All-Madera Tribune Football Team
Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune
Liberty running back Tyler Miller tuns the corner against Yosemite. Miller accumulated more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage and ranks amongst the school’s top rushers and receivers in history. On top of being a threat offensively, he as the team’s top cornerbacks who didn’t shy away from contact. He also was the team’s long snapper who didn’t miss a snap and a kick returner. For his Swiss Army Knife-attributes, he is The Madera Tribune’s Most Valuable Player for the 2019 football season.
Most Valuable Player
Tyler Miller
RB-DB Sr. Liberty
All-League: North Sequoia League First team- running back and defensive back
Tyler Miller was the ultimate Swiss Army Knife for Liberty head football coach Mike Nolte. He was the team’s No. 2 running back, a key receiver out of the backfield and the team’s top cornerback. On top of that, Miller was one of the team’s punt returners and kickoff returners. He was also the team’s long snapper and didn’t miss a snap all season. Almost every game, Miller had to leave the game with a nagging injury. However, he always returned. He ran the ball with aggression and his biggest game kept the Hawks in the game against one of the best teams in the Central Section. He rushed for a career-high 178 yards and two touchdowns against Washington Union. He gained more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage (636 yards rushing, 418 yards receiving) and scored 10 touchdowns. He also recorded 49 tackles and led the team with three interceptions. Miller was Liberty’s Most Valuable Player and a two-time All-Madera Tribune team member.
Defensive Player of the Year
David Portnoff
OL-DL Sr. Liberty
All-League: NSL Lineman of the Year, First team- offensive lineman and defensive lineman
David Portnoff was a rock for the Hawks on both the offensive and defensive line. He was a rock at left tackle for the Hawks this season. However, that was not where he excelled the most. Portnoff was a menace on the defensive line. Once he got your hands on a ball carrier, they went down. He recorded a team-high 72 tackles, third highest in Liberty history for a defensive lineman, and became the first defensive lineman to lead the Hawks in tackles since 2009. He recorded 10 solo tackles for loss and 13.5 total. He also had 2.5 quarterback sacks. Teams made it a point to run away from Portnoff, but when they came towards him, the ball carrier went down. He received an All-Madera Tribune selection as a defensive lineman last year.
Utility Player of the Year
Jonathan Ramirez
WR-RB-Ret Sr. Madera
All-League: County/Metro Athletic Conference honorable mention
This was Ramirez’s first year of playing football. Head coach Kenny Paolinelli sought out Ramirez, who is amongst the fastest people at Madera High School. Ramirez made a name for himself on the baseball team, but came out for football at the urging of Paolinelli. In Ramirez’s first game, he returned a kick for a touchdown. He returned a few more for touchdowns and became an influence for the Coyotes. He had a chance to score a touchdown every time he touched the ball. He was an All-Madera Tribune selection for baseball earlier this year.
The Team
Isaiah Tyler
QB Sr. Madera South
All-League: CMAC honorable mention
Once Madera South head coach Johnson convinced Tyler to come out for the team, he made a difference throughout the 2019 season. Tyler got over anxiety issues to have one of the best seasons for a Madera South quarterback not named Jonah Johnson. Tyler was a threat to run the ball on the option keeper and that made him a threat on every snap. That led to open lanes for Marvin Brewer and Tayte Grantham. He was also a threat throwing the ball so defenses had to gameplan against him all season long.
Quentin Stewart
RB Jr. Liberty
All-League: NSL second team- running back and defensive back
Stewart led the Hawks in rushing this season with 1,097 yards to extend Liberty’s streak of 1,000 yard rushers to nine straight seasons. He was a threat to score every time he touched the ball. Stewart led the Hawks with 11 touchdowns. He had six rushes for 40 or more yards and 11 of 20 yards or more. He opened the year with 240 yards rushing against Firebaugh, the fifth highest total in school history. He closed the year with 124 receiving yards, the fourth highest total in school history.
Jeremiah Sanchez
RB Sr. Madera
All-League: CMAC honorable mention
Sanchez was the rusher for Madera’s offense. In order for the Coyotes’ offense to go, it relied on the running game to balance the load. While Isaiah Martinez could throw the ball, Sanchez was the one the Coyotes counted on to balance the load from the passing game. His presence was missed towards the end of the season when he was injured. Sanchez is a two-time All-Madera Tribune selection.
