As the end of the fall sports season nears at colleges across the nation, awards are beginning to pour in, with several local athletes being honored this week. Many regional football standouts are also playing major roles as the postseason gets underway.
Roy-Williams dominates postseason honors
Just up the highway at Modesto Junior College, Shaylan Roy-Williams solidified herself as one of the best soccer players in the regional and national juco circuit. A sophomore forward who graduated from Turlock High in 2024, Roy-Williams was named as the Big 8 Conference Attacking Most Valuable Player and a United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division III All-American.
Roy-Williams lit up the scoreboard throughout the year for the 6-14-1 Pirates, contributing 56 points as she scattered a whopping 24 goals and eight assists across 21 appearances. Five of her goals were game-winners. Ten of her goals and three of her assists came against conference opponents.
Patterson one of nation’s best linemen
Over in the NAIA football scene, another THS graduate, Ashton Patterson, received national honors. A four-year standout in the trenches for the College of Idaho, Patterson was voted the Frontier West Offensive Lineman of the Year and named to the 2025 AFCA NAIA Coaches' All-America First Team, highlighted by his consistent play protecting the Yotes' quarterbacks and opening holes for the College of Idaho rushing attack.
Patterson, a guard, has appeared in all 12 games for the 11-1 ‘Yotes, who have racked up 2,667 rushing yards and 2,235 passing yards. College of Idaho travels east this weekend for its second NAIA Football Championship Series Semifinal appearance in three seasons, facing undefeated Keiser on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 10 a.m. PT in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Johnson, Montana set for FCS quarterfinals
Everett Johnson and the No. 3 University of Montana are in the midst of a dream season, set to suit up Saturday against No. 11 South Dakota in the quarterfinal round of the FCS playoffs for only the 16th time in program history. This weekend’s appearance comes after the Griz defeated No. 14 South Dakota State by a 50-29 score in the opening round.
Johnson, a senior in his second season with the Griz following a transfer from Cal, has been the middle of one of the best seasons in Griz history, appearing in all but three games as he dealt with a leg injury midway through the season as the team has achieved a 12-1 record. In his nine games at right tackle, the Griz have put up 1,844 yards on the ground and another 2,824 through the air.
A win this week would send UM to the semifinal for the 12th time in program history. Kickoff is set for 12:30 PT on Saturday, Dec. 13. From Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula.
National recognitions continue pouring in for Warriors
Stanislaus State men's soccer capped its historic 2025 season with five Warriors earning United Soccer Coaches All-America honorees in Ian Reis, Gerardo Flores, Angel Ruiz-Hernandez, Samuel Villanueva, and Emmanuel Duran, as well head coach John Powell and assistant coaches Eduardo Flores, Desmond Madrigal and Casey Clark being named West Region Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
The five selections are tied for Fort Hays State for the most All-Americans in the nation and further highlighted a record-setting year in which the Warriors finished 17–2–1 — the most wins in program history — won the CCAA Tournament championship, reached the NCAA Third Round for the first time and spent two weeks ranked No. 1 nationally. All five All-Americans were also United Soccer Coaches First Team All-West Region selections and First Team All-CCAA honorees, underscoring the team's dominance throughout the season.
Stout, McDaniel wrap up first D-1 seasons
Pitman High’s Joey Stout and Hughson High’s Robert McDaniel each wrapped up their first seasons in Division I football two weeks ago.
Stout, a junior in his first season after transferring from Modesto Junior College, appeared in 10 of 12 games for Northern Arizona University, where he totaled 224 yards on 24 receptions, as well as 17 rushing yards. The Lumberjacks finished the year with a 7-5 record.
Over in Silicon Valley, McDaniel appeared in three games for San Jose State. Despite a late offseason transfer as a true freshman, McDaniel still managed to earn his spot as third in line on the depth chart at the quarterback position. With injuries to starter Walker Eget and backup Tama Amisone over the final three games, the former four-star recruit per Rivals led four drives and completed three passes for 19 yards.
Tip of the cap to Frias II
Like the Spartans and the Lumberjacks, UCLA was ineligible for any postseason contests with its 3-9 record.
Amid dysfunction within the athletics department and around the football program’s coaching staff, former Turlock High and Modesto Junior College standout Anthony Frias II kept his head down and continued to work, despite an inconsistent workload on gamedays.
In his second season with the Bruins as a redshirt senior, Frias played in all 12 games and finished with 183 rushing yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, 78 yards and a score on 13 receptions and 179 return yards on 10 chances. He was also a lead blocker for others in the running back room.
Frias had 230 rushing yards and 96 receiving yards over 23 games as a Bruin.
In limited opportunities in both years since transferring from Kansas State, Frias never faltered in his willingness to hustle on the field, sacrifice for his teammates, fulfill media obligations for his team, and make every opportunity count, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. From posing as a youngster in front of Rose Bowl Stadium with dreams of playing at the iconic venue to making that dream a reality with hard work, dedication and certainly patience, take this as a tip of the cap to a model student-athlete and hometown favorite.
