Welcome to the 2018 5A Arizona Varsity Awards.
2018 featured incredible performances all across Arizona's second-highest division, and ArizonaVarsity.com's committee of Ralph Amsden, Cody Cameron, Chris Eaton and Chilly worked hard to put together a list of honorees they believed to be worthy of recognition this year.
You can view the 5A Arizona Varsity Awards semifinalists HERE
You can watch Chilly announce the 5A Arizona Varsity Awards finalists HERE
The goal of the ArizonaVarsity.com team is to be as transparent as possible about what goes in to making our awards selections, so for a taste of how we go about selecting some of our award winners, click play below on the 5A Arizona Varsity Awards deliberations Podcast.
Without further delay, below are our selections for the winners of the 2018 Arizona Varsity Awards, as well as our 5A region-based recognitions, and 5A All-Arizona Varsity teams.
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Player of the Year
Notre Dame WR/DB/P Jake Smith
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Offensive Player of the Year
Higley QB Spencer Brasch
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Defensive Player of the Year
Centennial LB Dylan Wampler
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Two-Way Player of the Year
Centennial RB/DB Jaydin Young
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Offensive Underclassman of the Year
Desert View RB Jacob Ramirez
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Defensive Underclassman of the Year
Casteel DB Hunter Barth
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Offensive Breakout Player of the Year
Casteel WR Zach Nelson
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Defensive Breakout Player of the Year
Centennial DB Eric Haney
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Coach of the Year
Lamar Early- Millennium
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Assistant Coach of the Year
Andrew Taylor- Centennial
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Quarterback of the Year
Gunner Cruz- Casteel
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Running Back of the Year
Anthodius Ashley- Fairfax
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Wide Receiver of the Year
Coleman Owen- Higley
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Tight End of the Year
Jay Rudolph- Horizon
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Offensive Lineman of the Year
Carson Keltner- Centennial
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Defensive Lineman of the Year
Ty Robinson- Higley
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Linebacker of the Year
Brock Locnikar- Notre Dame Prep
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Cornerback of the Year
Tashumbrae "Scooter" Brown- Wiliams Field
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Safety of the Year
Noa Pola-Gates- Wiliams Field
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Return Specialist of the Year
AJ Jackson- Centennial
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Kicker of the Year
Ezra Figueroa- Cienega
ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Punter of the Year
David Bertelsen- Marana
2018 ArizonaVarsity.com 5A Region Awards
SOUTHERN
Player of the Year: Terrell Hayward (Cienega)
