4A HONORS: Palo Verde’s Garcia-Williams gets Northwest Defensive MVP

Jerrol Garcia-Williams would have been valuable enough to Palo Verde’s football team as its leading tackler.

But the senior outside linebacker augmented his team-high 84 tackles with seven sacks and two interceptions this season. Northwest League coaches rewarded Garcia-Williams when they recently voted him the league’s Defensive Most Valuable Player.

“He never came off the field,” Palo Verde coach Darwin Rost said. “He was there every game and started both ways.”

Garcia-Williams caught seven passes for 148 yards and a touchdown and was a standout blocker at tight end for the Panthers (11-1).

But the 6-foot-3-inch, 200-pound team captain turned heads on defense. A move from safety to outside linebacker before the season only made Garcia-Williams more of a playmaker.

“It was just how physical he was. He was consistent every game,” Rost said.

Rost said Garcia-Williams has a scholarship offer from Southern Utah, and UNLV is showing interest. He’ll likely play safety in college.

Northwest Offensive MVP went to Arbor View senior running back Roderick Eason, and Centennial’s Leon Evans was named Coach of the Year.

Bishop Gorman took Southwest Offensive MVP in senior running back Shaquille Powell and Defensive MVP in senior linebacker Zach Hutchins. Coach of the Year went to Bonanza’s Shawn Dupris.

In the Northeast, Canyon Springs junior running back Donnel Pumphrey and Las Vegas senior running back Farrell Victor shared Offensive MVP. Defensive MVP went to Canyon Springs junior linebacker Tobias Carson, and Canyon Springs’ Hunkie Cooper was Coach of the Year.

Del Sol senior running back Chris Marshall was named Southeast Offensive MVP, and Silverado senior defensive end Coty Iwata was Defensive MVP. Coach of the Year went to Liberty’s Rich Muraco.