The Monitor’s 2022 All-Area Football Team. The Monitor’s coverage area spans from Mercedes to Roma. The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro Teams and Valley Morning Star’s All-Area Teams can be found at RGVSports.com.
THE MONITOR’S 2022 ALL-AREA FOOTBALL TEAMS AND SUPERLATIVE WINNERS
Player of the Year: Ale Aparicio, PSJA North
Offensive Player of the Year: Tyrell Treviño, Mercedes
Defensive Player of the Year: Jake Dufner, Edinburg Vela
Newcomer of the Year: Caleb Salas, PSJA High
Co-Linemen of the Year: Danny Garcia and Dante Garcia, PSJA North
All-Purpose Player of the Year: Alek Gonzalez, Sharyland High
Sub-5A Player of the Year: Brandon Felix, La Villa
Coach of the Year: Marcus Kaufmann, PSJA North
All-Area First Team Offense
Quarterback: Julian Valdez, Sharyland Pioneer
Running back: Alan Guerrero, Sharyland High; Isaac Lozano, Roma
Fullback: Jason Montes, PSJA North
Wide receiver: Joseph Graham Jr., Sharyland Pioneer; Justin Navarro, Edinburg Vela; Carlos Tamez, Edinburg Vela
Tight end: Julius Arredondo, PSJA North
Offensive line: Artemio Belmontes, Roma; Thomas Domian, McAllen Memorial; Gabriel Dougherty, McAllen Rowe; Diego Suarez, Sharyland Pioneer; Joe Derek Vecchio, PSJA North
Utility: Max Alvarez, McAllen High
Kicker: Eduardo Valdez, Edinburg Vela
All-Area First Team Defense
Defensive line: Jordan Ayala, Edinburg High; Marcus Hernandez, PSJA North; Salvador Sanchez, PSJA North; Cole Woydziak, Sharyland Pioneer
Linebacker: Devin Fuentes, Weslaco High; Stephen Garza, PSJA North; Mikey Gonzales, PSJA North; Diego Ortiz, Weslaco East
Defensive back: Keyshawn Garcia, Edinburg North; Leroy Palacios, PSJA North; Gavin Silva, Weslaco High; Xavier Villanueva, McAllen High
Punter: Kali Nguma, Sharyland High
All-Area Second Team Offense
Quarterback: Jaime Lopez, PSJA High
Running back: Jamal Polley, Edinburg Vela; Noel Serna, Edinburg High
Fullback: Eddie Peña, La Joya Palmview
Wide receiver: Andrew Castillo, PSJA High; Nelson Ramirez, McAllen Rowe; Marc Zamorano, Donna High
Offensive line: Marcos Caballero, Edinburg Vela; Erasmo January, Mercedes; Ronnie Ramirez, Edinburg Vela; Everardo Reyes, La Villa; Adaen Sanchez, PSJA North
Utility: Pablo Lopez, Mission Veterans
Kicker: Kali Nguma, Sharyland High
All-Area Second Team Defense
Defensive line: Solomon Arroyo, McAllen High; Alekzander Sotelo, Edinburg Vela; Oscar Valdez, Mission Veterans; Jeremiah Vega, Weslaco High
Linebacker: Samuel Cerda, Edinburg North; Alec Espericueta, Sharyland Pioneer; Julian Guevara, Ednburg Vela; Jesse Montes, PSJA North
Defensive back: David Galan, Roma; Allan Gonzalez, Mercedes; Christian Quintanilla, La Joya Palmview; Carlos Roman, Weslaco East
Punter: Angel Lopez, Weslaco High
The Monitor’s All-Area Player of the Year: Ale Aparicio, QB, PSJA North
| PSJA North’s Ale Aparicio. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) |
The Monitor’s All-Area Offensive Player of the Year: Tyrell Treviño, ATH, Mercedes
Mercedes senior Tyrell Treviño primarily played the receiver position his first two years on varsity with the Tigers. His senior year, he became Mercedes’ workhorse back with big-play potential anytime he touched the ball.
He ran for 1,476 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns, and still managed to haul in 41 receptions for 422 yards and four receiving touchdowns, earning The Monitor’s All-Area Offensive Player of the Year honor.
| Mercedes’ Tyrell Treviño. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) |
Mercedes fully committed to Treviño in the backfield after an 0-2 start. For a six-game stretch following the move to running back, he posted four games with 100-plus rushing yards and two games with 200-plus. He also had five multi-touchdown games, including a pair of four-touchdown performances in wins against Sharyland High and Valley View.
Treviño played a major role in Mercedes’ 37-27 bi-district playoff win against Sharyland Pioneer with 22 carries for 133 rushing yards and four catches for 64 yards and a score.
The Monitor’s All-Area Defensive Player of the Year: Jake Dufner, DE, Edinburg Vela
When opposing teams began their preparation for Edinburg Vela week-to-week, they made sure to key in on SaberCats’ senior defensive end Jake Dufner, The Monitor’s All-Area Defensive Player of the Year.
A three-year starter at Edinburg Vela, Dufner proved to be a game-changer on defense with constant pressure on quarterbacks, the ability to chase down backs in the running game and a knack for creating momentum-swinging stops.
| Edinburg Vela’s Jake Dufner. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) |
He totaled 47.5 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 27 quarterback pressures, six sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup in 12 games for the SaberCats this season.
“I’m out there to do my job, my 1/11th. Attack the spaces, stay fast, don’t let offensive linemen grab you and attack the ball,” Dufner said. “I just went out there to have fun and play football.”
The Monitor’s All-Area Newcomer of the Year: Caleb Salas, WR, PSJA High
PSJA High sophomore wide receiver Caleb Salas carved out a role as a dependable weapon in the Bears’ offense during his first year of varsity football.
