Antolin runs away with Sunset honor

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In an area full of big-play threats, none has been bigger than Bishop Gorman’s Keola Antolin this season.

Antolin, a senior running back, averages 9.4 yards per carry and has 13 rushing touchdowns.

He also has shown he can catch the ball out of the backfield, averaging 29.6 yards a catch with four touchdowns.

There’s more. Antolin has returned six kicks for touchdowns — four punts, a kickoff and a missed field goal.

The area’s coaches took notice of Antolin’s numbers, naming him the Sunset Region Offensive Player of the Year.

“Keola’s a threat,” Gorman coach Bob Altshuler said. “He’s such a big threat with his speed. Over the years, he’s developed such great natural ability for weaving in and out.”

Antolin, whose Gorman team plays McQueen in the Class 4A state title game Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium, has rushed for 1,257 yards. But more impressive may be his return numbers. He has averaged 35.1 yards per punt return and 43.6 on kickoffs, forcing teams to change their plans on special teams.

“He brings another dimension,” Altshuler said. “When you play us, are you going to punt the ball to him? Kick the ball to him?”

Antolin isn’t the only standout for the undefeated Gaels. Junior defensive end Justin Chaisson also has impressed, registering 22 sacks in 10 regular-season games.

Chaisson was named the Sunset Region’s co-Defensive Player of the Year with Palo Verde linebacker Liloa Nobriga.

“His speed and just natural ability to get to the quarterback or the running back is the biggest thing,” Altshuler said of the 6-foot-4-inch, 265-pound Chaisson.

Nobriga was a pleasant addition to a Palo Verde team that finished second to Gorman in the Sunset Region.

Nobriga moved to the area from Hawaii before the season and led the Panthers with 121 tackles, including 16 for loss. He also had 11 sacks.

“He transferred in August, and he was really a surprise,” Palo Verde coach Darwin Rost said. “Having a kid like that show up at your doorstep (was nice).”

While Nobriga may have been a surprise at Palo Verde, it was no surprise that Canyon Springs quarterback Devonte Christopher was named the Sunrise Region’s Offensive Player of the Year.

Christopher completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 3,277 yards and 44 TDs. He passed for more than 1,300 yards more than any other area quarterback.

The Pioneers led Del Sol in the Sunrise semifinals when Christopher left with an injury, and Del Sol rallied for a victory, showing how important Christopher was to the offense.

“It showed in the last game when he went down,” Canyon Springs coach Matt Jenkins said. “He was definitely the engine that made our offense run.”

Christopher was nearly as dangerous with his legs, rushing for 460 yards and eight touchdowns. Those numbers might have been more impressive if not for a midseason ankle injury that forced Christopher to spend more time in the pocket.

“I don’t know if he didn’t become a better quarterback because of that,” Jenkins said. “It really forced him to not always use that escapability that he had.”

Silverado linebacker Kolton Villa was named the Sunrise Defensive Player of the Year.

Villa had 105 tackles and an interception as a senior as he worked to become a more complete linebacker.

“He’s always been known as a big-time run filler,” Silverado coach Andy Ostolaza said. “He worked more on pass defense this year. He became more of an overall linebacker.”

He also served as the team’s fullback and was a bruising blocker who rushed for 629 yards and seven touchdowns. Ostolaza said the fact that Villa played both ways made his defensive play more impressive. Villa also served as the team’s punter and was on the kick coverage team.

“It’d be one thing if he was a receiver or a skilled guy that maybe wasn’t around the ball that much,” Ostolaza said. “But in our offense, the fullback’s basically in the play all the time.”

Ostolaza, who led the Skyhawks to a 10-1 record, was named the Sunrise Region Coach of the Year.

Mojave’s Tyrone Armstrong, who led the Rattlers to an 8-3 record and their first playoff appearance, took the Sunset coaching honor.

For complete all-region teams, see Scoreboard on Page 8C.