Watchlist for 2025 CIF Southern Section high school football yearly awards

Just past midseason, and ahead of league play in October, High School On SI compiled a watchlist for yearly awards in 2025 including Player of the Year.

Mission Viejo QB Luke Fahey, an Ohio State commit, is one of the best signal callers in California. / Jeremy Westerbeck

October is here. That means league play every Friday night for the rest of the way.

It also — somewhat — marks the midway point of the 10-week regular season in the CIF Southern Section, which ends on October 31. League play is where teams compete against rival programs for what will eventually decide their playoff fate.

In the CIF Southern Section, the top 50% of a league earns an automatic playoff berth. For example, in a six-team league, the top three finishers are guaranteed a playoff berth, regardless of overall record. After that, teams are placed into their respective division and seeded based on where they're ranked by computer rankings (provided by HSratings.com).

In league play, opponents know each other better. The wins and losses mean more. Big plays are magnified and blown plays standout more. It's also where players can campaign themselves for big-time yearly awards. During nonleague play, a standout player might rise to be a Player of the Year candidate, but its during league play and the postseason where that same player can win the award.

Here is a mid-season yearly award watchlist for 2025 in the CIF Southern Section.

NOTE: Players not named on lists below can win an award. These lists are NOT final candidate lists, only a watchlist of players that are likely considered for a yearly award.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

QB, LUKE FAHEY, MISSION VIEJO, SR. — Fahey, an Ohio State commit, has the Diablos 5-1 with 15 touchdown passes and just one interception in 146 attempts. He's completing 73% of his throws and is averaging 244 yards per game through the air. He's also run for 231 yards and three scores.

QB, KOA MALAU'ULU, ST. JOHN BOSCO, SO. — It's hard to leave off the QB of the No. 1 team in the country. The standout sophomore has thrown 15 touchdowns and just one interception this season. He's tallied 917 yards on 52 of 76 passing. He's also rushed for two scores. The Braves are 5-0.

ATH, GAVIN WILLIAMS, DAMIEN, JR. — Williams is one of SoCal's top two-way players, and his impact has helped the Spartans to a 5-0 start this fall. On offense, he's totaled 230 yards receiving on 14 catches and three touchdowns. On defense, he leads the teams in tackles with 33, has two interceptions, four pass deflefctions, two caused fumbles and a blocked field goal.

Los Alamitos' Lenny Ibarra runs against Inglewood. / Jeremy Westerbeck

ATH, LENNY IBARRA, LOS ALAMITOS, SR. — Ibarra does everything. He runs, catches and plays defense for the 7-0 Griffins. He leads the team in receiving with 363 yards and five TDs. He's tallied 278 yards and six TDs on the ground. And on defense, he leads the teams in tackles with (62) and two interceptions.

DE, RICHIE WESLEY, SIERRA CANYON, SR. — This 5-star recruit commands double and triple teams from the edge. He has five sacks in five games, and is the backbone of the Sierra Canyon defense that has not allowed a defensive touchdown to a Trinity League opponent this season.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

WR, MADDEN WILLIAMS, ST. JOHN BOSCO, SR. — Williams has 377 yards receiving on 18 catches and five touchdowns in five games for the Braves. He's averaging 20 yards per catch.

QB, ISAIAH ARRIAZA, DAMIEN, SR. — Arriaza has thrown for 1,491 yards and 14 touchdowns (4 INTs) with a QB rating of 110.5. He's averaging 298 yards a game threw the air this season, and has two rushing touchdowns. The Spartans have wins over JSerra and Tustin.

Richie Wesley (blue) lines up at the line of scrimmage against Downey. / Rene Morales

QB, BRYSON BEAVER, VISTA MURRIETA, SR. — Beaver has the Broncos 5-0 after throwing for 1,084 yards and 11 touchdowns so far this fall. The Oregon commit is completing 70% of his passes and has also hit paydirt twice using his feet.

QB, DANE WEBER, CHAPARRAL, JR. — Weber is the epitome of a dual-threat QB. He's thrown for 1,508 yards and 16 TDs (with just 3 INTs) while completing a super-efficient 76% of his passes. He's also scored five rushing touchdowns this season and tallied 269 yards on 52 carries.

QB, TIMMY HERR, SAN JUAN HILLS, SR. — Herr is slightly under the radar, but that may not be the case too much longer. He's thrown for 1,334 yards and 16 touchdowns (2 INTs) with a QB rating of 144.9 this fall. Herr also has five rushing TDs. The Stallions are 4-1

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

DL, MIKHAL JOHNSON, SIERRA CANYON, SR. — Johnson has 22 tackles this season with six tackles for loss and four sacks. The standout lineman is a monster tandem up front with Richie Wesley for the 5-0 Trailblazers.

