It’s the end of the school year and the Southern California Newspaper Group is honoring the top achievements in high school sports the past season.
Each of the 11 newspapers selected candidates in each of the categories and those were narrowed to five finalists in each.
There will also be an award to the most inspirational athlete who has overcome adversity/hardship to excel in a sport.
***The winners will be unveiled in a one-hour special that will air on Friday, June 10 after the NBA game on ABC-7, about 8:30 p.m.
MALE ATHLETE OF YEAR
* Lonzo Ball, Chino Hills basketball
* Michael Norman, Vista Murrieta track
* Mique Juarez, North Torrance football
* Phillip Rocha, Arcadia cross country
* Grant Shoults, Santa Margarita swimming
FEMALE ATHLETE OF YEAR
* Destiny Collins, Great Oak cross country/track
* Courtney Corrin, Harvard-Westlake, soccer/track
* Norene Iosia, Redondo Union volleyball
* Valerie Higgins, Chaminade basketball
* Ena Shibahara, Peninsula tennis
TEAM OF YEAR
* Chaminade girls basketball – 31-4, CIF Southern Section Open Division champion, State Open Division champion
* Chino Hills boys basketball – 35-0, Southern Section Open Division champion, State Open Division champion, National champion in 7 of 8 rankings.
* Corona Centennial football – 14-1, CIF SS Pac-5 division champion, State football runner-up
* Great Oak boys cross country – CIF Southern Section Division 1 title, State championship, first place at Nike national championship
* Santa Margarita girls soccer – 25-4, No. 1 in the nation by the USA TODAY High School Sports/National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
COACH OF YEAR
* Doug Soles, Great Oak cross country
* Jeff Sink, Brea girls basketball
* Kelli DiMuro, Chaminade girls basketball
* Steve Baik, Chino Hills boys basketball
* Walter Escobar, Taft girls soccer
FEMALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF YEAR
* Roxy Barahman, Oaks Christian basketball
* Gloria Bates, Orange Lutheran basketball
* Alison Chang, Walnut golf
* Devon Jack, San marino tennis
* Emily Knous, Long Beach Poly soccer
* Sarah Kretschmar, Diamond Ranch volleyball, softball, basketball
* Camryn Purdom, Valley View volleyball
MALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF YEAR
* Isaac Cortes, Great Oak track/cross country
* Christian Juzang, Viewpoint basketball
* Jack Koulos, Long Beach Wilson football
* Duncan Mactavish, Palos Verdes
* Eric Markes, Sierra Canyon football
* Alexander Matttison, San Bernardino football
* Miles President, Ayala basketball
GAME OF YEAR
* Taft girls soccer wins first City title with epic comeback
* Rancho Cucamonga vs. Vista Murrieta 5OT semifinal football
* La Habra vs. San Clemente hail mary football finish
* Chino Hills boys basketball takes down No. 1 Montverde Academy
* Leaonna Odom’s buzzer-beater lifts Chaminade to Regional crown, girls basketball
PLAY OF YEAR
* Redland’s Brandon Morris makes crazy TD Catch
* La Habra’s Hail Mary TD pass on last play wins CIF Championship
* Long Beach Poly’s Jack Jones jumps over defender
* Chaminade’s Leaonna Odom’s game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer
* Palos Verdes’ Natasa Eleftheriou 40-yard free kick
For more info on the selections see our web site which also includes information on the Athletes of week selections we have been making since the fall.
Here is the link specifically for the year end awards.
