No matter where he stepped on the football field, San Lorenzo Valley senior Haden Woolworth had to be accounted for at all times during the 2024 fall season.
The two-way lineman played a huge role in helping the Cougars finish with a 9-1 overall record, and place second in the Pacific Coast Athletic League Santa Lucia Division with a 5-1 record in league play.
Woolworth’s presence was immediately felt and he was by far the best football player on the gridiron. Football coaches within the league seemed to agree after they unanimously voted him as the Most Valuable Player of the Santa Lucia Division.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Woolworth said. “I couldn’t comprehend it. It was the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life.”
Woolworth said accomplishing this feat came with the help of the community, his coaches and teammates, and his parents.
“I’ve loved football since I was a little kid,” he said. “I couldn’t be the player I am today without my dad [Isaiah], or coach [Dave] Grant and my friends.”
SLV head coach Dave Grant said being able to play as a lineman on both sides of the ball showed how dominant of a player Woolworth was during the fall season.
“The other coaches were always talking about No. 52 [Woolworth], that guy’s a beast,” Grant said. “People had to account for him wherever he was on the football field. He has been working so hard all through high school. It was not a goal of his to be MVP, he just wants to be the best football player he can be to help his team.”
The MVP award is typically awarded to a player in a skill position such as the quarterback, running back or wide receiver. However, the coaches automatically selected Woolworth as this year’s top player.
“Linemen do a lot of the work in the trenches, and skills get all the glory,” Woolworth said. “As a lineman, you don’t get much recognition and respect from a lot of people. But I know I had to do what I had to do, and I did it. I hope that this shows people that linemen are as capable as skill players to be the best and are a big part of the game.”
Woolworth was coming off a subpar 2023 season on an SLV team that finished with a 4-6 overall record. Yet, he noticed they were heading in the right direction.
“That was a real kickstart,” he said. “The thing that I’ll remember forever is probably the brotherhood we had as a team, and a community behind our backs. I’ve never seen the stands as full as they were this whole season.”
Grant said opposing coaches would constantly talk about Woolworth’s strength and the way he played with intensity, always looking for a hard collision to make the block downfield.
Woolworth was also incredibly in physical shape and rarely sat out during plays for the Cougars.
“He’s really bringing some force and that was something that was a challenge for other teams,” Grant said. “We would move him around constantly because we knew that people would be trying to double team him, or they would try to run the play on the opposite side of him.”
Scotts Valley senior Jesse Ringel earned his spot as the Mission Division–North’s Defensive Player of the Year for the 2024 season.
Ringel—who also played at the fullback and tight end position on offense—was the heart and soul of the defense as the team’s linebacker. He hardly took a play off, leading the Falcons to a 2-4 record in the Mission Division–North and 3-7 overall record.
2024 All-Pacific Coast Athletic League football teams
Gabilan Division
Most Valuable Player: Sam Whelan, Soquel
Offensive Player of the Year: Eli Dukes, Palma
Defensive Player of the Year: Soakai Funaki, Monterey
First team offense
Sam Whelan, Soquel, QB
Rico Maturino, Salinas, QB
Eli Dukes, Palma, RB
