Crescenta Valley, Hoover, Glendale nab Pacific League football honors

In a year in which the Burbank schools took ownership of Pacific League football, there were still quite a few local names on the recently released league awards list.

Crescenta Valley, Glendale and Hoover highs combined for 18 selections on the league’s first team, second team and honorable mention with the Falcons leading the way.

Crescenta Valley boasted nine selections, with perhaps the most dynamic of those picks being senior Bostin Lakin.

The wide receiver hauled in a team-leading 49 receptions for 796 yards and eight touchdowns and was also a cornerback (four interceptions) on defense.

“Bostin was a great player for us for three years,” Crescenta Valley Coach Paul Schilling said. “He led the league this year in receptions with 49. He was our big-play threat this year.”

Lakin was joined on the league’s first-team offense by lineman Nizar Abou-Chakra, one of several key returners from the 2014 CIF Southern Section Southeast Division championship team.

The Falcons totaled three first-team defenders with perhaps the biggest name being junior safety Tyler Hill, who also played quarterback.

Hill totaled 62 tackles with two interceptions, one fumble caused and one fumble recovered. On offense, Hill split time with two other signal-callers, but still completed 51 of 99 passes for 703 yards and eight touchdowns versus six interceptions. He was also the team’s leading rusher with 692 yards and 10 touchdowns on 11 carries.

“Ty is one of those guys who could be first-team all league at whatever position you put him at,” Schilling said. “He is a major contributor all over the field. The best news is that we get Ty for another year and he’s already a three-year varsity starter.”

One of the unexpected efforts this season came from junior linebacker Nobel Leduc, who led the squad with 122 tackles and 7 1/2 sacks and was a first-team selection.

“This guy was one of our most exciting surprises coming from last year’s junior varsity,” Schilling said. “He was all over the field. He never gets tired and he runs to the ball as well as anyone.”

Senior Kevin Choi also earned a defensive first-team spot for Crescenta Valley on the line after tallying 37 tackles and two sacks.

This past season, the Falcons finished 7-4 overall, tied for second in league with Burbank and were defeated in the first round of the playoffs by Angelus League champion Cathedral, which advanced to the semifinals.

Crescenta Valley merited two second-team selections on offense in Brandon Beardt (80 carries for 462 yards and five touchdowns) and lineman Ben Lizar.

Hoover, which finished 2-8 and 1-6 in league for seventh in league, tallied five overall selections (three on the second team).

Senior brothers Jessie and Geraldy Martinez were both named to the league’s second team as defensive linemen and were anchors for the Tornadoes.

“The coaches knew how hard they both worked, they were our workhorses,” said Hoover High Coach Matt Andersen, who said stats were unavailable for his players. “They both played defensive lineman and they were both the same player for us. They were both in the backfield making plays. I pushed hard for them because they did everything for the team.”

Hoover’s Quinton Smith was also named to the league’s second team as a defensive back.

Cross-town Glendale had two second-team selections and four picks overall as the Nitros finished 1-9 this past season.

Offensive lineman Alex Shabanian and punter Willie Salinas (42 yards per punt) earned those second-team selections for Glendale.

Crescenta Valley’s Evan Nelson (completed 59 of 96 passes for 800 yards and nine touchdowns) and Ben Valdez (44 tackles), Hoover’s Diego Escalante and Chris White and Glendale’s Carlos Ramos (521 rushing yards and four touchdowns) and Abraham Martinez (100 tackles, three fumble recoveries, eights sacks and a blocked punt) were all selected as honorable mentions.