Daily Pilot Football Dream Team: Troy Fletcher fought every down for Edison
No days off sounds good on paper.
It is one of the most popular — and overused — sayings around in high school athletics today, but few would question it if Edison High School football standout Troy Fletcher said that is exactly how he approaches life.
Fletcher, a dynamic running back and defensive back, would not let Edison take him off the field. He took no plays off.
Following a highly effective season on both sides of the ball, Fletcher has been selected as the Daily Pilot Football Dream Team Player of the Year.
“I was thinking, ‘How can I impact my team the greatest? How can they benefit from me?’” Fletcher said of his two-way role. “It was just trying to get on the field as much as possible and doing what I can to benefit the team and help the team be successful.”
Fletcher had 150 carries for 1,196 yards and 20 touchdowns, an impressive 8.0 yards per rush. The senior added 26 catches for 307 yards and another score. He often found success running behind the right side of an offensive line that included left tackle Nate Gates, left guard Zach Gruwell, center Luke Jones, right guard Jackson Graf and right tackle Johnnie Godby.
The Sunset League Offensive Player of the Year, some season highlights for Fletcher included his five rushing touchdowns against Clovis North, and he had two 200-yard rushing performances — against Los Alamitos and Inglewood.
Edison coach Jeff Grady was effusive in his praise of Fletcher and the workload that he was able to shoulder.
“I really think he kind of worked himself into that role in the offseason, how he got after it in the weight room and the way he conditioned each and every day,” Grady said. “He was just so durable that we couldn’t take him off the field, and he never wanted to come off the field.”
Edison finished the season 8-4 overall and 4-1 in the Sunset League, a runner-up to Los Alamitos for the league championship for the second straight season. The Chargers advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division 2 quarterfinals, falling on the road to Inglewood by a score of 22-16.
At 5 feet 9, 170 pounds, Fletcher tends to look up to a lot of players on the football field. Fletcher said he would like to model his game after Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler, noting his versatility to make defenders miss in the open field while still possessing the strength to finish runs.
“I’ve always been on the smaller side my whole life, and I’ve been playing against older guys,” Fletcher said. “Just being able to adapt and get used to playing against older, bigger kids, that really helped me out in high school.”
As if he did not get his fill of scoring on offense, Fletcher had a fumble recovery for a touchdown against Fountain Valley and an interception return for a touchdown against Murrieta Valley in the first round of the playoffs.
For the season, Fletcher had 46 tackles, a team-high 13 passes defended in coverage, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and one punt block.
Fletcher was part of a talented and often aggressive secondary for the Chargers that included Malachi Pierce, Cody Grbic and Ashton Hurley.
“We definitely had a very fast defensive back group, so Cody was able to fly around,” Fletcher said. “He covered the entire field, had crazy break speed. Malachi is a long, lengthy corner … and Ashton came in for a bit. He was a great player. We played fast and tried not to give up nothing deep, so that was our motto, ‘Just don’t get beat deep.’”
COACH OF THE YEAR
John Shanahan
Laguna Beach
While some semblance of a season was saved for the class of 2021 with a pandemic-shortened slate of games in the spring, it was not kind to the Breakers, who went 1-4 over the six weeks high school football teams could play. Shanahan had a sense of humor about it, joking his team’s 100 practices for one win was the single-worst return on investment in history. Laguna Beach (10-2, 3-0 in the Pac 4 League) turned the page, compiling a double-digit win total for the second time under Shanahan, a feat the Breakers also accomplished in 2018. “I think all of that time and effort and energy those kids put in really paid off for us once we got going in this fall season,” said Shanahan, who characterized the season as a fulfilling one after the struggles of the spring. The Breakers were the undefeated champions of the Pac 4 League. A high-powered offense that averaged 36.5 points per game entertained the fans at home. The Breakers were 7-0 at Guyer Field this season, including a 42-21 win over Chino in the first round of the Division 9 playoffs.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
David Rasor
QB | Corona del Mar | Jr.
Corona del Mar continues to receive difference-making, dual-threat play from the quarterback position. As Chase Garbers, Nathaniel Espinoza and Ethan Garbers all did for the Sea Kings, Rasor has earned his stripes with both his arm and his legs. Rasor threw for 2,365 yards and 34 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, while also carrying the ball 85 times for 242 yards and a team-leading eight touchdowns. The Sunset League Offensive Back of the Year accounted for five total touchdowns on five occasions this season, the last on the road against Downey Warren in a thrilling 42-35 win to open the Division 2 playoffs. Rasor threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns and added two scores on the ground in his postseason debut. The Sea Kings lost to eventual champion Orange Lutheran 38-14 in the quarterfinals. Corona del Mar (9-3, 3-2) was the third-place team in the Sunset League.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Austin Grbic
DE | Edison | Sr.