Tyreis Lundy, Soquel, RB
Enobong Wirth, Monterey, RB
Emarrcis Turner, Salinas, WR
Kavon Collins, Monterey, WR
Hudson Summerrill, Soquel, WR
Owen Warmerdam, Aptos, WR
Garbiel Garduno, Salinas OL
Elijah Fisher, Monterey, OL
Job Barroso, Palma, OL
Eric McKay, Palma, OL
Abel Munoz, Alvarez, OL
Second team offense
Preston White, Monterey QB
Abel Bailon, Alvarez, QB
Dayven Marquez, Salinas, RB
Roman Garcia, Alvarez, RB
Dylan Guisado, Aptos, RB
Kai Vaughn, Monterey, WR
Brady Ballesteros, Salinas, WR
Lucas Milburn, Palma, WR
Vaughn Bredy, Soquel, WR
Masen Coso, Soquel, OL
Armando Villareal, Soquel, OL
Logan Brantley, Aptos, OL
Tomas Salvador, Hollister, OL
Jackson Stevens, Soquel, OL
First team defense
Soakai Funaki, Monterey, LB
Ben Palma, Soquel, LB
Jake Mungaray, Salinas, LB
Caden Scherer, Palma, LB
Adrian Lopez-Kais, Soquel, LB
Tanner Trowbridge, Soquel, DL
Josh Na, Salinas, DL
Christian Lujano, Hollister, DL
Edgar Chavez, Alvarez, DL
Jayden Brown, Monterey, DL
Kai Vaughn, Monterey, DB
Jake Escalante, Soquel, DB
Gavin Flynn, Salinas, DB
Jalen Ward, Alvarez, DB
Second team defense
Carmelo Arias, Hollister, LB
Jackson Scott, Salinas, LB
Toure Ajamu, Hollister, LB
Maverick Muse, Soquel, LB
Salvatore Felice, Hollister, LB
Xavier Reinhardt, Palma, DL
Weston Aviles, Hollister, DL
Alan Mejia, Alvarez, DL
Django Dilliak, Soquel, DL
Jackson Silacci-Jensen, Salinas DL
Wyatt Maravilla, Salinas, DB
Dekota Ordonio, Monterey, DB
Casey MacConnell, Aptos, DB
Dominic Chaidez, Palma, DB
Richard Chamberlain Sportsmanship team
Ivan Chavez, Alvarez
Felix Valencia, Aptos
Nathan Alves, Hollister
Eric Valdez, Monterey
Gibson Stoffel, Palma
Connor Bjorn, Salinas
Chase Petersen, Soquel
Elgie Bellizio Sportsmanship team
Aptos
Mission Division–North
Offensive Player of the Year: Nico Downie, Monte Vista Christian
Defensive Player of the Year: Jesse Ringel, Scotts Valley
Lineman of the Year: Arnulfo Jimenez, North Monterey County
First team offense
Dominic Pierini, MVC, QB
Jayden Durate, Alisal, RB
Eli Velez, Scotts Valley, RB
Joseph Dayritt, St. Francis, RB
Nico Downie, MVC, WR
Julius Escort, Seaside, WR
Jacob Jimenez, St. Francis, WR
Jorge Martinez, Alisal, OL
Jacob Wong, MVC, OL
Hector Pantoja, NMC, OL
Vinny Noce, Scotts Valley, OL
Lisandro Pantoja, Watsonville, OL
Jesse Ringel, Scotts Valley, TE/FB
First team defense
Gus Tapia, Alisal, DL
Arnulfo Jimenez, NMC, DL
Nathaniel Bell, Seaside, DL
Nicholas Ibarra, St. Francis, DL
Nick Paz, St. Francis, DL
Efren Posadas, Alisal, LB
Gunner Sorensen, MVC, LB
Francisco Calderon, NMC, LB
Jesse Ringel, Scotts Valley, LB
Jeremiah Laui, Seaside, LB
Kike Jacinto, Alisal, DB
Marcos Mendoza, NMC, DB
Eli Velez, Scotts Valley, DB
Keon Ealey, Seaside, DB
Second team offense
AJ Gomez, NMC, QB
Javier Fonseca, St. Francis, QB
Chris Rasmussen, NMC, RB
Josiah Escort, Seaside, RB
Abraham Martinez, Watsonville, RB
Boston Ashe, MVC, WR
Kenji Mellin, NMC, WR
Patrick Miller-Brown, Watsonville, WR
Joshua Angel, Alisal, OL
Xavier Jimenez, NMC, OL
Marcus Gonzalez, St. Francis, OL
Brijido Rodriguez, Watsonville, OL
Leandro Ambrocio, Watsonville, OL
Luis Marquez, Watsonville, TE/RB
Second team defense
John Croghan, St. Francis, DL
Carlos Zamora, Alisal, LB
Jesiah Ramos, Alisal, LB
Max Torres, MVC, LB
Josiah Carranza, NMC, LB
Leo Cruz, NMC, LB
Vaughn Chomentowski, Scotts Valley, LB
Caleb Gabriel, Alisal, DB
Rykin Resurreccion, MVC, DB
Jordan Ramirez, MVC, DB
Caden Kilpatrick, Scotts Valley, DB
Julius Escort, Seaside, DB
Mason Borrego, St. Francis, DB
Diego Abrego, Watsonville, DB
Richard Chamberlin sportsmanship team
Roy Reyes, Alisal
Dominic Velasquez, NMC
Brady Cortez, MVC
Bobby Arcangeli, Scotts Valley
Walter Perez, Seaside
Joseph Martinez, St. Francis
Nathaniel Aguilar, Watsonville.
