Bee’s Best: Who made The Bee’s All-Star high school football team? Top 100 players listed
Meet The Bee’s Top 100 high school football players in the Fresno area. (Elsewhere read about Player of the Year Roland Russo and Coach of the Year Don Arax.)
The Bee factored individual statistics, team success, all-league honors and submissions from coaches in creating its All-Bee Team.
Offensive Player of the Year
Clovis senior running back Tristan Risley set school records including yards rushing in a season with 1,897, breaking the mark of 1,773 set by Kent Saunders in 1996, according to Central Section historian Bob Barnett.
There also was a record-setting night — rushing for 440 yards and scoring six touchdowns for 36 points in the Cougars’ 60-43 win over Clovis West.
Risley ended his career No. 1 on Clovis charts for rushing yards (3,902) and TDs (54).
He was named the Tri-River Athletic Conference player of the year.
Defensive Player of the Year
Buchanan senior safety Jerry Rangel finished the season with 119 tackles — 45 unassisted and 74 assisted. Rangel had two interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown.
Rangel also added a forced fumble, a sack, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups.
Rangel was named the TRAC’s defensive player of the year.
Lineman of the Year
Central senior Tanner Hirschler didn’t allow a sack or a pressure in protecting quarterback Dayton Tafoya. Hirschler finished with 15 pancakes and 34 down field blocks.
The TRAC named him co-Lineman of the Year with Gavin Nelson of Buchanan.
Large School Player of the Year
Whether it was on offense or defense, Brandon Ramirez made his mark for San Joaquin Memorial.
He rushed for 1,000 yards on 103 carries and 13 touchdowns and added 40 receiving yards.
On defense, he led the way for the Panthers when he finished with 89 tackles (65 solo and 24 assisted) and also had a sack.
He was named County/Metro Athletic Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year with Jayden Davis of Bullard.
Medium School Players of the Year
The North Yosemite League had some record-breakers this season.
Meet Sunnyside freshman quarterback Tanner Wilson and Reedley senior running back Ryan Warkentin.
Warkentin set a school record for the season and career in rushing yards.
Warkentin finished with eight school records, Barnett said. He rushed for 2,700 yards in his career and 1,866 for the season; 37 touchdowns in his career and 27 touchdowns in a single-season.
The records continued when had 270 carries in his career and 193 in a season and 222 points (career) and 162 (single season).
Wilson finished his season with 3,260 yards and 31 touchdowns, the most ever by a freshman in section history, Barnett said.
Wilson and Warkentin were named co-North Yosemite League Most Valuable Player.
Small School Players of the Year
Carlos Moreno, Andrew Camarillo and Danny Olivera were scoring machines.
Firebaugh’s Olivera finished the season with 270 carries for 2,144 yards and an eye-popping 37 touchdowns.
He set the school record for most touchdowns in a game when he had six in the section playoffs against Sunnyside, Barnett said.
In that 43-22 win over the Wildcats, Olivera carried the ball 37 times for 234 yards.
Camarillo wasn’t that far behind for Orosi.
He found the end zone 31 times on the ground on 236 carries. He totaled 1.,580 rushing yards for the Cardinals.
Strathmore’s Moreno had 148 carries for 1,214 yards and 26 touchdowns. He added to his total on the receiving end with 255 yards and two touchdowns.
Fan MVP
Anthony Ledesma, Mission Oak’s senior wide reciever/defensive back, won the fan vote for Player of the Year. Ledesma earned 43% (109,135 votes) in last month’s polling.