The line of scrimmage alters a lot of games, and that is where Grbic wreaked havoc for Edison this season. Grbic, the Defensive Player of the Year in the Sunset League, stopped offenses in their tracks, amassing a team-best 19 tackles for a loss, 14 sacks and five quarterback hurries. He also ended the year with 54 tackles, knocked down five passes and recovered a fumble. Grbic won on pass rush often against Corona del Mar, when he had a season-best four sacks in a 28-20 win that helped the Chargers secure second place in league. He also had 2½ sacks in games against Orange Lutheran and Newport Harbor, both of which were CIF champions in their respective divisions.
ALL-PURPOSE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Bao Huynh
RB-OLB | Los Amigos | Sr.
With injuries at key positions early in the season, Los Amigos could have gone gently into that good night. Led by Huynh, the Lobos refused to do so, giving themselves a fighting chance until the final day of the regular season. Huynh, the Back of the Year in the Garden Grove League, was the definition of a bell-cow running back, crashing into defenses until it paid dividends late in games. Huynh had 144 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a 21-14 win at Bolsa Grande, which at the time gave Los Amigos (4-6, 2-3) high hopes of making the playoffs. After Huynh rushed for 116 yards and had a 79-yard touchdown reception with his team’s season on the line in a 21-17 loss to Garden Grove League champion Rancho Alamitos in Week 10, Los Amigos coach Romel Guess summed up Huynh’s contributions. “That kid, man, you talk about the ideal football player ...,” Guess said. “We’ve been putting the team on his back ever since [running back] Isaac Cuevas got hurt [in the league opener against Loara], and he’s done nothing but just carry us.” Huynh rushed for 1,147 yards and 10 touchdowns and added two receiving touchdowns this season. Defensively, he had 70 tackles, three interceptions (including a pick-six), and one fumble recovery.
FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE
Will Bingham
QB | Laguna Beach | Sr.
Bingham was the Pac 4 League Offensive Player of the Year, a deserved accolade after he rewrote the Breakers’ record books. A second-year starter, Bingham completed 222 of 336 passes for 3,257 yards, 44 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The season yardage and touchdown totals were each school records, surpassing Andrew Johnson’s marks from 2018. He also threw for six touchdowns in wins over Crean Lutheran and Godinez, one off Johnson’s single-game marks for the Breakers.
Anthony Ramirez
RB | Ocean View | Sr.
A three-year varsity starter for the Seahawks, Ramirez always ran hard and put up some monster performances, even in a rough team season that saw Ocean View go 3-7 overall, 1-2 in the Pac 4 League and fail to qualify for the CIF playoffs. Ramirez, a first-team all-league selection, had 102 carries for 540 yards and six touchdowns in just six games. He topped 100 yards rushing three times. Ramirez, who goes by “Chino,” also played safety and outside linebacker on defense.
Kobe Lemari
RB | Costa Mesa | Sr.
Lemari, who also played outside linebacker, helped the Mustangs (5-6, 3-2) and since-resigned first-year coach Van Tuinei enjoy their most successful season in years. Hard to bring down, Lemari rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns in a key Orange Coast League win over Saddleback, then 119 yards and the go-ahead score as Costa Mesa beat rival Estancia 14-7, winning the Battle for the Bell game for the first time since 2013 and clinching its first CIF playoff spot since the same year. Lemari was a first-team all-league selection.
Kashton Henjum
WR | Newport Harbor | Jr.
Henjum played a large role in a memorable season for the CIF Southern Section Division 6 champion Sailors (7-8, 2-3), racking up stats that would make some NFL players blush. He finished the year with 108 catches for 1,551 yards and 14 touchdowns, adding one interception on defense. Henjum, a first-team All-Sunset League selection and third-team All-Orange County pick, teamed with Josiah Lamarque to form one of the top receiving tandems in the county.
Luke Degner
WR | Laguna Beach | Sr.
Degner, who recently committed to play at the University of Chicago, put together a senior season to be proud of. He had 75 catches for 1,313 yards and 23 total touchdowns — 20 receiving and three on punt returns. All of the marks were school single-season records, and he finished second among county receivers in receptions and touchdowns and third in yards. Also a defensive back, Degner earned Pac 4 League MVP honors for the league champion Breakers. The only thing more impressive might have been his 4.39 grade-point average.
Nico Brown
WR | Edison | Sr.
Brown battled through an inguinal hernia during the latter part of the season, but there was no doubting his talent when he stepped foot on the gridiron. The Sunset League Receiver of the Year, Brown finished with team-best totals of 47 catches for 765 yards and nine scores. An intelligent player who also played free safety, coach Jeff Grady called Brown, a second-team All-Orange County selection, a great teammate. Brown reported that his postseason surgery and recovery went well and he looks forward to an opportunity to play in college.
