The fall sports season belonged to Lathrop, and that was reflected in the all-conference results.
The Spartans won outright championships in football, flag football and girls volleyball, and their top athletes in each sport were voted MVP in the Western Athletic Conference.
Senior fullback/linebacker Pablo Peña repeats as football MVP, while completing a record-setting career for the program.
Quarterback Luz De Luna got the top honor after leading the flag football team to an historic season.
The girls volleyball team had another undefeated run through conference play, with junior outside hitter and MVP Siliana Fa’ataualofa emerging as a productive all-around player.
Here’s a closer look at Lathrop’s all-conference honorees in the fall:
Football
The Spartans (7-0, 10-2 overall) dominated the WAC for a second consecutive title and again reached the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V semifinals under Ryan Teicheira, the now two-time Coach of the Year. He recently stepped down from the position, ending a fruitful five-year run at Lathrop.
Peña was the cornerstone piece of the team’s success in the last three years as a two-way standout. The 6-foot, 230-pound workhorse ground his way to 826 yards (7.1 per carry) and 11 touchdowns in seven WAC games and anchored the defense with a team-high 65 tackles, 12 for losses, two forced fumbles and two recoveries.
Peña leaves with his name atop the program record books in single-game and career rushing yards, tackles and scoring.
He’s not the only Spartan to get a major award in the WAC. Guard Christian Erazo was named Offensive Lineman of the Year, while Malachi Joseph received Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Erazo was an essential part of Lathrop’s run-based Wing-T offense. The Spartans were able to produce two 1,000-yard backs for the season with the 6-foot, 278-pound pulling guard paving the way.
Joseph is a massive 6-3, 285-pound junior who did much of the dirty work for the Spartans’ revamped defensive front. He recorded 25 tackles and three for losses in league.
Johansen QB Anthony Torres (Offensive Player of the Year), Grace Davis linebacker Aron Olvera De Anda (Defensive Player of the Year and Livingston’s Alex Avila (Kicker of the Year) are other major-award winners.
Lathrop has six all-conference, first-team selections, and two on the second team.
Senior Treydon Santos emerged as the complementary speed threat to Peña’s more punishing style of running out of the backfield. Santos rushed for 779 yards (10.3 per carry) and 11 touchdowns and was the Spartans’ leading receiver with 203 yards and two scores on seven catches. He scored another touchdown on a punt return.
Senior tight end Eric Lucatero (three receptions, 71 yards, TD) and senior guard Rueben Lopez round out their first-team selections for offense.
Sophomore defensive lineman Jayden White (40 tackles, six QB pressures), senior safety Eliseo Lopez (42 tackles, three interceptions) and senior cornerback Amaari Harris (24 tackles, INT, seven pass breakups) are on the first-team defense.
Senior defensive back Malachi Gonzales (49 tackles) and junior offensive tackle Beau Grisham made the All-WAC second team.
Flag football
DeLuna ranked among the top passers in the SJS. In conference games, she completed 63.7% of passes for 2,343 yards, 44 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. She had a stretch of three straight WAC contests with five touchdown completions and had two others with six.
The Spartans had four players make the All-WAC first team. Chief of them is junior running back/receiver Ja’Leiyah Ray, who was one of the more prolific scorers in the state. She led Lathrop with 723 yards and 15 touchdowns on 51 receptions, adding another 633 yards and six touchdowns rushing.
Junior Faith Allen (32 receptions, 486 yards, seven TDs; 185 rushing yards) also made first-team offense. Seniors Dayanna Martinez (70 tackles, two sacks, three INT) and Angelique Gonzalez (72 tackles, 10 sacks, INT) were named to the first-team defense.
Senior Moira Ramones (647 scrimmage yards, 10 TDs) and junior Tianna Gonzalez (40 receptions, 294 yards, eight TDs) are on the second-team offense.
Faith Butler and Aaliyah Thompson received honorable mention.
RB/WR Lilly Staggs of runner-up Ceres (11-3, 16-8) is Offensive Player of the Year, and Beyer pass rusher Brianna Barajas is Defensive Player of the Year.
Girls volleyball
A second-year junior, Fa’ataualofa stepped up as the Spartans’ new six-rotation outside hitter in place of
She racked up 121 kills (2.6 per set), 47 service aces, eight blocks and 66 digs, as Lathrop went 14-0 in the WAC for a second straight year, while going 21-7 overall.
Fellow junior outside hitter Erin Chunn (131 kills, 26 aces, 56 digs) was selected to the All-WAC first team. Senior Justine Mabutas (116 digs) and freshman Jadore Dixon (103 digs, 35 aces), both defensive specialists, earned spots on the second team. Shakara Porter and Brianna Wiseman received honorable mention.
Setter of the Year honors went to Grace Davis senior Alyssa Vasquez. Cara Bauer, also of Davis, received Coach of the Year.
