Phillip Tran came out of nowhere in 2014 to lead Fremont to wins in its first nine games and an overall 9-2 record.

The sophomore quarterback completed 133 of 225 passes for 2,035 yards. Tran (6-2, 200) had 23 touchdown passes and just two interceptions and had a quarterback rating of 119.4. He completed 59 percent of his passes and had a quarterback rating of 185.

Said Fremont coach Jake Messina to Prep2Prep during the Firebirds' remarkable 2014 season: “Phil is special because his mood never fluctuates. He brings a cerebral approach to the game. That attitude is derived from a set of highly supportive parents, his work with (quarterback coach) Adam Tafralis, and especially from his unique relationship with our offensive coordinator Nelson Gifford. They operate as peers on the field. It is a sight to see.”

In a 41-7 win against Mountain View, Tran completed 17 of 23 passes for 315 yards and three TDs. His QB rating for that game was 155.3.

Against Wilcox in a stunning 35-19 win, he completed 17 of 24 for 216 yards and five TDs with a 138.2 rating.

Tran, in doing so, led Fremont (2-8 in 2013) to an SCVAL-El Camino tri-title in 2014 and a playoff berth. For his efforts, he is the Prep2Prep CCS Sophomore of the Year.

Like Oak Grove, Mt. Pleasant underwent a resurgence in 2014, improving from a 3-7 record in 2013 to 9-2 this past season. The Cardinals lost just one game in league, finishing second to Branham in the BVAL-West Valley Division.

Freshman receiver/defensive back D'Angelo McKenzie was a big reason for the Cardinals' success -- his impact so big physically and emotionally for Mt. Pleasant that he was made one of the team's captains.

Defensively, McKenzie intercepted eight passes, had 127 tackles (11.5 per game) and caused three fumbles.

On offense, McKenzie caught 11 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing six times for 70 yards and another score.

In a 57-20 win against Harker, McKenzie scored on a 68-yard kickoff return. He also had an interception that he returned 36 yards for a touchdown.

MaxPreps picked McKenzie to its freshman All-America team. For his efforts, he is also the Prep2Prep CCS Freshman of the Year.

The King's Academy took a step up last season, improving from a 5-5 record in 2013 to 9-2 last season and a first-place finish in the PAL-Lake.

One big reason why was freshman running back and kick returner Maurice Washington.

In nine games - he missed two because of injury - Washington rushed 77 times for 757 yards and eight touchdowns. He also caught nine passes for 61 yards and one TD.

As a return man, Washington was a dynamo, returning eight kickoffs for 313 yards, a 39.1 average with one return of 99 yards. He also returned seven kicks for a total of 91 yards.

"He's a special talent," TKA athletic director Joe Maemone said. "He had two touchdowns against Terra Nova. He had one for 65 yards where he was cornered on the sideline and three guys were trying to tackle him and he juked all three guys and hurdled one who was on the ground and then he cut back and broke another tackle and made it all the way to the end zone. He's a great kid and a fabulous young man."

Said TKA coach Mike Johnson: "He's a competitive person with big dreams who works hard and loves football. That allows him to be the best he can be. He's a great talent with great vision and he's physical for a freshman who has never lifted weights. He's not afraid of contact. He has a bright future."

Washington can also play defensive back but TKA hasn't used him much on defense to save him for offense and special teams.

NOTE: We would like to thank our readers for all of the nominations you sent in for the season-ending CCS football awards. It is a daunting task to narrow down our selections to just the top few as we recognize there are lots of great players who make contributions on the football field that are not necessarily well-documented but mean a great deal to the success of their teams. We salute all of the players that have made this a wonderful season of CCS football.