Scott Truninger
TE | Corona del Mar | Sr.
He had big shoes to fill, stepping in as the Sea Kings’ tight end after the recent success of Mark Redman and Scott Giuliano. Truninger proved up to the challenge, turning into a real NCAA Division I talent, CdM coach Dan O’Shea said. Truninger, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 240 pounds, earned first-team All-Sunset League accolades. A Yale commit, he will join the previous two tight ends as a Division I athlete. Truninger finished the season with 25 catches for 221 yards and three touchdowns.
Cole Clemmer
OL | Corona del Mar | Sr.
Clemmer led the offense as the center this year for the Sea Kings. The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder earned a big accolade when he was named Offensive Lineman of the Year in the tough and physical Sunset League. An intelligent player with a 4.1 grade-point average, he was also a first-team All-Orange County selection for CdM, which averaged nearly 33 points per game on the offensive side of the ball.
Johnnie Godby
OL | Edison | Sr.
The Chargers’ right tackle was consistent, and Edison utilized the athleticism of the 6-foot-3, 295-pounder. Coach Jeff Grady said Godby was probably the Chargers’ most athletic offensive lineman, and he could see him playing center in college. Godby was a first-team All-Sunset League selection and one of the primary players responsible for creating Troy Fletcher’s running lanes.
Rowen Johnson
OL | Laguna Beach | Sr.
The Breakers’ offensive line wasn’t super-hefty, with Johnson as the only player weighing more than 200 pounds. Laguna Beach used Johnson, the younger brother of former quarterback Andrew Johnson, where it needed him at right tackle to be able to throw to the right and run counter plays. The 6-foot-2, 270-pound player consistently performed, earning first-team All-Pac 4 League honors. Coach John Shanahan, who also coached the offensive line, said he considered Johnson another coach on the field.
Grayson Simon
OL | Newport Harbor | Sr.
Simon was as steady and tough of an offensive lineman as there was, never missing a game at right tackle in three seasons and never missing a meaningful snap. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound team captain was the Sunset League Co-Lineman of the Year as a junior, and he backed that up with a first-team All-Sunset League selection as a senior.
Jackson Graf
OL | Edison | Sr.
A two-year starter for the Chargers who also contributed some as a sophomore, Graf was a team captain. Edison utilized Graf at the right guard position. Graf, who is 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds, was a steady performer and earned second-team All-Sunset League accolades.
Josiah Lamarque
AP | Newport Harbor | So.
Lamarque was easily one of the most exciting players in the area with the ball in his hands. He played wide receiver and defensive back and used his speed and ability in the open field to amass 78 catches for 972 yards. He also had multiple special teams touchdowns on kick and punt returns, despite having six scores called back due to penalties. Lamarque should team with junior Kashton Henjum to accomplish more big things in 2022.
Nicholas Preston
PK | Edison | Jr.
The Chargers didn’t attempt many field goals at all this season, usually choosing to play more aggressively and go for it. But Preston, the Sunset League Kicker of the Year, still had plenty of value. He made all but one point-after-touchdown kick, and was able to direct the kickoffs anywhere asked, whether pooch kicks or otherwise. This helped Edison get several turnovers on kickoffs by recovering loose balls.
FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE
Hudson Letterman
DL | Edison | Sr.
Letterman always seemed to be in the opposition’s backfield, which made life a bit easier for the Chargers’ linebackers and defensive backs. A first-team All-Sunset League selection, the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Letterman finished the season with 78 tackles, which ranked third on the team and was an impressive number for a defensive tackle. Seven of the tackles were for a loss, and Letterman also had two sacks.
Luke Crabtree
DL | Ocean View | Sr.
The Seahawks will miss Crabtree, who was a very valuable two-way performer at defensive end and tight end. In his senior year on defense, the son of Sage Hill football coach BJ Crabtree had 12½ sacks, an Ocean View single-season record. Luke Crabtree, who is 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, also led the team with 79 tackles, including 17 tackles for a loss. At tight end, he hauled in a co-team best 25 receptions, for 260 yards and two scores.
Gavin Scott
DL | Corona del Mar | Sr.
Scott was a mainstay at nose guard for the Sea Kings, as a three-year starter. His senior year, he also stepped up and played offensive guard for CdM, becoming a true two-way impact player. The 6-foot-1, 295-pound Scott was a first-team All-Sunset League selection and third-team All-Orange County pick and should continue his career in college.
Peyton Gregory
LB | Edison | Sr.
Gregory and his brother Logan finished first and second on the Chargers in terms of tackles. Peyton had 96 of them for the season, as well as three interceptions, which ranked second on the team and included a pick-six against Huntington Beach. He also caused a team-best three fumbles as the quarterback of the Edison defense and had a receiving touchdown on offense. Gregory was a first-team All-Sunset League and second-team All-Orange County selection.
