Lathrop High enjoyed a banner fall sports season and was rewarded for it with top honors in the Western Athletic Conference.
Two Spartans are MVPs of their sports. Pablo Peña led the football team to its first-ever league title, and Elizabeth Andrade spearheaded Lathrop to its first girls volleyball championship since 2019.
Additionally, towering defensive end Casyn Hopping was named WAC football Defensive Player of the Year, and Ryan Teicheira is Coach of the Year.
Lathrop’s flag football team celebrated its historic second season, finishing as WAC runner-up with quarterback Luz De Luna earning Co-Offensive Player of the Year and Dayanna Martinez getting Defensive Player of the Year.
Here’s a look at Lathrop’s All-WAC Team selections:
Football
Peña was a two-way anchor for the Spartans, who won all seven of their WAC games for their outright crown and finished the best season in program history at 10-2.
They earned the No. 3 seed for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoffs and lost a 21-19 heartbreaker at Sutter in Lathrop’s first semifinal-round appearance last week.
The 6-foot, 215-pound Peña pounded his way to a team-high 540 yards (5.7 per carry) and 15 touchdowns in the seven conference games. His 24 overall TDs is a new single-season record for the Spartans. He was also Lathrop’s leading tackler with 67.
Other members of Lathrop’s formidable defensive front were rewarded. The 6-7 Hopping racked up 66 tackles in conference play, a whopping 26 of them for losses. He also recorded eight sacks.
Fellow down lineman Sean Teu was named to the first-team defense for a third straight year after tallying 46 tackles (15 for losses), three sacks and two forced fumbles.
Linebacker Nazir Jones (52 tackles, 3.0 sacks) and defensive back Eliseo Lopez (37 tackles, four pass break-ups) also made the first team along with offensive linemen Christian Erazo and Ivan Navarro also made the
Running back Andre Muqhar, offensive lineman John Ocsona, and defensive linemen Javier Guevara and Michael Adams are All-WAC second-team selections.
Richard Nuku of Johansen (4-3 WAC, 5-5 overall) was awarded Offensive and Defensive Lineman of the Year. Pacheco’s Rafael Vargas is Outstanding kicker of the Year, while Reis Smith from runner-up Ceres (5-2, 7-3) garnered Offensive Player of the Year.
The Spartans (14-0 WAC, 20-9 overall) ended Beyer’s three-year reign atop the WAC and clinched the outright claim of the title with a thrilling five-set win in Modesto in the regular-season finale.
Now a two-time all-conference selection, Andrade was the go-to attacking threat for Lathrop. The senior outside hitter led the way with 163 kills (3.7 per set) in conference play. She also notched 53 aces, 12 blocks and 92 digs. Andrade was top two on her team in those categories. Her overall hitting percentage (0.368) was among the best in the SJS.
Junior setter Ayden Petroff (285 assists, 54 aces, 11 blocks) and junior defensive specialist Justine Mabutas (138 digs, 28 aces).
Sophomore outside hitter Erin Chunn earned a spot on the All-WAC second team. Sophomore outside hitter Siliana Fa’ataualofa and senior middle Annabelle Obasuyi received honorable mention.
Pacheco’s Caidyn Lee and Grace Davis’ Alyssa Vasquez
Flag football
Lathrop made a drastic turnaround from its inaugural season, going 12-2 in conference and 20-4 overall while qualifying for the playoffs for the first time.
Three of its four losses, however, came against WAC champion Livingston (14-0, 28-1), including their SJS Division III semifinal match-up.
De Luna orchestrated the offense for the Spartans, completing 61.3% of her passes for 2,744 yards, 45 touchdowns and nine interceptions in WAC action. Fellow junior Martinez quarterbacked the defense at linebacker, collecting team-highs 63 tackles and 20 pass deflections to go with two interceptions.
Joining De Luna on the first-team offense are sophomores Faith Allen (507 receiving yards, eight TDs; 247 rushing yards, two TDs) and JaLeiyah Ray (725 receiving yards, eight TDs; 244 rushing yards, TD).
Junior linebackers Faith Butler (58 tackles) and Angelique Gonzalez (57 tackles, 2.0 sacks, two picks) were named to the first-team defense.
Wide receiver Heiddy Camacho made the second team and was a Sportsmanship Award recipient., Kiana Quintero and Aaliyah Thompson both earned honorable mention.
Livingston quarterback/safety Elizabeth Avila was voted MVP, while teammate Isabella Zazueta split Offensive Player of the Year honors with De Luna.