Salas, The Monitor’s All-Area Newcomer of the Year, became one of PSJA High quarterback Jaime Lopez’s favorite targets and he routinely delivered with 47 receptions for 913 yards and 11 touchdowns.
| PSJA High’s Caleb Salas. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) |
“Me and Jaime worked 1-on-1 at the park or his house, run some routes, and that’s how we built that bond,” Salas said of his connection with PSJA High’s three-year starter at quarterback.
Salas felt he truly arrived in Week 3. He posted a six-reception game with 187 yards and two touchdowns against Los Fresnos, then followed it up with 153 yards and two touchdowns on four catches against Brownsville Hanna in Week 4.
“It was after the second game where everything fell into place and I really started to ball out,” he said. “I knew I had high expectations from the coaches. This sophomore year gets me ready for the next two years, and we want to win a district championship.”
The Monitor’s All-Area Co-Linemen of the Year: Danny and Dante Garcia, DE and OT, PSJA North
PSJA North’s success starts on its offensive and defensive lines. No two players were more impactful up front than PSJA North twin brothers Danny and Dante Garcia.
Danny starts at defensive end and Dante at left tackle, and they are The Monitor’s All-Area Co-Linemen of the Year. Both juniors set the tone for PSJA North’s punishing style of play.
| PSJA North’s Danny Garcia (left) and Dante Garcia (right). (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez |
“It’s fun watching him,” Danny said of Dante’s play on the offensive line. “Every time I get a water break, I take some of my time to watch him demolish kids. It’s funny because you see it after the game, it’s like a little meme. He keeps doing it and doing it and doesn’t stop, and it’s awesome to see.
Dante recorded 141 pancakes and allowed zero sacks in 14 games. Danny posted 129 total tackles, 70 solo stops, 28 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 21 quarterback pressures and four pass breakups.
“My favorite play that I like to see is when he does the push, pull, rip because he makes offensive linemen look silly,” Dante said of Dante’s defensive line play. “Every time he does it, the offensive linemen ends up on the floor. That’s what I like to see from him — the aggression.”
Both will be back for the Raiders in 2023 to anchor PSJA North’s offensive and defensive lines.
The Monitor’s All-Area All-Purpose Player of the Year: Alek Gonzalez, ATH, Sharyland High
Sharyland High senior playmaker Alek Gonzalez took on many roles for the Rattlers and thrived whenever his number was called.
Primarily a slot receiver who stepped into the backfield and behind center at times with the ability to play lockdown defense in the Sharyland secondary, Gonzalez is The Monitor’s All-Area All-Purpose Player of the Year.
| Sharyland High’s Alek Gonzalez. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez |
He was instrumental in Sharyland winning its second consecutive District 16-5A DII championship with a 7-5 overall record and 5-0 record in league play.
He ran for 487 yards and six touchdowns on 67 carries and caught 26 passes for 400 yards and two touchdowns. He even went 3-for-3 throwing the ball for 17 yards and one touchdown.
Defensively, Gonzalez had 20 total tackles from his safety spot, recovered one fumble and intercepted two passes, one of which he ran back for a touchdown in a 32-7 bi-district playoff win over Edcouch-Elsa.
“Our coaches have a different game plan every week and they tried to utilize me in the best way. I just did what was going to help the team,” Gonzalez said. “I trust my coaches in every way and wanted do whatever it took to help the team win. If that meant playing corner, linebacker, quarterback, any position I tried to learn what I had to do. I tried to step into those roles and play to the best of my ability.”
The Monitor’s All-Area Sub-5A Player of the Year: Brandon Felix, QB, La Villa
La Villa junior quarterback Brandon Felix spearheaded the Cardinals’ back-to-back run at the District 16-2A DI championship by raising his game another level.
Felix, The Monitor’s Sub-5A Player of the Year, threw for 1,058 passing yards and 10 touchdowns, and ran for 1,195 rushing yards and 18 more touchdowns.
| La Villa’s Brandon Felix (6). (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) |
He also served as La Villa’s kicker, occasional kickoff returner and defensive back that came through each time the Cardinals needed it.
Felix led La Villa to an 8-3 overall record and 5-0 mark in District 16-2A DI.
The Monitor’s All-Area Coach of the Year: Marcus Kaufmann, PSJA North
PSJA North sixth-year head coach Marcus Kaufmann set high standards for the Raiders, and his group lived up to every bit of them with a history-making season in 2022.
Kaufmann, The Monitor’s All-Area Coach of the Year, led the Raiders to a 10-0 run through the regular season for only the third time in program history and brought home the team’s first district championship since 2008.
| PSJA North head coach Marcus Kaufmann. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) |
PSJA North finished the year 13-1 overall and picked up playoff wins over Donna High (41-7) in the bi-district round, Corpus Christi Miller (35-14) in the area round and Brownsville Veterans (35-15) in a regional semifinal before falling against Corpus Christi Veterans (20-14) in the Region IV-5A championship game.
“These kids do a great job and this staff does a great job. We see the end goal in sight and we try to figure out a way to get there, and that’s what we did last year,” Kaufmann said. “They did a great job all year. It was a lot of hard work. We didn’t get to enjoy it as it was happening. We’re looking back on it now and starting to realize what we did. We had a good season, but it didn’t feel like it when it was over because we felt like we should have gone farther, but it was a lot of fun.”
| Left to right All-Area football Dante Garcia, Marcus Kaufmann, Ale Aparicio, and Danny Garcia of PSJA North pose at PSJA North High School on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, in Pharr. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez |