JDHS’ Jayden Johnson voted Utility Player of the Year by D1 football competitors

If there is something Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Jayden Johnson cannot do on a football field, it hasn’t been discovered yet.

The six-foot-two, 175-pound do-everything Huskies player was honored as the Division One Utility Player of the Year last week by coaches around the state, as well as being a First Team All-State selection at wide receiver.

“I was kind of surprised when I got first-team all-state receiver because I finished my class with only 250-something receiving yards,” Johnson said. “And if you compare that to the state, it’s not much. So I was pretty surprised with that.”

What isn’t surprising is why Johnson’s receiving numbers were lower than other first-team selections — he was too valuable and needed at other positions, which justifies the UPOTY honor.

“I also was not expecting that,” he said. “I kind of see now that I did quite a bit on the team, and it means a lot. You know, I put a lot of work in offseason. I had my older brother always pushing me. He’s now in college playing running back. So I think I feel like I had high standards going into this season, and I think I met my goals. I think I did pretty good this season.”

Johnson was the only player to receive all eight votes for receiver and utility player.

Juneau head coach Rich Sjoroos said, “The West Anchorage coach stood up and said, ‘Well the only thing I know —because there’s a really deep group of kids — is for sure that Jayden belongs on the first team.’ That was pretty special because there were some really great receivers on that list.”

Johnson noted some of the things people do not see.

“The offseason,” Johnson said. “It’s a lot of living in the gym, going to the field a lot. And I do track to help me with football, so that’s another thing people don’t see when I’m out in the field, is my speed comes from track and all the workouts during the offseason. I don’t have a super strict diet, but I make sure I’m eating the right foods. So I’m not going out to eat fast foods. I’m not going to eat all this greasy junk food, you know, I try and stay away from all that in season and yeah it’s not super strict, just making sure I’m eating right and staying hydrated and all that.”

In his downtime, Johnson said he likes to play basketball with his friends, and noted support from them and his mother, Angela Boyd, at games.

“It was great having my mom there every game,” he said. “She gets a little little crazy when she’s cheering in the games, but it means a lot that she went to every game and was there to support me.”

Johnson said the support of coaches and peers meant a lot.

“Um, you know, it feels great being a leader,” he said. “It means a lot because I was always used to having leaders on my team with that big senior class. This season was nice when you’re shaking hands at the end, and the coaches are saying you are a great player and all this, and it is rewarding knowing that I put enough work in to get recognized by other teams.”

When asked what advice he would give to young players Johnson said, “You have got to be coachable. You can be the best athlete, but you got to be able to be like, ‘Yes, coach, I understand this.’ You got to be able to learn every day and listen to your coaches and then get in the weight room because it definitely helps.”

Johnson said he has no regrets over his high school career.

“I think I just went out there and I played football the way I play and I left it all out there,” he said. “And now I’m just looking forward to the next chapter…I would like to continue to play football in college.”

Johnson has interest from Central Washington University and Fort Lewis College, where his brother Jamal plays.

“I could go play with my brother,” he said. “I think that would be awesome, but I have not made my mind up yet.”

Asked what he is going to miss most about high school football, Johnson said, “Definitely the coaches. I think we had the best coaches in the state. I’m gonna miss having a super-close team. We didn’t have a big roster. We had 23 varsity guys so we are all super close. We are like family, so I’m gonna miss that a lot.”

Sjoroos said the honor is remarkable because the votes also came from the teams he competed against all season.

“So the respect that he had in that room was pretty tremendous,” Sjoroos said. “Definitely a reflection of the great career he had and obviously the thorn in the side he was for all the teams we went up against. It definitely helps when other coaches in the room are speaking highly of your kids.”

Sjoroos noted that the Huskies struggled to get Johnson the ball at receiver, “So we ended up getting creative and moving him around…A lot of years, teams have that type of player that plays a lot of different roles. I mean, he was our leading receiver, leading rusher and was throwing the ball for touchdowns. He’s doing a lot of good things for us and I was just grateful that all the other coaches around the league felt the same way about him as I did.”

Juneau players joining Johnson as first-team selections included junior offensive lineman Ricky Tupou and senior punter Johnathyn Kestel.

“Ricky was the third-leading vote-getter,” Sjoroos said. “Which is really impressive, considering he’s a junior, and obviously there are a lot of good linemen in the state, especially in our conference. With the size of these kids we go up against, and just the sheer numbers, for him to be ranked that high was a good reflection of the season he had. Definitely glad he’s coming back….Johnathyn’s big thing was he just didn’t have a lot of runbacks. We punted a fair amount. It wasn’t like we punted a ton, but his punts got attention. He got some down inside the 10 a few times and not many runbacks. We did up the averages, and the average return was like three yards or something for the season. So he definitely was the consensus punter for our conference.”

