Santa Ynez’s Travis Porter catches a pass just short of the goal line while under pressure from Santa Maria’s Joel Enriquez during a 2010 game in Santa Ynez.
Hancock College running back Joel Enriquez dives in the end zone to score a touchdown in a game against against Cerritos College in 2013. Enriquez was a 1,000-yard rusher at Santa Maria who took over the running game at Hancock after future NFL running back Cameron Artis-Payne.
Santa Maria running back Joel Enriquez carries the ball during the team’s 33-27 overtime win against Nipomo in 2010.
During the 2013 football season at Hancock College, the Bulldogs needed somebody to take over the rushing attack that topped 3,000 yards in the year prior.
The Bulldogs had a huge void to fill after Cameron Artis-Payne, a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania native, rushed for 2,000 yards and 25 touchdowns all on his own. Artis-Payne signed with Auburn University after two seasons with the Bulldogs.
So who would coach Kris Dutra find to fill that hole left after Artis-Payne went on to play in the SEC? None other than Santa Maria High grad Joel Enriquez.
Enriquez wasn't a stranger to picking up rushing yards, though he was 5-foot-9 and 179 pounds, a stark contrast from the 5-10, 220 pound Artis-Payne. Make no mistakes about it, Enriquez was quite an athlete himself.
At Santa Maria High, he topped the 1,000-yard mark in his senior season, rushing for 1,071 yards on 195 carries with 11 touchdowns. He also had two 80-plus yard touchdown receptions and two long kick return TDs.
So how did Enriquez do filling those big shoes left by Artis-Payne? Just fine. In the 2013 season, Enriquez led the Hancock rushing attack with 751 yards and four touchdowns in just eight games. Enriquez averaged over 93 yards per game that season, nearly doubling up the No. 2 rusher on the team.
Artis-Payne went on to a productive career at Auburn, where he played in the the BCS national title game and was eventually drafted by the NFL's Carolina Panthers. He played four seasons with the Panthers, making it to the Super Bowl after the 2015 season.
Though there was serious contrast between Enriquez and Artis-Payne, those who saw Enriquez play at Santa Maria High weren't surprised to see him excel at Hancock.
Mike Regan was Enriquez's head coach with the Saints. Enriquez was a key player during his days at Santa Maria High, joined by Terrell and Mershad Dillon, who would also play at Hancock. (Mershad Dillon went on to play at Texas State).
"Joel Enriquez was a player I was privileged to coach," Regan says. "Joel would do whatever was needed for the team. He put in the work to be the best he could be and played every play as if the game was on the line, regardless of the score."
When the Santa Maria Times conducted its Player of the Decade contest for high school football last summer, this newspaper received several letters from readers asking if 8-man football players would be included. What do you think?
Regan said, "As a coach, I wish every player had that inner will to compete. He was a team leader for that Saint team. I'll always remember Joel scoring the winning touchdown vs. Nipomo in the overtime game. That was also the first Los Padres League win for me as a head coach and for the Saints since 2005.
"He ran that ball into the end zone with his hand raised in the air signaling that we won."
Regan also noted the 200-yard game vs. Pioneer Valley and when Enriquez took a screen pass from quarterback David Wilkerson 80 yards for a touchdown to break a shutout attempt against Lompoc.
"That's what you call heart," Regan said of the play. "That young man led his teammates by his strong will to give his all."
Enriquez added two receiving touchdowns and two kickoff return touchdowns during his senior season. He had 461 total return yards and was named the team MVP and earned All-LPL honors. He, the Dillon brothers and Cameron Glasgow were also the LPL 4x100 relay champions three years in a row.
Enriquez's career at Santa Maria is being highlighted as part of "The Other Guys" series, which aims to feature standout football players who narrowly missed out on a Player of the Decade nomination or were overlooked during their prep careers. Submissions for athletes to be featured as part of the series can be sent to the author.
GALLERY: Cameron Artis-Payne's journey to Super Bowl 50
From Hancock to Super Bowl 50: Cameron Artis-Payne and the Carolina Panthers play in the Super Bowl Sunday. He came to Hancock in 2011, turned into a running back star in two years then transferred to Auburn, where he turned in two more productive seasons. He was then selected by Carolina in the 2015 NFL draft in the fifth round.He's now playing in the Super Bowl.