Tayte Grantham and Marvin Brewer
RB Soph. (Grantham) and Sr. Madera South
All-League: CMAC honorable mention (Grantham and Brewer)
Grantham and Brewer were Johnson’s Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside. Grantham’s anticipated time on the varsity lived up to the hype. He had gamebreaking ability every time he touched the football. His speed on the outside took away angles from defensive backs. Meanwhile, while defense keyed in on Grantham on the outside, Brewer went inside to wear down the defense. His power running kept defenses off balance and helped the Stallions to the Div. V quarterfinals.
Marco Lopez
WR Sr. Madera
All-League: CMAC 1st team
Lopez earned enough respect throughout the CMAC that he was named to the CMAC first team even with all of the other skill players in the league. One of the reason why he earned the respect was he was lauded for his blocking prowess down the field, which allowed other receivers space for extra yards.
Raul Medrano
WR Jr. Madera
While Lopez earned the respect from the league and also earned the keys from the defense, Medrano was the receiver that took advantage of the one-on-one coverages. He was the No. 2 receiver behind Lopez and earned plenty of looks from his quarterback.
Anthony Vaca
TE-DL Sr. Madera South
All-League: CMAC 2nd team
Vaca was one of the few Stallions to play on both sides of the football and he did that at a high level. He made a key reception to help the Stallions to a victory over Mission Oak in the Div. V playoffs. He was also a key blocker to help spring Brewer and Grantham. When Tyler needed an important gain, he ran behind Vaca. Vaca is a two-time All-Madera Tribune team member.
Dominic Oberti and Brad Wallace
OL Sr. (Oberti) and Jr. (Wallace) Liberty
All-League: NSL 2nd team (both)
Oberti and Wallace were a force on the right side for the Hawks. When Stewart or Miller picked up a big gain on the outside, most of the time you would see Wallace’s No. 62 leading the way. Along with Wallace pulling and leading the way, Oberti was the one sealing the edge and opening holes on the inside for fullbacks Nick Anselmo and Rylan Howe. Wallace, a three-year starter since his freshman season, earned his second All-Madera Tribune team selection.
Alex Carillo
OL Sr. Madera
All-League: CMAC 2nd team
Carillo was the force on the Coyotes’ offensive line. He was the one player the Coyotes looked to run behind. Even though he was a force to lead the rushing attack, he was also an anchor in pass protection.
Erwin Reyes, Andrew Joaquin, Elgar Garcia
OL Sr. (all) Madera South
All-League: CMAC 2nd team (Reyes and Joaquin) and honorable mention (Garcia)
All three linemen were pivotal in the success of the Madera South rushing attack. Whether it be opening holes up the middle for Brewer, sealing the edge for Tyler and pulling to the outside for Grantham, when the Stallions had their rushing attack going, they were tough to beat. Just ask Edison-Fresno and Mission Oak-Tulare.
Dominic Oberti
DL Sr. Liberty
All-League: NSL honorable mention
On one side of the Liberty defensive line, offenses had to face Portnoff. However, when they went the other way, they had to face Oberti. Towards the end of the season, Oberti got comfortable and became a force as well. He finished with 49 tackles as a defensive lineman and finished tied for fifth on the team in tackles.
Anthony Vaca
DL Sr. Madera South
All-League: CMAC 2nd team
While Vaca earned some plaudits on the Madera South offensive line, Vaca earned his keep on the Stallions’ defensive line. He was the one player teams had to game plan against because he beat most of the one-on-one blocks. He also was one of those players who once he got his hands on a ball carrier, they went down in a hurry.
Julian Flores
DL Soph. Madera
All-League: CMAC 2nd team
Flores follows a solid line of Madera defensive linemen. In the same way John Cook, Eric Rey and William Childers controlled the line last year, Flores was the one who took on the leadership role on the defense and became the one player teams couldn’t run against.