The Bee’s top players
Alex Aldana, Jr., T/DT, Mendota
Daizon Allen, Sr., WR/DB, Bullard
Oscar Arciga, Sr., OL/DL, Orosi
Gage Armbruster, Jr., WR/S/CB, Corcoran
Ramon Avitia, Sr., T/DT, Mendota
Josiah Ayon, Sr., WR/OLB, Buchanan
Hunter Babb, Soph., RB, Caruthers
Casimiro Barragan, Sr., QB, Dinuba
Michael Bell, Sr., QB, San Joaquin Memorial
Trey Carr, Sr., DB/Returner, Clovis West
Ernesto Castaneda, Sr., MLB/RB, McLane
Dominic Castaneda, Sr., RB, Liberty-Madera Ranchos
Tony Castillo, Sr., DB/K, Monache
Ty Pele-Chambers, Jr., QB, Lemoore
Mario Cosma, Sr., QB, Roosevelt
Bryan Chavez, Sr., OT, Riverdale
Bradley Cheney, Sr., WR/DB, Fresno Christian
Imari Conley, Jr., DB/WR/Returner, Central
Dereck Cornejo, Sr., LT, Bullard
Nahzae Cox, Sr., WR/DB, Fresno
Jose Davila, Sr. DE, Firebaugh
Jayden Davis, Sr., WR/DB, Bullard
Ritchie Diaz, Sr., WR/OLB/SS, Lindsay
Bryson Donelson, Soph, RB, El Diamante
Tyrece Fairly, Sr., WR, Edison
Michael Falcon, Sr., OL, Golden West
Julian Flores, Sr., DE/LT, Madera
Ah’marion Gaines-Smith, Sr., RB/CB, Central,
Miguel Gallardo, Sr., WR/FS, Fowler
Felix Garcia, Jr., DE, Dos Palos
Trace Gonzales, Sr, DL, Hanford
Beau Green, Sr., QB, Madera
Kevin Guerrero, Sr., K, Orosi
TJ Hall, Sr., WR/DB, San Joaquin Memorial
Brayden Hall, Jr., OL/DL, San Joaquin Memorial
Joseph Harris, Jr., DL, Mission Oak
William Henderson, Jr., LB, Immanuel
Oscar Herrera, Jr., G/DE, Reedley
Kolby Howard, Sr., TE, Redwood
Michael Iriye, Sr., RB/WR, Mission Oak
Nate Johnson, Sr., QB, Clovis
Robert Johnson, Sr., CB, Buchanan
Marquise Jones, Jr., OL/DL, San Joaquin Memorial
Keanu Kuma, Sr., LB, Washington Union
Abraham Ladino, Sr., RB/CB, Dos Palos
Koda Lamanuzzi, Sr., TE/DE, Bullard
Jesus Lara, Sr., OL, Dinuba
Elijah Laufili, Sr., DE/OL, Immanuel
Anthony Ledesma, Sr. WR/DB, Mission Oak
Myles Lee, Sr., RB, Edison
Levi Little, Sr., NT, Buchanan
Carlos Mack, Sr., DB/WR, Clovis
Andrew Maciel, Sr., WR, Tulare Western
Eddie Maldonado, Sr., OL, Kingsburg
Jayden Mandal, Sr., QB, Buchanan
Juan Martinez, Jr., RB, Riverdale
Nickolas Mendoza, Jr., QB/FS, Fowler
Matthew Miller, Jr., OL, Clovis
Jaeden Moore, Jr., TE/DB, Central Valley Christian
Isaiah Morales, Jr., T/NG, Lemoore
Cayden Muir, Jr. QB, Hanford
Rudy Navarro, Sr., QB, Mission Oak
Gavin Nelson, Sr., DE/TE, Buchanan
Nick Nelson, Sr., WR/LB/SS, El Diamante
Noah Noyola, Sr., WR/DB, Hanford
Sebastian Olivera, Sr., RB, Dinuba
Mikey Olvera, Sr., WR, Dinuba
Chito Palafox, Sr., LB, Woodlake
Josiah Perez, Sr., LB, Monache
Kai Preisendorf, Soph, DE, Redwood
Marcus Ramirez, Sr., LB, Central
Caden Rodgers, Sr., RB/LB, Buchanan
Ashton Rodriguez, Sr., FB, Sanger
Alex Rodriguez, Sr., DE, Sunnyside
Anthony Salinas, Jr., WR/CB, Farmersville
Marshel Sanders, Soph, WR, Clovis West
Paul Sharpe, Sr., RB, Clovis North
Jeremiah Shelton, Sr., DE, Central
Nicholas Shikaloff, Jr., MLB/DE, Fowler
Jacob Silva, Sr., RB/FS, Mendota
Christian Smith, Sr., DE, Clovis
Jose Soto, Jr., LT, Tulare Western
Josh Sousa, Sr., RB, Central Valley Christian
Micah Spomer, Sr., QB/RB/WR, Kingsburg
Lawrence Stell, Sr., QB, Washington Union
Dayton Tafoya, Jr., QB, Central
J Tapia, Sr., DE/T, Dos Palos
Kameron Thomas, Sr., WR/DB, Fowler
Jalyn Utendahl, Sr., RB/WR/CB, Bullard
Desean Watts, Jr., OL/DL, Bullard
Logan Wattenbarger, Sr., WR/DB, Madera
Mitchell Whaley, Jr., LB, Liberty-Madera Ranchos
Nate Williams, Sr., WR, Washington Union
Gavin Zuniga, Sr., RB/LB, San Joaquin Memorial
This story was originally published January 1, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
