Casa’s Abramo is Specialist of the Year
Matt Abramo, Casa Grande High School’s prolific kicker, leads the list of Gauchos selected to the All-North Bay League football team as picked by the league coaches. The senior, who has committed to continue his education at Washington State University, was chosen Specialist of the Year.
He was one of five Gauchos picked to the all-league first team. Two Casa players, senior Jaleel Lawson and sophomore Spencer Torkelson, were named first team on both offense and defense. Senior Brendan Jackson was chosen first-team offense, while junior Andrew Floerke and senior Casey Longaker were named to the first-team defense.
Abramo scored 53 points for Casa Grande, connecting on 10 of 12 field goal attempts and 23 of 24 PAT kicks. He routinely kicked off into the end zone, forcing opposing teams to start from the 20-yard line. This year, for the first time, he doubled as the Casa punter, averaging 36.8 yards a boot.
Abramo also has a strong community awareness. Once again this year, he kicked for Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a national nonprofit organization that raises funds for childhood cancer research. It is a project he started as a varsity sophomore to aid C.J. Banaszek, a courageous 13-year-old who died in July after battling leukemia for more than two years. The kicker pledged $5 for every PAT kick and $10 to $20 (depending on distance) for every field goal. He asked others to join him in pledging funds based on his kicking.
Lawson and Torkelson had great seasons on both sides of the football.
Lawson was not only an outstanding player on the field, but also one of Casa Grande’s emotional leaders. He led the team in receiving yardage with 403 yards on 24 catches. He averaged 16.8 yards per catch and scored four of the Gauchos’ seven receiving touchdowns.
Defensively, he was outstanding in both pass and run defense, intercepting two passes and making 48 tackles.
Torkelson got off to a slow start offensively, sharing ball carrying duties as the Gauchos meshed several new players with established veterans. As the season moved along, Torkelson began to carry more of the rushing load until by the end he ranked among the best backs in the league. For the season, he gained 815 yards on 116 carries, averaging seven yards a carry and scoring seven touchdowns. Defensively, he was an outstanding tackler from his outside linebacker position, recording 47 tackles, 28 solo, and making three sacks.
Jackson, a 6-foot, 2 inch, 280-pound guard was the best of an extremely strong Casa Grande offensive line. Led by the senior, the Gaucho line opened enough holes to allow Casa Grande to rush for 2,278 yards, an average of 175 yards a game. He was also a key contributor to the Casa defensive front.
Floerke was a terror from his defensive end position, making nine tackles for loss among his 48 tackles, 30 solo.
It was pretty much unanimous that Longaker was Casa Grande’s best defense player. At one point in the season, Casa Grande coach Trent Herzog called him “the heart and soul of our team.” He was by far Casa Grande’s leading tackler, participating in 117 stops and making 84 by himself. He had 24 tackles for loss.
As a fullback on offense, his primary duty was blocking, but when tough yards were needed, he often got the call, gaining 287 yards in 42 carries and leading the team with nine rushing touchdowns.
Senior offensive linemen Peter Parrick and Greg Poteracke were both named to the second team offense.
Senior offensive lineman Tanner Shimek, senior running back Kevin Donohoe, senior wide receiver Joey Markham, junior defensive back Nic Petri, senior defensive lineman Brent Eger and senior defensive lineman Julian Lopez received honorable mention notice. Donohoe was also honored as a defensive back.
Three players - Maria Carrillo senior running back Alex Netherda, Windsor senior quarterback Jalen Roman and Rancho Cotate junior defensive back Chris Taylor-Yamanoh - were chosen co-Most Valuable Players.
Cardinal Newman sophomore quarterback Jordan Brookshire was Back of the Year.
Windsor senior offensive lineman Dmitri Acken and Cardinal Newman senior defensive lineman Duncan Hatch were co-Linemen of the Year.
Rancho Cotate senior Michael Ross and Cardinal Newman senior Zach Stoltz shared honors as Defensive Players of the Year.
Maria Carrillo coach Jay Higgins was Coach of the Year.
Most Valuable Players
Alex Netherda, Maria Carrillo, running back, senior; Jalen Roman, Windsor, quarterback, senior; Chris Taylor-Yamanoh, defensive back, Rancho Cotate, junior
Back of the year
Jordan Brookshire, Cardinal Newman, sophomore
Linemen of the year
Dmitri Acken, Windsor, offense, senior; Duncan Hatch, Cardinal Newman, defense, senior
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