Rylan Howe
LB Sr. Liberty
All-League: NSL 1st team
Howe was injured for most of the season and didn’t get fully healthy until the final few games of the season. Even though he wasn’t at 100 percent, Howe still earned the respect of the NSL to earned first team honors. He finished with 49 tackles to tie for fifth on the team. Howe earned two All-Tribune honors as a fullback and this is his second selection as a linebacker.
Brad Wallace and Nick Anselmo
LB Jr. (both) Liberty
All-League: NSL honorable mention (Wallace and Anselmo)
Midway through the season, Wallace had to make the shift from defensive line to linebacker. He did enough at linebacker to earn honorable mention honors from the NSL coaches. He used his strength to be a force on inside runs and had enough speed and quickness to defend the outside runs. Wallace finished with 47 tackles. Anselmo started the season on the inside and then moved to the outside to settle the defense. His quickness and ability to make plays in the backfield proved to be quite an asset for the Hawks’ defense. Anselmo finished third on the team in tackles with 56.
Christian Marroquin and Justin Webb
LB Jr. (Marroquin) and Sr. (Webb) Madera South
All-League: CMAC 2nd team (Marroquin) and honorable mention (Webb)
Marroquin was the linebacking force for the Stallions. He was everywhere for the Stallions. He had enough speed to penetrate to the backfield, but also enough lateral quickness to cover the outside runs. Webb played on the outside and controlled the opposing running attacks, especially on the outside runs. He had the athletic ability to battle back even after getting caught out of position.
Ricky Garcia and Dominic Smith
LB Jr. (Garcia) and Sr. (Smith) Madera
All-League: CMAC 2nd (Garcia) and honorable mention (Smith)
Both Garcia and Smith made the defensive engine go for the Coyotes. They were the leading tacklers and the defense funneled ball carriers for them to make the key tackle. When Garcia and Smith were in the line-up, opposing ball carriers had to make sure to know where they were at all times.
Quentin Stewart and Landon Howe
DB Jr. (Stewart) Sr. (Howe) Liberty
All-League: NSL 2nd (Stewart) and honorable mention (Howe)
While Howe played opposite from Miller, Stewart defended over the top at free safety. Most of the time, they were able to shut down the opposing passing game. Stewart finished the year with a pair of interceptions to go with 42 tackles and four passes defended. Howe was fourth on the team with 51 tackles and also had four passes defended. Stewart is a two-time All-Madera Tribune selection
Trevor Porter
DB-QB Sr. Liberty
Although Porter didn’t receive any NSL votes, he should have. He was a solid foundation on the defensive side of the ball at strong safety and linebacker. He was a sure tackler. However, his biggest benefit was his leadership ability on offense at quarterback and on defense. Porter is a two-time All-Madera Tribune member on the defense.
Vincent Martinez
DB Jr. Madera
All-League: CMAC 2nd team
Martinez was the player on the defense that kept teams from popping off the big play. He played in the middle of the Madera defense and picked up bigger and faster players from the CMAC and earned second team honors.
Jessie Ford and Alberto Torres
DB Jr. (both) Madera South
All-League: CMAC 2nd team (Ford)
Ford was the key for the Stallions in the middle of the field. He came up fast to play the run, but also had the ability play the pass and defend against the big play. Torres was the heart and soul of the Stallions’ defense. Torres, who may have been the smallest player on the field, played with the biggest heart and his playmaking ability started to rise up as the season went on. Torres is a two-time All-Tribune selection.
Aramel Villa
PK-WR Sr. Liberty
All-League: NSL 1st team
Villa makes the team because of what he did to win a game for the Hawks. His field goal at the end of regulation gave head coach Mike Nolte his first “walk-off” victory of his career. Villa’s field goal defeated Templeton, but it would not have happened if he didn’t nail a 49-yarder at the end of the first half for the school record. He was also a threat on the receiving end for the Hawks and was looked at when Liberty needed the long ball. Villa set the school record for most field goals in a season and highlighted a good year for Madera kickers. Along with Villa, Vaca hit a game-winning extra point to send the Stallions into the Div. V quarterfinals. Villa’s teammate Bryan Jauregui became Liberty’s 10th All-NSL first team punter in the school’s history. Liberty has had 12 All-NSL first or second team punters in the last 14 years.