Juneau players receiving second-team selection included senior defensive lineman Gunnar Tarver, senior inside linebacker Hayden Aube and senior outside linebacker Caleb Ziegenfuss.

“Gunnar had an awesome year for us,” Sjoroos said. “Defensive linemen was the one of the toughest groups to get votes because it was so deep…He didn’t join the program ’til his sophomore year and just really developed. And I know all our coaches are just super over the moon about Gunnar getting all-state at any level and just a testament to the hard work he put in and how much he developed throughout the season and his career. That was pretty neat to see him get the honor.”

Aube missed first-team selection by one vote.

“Man, he is in the top five in the state in tackles and, you know, it is just tough sometimes the way the votes go,” Sjoroos said. “We definitely think the world of him and what he did for our defense this year because our defense really was solid all year long. Maybe we had a couple of bad quarters throughout the season, but for the most part, I mean, they were playing phenomenal football down the stretch and especially in that playoff game and a lot of that centered around what he was doing in the middle of the field and in the range he had to be able to go from sideline to sideline. He even had some sacks and stuff. He made plays in the backfield and just had very good recognition. You could tell from his wrestling background he has got the tackling fundamentals down and didn’t shy away from contact. Second-team was tough because I really felt like he was deserving a little higher level than that. But at the same time everybody feels that way about their teams.”

Ziegenfuss spent time at quarterback before destroying opposing offenses full-time.

“Another one of our linebackers that’s going to be super hard to replace,” Sjoroos said. “He had a phenomenal career. He just played all over the place…even had him at safety some this year, trying to keep him in a spot to help anchor the defense and he did a great job. He was another one that was close to being in that first-team level, but the second-team all-state I am just happy for him, and the season and the career he had for us.”

JDHS suited up 29 players for their final games, bringing some up from junior varsity, and 22 will be returning, including the entire starting offensive line except graduating senior Merrick Hartman.

“So that foundation our graduating seniors built is there,” Sjoroos said. “I know we finished the year 3-and-6 on the scoreboard, but it just didn’t feel like that kind of season. We were so competitive in those games and just came up short. I know that those kids are super hungry to get going on next season and I think we’ll be right up near the top next year. I feel like as far as what’s returning on each team’s roster we rank right up there with anybody else in our conference. It’s just going to come down to what we can do in the offseason to get prepared, get everybody ready and give it a go.”

ALASKA ALL-STATE FOOTBALL AWARDS

DIVISION I

Offensive Player of the Year – Cayden Pili – Dimond QB

Defensive Player of the Year – Christian Faletoi – West Anchorage – ILB

Utility Player of the Year – Jayden Johnson – Juneau – WR/QB/DB/RB/KR

Offensive Lineman of the Year – James Luaao – DMD – C

Defensive Lineman of the Year – Lemarr Heanu-Williams – DMD – DL

Coach of the Year – Brian Yim – DMD.

Assistant Coach of the Year – Nick Middleton – DMD.

DI FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE: QB Pili – DMD; QB Cole Yarrington – South Anchorage; RB Zephaniah Sailele – WA; RB Makisi Poleo – Bartlett; FB Pusa Lilo – East Anchorage; TE Alex Borke – DMD; WR Brandon Young – EA; WR Ridge Spencer – Colony; WR Johnson – JNU; WR Landon Drumm – SA; OL Luaao – DMD; OL Sikahema Sanft – EA; OL Ricky Tupou – JNU; OL Deetroy Tuimavave – WA; OL Tristan Alenepi – DMD; DL Jermiah Seve – DMD; DL Eli Witworth – COL; DL Tristan Taamu – WA; DL Gabe Fisher – SA; DL George Lane – EA; DL Heanu-Williams – DMD; ILB Aaron Lotu-Muaava – EA; ILB PJ Levao – Service; ILB Faletoi – WA; ILB Josiah James – DMD; OLB Adonis Mamea – EA; OLB Isaiah Douyon – SA; DB Brandon Young – EA; DB Andre Jameson – Bartlett; DB Dylan Sanders – WA; DB Alex Borke – DMD; K Johnny Figgins – COL; P Jonathan Kestel – JNU; LS Brayden Vreeland – DMD.

