Mission Viejo safety Ruben Lopez wins 2021 California High School Football Player of the Year fan vote

Lopez was the lone returning starter on the Diablo defense this year and so far this season, he’s made 84 tackles and snagged two interceptions.

Last week we asked California high school football fans the following question: Who will be the 2021 state Player of the Year? There were 40 players to choose from, from every corner of the state and after a week of voting, fans selected Mission Viejo safety Ruben Lopez as the favorite for the honor.

Lopez received over 6,000 votes to win the poll. Mission Viejo has been the surprise team of the 2021 high school football season in large part to their defense, which is giving up an average of 11.9 points per game against one of the state’s toughest schedules. Lopez was the lone returning starter on the Diablo defense this year and so far this season, he’s made 84 tackles and snagged two interceptions.

Check out the final poll results below: