Glendale YMCA Quarterback Club: Local coaches hand out season-ending awards
GLENDALE — The Glendale YMCA Quarterback Club, in its 73rd year, meets Tuesdays at the Elk’s Lodge. The following are odds and ends from the 11th and final meeting of the year.
COACHES ANNOUNCE INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
For the last time this season, the four local high school football teams affiliated with the Glendale YMCA Quarterback Club showered praise upon their teams. Each program handed out their respective team awards at Tuesday’s event.
St. Francis, which will meet fourth-seeded Burroughs in a CIF Southern Section Southeast Division quarterfinal home game at 7 p.m. Friday at Friedman Field after posting a 21-19 first-round road victory against Warren, had four players receive plaques from coach Jim Bonds. Senior tight end/defensive end Sean Davitt and senior running back Areg Nazarian were selected co-most valuable players. Senior running back Will Huston (4.45 grade-point average) earned the team’s scholar athlete award. Sophomore running back/linebacker Elijah Washington was tabbed the junior varsity team’s most valuable player.
Crescenta Valley, which saw its season end Friday with a 58-19 Southeast Division first-round road loss to third-seeded Cathedral, selected wide receiver/defensive back Bostin Lakin as its most valuable player. Crescenta Valley Coach Paul Schilling tabbed senior fullback Jake Mathews (4.34 GPA) as the Falcons’ scholar athlete award winner. Sophomore wide receiver/safety Grady Schilling and sophomore running back/linebacker Drake Barron were named co-most valuable players from the junior varsity squad.
Hoover senior running back Diego Escalante was selected as the Tornadoes’ MVP and seniors running back/defensive lineman Jessie Martinez (3.5 GPA) and senior offensive lineman/defensive lineman Geraldy Martinez (3.5 GPA) earned the team’s scholar athlete award. Hoover’s junior varsity most valuable player award went to freshman quarterback Andrew Rangel.
Glendale’s varsity most valuable player was senior running back Abraham Martinez. The Nitros’ scholar athlete award went to senior linebackers Riel Simpao (3.8 GPA) and Carlos Meraz (3.7 GPA). Sophomore wide receiver/quarterback Karl Steckermeier was named the junior varsity team’s most valuable player.
The Glendale YMCA Quarterback Club handed out the scholarships.
VAQUEROS PICK UP HONORS
Glendale Community College, which saw its season wrap up Saturday with a 40-39 Pacific Conference American Division home loss against Santa Barbara, had two players secure postseason recognition.
Sophomore quarterback Grant Kraemer earned the team’s scholar athlete Award with a 3.6 GPA. Kraemer was the starting signal-caller before suffering a broken left arm midway through the season. Overall, Kraemer completed 64 of 126 passes for 1.010 yards and eight touchdowns.
Glendale’s most valuable player was freshman linebacker Jackson Nolan. Nolan registered 44 tackles in nine games and had one interception for Glendale, which finished 3-7, 2-5 in the division.
