Prep football: San Marin quarterback selected as IJ’s Player of the Year

The second season of the four-tiered Redwood Empire Conference saw a Marin player claim the league’s top honor — the Adobe Player of the Year — for the first time.

San Marin quarterback Daniel Rolovich was picked as the league’s top player by the coaches and the IJ is following suit, naming him our Player of the Year as well.

Several other Marin players received other honors from the league with several being named to the First or Second Team across the three divisions that local teams competed in during the 2025 season.

Outside of the Redwood Empire Conference, Tomales and Branson both produced North Central League Offensive Co-MVPs and another Novato signal caller was named the West Catholic Athletic League’s Quarterback of the Year.

IJ/Adobe Player of the Year, San Marin’s Daniel Rolovich

Rolovich put together a big season as a dual-threat quarterback to help the Mustangs go 8-3 and make the North Coast Section Open/Division I playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Rolovich completed 65% of his passes for 1,930 yards and 18 touchdowns, adding 731 yards and 10 more touchdowns as a runner. Rolovich’s most prolific stretch came as he totaled 10 touchdowns in back-to-back games – a 45-3 victory against Casa Grande and a 42-14 win against Ukiah.

Rolovich helped the Mustangs finish as the No. 6-ranked team in the NCS. San Marin took No. 3 seed Cardinal Newman into double overtime in the Open playoffs, eventually falling 21-14.

IJ’s Adobe standouts

San Marin placed a number of players on the all-league teams this season. Linebacker Daniel Gilmore was picked as the league’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year along with Cardinal Newman’s Kordell Strane. The Mustangs also got key contributions from a pair of other first-team defenders in cornerback Ryan Houlahan and linebacker Luke Saysette.

Lineman Jackson Young had a strong season on both sides of the ball, making the first team on offense and the second team on defense.

Marin Catholic also had some standouts on both sides of the ball as the Wildcats finished second in the Adobe league and were the No. 5 seed in the Open/D-I playoffs. Co-captains Jarred Geissberger and Vince Tarantino led the way with Geissberger making the first team offense at running back while Tarantino was named the league’s Lineman of the Year.

Geissberger authored two of the defining moments this season for MC, returning a kickoff just before halftime to help MC defeat San Marin in the school’s historic first night game under the lights. Geissberger was hampered by an ankle injury late in the season and hadn’t played a snap in a late-season game against Windsor. MC trailed by seven points late but scored a touchdown on the game’s final play. Coach Mazi Moayed opted to go for two and the win and turned to Geissberger for the game-winning conversion in a 28-27 victory.

MC sophomore quarterback Dylan Skrinar was named to the all-league first team after throwing for 2,014 yards with 17 touchdowns against five interceptions in the regular season. Skrinar’s best game came against Windsor as he threw for 329 yards and four touchdowns.

IJ’s Valley standouts

Redwood’s Dylan McGrath established himself as one of the top two-way players in the league as the only one to earn first-team nods on offense and defense – at receiver and cornerback, respectively.

Redwood’s defense was stout, notably early in the season as the offense struggled to find its rhythm. McGrath was joined on the first team by linebacker Ben Vaughn and lineman Wes Fitzpatrick.

Tam was led by Timo Ural and Cole Kramlich, a pair of first-team pass catchers on offense. Kramlich, a tight end, led the team in receiving yards with 708 while Ural led the way in catches (46) and receiving touchdowns (9). Kramlich was also named to the second team defense as a lineman.

Tam kicker/punter David Keane was named the league’s Specialist of the Year.

IJ’s Mountain standouts

San Rafael, fueled by a high-octane offense, turned in its best season with a second-place finish. Quarterback Lachlan Royston threw for 2,802 yards with 36 touchdowns against seven interceptions en route to being named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year.

Royston had plenty of help from his pass catchers. Will Healy led the team in catches (58), yards (806), and touchdowns (16). Royston and Healy combined in a game for the ages against Terra Linda as Royston threw for 433 yards and five touchdowns while Healy had seven catches for 201 yards and four scores.

Both Healy and Jameson Fondnazio (652 yards, 12 TDs) were named to the second team as wide receivers. Fondnazio also made the first team defense in the secondary. Carlos Gomez was also honored as the league’s Lineman of the Year.

Only one player – Novato RB/LB Gio Castaing – was named first team on offense and defense. Castaing ran for 904 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Hornets, adding 247 yards and five more touchdowns as a receiver.

Archie Williams won seven games this past season, making the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Quarterback Ronan Foley (second team), receiver Ates Hurd (first team), lineman Jackson Gaunt (first team offense), and RB/LB Mani Mosher (second team offense and defense) were among the standouts.

TL was led by Santi Frias, a first-team defensive selection at cornerback for the second consecutive year. Receiver DeMaree Byrd and defensive lineman Arturo Gomez were also first-team selections.

Other standouts

Two other quarterbacks with San Marin Youth Football ties had terrific seasons as seniors in 2025.

Novato’s Gabe Casanovas threw for 1,689 yards with 21 touchdowns against seven interceptions for St. Vincent de Paul in Petaluma. Casanovas also ran for 651 yards and nine more touchdowns to help the Mustangs finish in a three-way tie for first at 4-1 the Redwood Empire Bay League with Ukiah and Maria Carrillo. Casanovas threw for 238 yards and six touchdowns in a 71-33 win against Arcata.

St. Vincent made it to three consecutive section finals in Casanovas’ three years as a starter – winning in 2023 and 2024. The Mustangs also went on to win state titles both of those seasons.

Novato’s Michael Sargent went on to play for Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep in San Francisco. Sargent threw for 2,012 yards with 22 touchdowns against six interceptions en route to being named the West Catholic Athletic League’s Quarterback of the Year.

Sargent threw four touchdowns in three different games and had 361 passing yards in a 63-27 playoff win against Santa Teresa. Sacred Heart Cathedral made it to the Central Coast Section D-II title game, falling 24-21 against St. Ignatius.

Tomales submitted its best season in a number of years, finishing in first place in the North Central League III and making it to the NCS 8-Person D-I playoffs as the No. 3 seed. Running back Ivan Gonzalez, the NCL III Offensive Co-MVP, led the way with 1,007 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.

Branson also made it to the NCS 8-Person D-I playoffs as the No. 4 seed, led by quarterback Colby Buxton, the NCL II Offensive Co-MVP. Buxton threw for 1,620 yards and 31 touchdowns, adding 748 yards and 14 more scores as a runner.

Receivers Spencer Weinberg (883 yards, 13 TDs) and Treyvor Mathews (493 yards, 13 TDs) also had big seasons.