Former Allan Hancock running back Cameron Artis-Payne, seen here against
Ventura last October, officially signed to play with Auburn Wednesday.
Former Hancock running back Cameron Artis-Payne, carrying the ball for the Bulldogs during a Nov. 3, 2012 game against Bakersfield, was chosen by the Carolina Panthers with the 174th overall pick.
Former Hancock standout Cameron Artis-Payne (44) carries the ball during a Sept. 6 game against San Jose State in Auburn, Ala. On Monday, Artis-Payne was named to the All SEC first team and also chosen to play in the Senior Bowl.
Allan Hancock College dance coordinator Diane McMahon was one of several well-wishers as Bulldog running back Cameron Artis-Payne, above and below, declared his commitment to play football for the Auburn University Tigers at a news conference Thursday.
Former Hancock College star Cameron Artis-Payne runs with the ball during rookie minicamp with the Carolina Panthers on May at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Hancock College running back Cameron Artis-Payne announced his decision to attend Auburn University on a full-ride football scholarship Thursday.
In his two years at Hancock, Cameron Artis-Payne rushed for a school record 3,412 yards and 43 touchdowns before transferring to Auburn. Artis-Payne led the Southeastern Conference in rushing last year and was drafted by Carolina in the fifth round this past May.
Carolina Panthers running back Cameron Artis-Payne (34) runs against Miami during an NFL preseason game in Charlotte, N.C. on Aug. 22. The Hancock grad has a chance to produce for the Panthers after teammate Jonathan Stewart has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the New York Giants with a foot injury.
Hancock grad Cameron Artis-Payne runs for the Panthers during Sunday's game against the New York Giantsin East Rutherford, N.J. Artis-Payne's journey to the NFL is the No. 9 story of 2015.
Hancock grad Cameron Artis-Payne runs for the Panthers during Sunday's game against the New York Giantsin East Rutherford, N.J. Artis-Payne's journey to the NFL is the No. 9 story of 2015.
Hancock grad Cameron Artis-Payne runs for the Panthers during Sunday's game against the New York Giantsin East Rutherford, N.J.
Carolina Panthers' Cameron Artis-Payne (34) follows his blockers as he turns the corner against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016. The Panthers won 38-10. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)
Members of the Maez family and Greg Artis-Payne pose with Carolina Panthers rookie and Hancock grad Cameron Artis-Payne after getting their tickets to the Super Bowl Saturday night. From right to left are, Anthony Maez, his son Anthony Maez, Cameron Artis-Payne, Greg Artis-Payne, Andrew Maez and Anthony's stepson, Anthony.
Carolina Panthers running back Cameron Artis-Payne (34) celebrates his first career NFL touchdown with teammate Mike Tolbert (35) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during a game in Charlotte, N.C. on Jan. 3.
Carolina rookie Cameron Artis-Payne, seen on the sidelines during the first half of a divisional playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks on Jan. 17, has gone from playing for Hancock to playing in the Super Bowl in about three years. The Panthers play the
Broncos in Super Bowl 50 today at 3:30 p.m.
Carolina Panthers running back Cameron Artis-Payne (34) prepares to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before their game in Charlotte, N.C. on Jan. 3. Artis-Payne, the former Hancock star, plays in Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos Sunday.
Alan Hancock running back Cameron Artis-Payne holds off Ventura’s Lakeith Murray as he runs with the ball during Saturday’s 29-28 win for
Ventura. In the photo below, Ventura’s Tim Vizzi runs the ball as Hancock’s Bennie Garrett holds him back on Saturday night at Righetti High.
Hancock running back Cameron Artis-Payne runs the ball Saturday during the 56-11 win against Los Angeles Harbor in the Western State Bowl .
Former Hancock running back Cameron Artis-Payne, seen as he carries the ball for the Bulldogs during the Western State Bowl on Nov. 19, 2011, was chosen by the Carolina Panthers with the 174th overall pick.
Allan Hancock College running back Cameron Artis-Payne is in the midst of a stellar sophomore season that has him receiving scholarship
offers from several Division I schools. He gained 239 yards in Hancock’s last game, a 49-40 win over Moorpark on Sept. 22.
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2020-12-08 01:00:00Z
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