Giants' Sarvela, Herrera named to All-State football team
By Nick Giannandrea
COS ATHLETICS
Rhett Sarvela -- who helped College of the Sequoias' football team capture its second bowl victory in the past three seasons -- has been named All America First Team defense by the JC Athletic Bureau and the California Community College Football Coaches Association.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive lineman from Vancouver, Wash., was recognized after a sophomore season when he produced 37 tackles, including 16.5 for losses, eight quarterback sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and a pass break up for the Giants.
Sarvela was also named Regional I First-team All-California by the JCAB/CCCFCA, as was Sequoias tight end Alex Herrera.
A 6-2, 230-pound sophomore from Linden, Herrera caught 27 passes (second on the team) for 311 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 11.5 yards per reception.
Both contributed as the Giants (6-5) capped a fourth straight winning championship season with a 31-28 victory over Sierra in the Golden State Bowl on Dec. 1 in Rocklin.
"It was really nice to finish strong," Sequoias coach Travis Burkett said. "Noone around here is satisfied with 6-5, but we're excited to celebrate success while also being really hungry for more with the 2024 team and beyond."
Sarvela was credited with a quarterback hit while Herrera caught five passes for 32 yards and rushed once for three yards.
Sequoias trailed three times before taking the lead for good (31-28) with 3 minutes and 1 second left in the game when Clark Coleman (Vancouver. Wash.) connected with Nick Nelson (El Diamante High) for an 8-yard touchdown.
The Giants cut Sierra's lead to 28-24 earlier in the fourth quarter on a 26-yard field goal by Kurt Kawamoto (Honolulu, Hawaii).
Sierra marched from its 17-yard line to the Sequoias' 12 in the final 3 minutes, but Andrew Dennis' potential game-tying 29-yard field goal attempt was blocked by the Giants' Glen Mackey (Hanford High).
It was one of three blocked kicks in the game by Sequoias, one on a punt and two on placement kicks.
"The kicking game really stepped up," Burkett said. "We had an aggressive mentality."
In a see-saw affair, the Giants led 7-0 following a 1-yard touchdown run by Coleman in the first quarter, 14-13 on a 26-yard scoring pass from Coleman to Jaylen Laudermilk (Ashburn, Va.) late in the first quarter, and 21-20 after a 27-yard touchdown pass from Reilly Garcia (Gilbert, Ariz.) to Cam Hemzacek (Corvallis, Ore.) in the second quarter.
Coleman, who was named the game's Offensive MVP, completed 14 of 23 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing 10 times for 55 yards.
John Friend (Pearland, Texas) was named the game's overall MVP after rushing 116 yards on 27 carries.
"I couldn't be more thrilled for John Friend and Clark Coleman," Burkett said. "They played well and we won. If they don't play well, we don't win."
Defensively, Jaylon Brown (Chandler, Ariz.) led the Giants with five tackles, including a sack.
Sequoias now turns its attention toward moving players on to the four-year level and securing recruits for the 2024 season.
Burkett said he expects around 25 players will commit to four-year universities.
Among the first to do so is tight end James Adams (South Lake Tahoe), who will be attending Kansas Wesleyan.
Several other Giants -- including linebacker Cole Dias (Kingsburg), linebacker Fagali'i Leatutufu (Wahiawa, Hawaii), tight end Chris Camy (El Diamante), linebacker Caleb Chennault (Hanford), offensive lineman Jakon Guzman (Corcoran), defensive back My'Quel Johnson (Las Vegas), defensive lineman Michael Powell (Clarksville, Ark.), offensive lineman Willie Asalele (Leone, American Samoa), linebacker Kelton Law (Winter Garden, Fla.), defensive back Jah'mere La'sane (Las Vegas), Sarvela, Coleman, Friend, Herrera and Brown -- have announced official offers on their X (formerly Twitter) accounts.
Sequoias placed eight players on the All-Valley Conference team, including first-team selections defensive back Xavier Hailey (Tulare Union), receiver AJ Dixson (Vancouver, Wash.), offensive lineman Karson Seamon (Los Molinos), Sarvela, Herrera and Powell, and honorable mentions Chennault and Camy.
Hailey had 41 tackles and seven pass breakups on the season.
Dixson caught 25 passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns.
Seamon helped pave the way for an offense that averaged 345 yards per game, including 147 on the ground.
Powell made 26 tackles, including two sacks.
Chennault had a team-leading 60 tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Camy caught 12 passes for 104 yards and a score.
