It may not have been a banner year for the Mitty Monarchs in terms of record, but they certainly laid the framework for the next two years with the development of sophomore quarterback Shamir Bey, who established himself as one of the best dual-threat weapons in the entire Bay Area.

Considering his talent, there may be multiple articles referring to the region as the “Bey Area” over the next two years. The 6’3 sophomore accounted for 2,419 all-purpose yards in 11 games and was held under 100 yards just once.

Even as the Monarchs went just 5-6 (4-7 on the field), Bey established himself as a constant nuisance for opponents. Teams had to prepare for him both through the air and on the ground. Arguably his most impressive performance came in a defeat to Sacred Heart Cathedral, where he threw for 195 yards and ran for another 146.

Bey’s first huge moment came in a 30-23 win at Menlo-Atherton in which he finished with 18 carries for 166 yards and four touchdowns. Even on nights when he wasn’t putting up grandiose numbers, he was still getting the job done, such as scoring the game-winning touchdown with 14 seconds left to grind out a narrow win at Bellarmine.

“He’s got limitless potential,” said Menlo-Atherton head coach Adhir Ravipati. “I didn’t like seeing him run for four touchdowns against us, but I loved watching him on film.”

Bey’s ability to dominate both through the air and on the ground makes him a special weapon that even the most talented defenses will struggle to conquer down the road. He’s also already more battle-tested than many of the other top quarterbacks of his class, playing both a top nonleague schedule and the immeasurably difficult barrage of teams within the WCAL.

Whether it was a win or a loss, Bey was almost always the most striking individual on the field, even in games full of Division I talent. With his athletic build and game-changing talent, Bey will certainly be a must-see player over the next two years.

For all the success he had this season, we are pleased to honor Bey as our Central Coast Section Sophomore of the Year.

Other players considered include Palma’s Anthony Villegas, Oak Grove’s Moon Ashby, and Leland’s Carson Yates.