Tustin's Eimesse Essis is SBLive/Sports Illustrated California Football Athlete of the Week (11/05/2024)

The senior running back rushes for nearly 300 yards in a 34-28 win over Modena and wins more than 66% of the vote to win the award going away

Athlete of the Week: Eimesse Essis /

Elmesse Essis is a workhorse — and one heck of a running back.

At only 5-foot-9, 175 pounds, the Tustin senior running back might not look the part of a bronking bull but his 218 carries on the season for 1,715 yrds and 17 touchdowns do.

Essis' signture performance came in a 34-28 win over El Modena on Oct. 17 when he carried a career high 37 times for 293 yards and two touchdowns.

That put him on a SBLive top performance list for games played between Oct. 16-18 and after putting it to a vote with 26 other nominees, Essis really put up big numbers, winning 66.6% of the tallies to claim the SBLive Athlete of the Week award.

Essis was just getting started for the Tillers.

Since that big game he rushed 21 times for 232 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-21 win over Western, then last week he carried 30 more times for 183 yards and a score in a 21-10 victory over Capistrano Valley.

Tustin is now set for the Southern Section playoffs, opening a Division 3 game Friday at home against Loyola (4-6).

Over two seasons, Essis has piled up 3,307 rushing yards in 375 carries (8.8 average) and 31 touchdowns. He's also a solid receiver with 24 catches and 248 yards and four more scores.

Check out all the other candidates:

It took Jamir Belote, a freshman running back at Manual Arts, just seven carries to rush for 229 yards and three touchdowns in a 51-19 win over Santee. 

Davon Benjamin, a junior DB at Oaks Christian, had two pick 6s in a 35-0 win over St. Bonaventure. 

Cooper Cronquist, a senior receiver at Moorpark, had 11 catches for a school-record 254 yards and three scores in a 35-10 win over Oxnard. 

Isaiah Dillon, a senior receiver for Oxnard Pacifica, had seven catches for 229 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-24 win over Camarillo. 

Sands Dougherty, a junior QB at Morro Bay, completed 22 of 26 for 380 yards and four touchdowns, plus he rushed for 70 yards and another score in a 46-13 win over Santa Maria. 

Trey Freking, a junior running back at South Pasadena, rushed 33 times for 273 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-27 win over Monrovia. 

Daniel Gomez, a senior QB at Hanford, completed 19 of 27 for 328 yards and four touchdowns, plus he ran for 48 yards and another score in a 42-7 win over Tulare Western. 

Kamryn Jones, a senior receiver for Rancho Christian, had 17 catches for 270 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-31 win over Arlington. 

Anthony League, a senior running back at Millikan, rushed for 256 yards and three touchdowns in a 69-28 win over Lakewood. 

Taylor Lee, a sophomore QB for Oxnard Pacifica, passed for 442 yards and six TDs in a 45-24 win over Camarillo. 

Hammie Lopez, a junior running back at Wasco, rushed 12 times for 207 yards and four touchdowns in a 53-14 win over Taft. Lopez is the Central Section’s leading rusher with 1,499 yards and 17 scores. 

Jhadis Luckey, a junior running back at California, rushed 33 times for 317 yards and five touchdowns in a wild 50-36 win over Monte Vista. 

Jaiden Noel, a sophomore QB at Venice, passed for 314 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-44 win over Palisades. 

Sosa Prak a junior QB at Piner, completed 20 of 28 for 268 yards and six touchdowns in a 46-20 win over San Rafael. 

Amar Riley, a senior receiver for Grossmont, had 12 catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns in a 56-26 loss to Helix. 

Shane Rosenthal, a senior receiver at Newbury Park, had six catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-3 win over Westlake. 

Newbury Park prolific receiver Shane Rosenthal is corralled by a Calabasas defender / Photo: Rene Morales

Julyen Scott, a sophomore receiver for McLane, caught just four passes, but all were for touchdowns while piling up 133 yards in a 50-17 win over Sanger West. 

Mariyon Sloan, a junior at Shafter, rushed 21 times for 252 yards and five touchdowns in a 34-28 win over Kennedy. 

Brady Smigiel, a junior QB at Newbury Park, completed 10 of 13 passes for 290 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-3 win over Westlake. 

Brodie Stump, a senior quarterback at Kearny, completed 29 of 37 for 380 yards and six touchdowns in a 56-16 win over Clairemont. 

Jack Thomas, a junior QB at Palisades completed 27 of 37 for 356 yards and six touchdowns in a 45-44 loss to Venice. 

Journee Tonga, a junior running back at Leuzinger, rushed 27 times for 247 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-7 win over Culver City. 

Max Turner, a senior running back at Granite Hills, rushed 27 times for 271 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-30 win over Mount Miguel. 

Braden Ward, a senior running back at Twelve Bridges, rushed 27 times for 229 yards and three touchdowns and added four catches and 55 yards in a 51-34 win over Placer. 

Noah Zamora, a senior QB at McLane, completed 14 of 22 for 322 yards and seven touchdowns in a 50-17 win over Sanger West.

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