Tribune names SLO County’s football Player of the Year and all-stars. Here’s the full list

Nick Wilson
·6 min read

For the second year in a row, a player with the last name Cooks is the Tribune’s San Luis Obispo County high school football Player of the Year.

Atascadero High senior quarterback Kane Cooks earns this year’s top Tribune selection in the wake of his brother Trey Cooks’ Player of the Year honor in 2022.

The complete All-Tribune roster of SLO County all-stars is listed below.

Kane excelled in multiple facets of the game, including throwing, running, playmaking and leadership, according to Greyhounds Head Coach Vic Cooper. Kane even made a game-winning block of an extra point attempt in a 21-20 win against San Luis Obispo on Sept. 22.

In his senior campaign under center, Cooks posted 1,537 passing yards (139.7 yards per game) and 13 throwing touchdowns with only three interceptions. He was equally dangerous on the ground, tallying 1,051 yards (95.5 yards per game) and 15 rushing touchdowns.

“Kane’s ability to run the ball like a top-level running back made our offense go,” Cooper said. “Not only his ability to run, but his ability to read the defense to decide whether he should run or not.”

As a junior starting quarterback, Cooks helped guide the Greyhounds to a CIF Division 6-A State Championship, posting 1,440 yards passing and 1,098 yards rushing.

“Back-to-back 1000-plus/1400-plus seasons is amazing to me,” Cooper said. “I didn’t really think that was possible. ... His decision-making was off the charts.”

Kane Cooks makes a side-arm pass under pressure from Dane Adler. Atascadero beat San Luis Obispo 21-20 in an Ocean League football game in SLO on Sept. 22, 2023.
Kane Cooks makes a side-arm pass under pressure from Dane Adler. Atascadero beat San Luis Obispo 21-20 in an Ocean League football game in SLO on Sept. 22, 2023.

Cooks said he benefited from preseason quarterback training, including the Central Coast’s Jordan QB Development Camp led by former Whittier College quarterback T.J. Jordan.

“I worked over the summer with (Jordan) at Jordan QB Development a lot and with my (Atascadero) offensive coordinator over the summer,” Cooks said. “We took 7-on-7 pretty serious over the summer. I think that helped a lot.”

Cooks said a solid receiving core including Mason Degnan, Jarom Damery and Tyler Bukamier, as well as a formidable offensive line (led by Jackson Cooper, Anthony Tejeda and Jaiden Ramirez), created a dynamic attack.

“Our offensive line gave me all the time I needed back there,” Cooks said. “I didn’t really have to move a whole lot. They were just holding their guys up and our receivers got open, allowing us to be able to pass effectively.”

Cooks worked to improve his accuracy and pass reads this year over last, he said.

“If I saw a smaller corner out there trying to guard Tyler or Mason, I’d try to get it out to them quickly and make a play,” Cooks said.

Kane added: “The game was able to, like, slow down for me a little bit. I was able to go through like a read progression rather than last year. I would just find a matchup before the snap and try and throw it to whoever I thought was up against the worst defender on their team. And then accuracy improved a lot.”

Of Cooks, Cooper said, “He made all the right decisions this year. Almost everything we did he had the option to run, give it to the running back or throw the ball. ... He is a great leader by example, but not afraid to hold his teammates to his high standard.”

Kane cooks passes under pressure from Kohen Sizemore, Cole Loney is at left. Templeton lead for most of the game but at the end Atascadero came up with the win 20-16 Oct. 6, 2023.
Kane cooks passes under pressure from Kohen Sizemore, Cole Loney is at left. Templeton lead for most of the game but at the end Atascadero came up with the win 20-16 Oct. 6, 2023.

Turning the tide

Cooks said the team made steady improvement after a 3-8 Greyhounds season when Kane was sophomore and primarily played tight end. After an 0-3 start in 2022, Atascadero began stacking up wins with Kane moving into the starting quarterback role.

“I moved here to Atascadero in the 7th grade,” Cooks said. “This group of seniors has been playing together since they were in the second and third grade. We’ve always had a good relationship and trust in each other. We knew we were good players. Finally we started getting on a little bit of a roll and then everyone started believing.”

Cooks said he typically didn’t play defense this season but filled in at safety against SLO due to an injury. After he booted a poor punt as kicker earlier in the game, he wanted to make up for it with by thwarting the extra point on defense.

“I had a few mistakes, so I kind of felt the responsibility there to save it,” Cooks said. “But it was really like a great effort from our team.”

Braden Mott hangs on for a tackle of Kane Cooks. Templeton lead for most of the game but at the end Atascadero came up with the win 20-16 Oct. 6, 2023.
Braden Mott hangs on for a tackle of Kane Cooks. Templeton lead for most of the game but at the end Atascadero came up with the win 20-16 Oct. 6, 2023.

Now, following in the footsteps of his brother Trey, who encouraged him in the weight room and now plays football at West Hills Community College in Coalinga, Kane also is hoping to play college football as well.

With a 4.2 grade-point average, his education is important to him and gives him options.

“I definitely want to play in college,” Kane said. “I haven’t built connections and found places that need me. So I’m working with the company Before You Go Pro that’s helping me get recruited. I’m looking at trying to go Division 2 or maybe an Ivy League school, with the ultimate goal of trying to go up after a few seasons.”

Here are the selections for the All-Tribune SLO County first and second teams.

