RB — Luke Cochran, Moorpark, Sr.: Canyon League offensive back of the year, 211 carries, 1,409 yards, 128.1 yards/game, 27 touchdowns
WR — Shawn Irwin, Hart, Sr.: Foothill League offensive player of the year, 97 receptions, 1,608 receiving yards, 146.2 yards/game, 11 touchdowns
WR — Preston Jernegan, St. Francis, Sr.: Angelus League first team offense, 44 receptions, 648 receiving yards, 14.7 yards/catch, 14 touchdowns
WR — Miles Hull, Agoura, Sr.: Canyon League receiver of the year, 86 receptions, 1,183 receiving yards, 107.5 yards/game, nine touchdowns
WR — Chase Farrell, Oaks Christian, Sr.: Marmonte League co-MVP, 53 receptions, 1,153 receiving yards, 21.8 yards/catch, 15 touchdowns; Stanford signee
OL — Eugene ‘B.J.’ Brooks, Sierra Canyon, Sr.: Mission League most valuable lineman; Oklahoma signee
OL — David Abajian, Chaminade, Sr.: Mission League first team offense; Kansas signee
OL — Philip Ocon, St. Francis, Sr.: Angelus League MVP; Colorado State signee
OL — Cole McGovern, Moorpark, Sr.: Canyon League offensive lineman of the year
OL — Daniel Acosta, Valencia, Sr.: Foothill League lineman of the year
ATH —Terrell Cooks, Sierra Canyon, Sr.: Mission League most valuable offensive player, 657 rushing yards, 9.7 yards/carry, nine rushing touchdowns, 292 receiving yards, two receiving touchdowns
K — Ryon Sayeri, Chaminade, Sr.: Mission League first team defense, 52 touchbacks, 36 of 38 on PATs, 8 of 13 on field goals
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL — Joseph Peko, Oaks Christian, So.: Marmonte League first team defense, 38 tackles (19 solo), seven tackles for loss, five sacks, one caused fumble
DL — Izak Simpson, Simi Valley, So.: Marmonte League defensive lineman of the year, 83 tackles (44 solo), 26 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, two blocked field goals
DL — Dean Harrington, Thousand Oaks, Sr.: Canyon League defensive lineman of the year, 58 total tackles (36 solo), 6 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, eight QB hurries, one interception, two caused fumbles
DL — Cyrus Grandoville, Castaic, Sr.: 57 tackles (33 solo), 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, 12 hurries, 1 caused fumble
LB — Cody Franck, Chaminade, Sr.: Mission League first team defense, 109 tackles (49 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, four pass deflections, one caused fumble
LB — Christian Knoos, Oaks Christian, Jr.: Marmonte League linebacker of the year, 137 total tackles (79 solo), 20 tackles for loss, six sacks
LB — Cory McEnroe, Thousand Oaks, Jr.: Canyon League linebacker of the year, 124 tackles (83 solo), 10 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, one INT
LB — Reid Farrell, Valencia, Sr.: Foothill League defensive player of the year, 64 tackles (29 solo), 11 tackles for loss, two sacks, 1 interception
DB — Prince Williams, Oaks Christian, Sr.: Marmonte League co-defensive back of the year, 61 tackles (47 solo), two tackles for loss, two interceptions, eight pass deflections, two blocked field goals
DB — Marquis Gallegos, Sierra Canyon: Mission League first team defense, 46 tackles (26 solo), four tackles for loss, three interceptions, three pass deflections; USC signee
DB — Tyler Starling, Agoura, So.: Canyon League first team defense, 55 tackles (44 solo), 2 tackles for loss, eight interceptions, 20 pass deflections
DB — Ishmael Gibbs, Chaminade, Jr.: Mission League first team defense, 48 tackles (19 solo), two tackles for loss, five interceptions, 15 pass deflections
