July 2011 Archives

Newly-appointed Summit athletic director Steve Hickey has decided that he will not resume his duties as boys basketball coach, as the school has opened up the position within the Fontana Unified School District.

The 41-year old Hickey, the all-Sun boys basketball Coach of the Year, was named Summit's athletic director June 29 replacing Ed Kearby, who was promoted to assistant principal at the school. After nearly a month on the job, Hickey wasn't comfortable with the task of balancing his old position with his new job.

"You have to be 100 percent sure, and I wasn't," Hickey said. "I didn't want it to be a situation where I didn't take care of my duties with the other sports on campus because I was focusing on the basketball team. I didn't want to be put in that position, so I will not participate in the day-to-day duties (of the boys basketball team)."

Chino first baseman Jacob Anderson, San Gorgonio pitcher/outfielder Andy Crowley, Oak Hills pitcher Adolfo Espinoza and Aquinas first baseman Jonathan Ruiz were honored by MaxPreps.com last week, making the website's all-state teams.

Anderson, a first-round sandwich pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in June and a first-team all-Sun selection, was a first-team all-state and a first-team all-Medium Schools selection. Crowley, the Sun Player of the Year, was a second-team all-state as an all-purpose player and a first-team all-Medium Schools.

Espinoza, a first-team all-Sun player and the ace of the CIF-SS Division 5 champion Bulldogs, was a first-team all-Medium Schools selection while Ruiz, another first-team all-Sun pick, was first-team all-Small Schools.

Upland wide receiver Kenny Lawler, Miller linebacker Reshawn Hooker and Colony athlete Bryan Harper were all named to Rivals.com's California top 100 when the website released its rankings Tuesday. Lawler was the highest ranked of the three at No. 32, as he is rated a four-star on Rivals. Lawler verbally committed to Arizona State in February but is considered a soft commitment to the Sun Devils as this point, as he is listening to offers from the likes of UCLA, Colorado, Nebraska, Washington, Oregon State, SMU and Arizona.

Hooker, a three-star linebacker, checks in at No. 49. He comes to Miller from Arroyo Valley High School, where he earned third-team All-Sun honors a year ago. Hooker currently has 11 offers from the likes of Arizona, Arizona State, Boise State, Colorado, Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, Purdue, San Jose State, UCLA and Washington State.

Harper, who transferred to Colony from Carter in the offseason, was ranked No. 94 by Rivals. The three-star athlete, who was a quarterback last year for the Lions, committed to Washington June 28 over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Colorado State, Montana and New Mexico State.

Arrowhead Christian Academy is looking to fill varsity head-coaching jobs in boys and girls tennis, coed cross country and track and field, according to athletic director Richard Yaross. Interested parties can contact Yaross at 909-793-0601, ext. 185.

Redlands East Valley volleyball player Krista Vansant is up for one more award before starting her career at the University of Washington and it's a biggie, as Vansant is one of six female athletes from across the country vying for the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year Award. Along with being nominated for the award, Vansant will also walk the red carpet for Wednesday's ESPY Awards at the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.

The winner will be announced at a black-tie banquet at the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel Tuesday. The banquet, which runs from 5:30-7:30 p.m., will be hosted by Sparks basketball player Lisa Leslie, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love and Olympic softball player Jessica Mendoza.

The other female athletes vying for the award are basketball player Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Mater Dei), track and field athlete Amy Weissenbach (Harvard-Westlake), softball player Paige McDuffee (The Woodlands, Texas), soccer player Morgan Brian (St. Simons, Ga) and cross country runner Aisling Cuffe (New Windsor, N.Y.). The six male athletes up for the Male Athlete of the Year Award are football player Justin Worley (Rock Hill, S.C.), cross country runner Lukas Verzbicas (Orland Park, Ill.), basketball player Brad Beal (St. Louis), soccer player Luis Rendon (Midlothian, Va.), baseball player Dylan Bundy (Owasso, Okla.) and track and field athlete Gunnar Nixon (Edmond, Okla.).

San Gorgonio High School has released the names of the five people it will be inducting into its Athletic Hall of Fame. Leading off the list of inductees, who will be honored October 14-15, is former water polo player, swimmer and badminton player Tim Harris. Harris, a 1982 graduate, is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force and flew a C-17A Globemaster III over the area as part of the recent Independence Day festivities.

Other inductees include 1977 graduate Tim Miner (baseball), 1985 graduate Durell Jones (football, track and field), 2000 graduate Celeste Parrish (track, cross country, softball) and 2001 graduate Royce Merryman (water polo, swimming).