All-Tribune roster

County Player of the Year: Kane Cooks (Atascadero)

All-purpose Player of the Year: Junior Herlihy (Arroyo Grande)

Defensive Player of the Year: Conner Lopez (Mission Prep)

Offensive Player of the Year: Drew Harrigan (Mission Prep)

Best kick returner: Jayden Nozil (Mission Prep)

Drew Harrigan is brought down by Bohdan Armstrong. Arroyo Grande High School beat Mission Prep 10-3 in a football game Oct. 13, 2023.
Drew Harrigan is brought down by Bohdan Armstrong. Arroyo Grande High School beat Mission Prep 10-3 in a football game Oct. 13, 2023.

First team offense

Quarterback: Drake Missamore (Arroyo Grande), Jace Gomes (SLO)

Running back: Isaiah Hernandez (SLO), Ben Walz (Arroyo Grande)

Receiver: Caleb Clark (Arroyo Grande), Mason Degnan (Atascadero)

Tight end: Kohen Sizemore (Templeton), Manny Diaz (Morro Bay)

Offensive line: Jackson Cooper (Atascadero), Anthony Tejeda (Atascadero), Troy Warrecker (SLO), Jacob Garbiso (Arroyo Grande), Gabe Rodriguez (Mission Prep)

Jace Gomes passes. San Luis Obispo High School won 17-14 over Templeton in the last game of football’s regular football.
Jace Gomes passes. San Luis Obispo High School won 17-14 over Templeton in the last game of football’s regular football.

Second team offense

Quarterback: Blayne Lowry (Nipomo), Ian Lambright (Morro Bay)

Running back: Nami Hoag (Morro Bay), Mateo Cano (Atascadero)

Receiver: Tyler Bukamier (Atascadero), Hayden McKanna (Paso Robles)

Tight end: Drew Souza (Mission Prep), Cole Loney (Atascadero)

Offensive line: Josh Cantrell (Paso Robles), Walter Boling (Nipomo), Joe Castaneda (Nipomo), Johnny Peschong (Templeton), Jeremy Tevillo (Arroyo Grande)

Honorable mention offense: Daxton Calagna (Templeton), Conner Bowman (Paso Robles), Tristen Salgado (Paso Robles), Cole Calhoun (Morro Bay), Ronnie Kardashian (Mission Prep), Joseph Canales (Nipomo), James Cogan (Paso Robles), John Myers (Morro Bay), Wyatt Ramey (Templeton), Jarom Damery (Atascadero), Malachi Starr (Nipomo), Ashton Murphy (Paso Robles), River Waltmire (Templeton), Armen Clayton (Mission Prep), Josh Lopez (Atascadero), Ben Ruvalcaba (Nipomo).

Johnny Peschong pursues Valentino Boozer. Templeton beat Roosevelt 27-14 on Nov. 4, 2022, in a first-round playoff football game.
Johnny Peschong pursues Valentino Boozer. Templeton beat Roosevelt 27-14 on Nov. 4, 2022, in a first-round playoff football game.

First team defense

Defensive line: Ethan Farelas (Mission Prep), Jonathan Aguilar (Arroyo Grande), Moses Diaz (Arroyo Grande), Kyle Hawk (Arroyo Grande), Brody Rust (Morro Bay).

Linebacker: Paul Sisemore (Arroyo Grande), Ian Ackerman (Nipomo), Champ Morrisey (Mission Prep), Lane Miller (Templeton), Chance Evans (SLO).

Defensive back: Kolton Sobrya (Templeton), Brandon Butler (Arroyo Grande), Luke Terry (Mission Prep), Korbin Mendez (Nipomo), Jayden Nozil (Mission Prep).

Kicker: Ben Oetman (SLO)

Ian Ackerman gets in front of James Cogan. Nipomo won 34-21 over Paso Robles High School Oct. 20, 2023 with one more game left in the football schedule before the playoffs.
Ian Ackerman gets in front of James Cogan. Nipomo won 34-21 over Paso Robles High School Oct. 20, 2023 with one more game left in the football schedule before the playoffs.

Second team defense

Defensive line: Walker Craven (Templeton), Ephraim Nau (Arroyo Grande), Jaiden Ramirez (Atascadero), Rudy Contreras (Paso Robles), Aiden Wall (Templeton).

Linebacker: Manny Diaz (Morro Bay), Tyler Bukamier (Atascadero), Mateo Cano (Atascadero), Hayden Hall (SLO), Tanner Quaresma (Atascadero), Lukas Elmerick (Mission Prep),

Defensive back: Caleb Calhoun (Morro Bay), Joseph Hyde (Atascadero), Britton Rethmeier (SLO), Levi Childers (Arroyo Grande), Troy Simonson (Nipomo).

Kicker: Jonathan Aguilar (Arroyo Grande)

Honorable mention defense: Nicholas Reid (Morro Bay), Ashton Murphy (Paso Robles), Isiah Hopkins (SLO), Trevor Tonini (Templeton), Ethan Blais (Atascadero), Jacob Angulo (Arroyo Grande), Isiah Williams (Paso Robles), Juan Zarate (Nipomo).

Kicker Ben Oetman chases down a high snap. Walker Craven pursues. San Luis Obispo High School won 17-14 over Templeton in the last game of football’s regular football.
Kicker Ben Oetman chases down a high snap. Walker Craven pursues. San Luis Obispo High School won 17-14 over Templeton in the last game of football’s regular football.