Elgie Bellizio Sportsmanship team
Seaside
Mission Division–South
Most Valuable Player: Jackson Lloyd, Carmel
Offensive Player of the Year: Ashton Rees, Carmel
Defensive Player of the Year: Nathan Barajas, North Salinas
First team offense
Hudson Rutherford, Carmel, QB
Carson Tidwell, King City, RB
Gideon Llantero, Pacific Grove, RB
Dylan Reynoso, North Salinas, RB
Ashton Rees, Carmel RB
Julio Camacho, Soledad, RB
Ben Garry, Pacific Grove, WR
Ty Arnold, Carmel, WR
Simeon Brown, Carmel, WR
Robert Lopez, North Salinas, OL
Jagger Funk, King City, OL
Isaac Sanchez, Pacific Grove, OL
Jackson Lloyd, Carmel, OL
Melvin Rivera-Romero, Soledad, OL
First team defense
Aaron Cruz, Greenfield, DL
Jason Valencia, North Salinas, DL
Jackson Lloyd, Carmel, DL
Chris Rua-Chico, Soledad, DL
Nathan Barajas, North Salinas, LB
Rocky Villanueva, King City, LB
Mathew Maxon, Carmel, LB
Daniel Garcia, Soledad, LB
Naythen Hernandez, Greenfield, DB
Gio Hernandez, Greenfield, DB
Ben Garry, Pacific Grove, DB
Ashton Rees, Carmel, DB
Ty Arnold, Carmel, DB
Simeon Brown, Carmel, DB
Second team offense
Izaiah Gonzalez, North Salinas, QB
Brody Edmonds, Pacific Grove, QB
AJ Martinez, Greenfield, RB
Jayden Contreras, Rancho San Juan, WR
Joshua Grover, Soledad, WR
Brooklyn Ashe, Carmel, WR
Cody Lambert, King City, WR
Armando Esquivel, North Salinas, OL
Brandon Guerra, North Salinas, OL
William Enriquez, King City OL
Isaac Solorio, Rancho San Juan, OL
Brian Tapia, Rancho San Juan, OL
Ryton Harrison, Pacific Grove, OL
Second team defense
Harvey Xiong, North Salinas DL
Johell Carrillo, King City, DL
Oscar Stenlund, Pacific Grove, DL
Axel Chicas, King City, DL
Dominik Diaz, Soledad, DL
Ryton Harrison, Pacific Grove LB
Jonavin Hall, Rancho San Juan, LB
Danny Morales, Soledad, LB
Sean Nimuan, North Salinas, LB
Hector Garcia, Greenfield, DB
Alexander Macias, King City, DB
Matt Garcia, North Salinas, DB
Fabian Herrera, King City, DB
Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship team
Sebastian Lizardi, King City
Alexis Lomeli, Greenfield
Indy Gabrielson, Carmel
Alex Carbajal, Rancho San Juan
JJ Sepulveda, North Salinas
Nathaniel Wade, Pacific Grove
Adam Velarde, Soledad
Elgie Bellizio Sportsmanship team
King City
Santa Lucia Division
Most Valuable Player: Haden Woolworth, San Lorenzo Valley
Offensive Player of the Year: Fin Mink, Stevenson
Defensive Player of the Year: Thomas Dayton, Stevenson
First team offense
Fin Mink, Stevenson, QB
Jack Dagan, San Lorenzo Valley, QB
Fausto Gonzalez, Harbor, RB
Justin Griffis, San Lorenzo Valley, RB
Ely Cisneros, Gonzales, RB
Caden Olson, Stevenson, WR
Soji Agbelrkale, Santa Cruz, WR
Winston Wells, San Lorenzo Valley, WR
Tucker Green, Stevenson, OL
Haden Woolworth, San Lorenzo Valley, OL
Aron Bernabe, Pajaro Valley, OL
Andrew Quinones, Marina, OL
Nate Alvarez, Gonzales, OL
Tony Garcia, Gonzales, TE
First team defense
Cody Thacher, Stevenson DL
Haden Woolworth, San Lorenzo Valley, DL
Adrian Mendoza, Pajaro Valley, DL
Matteo Aspromonte, Santa Cruz, DL
Dominiq Montiel, Gonzales, DL
Thomas Dayton, Stevenson, LB
Brian Flores, Pajaro Valley, LB
Flint Dickson, Stevenson, LB
Jacob Hardin, San Lorenzo Valley, LB
Derek Diniz, Stevenson, DB
Adrian Pendergast, Santa Cruz, DB
Dominick Aguilar, San Lorenzo Valley, DB
Ray Blanco, Gonzales, DB
Izaak Ocampo, Pajaro Valley, ST
Second team offense
Ray Blanco, Gonzales, QB
Neven Ristic, Santa Cruz, QB
Jose Perez, Pajaro Valley, RB
Donovan Maben, Marina, RB
Antonio Borgomini, Stevenson, RB
Izaak Ocampo, Pajaro Valley, WR
Maxwell Falconer, Harbor, WR
Adrian Pendergast, Santa Cruz, WR
Luke Brower, Santa Cruz, OL
Tyler Dezur, San Lorenzo Valley, OL
Jacob Hernandez, Gonzales, OL
Caleb Durate, Pajaro Valley, OL
Josiah Rosales, Gonzales, OL
Ollin Bates, San Lorenzo Valley, TE
Second team defense
Douglas Ciolino, Marina, DL
Darian Regino, Harbor, DL
Joshua Mariscal, Gonzales, DL
Ollin Bates, San Lorenzo Valley, DL
Gabriel Machado, San Lorenzo Valley, LB
Johan Perez, Harbor, LB
Jason Tejeda, Gonzales, LB
Toni Bahena, Pajaro Valley, LB
Dogan Lund, Stevenson, DB
Jordan Renteria, San Lorenzo Valley, DB
Alejandro Anguiano, Gonzales, DB
Fernando DaCosta, Santa Cruz, DB
Raju David, Marina, DB
Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship team
Joel Lorenzo, Gonzales
Israel Lopez, Harbor
Tyson Gross, Marina
Jose Perez, Pajaro Valley
Isa Irsfeld, Santa Cruz
Cody Bumbaca, San Lorenzo Valley
Iason Manthoulis, Stevenson
Elgie Bellizio Sportsmanship team
Harbor
