By Lori Landino
Aptos High School varsity running back Marcos Reyes was named the Prep2Prep CCS Senior Football Player of the Year. The Mariners’ star athlete was selected out of 150 high schools and thousands of high school football players at an event late in January.
Reyes finishes his football career as the school’s leading rusher and scorer in school history, and also helped Aptos win the CCS Division-3 Football Championship and reach the CIF Nor-Cal title game, the first time any Santa Cruz County football team has done so.
“In 44 years of coaching, he’s is one of the top players I’ve ever had,” said head football coach Randy Blankenship. “I’ve had some backs that were really good, and I’ve had really good linebackers. He did both and came onto to the field, calm, relaxed, and doesn’t waste energy on being nervous.”
Reyes, who wore No. 6 in his career at Aptos, is listed at 5’9” and 190 lbs on MaxPreps. Playing from 2015 thru 1028, he broke school records in season and career touchdowns, points scored and rushing (3,683 career yards), breaking Mike Allshouse’s previous record by over 1500 yards.
“Marcos represents everything good about high school sports,” said Athletic Director and offensive line coach Mark Dorfman. “He’s an amazing athlete, an amazing student, and an amazing individual. We’d love to take credit for it, but it starts at home.”
Reyes, who plans to pursue a Business Degree in college, is humble about his accomplishments, which includes maintaining a 4.0 GPA. When asked, he said he just wanted to be remembered as a good person, and hoped to be remain happy.
“This award is for football, which he richly deserves,” Dorfman said. “He’s being honored as the best football player in the entire CCS, but he is just as remarkable in all his other endeavors. And Marcos has earned everything … he is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever coached. We are very proud of him.”
Blankenship echoed those sentiments: “[Reyes is] always a gentleman, a good person, and respected by his teammates.”
The Mariners finished the season 11-3 Overall, and 5-2 in the PCAL.
For more information: https://aptosathletics.org