League champion Mt. Whitney highlights 2023 All-EYL football awards
This year's Mt. Whitney High School football team enjoyed an outstanding league championship season.
That's why the Pioneers highlighted the 2023 All-East Yosemite League postseason awards.
Mt. Whitney captured its first league title since the 2000 season, winning an outright EYL championship in October with a perfect 5-0 conference record.
Pioneers head coach Nathan Chamberlain and his staff — Brian Allen, George Diaz, Luis Alvarez, Wil Arnold, Dillon Kelley and Ivan Rodriguez — were voted by their peers as the EYL's coaching staff of the year.
Mt. Whitney's 2023 EYL crown also marked the first time the Pioneers won an absolute league title since 1989.
Pioneers' junior quarterback Micah Rodriguez was named the EYL's Offensive Most Valuable Player. In five league games, Rodriguez threw for 903 yards, completing 64% of his passes, for 12 touchdowns against only four interceptions. He led a Pioneers team that averaged nearly 26 points per game in EYL action.
Mt. Whitney senior defensive end Daymion Soto, a Strathmore transfer, was tabbed as the EYL's Defensive Lineman MVP.
Soto made an immediate impact in his first year with the Pioneers. In league play, the 6-foot-2, 162-pound Soto had 19 tackles, a blocked punt, and four sacks, including two huge ones in the annual Cowhide rivalry game versus Redwood.
Mt. Whitney also had seven All-EYL first-team selections:
Kysen Sing, running back
Carter Myers, receiver
Israel Briggs, receiver
Adam Casas, offensive lineman
Chris Oseguera, offensive lineman
Noah Murillo, defensive back
Michael Sanchez, linebacker
More: 'We're the best': CVC captures CIF Division 2-A state championship
More: 'He's a dog': Mission Oak's Cameron Azevedo excels on football field
Monache junior running back/defensive back Ty Baxter was selected as the 2023 EYL MVP.
During the Marauders 0-5 EYL campaign, he ran for over 500 yards, including a pair of back-to-back 110- and 133-yard rushing efforts versus El Diamante and Redwood. He scored seven total touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving) in league play.
Baxter was also an effective receiver, leading the team in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns during league competition. On defense, he had an interception in the Granite Bowl rivalry showdown against Porterville.
Redwood senior defensive end Kai Preisendorf was named the EYL's Defensive MVP.
A three-year starter, Preisendorf finished third on the team with 22 tackles in five EYL games. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder also added a team-best 6.5 sacks, three pass deflections and two fumble recoveries, including one in which he fell on for a touchdown against Golden West.
El Diamante senior left tackle Marsel Akins garnered the EYL's Offensive Lineman MVP.
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Akins is a Fresno State verbal commit.
All-EYL awards were voted by the league's respective coaches.
2023 All-East Yosemite League Football Honors
Coaching staff of the year: Mt. Whitney (Nathan Chamberlain, Brian Allen, George Diaz, Luis Alvarez, Wil Arnold, Dillon Kelley, Ivan Rodriguez)
MVP: Ty Baxter, Monache
Defensive MVP: Kai Preisendorf, Redwood
Offensive MVP: Micah Rodriguez, Mt. Whitney
Defensive Lineman MVP: Daymion Soto, Mt. Whitney
Offensive Lineman MVP: Marsel Akins, El Diamante
First team
Quarterback: Rocky Arguijo, Porterville
Running backs: Kysen Sing, Mt. Whitney; Jimmie Burk, Redwood
Receivers: Carter Myers, Mt. Whitney; Israel Briggs, Mt. Whitney; Anthony Noriega, El Diamante
Offensive line: Adam Casas, Mt. Whitney; Chris Oseguera, Mt. Whitney; B.J. Wainwright, Redwood; Colton Barcelona, Golden West; Kian Rangel, Porterville
Tight end/H-back: Noel Ceballos, Monache
Defensive backs: Noah Murillo, Mt. Whitney; Rowen Collins, Golden West; Izayah Welch, Porterville; Cash Rico, Redwood
Linebackers: Michael Sanchez, Mt. Whitney; Leo Gonzalez, Golden West; Alec Harrold, Redwood; Joseph Pena, El Diamante
Defensive line: Shaun Franklin, Monache; Chase Dempsey, Redwood; John Chavez Aguirre, El Diamante, Riley Collins, Golden West
Special teams: Chris Garcia, Golden West
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: League champion Mt. Whitney highlights 2023 All-EYL football awards