DI SECOND TEAM: QB Jethro DeCastro – WA; RB Andre Jameson – BAR; RB Jayden Schmidlkofer – SER; WR Josiah James – DMD; WR Ariel Sanchez – WA; OL Pati Feagiai – EA; OL Kayzine Fonoti – WA; DL Abraham Tauanuu – DMD; DL Gunnar Tarver – JNU; DL Thomas Jones – SA; DL Johnny Le’a – EA; DL Leonidas Mata – WA; ILB Tinari Atisanoe-Harmon – EA; ILB Hayden Aube – JNU; ILB Ethan Yarrington – SA; ILB Makisi Poleo – BAR; OLB Pea Asailevai – DMD; OLB Caleb Ziegenfuss – JNU; DB Talon Copeland – WA; DB Cassidy Phillip – SER; DB Murad Wright – EA; DB Caleb Cooke – DMD.

DIVISION II

Offensive Player of the Year – Oschaun Easaw – Lathrop – RB.

Defensive Player of the Year – Wyatt Faircloth – Soldotna – LB.

Utility Player of the Year – Andon Wolverton – SOL – RB/LB/KR.

Lineman of the Year – Kenai Lepule – SOL – OL/DL.

Coach of the Year – Michael Hollett – North Pole.

Assistant Coach of the Year – Claudious Jones – LTH.

DII FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE: QB Braiden Martin – NP; RB Easaw – LTH; RB Faircloth – SOL; RB And on Wolverton – SOL; WR Wilson Lawson – LTH; WR Landon Ritter – NP; WR Reed Craner – Palmer; TE Luke Skinner – LTH; FB Nolan Farr – Eagle River; T Wayne Snowden – LTH; T Lepule – SOL; G Tyler Griffen – ER; Theo Huff – SOL; C Caiden Olson – NP; DL Snowden – LTH; DL Lepule – SOL; DL Elijah Lee – SOL; DL Luke Miller – SOL; DL Ben Dobkins – LTH; ILB Faircloth – SOL; ILB Griffen – ER; ILB Jimmy Runnels – NP; UP – Geronimo Talo – LTH; K Landon Bobo – Chugiak; P William Russell III – NP; KR Conrad Lassey – West Valley; LS AJ Melvin – NP.

DII Second Team: QB Nolan Garner – PAL; RB Garrett Bird – ER; WR KJ Henry – PAL; TE Trevor Michael – SOL; FB Jaykob Kemp – SOL; T Jaxon Orrison-Edwin – LTH; T Evan Doyle – WV; G Hayden Lewellyn – NP; G Koda Lepule – SOL; C Wes Watts – WV; DL Elijah Ortega – CHG; DL Brayden Ott – ER; DL Olson – NP; ILB Tim Greenwood – LTH; ILB Braeden Smith NP; ILB Ziare Stebbins WV; OLB Farr – ER; OLB Corbin Gerkin – PAL; DB Michael Roschi – ER; DB Ritter – NP; DB Henry – PAL; DB Halen Neild – WV; UP Greyson DeVaughn – WV; K Luke Hillyer – SOL; P Nolan Beaty – ER; RS Matthew Schilling – SOL; LS Lilly Davidge – LTH.

DIVISION III

Offensive Player of the Year – Christian Ingraham – Redington.

Defensive Player of the Year – Jackson Snaric – Homer.

Lineman of the Year – Donovan Milstead – HMR.

Utility Player of the Year – CJ Burns – HMR.

Coach of the Year – Justin Bank – HMR.

Assistant Coach of the Year – Wade Schirack – RED.

DIII FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE: QB Ingraham – RED; RB Kennedy Elavgak – Barrow; RB Bobby Hayes – Kenai; FB Gabby Ortilla – BAR; TE Michael Barr – BAR; WR Justus Grimes – HMR; WR Kaedon Saxton – RED; T Justus Spaulding – RED; T Norman Lillomaiava – BAR; G Rohan Hansen – KEN; G Zach Martel – RED; C Brewster Fields – BAR; DL Milstead – HMR; DL Fields – BAR; DL Lillomaiava – BAR; DL Hansen – KEN; OLB Hayes – KEN; OLB Elavgak – BAR; ILB Sioleli Tuifua – BAR; ILB Gage Hawes – Houston; DB Snaric – HMR; DB Jake Murdock – RED; DB Eric Librado – BAR; K Sawyer Vann – KEN; P Vann – KEN; KR Kenai Espinda-Fuaoa – RED; LS Hayes – KEN.

• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.