All-Bay Area News Group high school football 2024: Players of the year
BAY AREA NEWS GROUP PLAYER OF THE YEAR: MARLEY ALCANTARA, PITTSBURG
On a team loaded with Division I college talent, 5-foot-7 quarterback Marley Alcantara stood out from all the rest.
In the Pittsburg program’s 100 years of existence, there might not be a player more revered by teammates, coaches, alumni and the community than Alcantara.
“I think he’s one of the best, if not the best, quarterback we’ve had probably since I played in 1991,” Pittsburg coach Charlie Ramirez said. “I tell these college coaches, ‘You’re going to be working for Marley Alcantara one of these days.’ That’s how elite he is, not just as a football player or even his knowledge of the game, but just his charisma and his leadership skills are second to none.”
Whenever the Pirates needed a play to be made, they turned to Alcantara. He was the team captain on and off the field, and the player Pittsburg trusted when the game was on the line.
Alcantara finished his Pittsburg career as the all-time leader in career passing touchdowns (91) and led the East Bay school to a state title game berth. In his final season under center, Alcantara threw for 2,825 yards and 40 touchdowns while completing 71% of his passes and throwing just one interception.
For that, the Southern Oregon-bound QB has earned the Bay Area News Group’s top football honor. He is this new organization’s player of the year.
Despite his small frame, Alcantara has made a career of proving the doubters wrong in the biggest of moments.
Against San Ramon Valley in the North Coast Section Division I title game, Alcantara led Pittsburg on an inspired second-half crusade, throwing for 432 yards and four touchdowns to seal the Pirates’ fourth consecutive D-I title.
A week later, Alcantara threw for 255 yards and four more scores to overcome a 21-point Folsom lead in the CIF NorCal Division I-AA regional game.
“That’s quintessential Marley,” Ramirez said. “He’s the leader, he’s the man.”
Alcantara will leave a legacy that is much bigger than himself. He hopes he can inspire the next generation of quarterbacks that look like him to one day be better than he ever was.
“Not many Filipinos play football like that for real,” said Alcantara, who is a second generation Filipino American. “Just being here and paving the way, especially with my accomplishments and what I’ve done for this team, it’s just been spectacular. My dad always told me to be different, do what you want to do and strive for your goals. I feel like I’m just paving the way for the future.”
– Nathan Canilao
ALAMEDA COUNTY PLAYER OF THE YEAR: TRISTAN TIA, AMADOR VALLEY
Amador Valley reached unprecedented heights in 2024, winning the program’s first section and regional crowns, and coming just one drive short of completing its magical year with a 3-AA state title.
Tristan Tia, the Dons’ 6-foot-3 quarterback with a cannon of a right arm and the speed of a wide receiver, was the engine of Amador’s high-powered offense. The Pleasanton program went for two points after every touchdown, confident that Tia would find a way to convert on the ground or through the air.
That belief took the team from East Bay Athletic League Valley Division champs, to NCS Division II winners, to kings of the NorCal 3-AA division.
“This team, we created strong bonds over the year and we’re going to be brothers for life,” Tia said.
The Oregon State commit threw for 3,758 yards and 32 touchdowns while running for 18 more. For that, Tia has been named the Bay Area News Group’s Alameda County player of the year.
“With Tristan back there, he provides such versatility. He can run and he can throw,” receiver Aidan Foley said.
Tia completed 20 of 21 passes and threw for five touchdowns in a victory over rival Foothill. In a wild 32-28 victory over Monte Vista, he threw for 405 yards and had four total touchdowns.
In the regional championship game, Tia helped his team come back from a fourth-quarter deficit to win 44-33 at McClymonds.
When Amador Valley needed someone to make a play, Tia almost always came through.
With Tia now headed to Oregon State, a place where the quarterback competition is wide open, his coach doesn’t expect the gunslinger to sit on the bench for very long.
“He is incredible, and he’s going to take the college world by storm,” Amador coach Danny Jones said.
– Joseph Dycus
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY PLAYER OF THE YEAR: MARCO JONES, SAN RAMON VALLEY
The numbers don’t lie when it comes to San Ramon Valley linebacker Marco Jones.
For 13 straight games, Jones – a Texas A&M commit – haunted opposing offenses to the tune of 125 tackles, 10.5 sacks and an interception.
Even when he wasn’t directly involved in a play, his mere presence on the field had to be accounted for, which freed up his teammates to stop opponents.
Jones is the true definition of a game wrecker, which is why he has earned Bay Area News Group Contra Costa County player of the year honors for the second consecutive season.
In the final game of his high school career, Jones left it all on the field. The 6-foot-5 linebacker totaled 10 tackles, to go along with a sack and a pass deflection, as SRV lost the NCS Division I title game to Pittsburg in heartbreaking fashion, 35-28.
Jones recorded double-digit tackles in seven of SRV’s 13 games. His best game came against crosstown rival Monte Vista when he racked up 14 tackles and 3.5 sacks in a 38-7 triumph.
