In his 14th year as Tulare High's football coach, Darren Bennett had to find another level of creativity.

The problem: How to give James Guerrero a break? How to allow the 6-foot, 218-pound quarterback-linebacker a chance to take a breath?

So Bennett decided to call a timeout following a Redskins touchdown and conversion kick, and before the subsequent kickoff.

The math played out well.

The coach was allowed three timeouts a half, which equaled six a game. And Tulare scored 94 touchdowns in a 13-0 season, averaging 7.2 touchdowns a game.

It worked. Oh, how it worked.

"He was without a doubt, the most valuable player in the Valley, from Fresno to Bakersfield," Bennett says. "The kid was unbelievable."

The Kid is The Bee Player of the Year after powering the Redskins to the Central Section Division II championship and a No. 5 ranking in the state for that division.

There was never a question about Guerrero's ability to strike a blow and police the field, sideline to sideline as a quick, powerful linebacker.

His older brothers, Joseph and Justin, did it at Tulare. Younger brother Jacob did it this year. The youngest, Josh, surely will too. And James had for two seasons prior to this one.

It's a family deal. In the genes. Push-button automatic.

But the question: How effective would Guerrero be throwing the ball when not handing off to Bee All-Star running back Jontell Reedom?

Could the senior literally throw the Redskins over the threshold a year after they went 13-0 only to be squashed 63-14 by El Diamante for the D-II title?

The answer would be found in the final numbers: 189 attempts, 128 completions — 68% — for 2,219 yards and 36 touchdowns, with only three interceptions.

In three playoff games, he passed for 465 yards and nine scores, with but one interception.

In the D-II championship rematch with El Diamante, he was 9 of 14 for 99 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, while also rushing for two scores in a 42-33 victory.

Not to be forgotten, also, was his play at linebacker in a two-way performance that evoked Valley memories of the late Brad Martin, a similarly styled bullish quarterback-linebacker who led Clovis West to a 27-0 record in 1992-93 and consecutive section titles.

"A phenomenal athletic," El Diamante coach Mark Rogers says of Guerrero. "For a kid to play quarterback and middle linebacker, and do it that well, is just a tremendous feat."

Guerrero says: "It was kind of tiring, to do all the running, to take the hits and make all the hits.

"But in the end, it was all worth it. It was a blast. To go both ways, to play quarterback and linebacker and win a Valley championship, it was like a dream."

The reporter can be reached at aboogaard@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6336.