DL, JD HILL, MISSION VIEJO, SR. — Hill is probably the biggest stock riser so far this fall. The standout lineman has garnered offers from West Virginia, Miami, Arizona State and Utah after being originally committed to Northern Arizona. He leads the defense in tackles (68), sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (16) this season.

Mission Viejo's JD Hill takes down Folsom QB Ryder Lyons. / Jeremy Westerbeck

DB, JADEN WALK-GREEN, CENTENNIAL, JR. — This big playmaker leads the Huskies in tackles (52) and interceptions (5). He also made the play of the year when he intercepted Mater Dei's Ryan Hopkins to seal the victory over the Monarchs in September.

DE, DUTCH HORISK, ST. JOHN BOSCO, SR. — Horisk impacts winning. He's totaled 25 tackles and has just two tackles for loss and a sack, but his impact on opposing offenses is extremely disruptive and why St. John Bosco is unbeaten in 2025.

LB, DASH FIFITA, SANTA MARGARITA, SR. — Fifita leads the Eagles in tackles (35) through five games. He also has five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Fifita is the leader of a defense that allowed Bishop Gorman (NV) to score just one offensive touchdown in a narrow 14-0 defeat.

BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR

QB, TAYLOR LEE, PACIFICA/OXNARD, JR. — Lee has thrown for 1,571 yards and 26 touchdowns without an interception this season through five games. He's completed 85% of his passes and averaging 314 yards per game through the air.

RB, JAXSEN STOKES, SIERRA CANYON, JR. — Arguably the frontrunner for this award, Stokes has rushed for 403 yards and nine touchdowns on just 58 carries this fall. Sierra Canyon is 5-0 and ranked in the Top 10 nationally in every poll.

Sierra Canyon running back Jaxsen Stokes breaks into the open field on a run against Downey. / Rene Morales

RB, JEREMIAH WATSON, MURRIETA VALLEY, SR. — Watson has rushed for 682 yards and eight touchdowns on 81 carries through five games. The Nighthawks are 4-1 this season with Watson as the catalyst offensively. He's averaging 136 yards per game.

RB, DASH PAPER, LA CANADA, SR. — Paper has helped the Spartans to a 6-0 start thanks to his 780 yards rushing and eight touchdowns on 114 carries. He's averaging 130 yards per game.

QB, BRADY BRETTHAUER, VALENCIA, SR. — Bretthauer has thrown for 924 yards and 13 touchdowns (2 INTs) while running for 415 yards and four scores this fall. He averages 227 all-purpose yards a game through six games. The Vikings are 5-1.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

WR, AUSTIN MILLER, BELLFLOWER — Miller may end up one of California's top 2029 prospects when he's an upper classmen. But for now, the young man is making an impression as a ninth grader. He's got 24 catches for 343 yards and six touchdowns this fall.

QB, FORD GREEN, WESTLAKE — Green is 5-0 as a starter under center with 1,024 yards passing, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. He's completing 68% of his passes and average just over 200 yards per game under new coach Rick Clausen.

QB, JONAH TUANIGA, MILLIKAN — In just six games, according to MaxPreps, Tuaniga has thrown for 1,259 yards and 16 touchdowns. He threw for 502 yards and nine touchdowns against Cabrillo.

RB, JACORY COLEMAN, BALDWIN PARK — Coleman has rushed for 511 yards and eight touchdowns on 68 carries this season. He's averaging 7.5 yards per carry and 127.8 yards per game to help park the Braves' 4-1 start.

QB, MARCUS WASHINGTON, CAJON — A dual-threat QB that has thrown for 951 yards and rushed for 345 yards in five games for the Cowboys.

COACH OF THE YEAR

JAMES STEWART, DAMIEN — The Spartans are 5-0 with marquee wins over JSerra and Tustin.

JON ELLINGHOUSE, SIERRA CANYON — Sierra Canyon's rise to a real Division 1 champion contender is led by Ellinghouse, who's the program's only coach in its history.

RAY FENTON, LOS ALAMITOS — The Griffins are 7-0 under Fenton, who is back to basics with homegrown kids, per se. No fluff. No 5-star recruits. No over-controlling parents.

RICK CLAUSEN, WESTLAKE — Clausen has turned around the Westlake program after being 0-10 last year.

MATT LOGAN, CENTENNIAL — Logan will amass 300 career wins this season, which only 14 other coaches have done in California. And, of course, his Huskies took down Mater Dei.

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