Here are this week's candidates for The Sporting News' Southern California high school football Player of the Week for Week Five (Sep. 25-27). Read up on the candidates below and vote as many times as you'd like before 11:59 p.m. Saturday. The results will be announced in the following days.
Landon Armenta, La Serna: Armenta reeled in 12 catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns to help the Lancers to a 23-21 upset of Edison (Huntington Beach).
Brady Bretthauer, Valencia (Valencia): Bretthauer led the Vikings to a 55-14 beatdown of rival Saugus with 238 yards and five touchdowns on 9-11 completion (81.8%) plus seven carries for 100 yards and a touchdown.
Wyatt Brown, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks): In a 57-14 whipping of Culver City, Brown threw for 343 yards, zero interceptions, and one touchdown each to five different receivers, and he also ran five times for 84 yards and another touchdown.
Romeo Carter, Point Loma: Carter starred on both ends in a 37-7 win against La Jolla, grabbing two interceptions for 110 return yards and making three catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
Noah Cook, Mater Dei Catholic: Cook was the difference in a 13-0 victory over Helix, recording three sacks and three catches for 32 yards and a touchdown.
Carson Etnire, Aliso Niguel: Entire was a turnover machine on defense in a 48-35 win versus Dana Hills, recording two picks and a fumble recovery that he returned a combined total of 116 yards in addition to a team-high nine solo tackles (one for loss).
Luke Fahey, Mission Viejo: Fahey guided the Diablos to a 36-21 win against Chaparral with 223 yards and three touchdowns on 15-23 completion (65.2%) plus 34 yards and two touchdowns rushing.
Shane Feller, Camarillo: Feller ran for 143 yards and four touchdowns with 35 receiving yards in a 49-0 walloping of Oxnard.
Warren Florence, Lincoln (San Diego): Florence dominated defensively with two interceptions and a sack in a 40-21 win over Grant Union.
Nicholas Fonseca, South Gate: Fonseca had two interceptions including a pick-six in a 48-8 annihilation of rival Legacy.
Mario Gaxiola, Imperial: In a 61-28 win against Valley Center, Gaxiola had seven catches for 103 yards and a touchdown and also returned an interception 90 yards for a pick-six.
Michael Gonzalez, South Gate: Gonzalez turned just nine pass attempts and three carries into seven completions for 279 yards and two touchdowns plus 71 yards and two touchdowns rushing as the Rams blew out rival Legacy 48-8.
Kevin Hawkins, Birmingham: Hawkins had a unique stat line in a 44-8 blowout of Harvard-Westlake. He completed four of five passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns, ran nine times for 95 yards and a touchdown, and also led the Patriots with two sacks and three tackles for loss.
Derrick Johnson II, Murrieta Valley: Johnson had two interceptions, five tackles (one for loss), and a touchdown catch to lift Murrieta Valley to a 26-14 victory at San Clemente.
JD Hill, Mission Viejo: Hill led the Diablos with 14 tackles, nine solo tackles, six TFLs, 2.5 sacks, and 2.5 QB-hurries in a 36-21 win against Chaparral.
Jayden Mitchell, King/Drew: Mitchell grabbed four receptions for 161 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-0 rout of Narbonne.
Braylen Morgan, Birmingham: Morgan ran for 157 yards and three touchdowns in a 44-8 rout of Harvard-Westlake.
Tatum Ortiz, Rim of the World: Already one of California's leading rushers coming in, Ortiz ran for a career-high 301 yards to go with three touchdowns to lead the Fighting Scots to a 31-26 win against Grand Terrace.
Robert Renteria, San Pasqual: Renteria went off for 413 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions on 17-25 completion (68%) to beat Westview 55-21.
Ceasar Reyes, Garfield: Reyes exploded for 259 yards and four touchdowns rushing plus an interception in a 35-28 win against Huntington Park.
Gio Robles, Imperial: Robles had seven catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns in a 61-28 victory against Valley Center.
Brady Smigiel, Newbury Park: Smigiel completed 16 of 21 passes (76.2%) for 268 yards and four touchdowns with no picks and one rushing touchdown to beat Ventura 43-28.
Chase Spahr, South (Torrance): Spahr racked up 407 yards and two touchdowns on 34-47 completion (72.3%) to guide the Spartans to a 34-31 win against West (Torrance).
Adrian Sola, Madison: Sola ran for 179 yards and two touchdowns to lead Madison to a 30-28 win against El Cajon Christian.
Dorsett Stecker, Corona del Mar: Stecker had eight catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-13 victory against Trabuco Hills.
Kingston Sula, Carson: Sula went off for four sacks in a 20-8 victory over St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy
Santonio Urena, Imperial: Urena cooked up 365 yards and six touchdowns to one interception on 20-26 completion (76.9%) as Imperial cruised to a 61-28 win against Valley Center.
Anthony Vernon, Valencia (Valencia): Vernon scored two 48-yard touchdowns in a 55-14 rolling of rival Saugus – one via reception, and one via fumble recovery after he forced the fumble.
Joaquin Wagner-Bagues, Mira Costa: Wagner-Bagues helped the Mustangs to a 34-23 win against Villa Park with team-highs of 12 tackles, nine solo tackles, and three sacks.
Jeremiah Watson, Murrieta Valley: Watson helped lead Murrieta Valley to a 26-14 win at San Clemente with two rushing touchdowns and a career-high 209 rushing yards.
Semaj Welch, Inglewood: Welch went off for 167 rushing yards and a career-high four rushing touchdowns as Inglewood beat Midland 43-42 in Texas.
Labrenten Wilson, Cerritos: Wilson racked up 112 yards both rushing and receiving in a 53-17 rout of Wilson (Hacienda Heights), going for four rushing touchdowns and one more in the air.
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