Carson High senior linebacker Ben Heaton (34) leads the pile for a tackle against McQueen. Heaton was named as the Class 5A North’s Defensive Player of the Year while Wes Dunkin (24) and DeCarlo Quintana (9) also earned honorable mention all-region selections at defensive back.
Photo by Jeff Mulvihill, Jr. | InstaImage.
Carson High linebacker Ben Heaton was the Senator’s most obvious presence on defense all season and he was awarded accordingly.
In the Class 5A North all-region selections, Heaton was honored as the Defensive Player of the Year, wrapping up 105 tackles over the course of the season.
The outgoing senior averaged more than 13 tackles per game for the royal blue and white while also recording three sacks, three hurries and an interception.
Heaton was a first team all-region selection as a junior, marking his second consecutive season as a first team selection.
Joining Heaton on the first team all-region defensive list was defensive end Zane Ferguson and defensive back and kicker Isaac Avina.
In his senior season, Ferguson posted a team-high 4.5 sacks, which was the seventh most in the North while adding on 49 tackles.
Avina was a first team all-region selection on both sides of the ball.
At defensive back, the junior had 52 tackles, two pass deflections and an interception.
Avina also earned a first team selection at kicker.
Three Senators picked up honors as second team all-region offense.
At tight end, sophomore Mack Chambers made a handful of significant snags over the course of the season, resulting a touchdown catch and a postseason award.
On the line, both Salvador Mora-Rodriguez and Diego Aldana were honored with second team selections as well.
Ioane Tuia, another linebacker, picked up a second team selection to cap his high school career.
Tuia was the second leading tackler (69) behind Heaton for the Senators, registering two pass deflections and a fumble recovery as well.
Carson had four more offensive players round out the all-region selections at honorable mention.
Quarterback Vinny Ferretti, running back Jacob Campbell and wide receiver Parker Story all round out their football careers with an all-region selection.
Campbell was eighth in the north with 563 rushing yards while tacking on three touchdowns.
Story hauled in 19 catches for 291 yards and two scores from Ferretti while the Senator quarterback threw for a total of 749 yards and six touchdowns this past season.
Junior Franco Munoz picked up an honorable mention nod at center as well.
Five more Carson players earned honorable mention selections on defense.
Noa Tuia picked up recognition at defensive end while Sam Richetta was recognized at linebacker. Wesley Dunkin, Javi Arellano and DeCarlo Quintana were all honorable mention selections at defensive back for the Senators.
Class 5A North All-region selections
Co-Offensive Player of the Year – Ashton Hayes, McQueen; Armaan Bajwa, Reed.
Lineman of the Year – Sioape Vatakani, Bishop Manogue
Defensive player of the year – Ben Heaton, Carson
Region player of the year – Robby Snelling, McQueen
Coach of the Year – Jim Snelling, McQueen
First team offense
QB – Armaan Bajwa, Reed; QB – Logan Howren, Bishop Manogue; RB – Ashton Hayes, McQueen; RB – Mason Reasoner, Damonte Ranch; RB – Niko Amari, Reno; WR – Marshaun Brown, Bishop Manogue; WR – CJ Stinson, Spanish Springs; WR – Drew Vargas, Damonte Ranch; WR – Adam McDonald, Reed; TE – Trace Patterson, Spanish Springs; TE – Malcolm McClure, Bishop Manogue; OG – Carson Darby, Reno; OG – EJ Luki, Spanish Springs; OG – Illex Garcia, Damonte Ranch; OG – Joey Moler, Reed; OT – Sioape Vatakani, Bishop Manogue; OT – Aidan Flores, Reed; OT – Ben Larsen, Damonte Ranch; OT – Shawn Klinger, McQueen; OT – Matt Oullette, Reno; OC – Garrett Cooper, McQueen; OC – Ben Hirt, Douglas; ATH – Cade Rodahaffer, Damonte Ranch; K – James Bass, Spanish Springs; K – Isaac Avina, Carson
First team defense
DE – Tanner Barnard, Reno; DE – Trace Patterson, SpSp; DE – Zane Ferguson, Carson; DE – Salesi Manu, Bishop Manogue; DE – Cade Rodahaffer, DR; DT – Matty Lopez, Reed; DT – Carson Darby, Reno; DT – Aiden Hall, SpSp; DT – Siaope Vatikani, BM; DT – Braelen Toles, DR; LB – Ben Heaton, Carson; LB – Jake Penney, SpSp; LB – Robby Snelling, McQueen; LB – Gabe Foster, Douglas; LB – Malcolm McClure, BM; LB – Michael Venezia, DR; DB – Elijah Acklin, Reed; DB – Donoven Dericco, BM; DB – Isaac Avina, Carson; DB – Tre LaGrone, McQ; DB – JT Hawk, Reno; DB – Christian Iacoboni, DR; DB – Ray Lawrence, BM; Specialist – Dom Marconato, BM; Specialist – Noah Lacey, SpSp; Specialist – Tre LaGrone, McQ.