ATH — Peyton Waters, Birmingham, Sr.: 79 catches, 1,248 yards, 15.8 yard/catch, 17 touchdowns, 64 total tackles (50 solo), six tackle for loss, two interceptions; Washington commit
P — Ashton Zamani, Sierra Canyon, Jr.: 27 punts for 947 yards, 11 inside 20-yard line
HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE
QB — Wyatt Becker, Sierra Canyon, Jr.: Mission League co-MVP, 2,660 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, 240 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns; Utah commit
RB —Isaiah Rameau, Chatsworth, Sr.: 121 carries, 1,622 yards, 13.4 yards/carry, 21 TDs
RB — Luke DePerno, West Ranch, Jr.: Foothill League first team offense, 1,148 yards rushing, 7.8 yards/carry, 20 touchdowns
WR — Kory Hall, Cleveland, Sr.: 66 receptions, 1,240 yards, 18.8 yards/catch, 19 TDs; Colorado State commit
WR — Silas Kemp, Thousand Oaks, Sr.: Canyon League receiver of the year, 41 receptions, 849 yards, 20.7 yards/catch, 15 touchdowns
WR — Jake Scozzola, Burroughs, Sr.: Pacific League offensive player of the year, 57 receptions, 783 yards, 13.7 yards/catch, 12 TDs
WR — Adrian Jones, Paraclete, So.: Angelus League first team offense, 47 receptions, 768 receiving yards, 16.3 yards/catch, four TDs
OL — Carson Berry, Newbury Park: Canyon League co-offensive lineman of the year
OL — Nico Santiago, Simi Valley: Marmonte League first team offense
OL — Alex Skylar, Agoura, Sr.: Canyon League first team offense
OL — Cash Marxer, Valencia, Sr.: Foothill League first team offense
OL — Nathan Bellith, Hart, Jr.: Foothill League first team offense
ATH — Luke Cruz, Valencia, Sr.: Foothill League player of the year, 554 yards receiving, five TDs; 38 total tackles (17 solo), two sacks, four interceptions
K — Noah LaBerge, Oaks Christian, Jr.: 45 of 50 PAT, 7-7 FG
HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE
DL — TJ Ford, Newbury Park, Sr.: 31 tackles (13 solo), five tackles for loss, four sacks, one caused fumble; Portland State commit
DL — Mason Charles, Westlake, Jr.: Marmonte League first team defense, 29 tackles (18 solo), eight tackles for loss, six sacks
DL — Nick Andrade, Moorpark, Sr.: 42 tackles (30 solo), 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks, one caused fumble
DL — Michael Miller, West Ranch, Sr.: 28 tackles (16 solo), six sacks, two fumble recoveries
LB — Santiago Sanchez, Burroughs, Sr.: Pacific League defensive player of the year, 74 tackles (33 solo), two sacks, two interceptions
LB — Brandon Bryant, Notre Dame, Sr.: Mission League first team defense, 94 tackles (67 solo), 14 tackles for loss, eight sacks
LB — Talon Gold, Newbury Park, Sr.: Canyon League first team defense, 78 total tackles (41 solo), four tackles for loss, one sack
LB — Alex Villalobos, Simi Valley, Sr.: Marmonte League first team defense, 135 tackles (74 solo), 16 tackles for loss, three interceptions, four fumble recoveries
DB — Darrell Stanley, Granada Hills Charter, Jr.: 30 total tackles (28 solo), one interception, 13 pass deflections
DB — Ruben Gamboa, Sierra Canyon, Sr.: Mission League first team defense, 66 tackles (41 solo), five tackles for loss, two sacks
DB — Davon Benjamin, Oaks Christian, So.: Marmonte League co-defensive back of the year, 40 tackles (26 solo), two interceptions, one blocked field goal
DB — Isaac Velasquez, Moorpark: Canyon League first team defense, 49 tackles (43 solo), five tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions
P — Joseph Monti, Valencia, Sr.: Foothill League first team, 33 punts, seven inside 20-yard line