Offensive MVP: Kaleb Bryant (Buena)
Defensive MVP: TJ Cephers (Marana)
Coach of the Year: Matt Johnson (Ironwood Ridge)
SONORAN
Player of the Year: Rashaad Henderson (Flowing Wells)
Offensive MVP: Jacob Ramirez (Desert View)
Defensive MVP: Memo Ramirez (Empire)
Coach of the Year: Mark Brunenkant (Flowing Wells)
METRO
Player of the Year: Anthodius Ashley (Fairfax)
Offensive MVP: Marvin Cotton (South Mountain)
Defensive MVP: Cosmas Kwete (Central)
Coach of the Year: Mark and Marcus Carter (South Mountain)
NORTHEAST VALLEY
Player of the Year: Jake Smith (Notre Dame)
Offensive MVP: Isaac Enriquez (Horizon)
Defensive MVP: Brock Locnikar (Notre Dame)
Coach of the Year: George Prelock (Notre Dame)
SAN TAN
Player of the Year: Spencer Brasch (Higley)
Offensive MVP: Gunner Cruz (Casteel)
Defensive MVP: Noa Pola-Gates (Williams Field)
Coach of the Year: Steve Campbell (Willims Field)
NORTHWEST
Player of the Year: Jaydin Young (Centennial)
Offensive MVP: Keegan Freid (Sunrise Mountain)
Defensive MVP: Dylan Wampler (Centennial)
Coach of the Year: Richard Taylor (Centennial)
DESERT WEST
Player of the Year: Anthonie Cooper (Millennium)
Offensive MVP: Zareq Brown (Millennium)
Defensive MVP: Kaysan Barnett (Millennium)
Coach of the Year: Lamar Early (Millennium)
2018 5A All-ArizonaVarsity.com First Team
QB: Spencer Brasch (Higley)
RB: Jaydin Young (Centennial)
RB: Anthodius Ashley (Fairfax)
WR/TE: Coleman Owen (Higley)
WR/TE: Zach Nelson (Casteel)
WR/TE: Jake Smith (Notre Dame)
OL: Jordan Morgan (Marana)
OL: Ryan Wearne (Williams Field)
OL: Carson Keltner (Centennial)
OL: Cade Bennett (Notre Dame)
OL: Benjamin Roots (Desert Mountain)
DL: Ty Robinson (Higley)
DL: Anthonie Cooper (Millennium)
DL: Trevor Kauer (Campo Verde)
DL: Christian Foote (Williams Field)
LB: Dylan Wampler (Centennial)
LB: Brock Locnikar (Notre Dame)
LB: Stone Aguirre (Ironwood)
LB: TJ Cephers (Marana)
CB: Keiran Clark (Centennial)
CB: Scooter Brown (Williams Field)
S: Noa Pola-Gates (Williams Field)
S: Terrell Hayward (Cienega)
K: Ezra Figueroa (Cienega)
P: David Bertlesen (Marana)
RET: AJ Jackson (Centennial)
2018 5A All-ArizonaVarsity.com Second Team
QB: Gunner Cruz (Casteel)
RB: Devante Wimbush (Ironwood)
RB: Ali Mohammed (Apollo)
WR/TE: Jacob Cowing (Maricopa)
WR/TE: Jaelon Taylor (Millennium)
WR/TE: Jay Rudolph (Horizon)
OL: Brock Dieu (Casteel)
OL: Chase Killough (Horizon)
OL: Cale Gregory (Notre Dame)
OL: Cooper Darling (Williams Field)
OL: Jacob Fyffe (Centennial)
DL: Dalton Card (Casteel)
DL: Cosmas Kwete (Central)
DL: Jonathon Parks (Verrado)
DL: Grant Boyer (Notre Dame)
LB: Timothy Jones (Buena)
LB: Cire Fields (Centennial)
LB: Zach Mattas (Cienega)
LB: Nash Giffin (Horizon)
CB: Kaysan Barnett (Millennium)
CB: Felix Vasquez (Goldwater)
CB: Eric Haney (Centennial)
S: Thomas Webb (Cienega)
S: Jadon Pearson (Williams Field
K: Jackson Passey (Campo Verde)
P: Jorge Nieto (Gilbert)
RET: Varney Larson (Mountain View)
2018 5A All-ArizonaVarsity.com Third Team
QB: Keegan Freid (Sunrise Mountain)
RB: Matt Leazier (Campo Verde)
RB: Tawee Walker (Centennial)
WR/TE: Tristin Lee (Paradise Valley)
WR/TE: Shawn Charles (Camelback)
WR/TE: Jalen Smith (Empire)
OL: Noah Nelson (Williams Field)
OL: Jesus Reyna (Ironwood)
OL: Oscar Abundis (Centennial)
OL: Johnathan Leon (Fairfax)
OL: Taj Bryson (Fairfax)
DL: Leandre Harris (Centennial)
