Central Valley Conference POY Favorites

It still early with a lot yet to be determined before next season, but have a look at who projects as the conference POY favorites in each league.. &nbsp; <strong>OFFENSE </strong> 1.[player_tooltip player_id="110179" first="Drew" last="Rodriguez"] 23’ WR Sprague- The 3* athlete projects on the defensive side of the ball but was instrumental on offense, earning 1st team all-conference accolades on O, D, and as a kick returner. His overall versatility was unmatched within the league. 2.[player_tooltip player_id="271479" first="Braiden" last="Copeland"] 23’ WR McNary- Most aren’t aware of Copeland outside the Valley. That said as the 6-2 195 dual threat athlete earned 1st team all MVC honors on both sides of the ball. Talent runs in the family with his older brother Tyler being the 2021 Offensive POY within the conference at QB. 3.[player_tooltip player_id="270087" first="Daschel" last="Smith"] 23’ QB South Salem- One of the more underrated players in the state in my opinion. Daschel finished 3rd in Oregon at the 6A level in passing yards (2,158). Depending on how South finishes the year he will have a shot as it relates to accolades. 4.[player_tooltip player_id="271345" first="Riley" last="Davis"] 23’ RB Sprague- Davis returns to the football field after winning a state title in wrestling. He earned 1st team all conference honors at RB as a junior and will substantially help off set the attention given to teammate [player_tooltip player_id="110179" first="Drew" last="Rodriguez"]. 5.[player_tooltip player_id="206757" first="Tini" last="Tinitali III"] 23’ ATH South Salem- Tinitali had a big junior year earning 1st team honors, as he will be in the conference POY conversation. He led the state in receptions with 78 and finished 2nd in receiving yards with 1,040. The Saxons should be in the mix come playoff time. 6.[player_tooltip player_id="147245" first="Josiah" last="Davis"] 23’ RB North Salem- The Vikings return the best team they have had in years, but the move back up to 6A tempers expectations as it’s night and day compared to 5A. Davis led the state at that level in rushing TDs with 20 during the regular season, and finished 4th in yards with 1,151. He’s legit. 7.[player_tooltip player_id="152328" first="TC" last="Manumaleuna II"] 24’ QB North Salem- Manumaleuna doesn’t and won’t likely get the credit he deserves from an accolade standpoint, playing in a Wing T offense. You won’t find a better kid to lead your team as the offers speak for themselves. &nbsp; &nbsp; <strong>DEFENSE</strong> 1.[player_tooltip player_id="110179" first="Drew" last="Rodriguez"] 23’ S Sprague- Rodriguez tied for 2nd in the state in INTs with (5). He was the X factor for the Oly’s in multiple wins and the primary reason Sprague returned to the playoffs after a few down years. He has the potential of being the only 6A athlete in Oregon to earn conference POY honors on both sides of the football. 2.[player_tooltip player_id="271479" first="Braiden" last="Copeland"] 23’ LB McNary- Copeland is one of the fastest rising recruits in the state, partly due to his versatility and ability to play a handful of different positions. His first team all MVC honors at LB last season speak to that. 3.[player_tooltip player_id="270217" first="Gavin" last="Nguyen"] 23’ DL Sprague- Nguyen racked up 2nd team all-conference honors from his D end position and has helped himself out on the camp circuit this off season. The Oly’s will put up #s next year on offense with the likes of [player_tooltip player_id="110179" first="Drew" last="Rodriguez"] and [player_tooltip player_id="271345" first="Riley" last="Davis"], putting more emphasis on the D where Nguyen will have an opportunity to shine. 4.[player_tooltip player_id="270193" first="Erick" last="Gonzalez"] 23’ DB North Salem- With the move back to 6A it will be interesting to see how the Vikings and their top athletes respond. That said as Gonzalez earned 2nd team all-conference honors at Safety last season, and could be one of the top dual threat athletes in Oregon. 5.[player_tooltip player_id="271361" first="Roman" last="Burrow"] 23’ DB West Salem- Burrow had an outstanding junior season, earning 1st team all-conference honors. While very little is known about the Titans standout, head coach Shawn Stanley is one of the best to ever represent Oregon and continuously gets the most out of his athletes. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;