Sac-Joaquin Section’s Class of 2023 Top 10 Players to Watch

Programs having freshmen on the varsity roster and getting reps is becoming more common nowadays. With more opportunity for these young high school athletes to shine, some sophomores in the Class of 2023 have already made a name for themselves within the Sac-Joaquin Section. Look for these ten players to gain more notoriety over the next three years.   10. Aaron Bess, Cosumnes Oaks, 6′, 180, ATH Appearing in all twelve games for the varsity roster last season, Bess had a major presence on special teams completing 20 tackles and overall averaged 2.2 total tackles a game. Bess also ranked fifth for total tackles from all freshmen in the Sac-Joaquin Section. Look out for the Cosumnes Oaks Wolfpack this season as they advanced to the semifinals of the Sac-Joaquin Division II playoff bracket but were defeated 28-20 by the Elk Grove Thundering Herd.   9. Tre Dimes, Vanden, 5′10″, 160, PRO Despite playing in two games and starting in one, the JV freshman call up stood out in his varsity debut against Rodriguez High School on Nov. 1. Dimes threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns en route to a 42-10 victory. During the second round of the Division IV playoff against the Rio Linda Knights, Dimes made an early case of winning the starting role for the 2020 season coming into the game after the half and completing 15 of 23 passes throwing a touchdown to get the Vikings back into the game after being down 28-7. Dimes was the only freshman to play in a varsity game within the Monticello Empire League.   8. Joe Cowan, Linden, 5′7″, 160, ATH With the Linden Lions having only 34 players on their roster that included five freshmen in 2019, the Lions were able to achieve their first winning season since 2004. One of those freshmen included Joe Cowan who played a major role on defense. With Cowan appearing in 10 of the 11 Linden Lions games last season, he was able to record four interceptions tying for the 23rd most in the nation among freshmen. Look for Cowan to excel on both sides of the ball during his sophomore season.   7. Mekhi Salahuddin, Highlands (North Highlands), 5′8″, 160, ATH Salahuddin’s speed and strength as a freshman should have all teams in the Sierra Delta League question running the quarterback sneak for years to come. Playing in seven varsity games last season, Salahuddin finished the season with 13 total tackles having the most total tackles from all freshmen linebackers in the Sac-Joaquin Section. Salahuddin also excels on the other side of the ball at running back and off the field earning a spot in Fall 2019 Academic All-League for Sierra Delta.   6. Jared Wiley, Christian Brothers (Sacramento), 6′2″, 170, WR Look for Wiley to become a notable name for the Christian Brothers Falcons for not only football but also basketball and track & field for years to come. Wiley finished runner up for the most rushing, receiving, and total yards for freshmen receivers in the Sac-Joaquin Section. Last season, Wiley was also joined by his father John Wiley as the new head coach of Falcons in who played college ball at the University of Auburn and professionally for the Chicago Bears.   5. [player_tooltip player_id="25420" first="Jaelen" last="Nichols"], Central Catholic (Modesto), 6′, 176, ATH Starting a varsity career against the storied De La Salle Spartans program, who would go onto be the runner-up in the CIF State Champion Open Division bowl game in 2019, is a tough task for a freshman. However, Nichols went on to rush for 26 yards on 2 carries and complete 3 total tackles (2 solo, 1 assist) for the game. This would be the start to Nichols leading Northern California and ranking sixth in the state for total defensive back tackles within the Class of 2023. Nichols was also runner up for the most kickoff return yards from all freshmen in the Sac-Joaquin Section.   4. Kai Nunley, Vacaville Christian, 5′9″, 175, ATH Appearing in all 12 varsity games as a freshman, Nunley is a superstar on both sides of the ball placing high among the top freshman in the section, state, and nation for many achievements on the field. In the Sac-Joaquin Section, Nunley finished the season with the most sacks and was second in total yards behind [player_tooltip player_id="25418" first="Kenyon" last="Nelson"] of Lincoln High School in Stockton.  In the Class of 2023, Nunley had the third-most rushing yards in the state and was ninth in the nation for tackles. Nunley and the Falcons appeared in the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and back on the map after two years in 2016 and 2017 without Vacaville Christian High School having a football program due to a lack of players.   3. [player_tooltip player_id="25423" first="Simione" last="Pale"], Elk Grove, 6′3″, 300, OL After beginning his freshman season on the junior varsity team, Pale was able to get his first start on the varsity roster against one of the top teams in the state, Oak Ridge Trojans. Pale and the Thundering Herd were able to advance to the Northern California championship but were defeated by the eventual Division 2-AA State Champion Clayton Valley Charter Ugly Eagles in Concord. Back in June, Pale received two offers within the Pac-12 Conference from Arizona State and Utah. Keep an eye out on the line of scrimmage as Pale will be a tough challenge for the Delta League in the next three years with the potential to gain attention from some top programs around the nation.   2. [player_tooltip player_id="25378" first="Rico" last="Flores"] Jr., Folsom, 6′, 185, ATH Despite playing only eight of the twelve Capital Christian Cougars games on varsity last year, Flores appeared on both sides of the ball completing 1.6 tackles a game and hauled in 17 receptions for 378 yards. Flores finished with the most receiving yards and touchdowns among freshmen receivers in the Sac-Joaquin Section. This off-season Flores transferred to powerhouse Folsom High School, winners of four state titles in the past decade. He also received his first official offer from Arizona State.   1. [player_tooltip player_id="25418" first="Kenyon" last="Nelson"], Lincoln (Stockton), 6′, 195, DUAL As a freshman quarterback starting on varsity for all 11 games in 2019, Nelson led the Lincoln Trojans to their first winning season since 2015. Nelson was also the Trojans third-leading rusher with 795 yards on 53 carries and nationally ranked 27th among all freshmen for total yards. With [player_tooltip player_id="25431" first="Jaden" last="Rashada"] choosing to transfer to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Nelson makes a strong case for the top-Class of 2023 quarterback in Northern California.