Frontiera's poise, production lead Twelve Bridges to another perfect regular season

Connor Frontiera quickly answered any questions Twelve Bridges High School football fans had about the quarterback position last fall. The senior threw three touchdown passes in his first varsity start, setting the tone for a monstrous season. With poise beyond his years and command of the offense from the opening snap of the season to its final whistle, Frontiera was the maestro of an offense that led the Raging Rhinos to a third consecutive 10-0 regular season and league title. Game after game, he delivered in big moments, elevating everyone around him and turning Twelve Bridges into a program opponents had to game-plan for. For his leadership, consistency and ability to rise when it mattered most, Frontiera is the Gold Mountain California News Media Small School Player of the Year. Frontiera led one of the most explosive offenses in the Sac-Joaquin Section, as the Rhinos averaged 49 points per game. He helped Twelve Bridges overcome a series of slow starts, battling back from early deficits to lead his team to victory. Despite his consistent success, the Rhinos were upset in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV semifinals by Manteca-East Union, finishing their season 11-1. Frontiera left it all on the field in his final game, passing for 300 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 46 yards and a score. He also connected on 7 of 8 extra points, with his only miss coming on a bobbled snap. After the final whistle, Frontiera shared a quiet moment with Twelve Bridges coach Chris Bean, who made a point to pull his quarterback aside and thank him for the work, patience and commitment he showed to the program over the course of his career. "I just told him how much I loved him. Talk about a kid that lives, breathes, eats football and did it the right way," Bean said after the game. "He could have left somewhere. He's a talented kid. He could have tried to go start somewhere as a junior, but he waited his turn and he did it the right way. Kids don't want to do that anymore. Talk about loyalty and talk about a kid that understands that this is the bigger picture, and to go out and ball out the way he did. He singlehandedly kept us in this football game by making throw after throw after throw." Bean had high expectations for Frontiera before the season even began and said it was his resilience and willingness to learn from the quarterbacks ahead of him as an underclassman that forged him into the player he became. "We ask a lot of our quarterbacks and Connor has handled it," Bean said before the season. "He's giving the line commands in protection, he's running the play action. What we ask of our quarterbacks is pretty heavy, but that's also what allows that buy-in. They don't have a choice. If you're going to play quarterback here, you have to buy all the way in or you're going to be embarrassed on a Friday night." That level of accountability didn't happen overnight. Bean said Frontiera's mindset a season ago, even while serving in a limited role, laid the groundwork for his emergence as the starter and positioned him to take a significant step forward last fall. "I loved Connor's approach last year. He told us at our team camp that you never know when it's your time so he prepared as if he was going to be the starting quarterback every single game," said Bean. "I think that's allowed him, even though he got limited reps last year, to be ready to rock and roll this year." Frontiera lived up to Bean's expectations, finishing the season with 2,946 yards passing and 29 touchdowns against just three interceptions. He rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns and was 58 for 61 on point-after attempts. Frontiera was fifth in the section in yards passing and 48th in the state. The numbers tell part of the story, but it was Frontiera's command, competitiveness and loyalty that defined his senior season. As his career at Twelve Bridges ends, his impact will linger well beyond the record books, as he set the standard for what it means to lead the Raging Rhinos and cementing his place as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the history of the young program. Editor's note: For the purposes of this award, "small school" refers to programs competing in CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Divisions IV and below. All-Gold Mountain California News Media Small School Football Team Player of the Year: Connor Frontiera, Twelve Bridges Coach of the Year: Adam Reinking, Roseville OFFENSE Quarterbacks: Connor Frontiera, Twelve Bridges Adam Amatangelo, Colfax Mason Susnara, Roseville Connor Tinker, Valley Christian (8-man) Running backs: Vincent Navarro, Foresthill (8-man) Danny Sanchez-Harlow, Placer Chase Whylidko, Twelve Bridges Wide receivers: Brady Stowers, Colfax Ocean Munoz, Oakmont Oreste "JJ" Yong, Roseville Will Gant, Twelve Bridges Riley Garcia, Valley Christian (8-man) Tight ends: Jeremiah Rethi, Placer Gavin Harder, Oakmont Offensive line: Colton Hogge, Twelve Bridges Tyler Cuadra, Oakmont Trevor Kirby, Roseville Gage Esty, Placer Kadin Baldridge, Lincoln Kristian Alvarez, Lincoln Jason Kinney, Bear River DEFENSE Defensive line: Cordae Johnson, Twelve Bridges Davin Markle, Twelve Bridges Alden Barnhard, Oakmont Liam Arnoult, Roseville Harold Neufville, Roseville Caleb Anderson, Foresthill (8-man) Abram Robenolt, Foresthill (8-man) Linebackers: Bradley Kirby, Twelve Bridges Colton Wolfe, Roseville Jesiah Aday, Placer Devin Davis, Lincoln Mateo Martinez, Roseville Defensive backs: Justin Fischer, Roseville Matthew Marquez, Twelve Bridges Marcus Stacy, Lincoln Malachi Alexander, Oakmont Alex Lopez, Placer Dylan Gates, Roseville Special teams: Diego Rosel, Placer Austin Chang, Roseville Utility Josh Chittom, Twelve Bridges Dylan Amos, Twelve Bridges Brock Galer, Lincoln Dylan Knell, Lincoln Josiah Rubidoux, Colfax Sean Kinney, Bear River Jack Walker, Roseville Keilin Beverage, Placer