Santos, Pope get top MRL honors

Hesperia senior running back Gavin Santos was named the Mojave River League Offensive Player of the Year, and Serrano senior defensive lineman Kevin Pope was named the Defensive Player of the Year when the all-area teams were released on Friday.

Santos led the Scorpions to an undefeated regular season after rushing for 1,776 yards and 25 touchdowns. Pope was a defensive leader on a team that finished second to Hesperia in the standings and then advanced to the section semifinals. He finished with 72 tackles and tied for a team-leading five sacks.

Hesperia had a league leading 11 honorees on the first team, and Serrano had nine.

MRL Football All-League Selections
Offensive Player of the Year
Gavin Santos, Hesperia
Defensive Player of the Year
Kevin Pope, Serrano
Offense First Team
(Alphabetical order by school)
Apple Valley: RB Daryon Mosley; Hesperia: OL David Esparza, QB Ian Harriman, OL Alexander Soto, WR Jay Waddell; Rim of the World: FB Dalton Dennis, OL Sean Roddick, Serrano: RB Dionza Bradford, TE Daniel Forbes, WR Jamaal Franklin, QB Alex Spainhower, OL Malo Tauese, OL Kyle Walsh, WR Sean Woods.
Defensive First Team
(Alphabetical order by school)
Apple Valley: Utility Abdula Abron, P Isaac Deleon, DL Andrew Leifi, Hesperia: DL Galvin Emesibe, LB Eddie Flores, K Irvin Martinez, DL Hunter Metzger, DB Evan Montes, LB Marcus Ramirez, LB Danny Reyes, Hesperia; Rim of the World: DB David Pretzinger, LB Nick Toner, Serrano: DL Everett Bead, LB Cory Diederich, DB Courtney Webb; Sultana: DB Scott Major.
Offensive Second Team
(Alphabetical order by school)
Apple Valley: RB Abdula Abron, OL Gilbert Amaro, OL Patrick Chilton, TE Isaac Deleon, TE Shaun Golike; Hesperia: WR Joseph Peters; Rim of the World: WR Bobby Barker, OL John Mueller, TE Marcus Pesquera, RB Dillon Pretzigner, RB Nick Toner; Serrano: FB Devin Borbon; Sultana: OL Don Hill, RB Justin Pele.
Defensive Second Team
(Alphabetical order by school)
Apple Valley: K, LB Isaac Deleon, LB Shaun Golike, LB Francisco Lechuga; LB Feletui Manu; DB Daryon Mosley, DL Ernest Patton, DB Danny Velasquez; Hesperia: DL Elvin Emesibe, P Joel Cardenas; Rim of the World: LB Dalton Dennis, DL Marcus Pesquera; Serrano: K Jeremy Gross, LB Chris Klimer; Sultana: DL Tim Collins, Utility Justin Pele.