In his three seasons on varsity, Jones had 440 tackles, 14 sacks, six interceptions and four forced fumbles.
But for Jones, the stats don’t compare to the brotherhood he made with his teammates over the course of his career at San Ramon Valley.
“It was a fun ride for three years while I was on varsity,” Jones said. “It’s a really close brotherhood. We spent a lot of time together, hard workouts conditioning in the summers. It’s been a great time.”
– Nathan Canilao
PENINSULA/SAN FRANCISCO PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JARIOUS HOGAN, ST. IGNATIUS
Jarious Hogan was the offensive engine for an SI team that restored the program to its former glory with a Central Coast Section Open Division championship.
When St. Ignatius needed a spark on the ground, Hogan was the one the Wildcats could count on to provide it. When SI needed a late touchdown, the Cats turned to Hogan, who delivered game-winners against Serra and St. Francis.
But Hogan wasn’t just a clutch player. He was an all-around star, scoring a West Catholic Athletic League record six total touchdowns in St. Ignatius’ Bruce-Mahoney Game win over Sacred Heart Cathedral.
For his general excellence, plus his ability to come through when his team needed him the most, Hogan is the Bay Area News Group Peninsula/San Francisco player of the year.
“It’s a big accomplishment,” Hogan said after scoring the game-winning touchdown in SI’s 10-7 win over St. Francis in the CCS Open title game. “We’ve been knowing that this was going to happen.”
Never lacking confidence, Hogan’s performance epitomized SI’s unwavering belief in itself. No matter how much the Wildcats were down, they never stopped fighting.
Hogan finished his senior season with 1,440 yards rushing on 257 carries, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He scored 20 rushing touchdowns.
A versatile pass-catching back, Hogan added 18 catches for 107 yards and four scores through the air.
Though he was capable of splash plays, Hogan’s game wasn’t predominantly flashy. He just gave SI whatever it needed on a given day.
Especially if that involved a double dose of conviction.
“I’ve been saying this since preseason. We need to be on everybody’s radar,” Hogan said after completing the 21-20 comeback win over Serra, in which SI scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. “Our team’s coming different this year. We’re excellent this year, and we can take it all the way.”
The Wildcats – and Hogan – did in fact bring something new to the table every week. And by the end of the year, they had made history together and planted SI’s flag firmly back on the map of the Bay Area’s best programs.
– Christian Babcock
SANTA CLARA COUNTY PLAYER OF THE YEAR: BRAYDEN ROSA, WILCOX
In his senior year, Brayden Rosa left everything on the field.
The youngest son of Wilcox coach Paul Rosa did everything and then some for a Wilcox team that won the Central Coast Section Division II championship.
He stepped in at quarterback late in the season when starter Kai Imahara suffered a shoulder injury and operated the offense with aplomb.
He rushed for 1,850 yards, gained 338 through the air and passed for 84.
The Chargers’ best defensive player as well, he compiled 127 tackles, nine tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions and five forced fumbles defensively.
He also returned some punts and kickoffs while being named the Peninsula Athletic League Bay most valuable player. For all these reasons and more, Rosa is the Bay Area News Group’s Santa Clara County player of the year.
“He deserves it more than maybe any other player I’ve ever coached,” Paul Rosa said after Wilcox beat Palma in the CCS D-II title game. “Not (because he’s) my son or anything. All-around player. Defense, smart. Offense, play any position. He’s the best player I’ve coached in that sense. I’ve had better athletes, but he’s by far the best all-around player.”
Rosa was Wilcox’s unquestioned leader and carried the Chargers over the finish line in the D-II championship matchup, helping them surmount a 20-7 halftime deficit to win 35-26.
“After the first half, we were down. Something flipped a switch in my head,” Rosa said afterward. “Like, you know what? This really might be my last game in high school. So I’m going to play like it is my last game.”
Rosa’s calm, confident hand steadied Wilcox at quarterback after Imahara was injured in the final game of the regular season against Menlo-Atherton. Though the adjustment wasn’t perfectly seamless, whenever the Chargers absolutely needed a play, Rosa was there to make it.
And he got more comfortable under center with each passing week, culminating in his legendary CCS title-clinching performance.
“I’ve got to give it to Brayden Rosa,” said sophomore Elijah Vallejo, the Robin to Rosa’s Batman, after Wilcox’s first-round win over Santa Teresa. “Brayden Rosa really brings us together.”
His father agreed.
“It was special because his brother had won a lot early on,” Paul Rosa said after beating Palma. “For him, he really wanted that too, and it was good to see him get it. Especially the way he got it. He kind of put the team on his back a little bit there.”
– Christian Babcock
All-BANG football publication schedule
Monday, Jan. 6
Kickers/punters
Defensive line
Linebackers
Tuesday, Jan. 7
Defensive backs
Utility players
Offensive line
Wednesday, Jan. 8
Running backs
Wide receivers/tight ends
Athletes
Thursday, Jan. 9
Quarterbacks
Coaches of the year
Players of the year
Those eligible for all-BANG honors come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The news organization’s high school sports staff chooses the players and coaches.