SPECIAL AWARD winners for Benicia High’s varsity football team included (front row from left) Justin Badger, John Weir, Tristan Batten, Riley Pitkin, Isaiah Mora, Blake Pederson; (back row) Tom Maday, Jason Toumbs, Weston Carr, Steven Roher, Alex Osterholt and Jason Shelley.

Benicia High’s football program honored its top players with a special awards night Monday in the school’s Student Center.

Senior Weston Carr took home the varsity’s Most Valuable Player award after leading the Panthers to a 7-5 overall record and a berth in the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. Carr caught a team-best 45 passes for 861 yards and nine touchdowns and was an All-Solano County Athletic Conference First Team receiver. He also was a starting safety for a defense that posted two shutouts.

“Over the last two years, this young man has made some truly remarkable plays for us in big situations,” said Benicia varsity head coach Craig Holden. “He has played many different positions on the football field and performed at a high level in all of them. Whether he was making a devastating tackle from the safety position, an interception, an amazing catch and run from the wide receiver position, or carrying the ball on a fly sweep, he was asked to do a lot of things this year and performed those tasks to the delight of many.”

Senior Tristan Batten – who led the Panthers with 901 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns – was named the Most Valuable Offensive Player. Senior Tom Maday was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player for a second straight year.

Senior center Steven Rohrer was named the Offensive Lineman of the Year while fellow senior Jason Toumbs won Defensive Lineman of the Year. Toumbs was also selected to represent Solano County as an Outstanding Scholar Athlete for the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. Toumbs will be honored at a banquet in San Francisco and receive a $1,000 scholarship for his academic success, athletic achievement and community service.

In other varsity football awards, T.J. Casey won the Special Teams Player of the Year award and junior Alex Osterholt was named the Breakout Player of the Year. Senior Isaiah Mora won the Most Inspirational “Panther” Award. Mora injured his knee in the Homecoming Game against Vallejo.

“This young man was a leader on and off the field and was a key reason we were able to accomplish the things we did,” Holden said. “He plays the game of football at a high level, and even battling through injuries continued to show a level of dedication to the team that was unmatched. He is one of the hardest working student-athletes that I have ever seen.”

Coaches Awards went to John Weir, Justin Badger, Blake Pederson, Jason Shelley and quarterback Riley Pitkin. The “Panther” award rewards players that displayed toughness on the field, a willingness to do whatever they were asked on the field and a desire to get the task accomplished and embody what it takes to be a Panther football player.

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