DL: Logan Maxwell (Higley)
DL: Connor Knudsen (Centennial)
DL: Logan Taylor (Maricopa)
LB: MJ Walker (Centennial)
LB: Patrick Long (Paradise Valley)
LB: Ray Vega (Gilbert)
LB: CJ Mustain (Ironwood Ridge)
CB: Tyler Hironaka (Gilbert)
CB: Devontae Ingram (South Mountain)
S: Casen Simonton (Casteel)
S: David Haen (Sunnyslope)
K: Dalyn Enderle (Higley)
P: Jason Vaught (Williams Field)
RET: William Roberts (McClintock)
2018 5A All-ArizonaVarsity.com Honorable Mentions
Quarterback:
Kedon Slovis (Desert Mountain)
Will Plummer (Gilbert)
Niko Haen (Sunnyslope)
Isaac Enriquez (Horizon)
Ben Finley (Paradise Valley)
Trenton Bourguet (Marana)
Zareq Brown (Millennium)
Zack Shepherd (Williams Field)
Jake Farrell (Notre Dame)
Johnathan Morris (Centennial)
Octavio Audry-Cobos (Ironwood Ridge)
Preson Silvas (Rincon/University)
Runningback:
Daniel Torres (Carl Hayden)
Maximus Walker (Desert Mountain)
Kaleb Bryant (Buena)
Eriyon Ward (Agua Fria)
Nathan Grijalva (Ironwood Ridge)
Xoeius Ratliff (Marana)
Rashaad Henderson (Flowing Wells)
Isaac Oliver (Millennium)
Jaden Thompson (Williams Field)
Dominick Mastro (Notre Dame)
Jeiel Stark (Centennial)
Geo Owens (Cienega)
Kendrix Lurry (Williams Field)
K'Rashee Smith (South Mountain)
Martin Arvisu (Sunnyside)
Wide Receiver:
Marvin Cotton (South Mountain)
Vince Ellison (Desert Mountain)
Andrew Cook (Ironwood Ridge)
Jay Anderson (Sunrise Mountain)
Tight End:
Casey Clanton (Central)
Zack Enhelder (Willow Canyon)
Luke Roberts (Notre Dame)
Cody Miller (Verrado)
Offensive Line:
Chris Bell (Ironwood Ridge)
Joel Mendivil (Nogales)
Tyrae McKinney (Cienega)
Steven Sigala (Mountain View)
Daniel Robledo (Cholla)
Kody McPherson (Empire)
Wesley Kavathas (Empire)
Jaydon Durazo (South Mountain)
Mike Lopez (Carl Hayden)
Uriel Hernandez (North Canyon)
Dylan Walton (Higley)
Jake Newton (Sunrise Mountain)
Blake Gamez (Verrado)
Matthew Phillips (Goldwater)
Carson Kennedy (Agua Fria)
Lee Sampson (Millennium)
Defensive Line:
Quincy Singleton (McClintock)
Devin Leon (Willow Canyon)
Jack Sanderson (Sunnyslope)
Tylen Coleman (Maricopa)
Cruz Webster (Casteel)
Jason Harris (Higley)
Jesse Avina (Buena)
Linebacker:
Bakari Jackson (Maricopa)
Isaiah Sierra (Empire)
Justin Wilda (Sunrise Mountain)
David Enriquez (Millennium)
Canaan Hall (Higley)
Conrad Gingg (Verrado)
Memo Ramirez (Empire)
Shaun Buttigeig (Mountain View)
Devon Carter (Kellis)
Defensive Back:
Jackson Buchanan (Cactus Shadows)
Jykese Davis (Goldwater)
Coltin Church (Sunrise Mountain)
Austin Godfrey (Higley)
Chris Burroughs (Cienega)
Kelton Metzner (Paradise Valley)
Trey Cartledge (Notre Dame)
Canaan Mullins (Horizon)
Sebastian Flores (Carl Hayden)
Specialist:
Ezekial Marshall (Sunrise Mountain)
Lucas Seaton (Cactus Shadows)
Griffin Sauer (Ironwood Ridge)
Cole Johnson (Horizon)
Chase Wells (Williams Field)
Utility/Two-Way:
Connor McKernan (Gilbert)
Rascheed Sterling (Goldwater)
Coben Bourguet (Marana)
Michael Ogas (Flowing Wells)
Tariq Jordan (Marana)
Alphonso Taylor (North Canyon)
Underclassmen:
Caleb Wilkins (North Canyon)
Eric Lara (Central)
Jaden Mason (McClintock)
Logan Gingg (Verrado)
Hayden Parson (Mountain View)
Kadin Metzner (Paradise Valley)
DeAndre Robinson (Goldwater)
Isaiah Roebuck (Marana)
Bryce Cord (Sunrise Mountain)
Hunter Schlagel (Cienega)
Jayce Knutsen (Casteel)
Myles Taylor (Williams Field)
James Jaquint (Notre Dame)