Second team offense
QB – JJ Dain, Spanish Springs; QB – Robby Snelling, McQueen; RB – Gabe Foster, Douglas; Spencer Firebaugh, Reed; RB – Joe Hill, Bishop Manogue; WR – Malachi Thomas, Spanish Springs; WR – Carl LaGrone III, McQueen; WR – Elijah Acklin, Reed; WR – Ashton Pearson; TE – Brett McVeigh, Reno; TE – Mack Chambers, Carson; OG – Salvador Mora-Rodriguez, Carson; OG – Alex Riggio, McQueen; OG – Jay Collier, Spanish Springs; OG – Derek Watson, Damonte Ranch; OT – Luke Martindale, McQueen; OT – Elias Justice, Spanish Springs; OT – Diego Aldana, Carson; OT – Hunter Ulmer, Douglas; OC – Austin Adams, Damonte Ranch; OC – Cougar Deen, Spanish Springs; ATH – Jake Penney, Spanish Springs; K – James Bass, Spanish Springs; K – Colton Sellers, Reno.
Second team defense
DE – Jacob Brady, Douglas; DE – Aidan Flores, Reed; DE – Gavynn Ostrander, SpSp; DE – Caden Dimond, McQ; DE – Jireh Moe, Reed; DT – Matt Ouellette, Reno; DT – Marrio Williams, BM; DT – Tyler Miller, Galena; DT – Roman Perini, McQ; DT – Hunter Ulmer, Douglas; LB – Marco Casci, SpSp; LB – Ryan Rutherford, BM; :B – Colton Sellers, Reno; LB – Anthony Miller, Galena; LB – Brock Jolley, McQ; LB – Ioane Tuia, Carson; LB – Nathan Meredith, DR; Specialist – Caden Kelley, SpSp; Specialist – Trevor Middaugh, Douglas; Specialist – Chris Negrete, Reed.
Honorable mention offense
QB – Vinny Ferretti, Carson; QB – Cooper Anderson, Damonte Ranch; QB – Ben Primka, Galena; RB – Cameron Rodriguez, Damonte Ranch; RB – Jake Campbell, Carson; RB – Deo Richson, McQueen; RB – Damian Mercado, Spanish Springs; WR – Dom Marconato, Bishop Manogue; WR – Maurice Coleman, Damonte Ranch; WR – Nate Penney, Spanish Springs; WR – Parker Story, Carson; WR – Hayden Karam, Damonte Ranch; WR – Christo Viloria, Bishop Manogue; WR – Andrew Dutton, Reno; WR – Kit Kuhns, Galena; WR – Liam Reed, McQueen; TE – Alex Rodahaffer, Damonte Ranch; WR – Jadyn LaGrone, McQueen; OG – Justin Rickett, McQueen; OG – Jacob Brady, Douglas; OG – Cal Faulstich, Bishop Manogue; OG – Alex Enard, Bishop Manogue; OT – Dario Lopez, Reed; OT – Theo Taus, Reno; OT – Tyler Miller, Galena; OT – Jordan Francisco, Damonte Ranch; OC – Franco Munoz, Carson; OC – Miah Vaka, Bishop Manogue; ATH – Anthony Menzer, Douglas; ATH – Tyler Clark, Damonte Ranch; K – Joe Brown, Damonte Ranch; K – Kaleb Valdez, Douglas; P – Jayse Benedict, Bishop Manogue; P – Cooper Anderson, Damonte Ranch.
Honorable mention defense
DE – Connor Kimmel, DR; DE – Jeremiah Johnson, SpSp; DE – Noa Tuia, Carson; DE – Kyle Koontz, Douglas; Maclain McBride, Galena; DT – Rafael Salgado, SpSp; DT – Jared Cuenca, SpSp; DT – Hector Mata-Sanchez, Douglas; DT – Sam Richetta, Carson; LB – Cole Smalley, Douglas; LB – Jonathon Lord, McQ; LB – Kaelen Crawford, BM; LB – Champ Notyce, Reno; LB – Joe Brown, DR; LB – Mason Reasoner, DR; LB – Anthony Comba, Reed; LB – Kaden Harter, Reno; LB – Gavis Ross, Douglas; LB – Wesley Dunkin, Carson; LB – Caydin Webb, SpSp; LB – Julian Klein, Reed; DB – Zak Major, Reno; DB – Landen Keller, Reno; DB – Jett Norman, DR; DB – Drew Vargas, DR; DB – Javi Arellano, Carson; DB – Kaleb McClendon, McQ; DB – DC Quintana, Carson; DB – Camden Altringer, Douglas; DB – Mitch Gilbert, BM; DB – Jadyn LaGrone, McQ; DB – Joseph Kramer, Douglas.
