All-Region football: Preston Jones, Mountain View

Mountain View senior running back Preston Jones rushed for 100 or more yards in eight of his nine games this season. He hit the 200-yard mark four times. He scored at least one touchdown in every game.

Yet, those are not his favorite moments from the 2015 high school football season.

His personal highlights include playing at Husky Stadium, waiting out a lightning storm with his Thunder teammates, then rallying to win the season opener. There was Mountain View’s first win over Union. There was the last-second victory over Skyview. And there was the realization that the Thunder went 7-2, one year after going 3-6 against the exact same schedule.

The Mountain View Thunder had arrived.

And that, Jones says, has nothing to do with an individual.

Heck, he is not even sure he is the best player on his team. Jones said offensive lineman Chris Mitchell could have been named the player of the year.

Instead, The Columbian has selected Preston Jones as its All-Region football player of the year.

Jones is sharing the award. With all of his teammates. Especially those big guys.

“My offensive line, they’re the best,” Jones said. “They’re the hardest working people on the team. I’m pretty sure anyone else could have done it with the job they did. All I did was run. The made my job a lot easier.”

Still, it cannot be easy being the designated target for opposing defenses. The Thunder had plenty of guys who could run the ball, but Jones was the centerpiece. Only one team — 4A Greater St. Helens League champion Camas — slowed him down. And even in that game, the closest game Camas played all regular season, Jones had 77 yards and a touchdown.

In the end, he amassed 1,708 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also was a stud on defense, forcing the fourth-quarter fumble against Skyview, which would lead to the game-winning field goal on the final play of the game.

So yeah, individually, Preston Jones was awesome.

“He’s one of the best football players I’ve ever coached,” said Mountain View coach Adam Mathieson, who earlier in his career coach Jake Locker.

Mountain View, Battle Ground, and Skyview all tied for second place. Only two could advance to the playoffs. Mountain View was the odd team out. If there is a regret in this magical season for the Thunder, it’s that night, falling in the tiebreaker.

“I felt we could have made a run in the playoffs,” Jones said. “I wish we could still be playing right now.”

Instead, high school football is over for Jones. He will exit Mountain View as the school’s all-time leader in rushing with 4,169 yards and touchdowns with 57. But is he done with football?

Because this is a football story, naturally, this story had to be about football. Jones, however, is a baseball star, too. He has signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Oregon State.

Baseball is his immediate focus, but Jones has not closed the door on the idea of playing football again.

“I love them both equally,” Jones said. “I consider myself a baseball and football player.”

Mathieson, his football coach, said Jones’ high school career should be a showcase to all young athletes, proof one does not need to specialize in order to excel.

“Football’s not even his primary sport, and he’s the regional player of the year. All-time Mountain View touchdown record holder. All-time rushing leader. A 3.5 student. Homecoming king. Is there a better high school athlete who did it the right way?

“He didn’t have to play football year-round to be player of the year. He didn’t have to play baseball year-round to get a scholarship. He’s a high school kid who’s earned every single thing he has done.”

Together, Preston Jones and his teammates earned some special moments on the football field.

“My final year of high school football was a blast,” Jones said. “I made a lot of good memories that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”