Menlo-Atherton took home four of the five major awards handed out for the Peninsula Athletic League-Bay Division, including Offensive Player of the Year, Aajon Johnson, and Defensive Player of the Year, Christian Wiseman.
Johnson was a true dual-threat for the Bears' offense, helping lead the team to an 11-2 record so far, including an unbeaten run in PAL-Bay action and a CCS Open 1 championship. Menlo-Atherton faces Manteca in the CIF North regionals this week.
The senior signal-caller threw for 1,901 yards and 18 touchdowns, with just five interceptions, while also running for 961 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging over six yards per carry.
Wiseman, meanwhile, had one of the best seasons of any linebacker in the CCS. The senior racked up 158 total tackles, 26 tackles for a loss, and 6.5 sacks. He also pressured the quarterback on 19 other occasions and had an interception. He spear-headed a defensive unit which posted back-to-back shutouts over Bellarmine and Milpitas to win the section title.
Hillsdale's Nate Rosas was named the league's Utility Player of the Year, while Menlo-Atherton's Marquise Reid earned the Special Teams Player of the Year award, and Menlo-Atherton's Adhir Ravipati was named Coach of the Year.
Rosas ran for 1,118 yards and eight touchdowns this season for the Fighting Knights, while also returning kickoffs and punts. He had a season-long 60-yard kickoff return in the season-ending loss to Aragon.
Reid had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Hillsdale, and averaged over 20 yards per punt return, including a 40-yarder in the championship game against Milpitas.
Ravipati has so far led the Bears to a five-win improvement over last season's 6-5 campaign, which was his first at the helm. The 11 wins is the most for the Bears since 2008, which was also the last section championship for Menlo-Atherton prior to this year.
FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Aajon Johnson (Menlo-Atherton)
RB: Jordan Mims (M-A), Sean Saunders (Burlingame), Nate Rosas (Hillsdale)
WR: Mekhi Blackmon (M-A), Isaiah Cozzolino (H), Davion Cox (Aragon), Rich Walls (Terra Nova)
TE: David Peterson (Sacred Heart Prep)
OL: Ian Tapueluele (A), Kyle Stalder (SHP), Michael Mata'u (TN), Leo Cucinell (M-A), Matt Roloff (H)
K: Dakota Severson (A)
FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE
DL: Jack Baker (B), Noa Ngalu (M-A), Hati Unga (A), Arman Dizadji (B)
LB: Brendan Semien (SHP), Angelo Pera (TN), Christian Wiseman (M-A), Stavro Papadakis (M-A)
DB: Cole Friedlander (B), Anthony Sandoval (A), Tate Tussing (M-A), Siua Tongamoa (A)
P: Isaiah Cozzolino (H)
