Recently in Ken Hubbs Award Category

It was an historical night for the Ken Hubbs Award on Monday night at Colton High School.
For the first time in the history of the award (which became the Ken Hubbs Award in 1973), there were female honorees.
Yucaipa's Kodi Lavrusky took home the inaugural girls award, while San Gorgonio's Ryan Hunter-Simms took home the boys award.

The 47th annual Ken Hubbs Athlete of the Year award was given to San Gorgonio's Paul Rodriguez at the Elks Club in San Bernardino tonight. Rodriguez, a four-sport star in football, basketball, volleyball and track for the Spartans, is the second San G athlete to receive the award, joining 1986 winner Tony Kounas.

Rodriguez was especially gifted in football for San G, making the first-team all-Sun team as an offensive lineman this past season while receiving a full scholarship to San Diego State. Rodriguez will play for the Aztecs this fall.

"It's amazing to read some of the names of the guys who have won it and be among some of the athletes from other schools that you just hear about in the newspaper," Rodriguez said. "I played against (2010 winner) Derrick Malone last year and he's just a beast. You see guys like Ronnie Lott who made the NFL on the list and you want to be there right with them. I want to join them and add to the award."

The committee also recognized two female athletes for the first time in the award's 47-year history, honoring Redlands East Valley volleyball player Krista Vansant and Rialto basketball player Janae Sharpe. Perhaps inspired by the duo, the Hubbs committee also announced that it will be given out female school and overall winners annually started next year to go along with the annual male award.

"I think it's great that girls are going to get the same amount of recognition that guys are," Vansant said. "I feel fortunate to have helped bring that about a little bit along with Janae. I think having the two of us here really helped get this done and will help get more deserving girls recognized."

The individual school winners were also honored Monday. They were Kyle Didier (Aquinas), Charles Izydorek (Arrowhead Christian), Jordan Boothe (Arroyo Valley), Paul Topoleski (Big Bear), Alexander Cruz (Bloomington), Thomas Carter (Cajon), Steven Reneau (Carter), Devan Hussey (Colton), Bernard Ireland (Eisenhower), Isac Fonseca (Fontana), Shaun Bradley (Kaiser), Kendall Chambliss (Miller), Carlos Espinoza (Pacific), Nolan Brown (Redlands), Chris Mecate (Redlands East Valley), Enrique Lopez (Rialto), Dillon Pretzinger (Rim of the World), Choncey White (San Bernardino), Dorian Cason (Summit) and Jordan Morris (Yucaipa).

The school winners for the Ken Hubbs Award were decided Monday by the
Hubbs committee and will be honored in about an hour at the 66ers' game with
the Quakes at Arrowhead Credit Union Park. The overall winner will be
chosen Monday at the Ken Hubbs Award Banquet, which starts at 6 p.m.
at the Elks Club in San Bernardino.

Winners from the individual schools being honored tonight are as
follows:
Aquinas -- Kyle Didier (golf and basketball);
Arrowhead Christian -- Charles Izydorek (soccer);
Arroyo Valley -- Jordan Boothe (football, track and field, baseball, basketball);
Big Bear -- Paul Topoleski (football, baseball, basketball, soccer);
Bloomington -- Alex Cruz (wrestling, football, track and field);
Cajon -- Thomas Carter (football, track and field);
Carter -- Steven Reneau (football, basketball, volleyball);
Colton -- Devan Hussey (football, track and field);
Eisenhower -- Bernard Ireland (basketball, volleyball);
Fontana -- Isac Fonseca (soccer);
Kaiser -- Shaun Bradley (football, soccer, track and field);
Miller -- Kendall Chambliss (football, baseball);
Pacific -- Carlos Espinoza (swimming, water polo);
Redlands -- Nolan Brown (swimming);
Redlands East Valley -- Chris Mecate (wrestling);
Rialto -- Enrique Lopez (cross country, track and field);
Rim of the World -- Dillon Pretzinger (football, track and field);
San Bernardino -- Choncey White (basketball);
San Gorgonio -- Paul Rodriguez (football, basketball, volleyball, track and field);
Summit -- Dorian Cason (basketball, volleyball)
Yucaipa -- Jordon Morris (football, track and field).

The committee will also honor two female athletes for the first time
in history, with Redlands East Valley volleyball player Krista Vansant
and Rialto basketball player Janae Sharpe set to receive awards. The
committee will also announce a major change in the award at Monday's
banquet.

Colton football player Derrick Malone just won the Ken Hubbs Athlete of the Year award, becoming the fourth Yellowjacket to do so. The story is below.

The school winners for the annual Ken Hubbs Award, named after the late Colton graduate and 1962 Rookie of the Year for the Chicago Cubs, will be honored tonight at the 66ers' game with the Quakes today at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

They are listed below. The overall winner will be announced Monday at the Ken Hubbs Banquet at the Elks Club in San Bernardino.

Alex Saunders - soccer and cross country - Aquinas
William Quanstrom - volleyball and basketball - Arrowhead Christian
Damon Ogburn - football and track & field - Arroyo Valley
Jake Murie - cross country and track - Big Bear
Richard Marquez - soccer and football - Bloomington
Tanner Clark - baseball and wrestling - Cajon
Ryan Coleman - football - Carter
Derrick Malone - football and track & field - Colton
Alex Varner - basketball - Eisenhower
Hugo Cardoza - soccer and water polo - Fontana
Joshua Shirley - football and wrestling - Kaiser
Trevor Pascoe - football - Miller
Canon John Castro - water polo, wrestling, soccer, swimming, golf - Pacific
Joe Barich - water polo, volleyball and soccer - Redlands
Andrew Hudson - football, wrestling and track & field - Redlands East Valley
Giordan Porter - wrestling and football - Rialto
Dustin Fay - cross country and track & field - Rim of the World
Devonte Chattman - basketball - San Bernardino
Greg Valdivia - cross country and track & field - San Gorgonio
Corey Jennings - soccer and cross country - Summit
Wyatt Padgett - baseball and football - Yucaipa

The countdown to the awarding of the 46th annual Ken Hubbs Award will start Monday, as the selection committee will pick the overall winner of the award from a group of nominees that have already been submitted by the eligible schools.

The individual school winners will be announced Friday, May 14 at Arrowhead Credit Union Park during the 66ers' game with the Quakes while the overall winner will be honored Monday, May 17 at 6 p.m. at the Elks Club in San Bernardino.

Recent winners of the award include Redlands East Valley football player Ronnie Fouch (2007), Big Bear football player Kriss Proctor (2008) and Yucaipa swimmer Trevor Hoyt last year. Cajon basketball player Layshia Clarendon was honored last year with an award for outstanding female athlete as well.