June 2010 Archives

Multiple media outlets are reporting that Glendora senior-to-be Chad Jeffries has verbally committed to San Diego State. The 6-foot-2, 177-pound quarterback could be the latest headliner at his position to come out of the Baseline League, following in the footsteps of Los Osos' Richard Brehaut (UCLA) and Upland's Josh Nunes (Stanford) in 2009 and Rancho Cucamonga's Greg Watson (Fresno State) and Etiwanda's Angel Santiago (Army) in 2010. Jeffries is rivals.com's seventh-rated pro-style quarterback in the country and the 40th-ranked player in California.

Glendora will play its first season in the Baseline League this year after spending the last eight years in the Sierra League. Jeffries, the MVP of the Nike Camp at USC this summer, figures to have a large impact in a Baseline League that retained five of its members and replaced the departed Claremont with Glendora, which has won or shared the Sierra League title each of the last three seasons.

Jeffries chose San Diego State over scholarship offers from Utah, Oregon State and UTEP. He told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune he's "pretty sure about this commitment."

UCLA beat writer John Gold of our Los Angeles Newspaper group reported in this blog post that Josh Shirley was one of three incoming UCLA freshmen dismissed from the football team today after the three were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of felony theft.

Shirley, who rivals.com rated the 9th best outside linebacker in the country coming out of Kaiser High School last year, was expected to compete for playing time this season while the other two players dismissed - Gardena Serra wide receiver Paul Richardson and Los Alamitos cornerback Shaquille Richardson - were expected to redshirt this coming season.

"The three young men know they made a terrible mistake," UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel said in a release. "We expect our players to behave a certain way and there are consequences when they don't. