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Posted: Jun 20, 2023

Several Owls Set to Continue Collegiate Playing Careers

Photos by Jacob Bramley
Photos by Jacob Bramley

Multiple Citrus College football players have already committed to play at the next level after helping the Fighting Owls grab a historic season last year, and eight more join the growing list. Arden Napier is headed to Rice University, Isaiah Loera will join Western Illinois, Darren Mercer committed to Northern Colorado, Alex Vasquez heads to Davenport University, Josh Stills is headed to Eastern New Mexico, Sean Elmore heads to Northern Illinois, and both Rayaan Shaw and Nathan Kneubuhler will play at South Dakota Mines. 

Napier, a freshman wide receiver, had a solid collegiate debut with three touchdowns on 24 receptions. He averaged 49.9 yards per game and 18.7 yards per catch. He scored his first – and longest – collegiate touchdown in a 50-14 win over Grossmont College. 

Loera, a sophomore defensive back, finished the year with 40 total tackles, including 30 solo efforts. He had five tackles for loss totaling nine yards and had two breakups. He came up big in the Owls' victory over West LA, scooping up a blocked field goal attempt from the Wildcats and taking off 100 yards the other way to score a touchdown. It led to Loera being named the SCFA Special Teams/All-Purpose Player of the Week.

Mercer, a sophomore defensive back, finished his second season with the Owls, totaling 28 career tackles for 38 yards. He also had four interceptions, 11 breakups, a block, and a fumble career in his career with Citrus.

Vazquez, a sophomore tight end, finished the year with four touchdowns on 15 receptions in 10 games to earn both all-conference and All-State Region IV first team honors. He averaged 10.9 yards a reception, with his longest carry for 30 yards, which helped the Owls win the American Division.

Stills, a sophomore defensive back, closed out a solid Citrus career where he had 41 tackles, totaling 64 yards. He also had two interceptions, five breakups and a sack in his two years with the Owls.  

Elmore, a sophomore wide receiver, had three receptions on the year, including one for 16 yards in a close 14-10 victory over Antelope Valley College.

Shaw, a sophomore offensive lineman, helped Citrus rank second in the State in passing touchdowns and averaged 35.8 points and 408.6 total offensive yards per game. He helped limit the Owl quarterbacks to 13 sacks on the year and picked up all-conference second-team offensive honors.

Kneubuhler, a freshman defensive tackle, had a solid collegiate debut with 20 tackles on the year – including 12 solo efforts – to also finish the year with all-conference and all-region honors. He assisted on a sack and had 1.5 tackles for loss, totaling 10 yards. Kneubuhler also had two fumble recoveries and one breakup on the year.