Charlie Mannon
LB | Corona del Mar | Sr.
Mannon, who also played running back and tight end, rarely came off the field for the Sea Kings. The Sunset League Linebacker of the Year anchored CdM’s linebacking corps, a strength of the team. The outside linebacker finished with 39 tackles, including 13 for a loss. He also led CdM with 8½ sacks. On offense, he had 49 touches for a combined 383 yards and a touchdown. Mannon, who played both football and baseball last spring during a coronavirus-affected spring football season, will play baseball at UC Santa Barbara.
Mason Kubichek
LB | Corona del Mar | Jr.
A first-team All-Sunset League inside linebacker, Kubichek contributed plenty as a sophomore but turned into even more of a leader as a junior, able to both tackle and rush the quarterback very effectively. He led the Sea Kings with 81 tackles, including nine for a loss, and added one sack. CdM coach Dan O’Shea said Kubichek should be one of the best linebackers in Orange County next year.
Conner Chenier
LB | Newport Harbor | Sr.
Chenier missed a couple of games during the postseason after suffering a concussion in the league finale against Los Alamitos, but his return for the Division 6 semifinal game against Compton Dominguez only bolstered the Sailors for their CIF championship run. The first-team All-Sunset League player was one of the leading tacklers on the team and loved to pressure the opposing quarterback, with 2½ sacks in a key league win over Huntington Beach.
Carson de Avila
DB | Newport Harbor | Jr.
The Sailors’ leading tackler on the season, de Avila seemed to just have a nose for the ball. The junior safety finished with an area-best 163 tackles, including 93 solo tackles. He also had two interceptions, a sack and five forced fumbles. He was a first-team All-Sunset League player and should easily be one of the league’s top returners on defense next season.
Joseph Ingrao
DB | Marina | So.
A two-sport athlete, Ingrao is now scoring goals for the Vikings’ soccer team. But this fall, he made an impact on the gridiron for Marina (3-7, 1-2 in the Big 4 League) as a sophomore safety, steadily improving as the season progressed. Coach Jeff Turley was impressed with the athleticism of Ingrao, who had 44 tackles on defense and a team-best three interceptions. He had five catches for 60 yards at receiver and could factor into the offense more next year.
Tyler Moses
DB | Huntington Beach | Sr.
Moses was a versatile performer for the Oilers (4-6, 1-4). He played strong safety and outside linebacker on defense, wide receiver on offense and also served as the team’s punter. Moses gets the Dream Team nod on defense, where the first-team All-Sunset League performer had 31 tackles, including eight for a loss, the latter number tying for the team lead. He also had 2½ sacks. On offense, he had 21 catches for 443 yards and a team-best six touchdowns, adding a rushing score.
Jake Simkins
DB | Corona del Mar | Sr.
Simkins, a three-year starter at cornerback, was another standout piece of the Sea Kings’ defense. A first-team All-Sunset League selection, Simkins finished third on CdM with 57 tackles, including four for a loss, and added 2½ sacks and an interception. Simkins also was awarded the team’s Jack Elliott Courage Award, a character award named for the former CdM football player who died in a boating accident during his freshman year at TCU.
SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE
Position, Name, School, Year
QB AJ Guitron-Moore, Newport Harbor, Sr.
RB Evan Sanders, Corona del Mar, Jr.
RB Noah Aires, Estancia, Jr.
WR Tyler Hampton, Edison, Sr.
WR John Tipton, Corona del Mar, Sr.
WR Hideo Ray, Huntington Beach, Sr.
TE Ryner Swanson, Laguna Beach, So.
OL Daniel Robles, Los Amigos, Sr.
OL Zach Gruwell, Edison, Jr.
OL Nathan Peters, Newport Harbor, Sr.
OL JD Barreto, Ocean View, Sr.
OL Jake Reagan, Marina, Sr.
AP Luke Lastra, Marina, Jr.
PK Colin Pene, Corona del Mar, So.
SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE
Position, Name, School, Year
DL Dylan Wood, Corona del Mar, Sr.
DL David Dworakowski, Laguna Beach, Sr.
DL Ryan Escamilla, Marina, Sr.
LB Cain Elroy, Fountain Valley, Jr.
LB Evan Riederich, Huntington Beach, Sr.
LB Oswaldo Sanchez, Estancia, Jr.
LB Nathan Bloom, Corona del Mar, Sr.
DB Logan Gregory, Edison, Jr.
DB Kendrick Figueroa Bravo, Costa Mesa, Sr.
DB Cody Grbic, Edison, Sr.
DB Malachi Pierce, Edison, Jr.
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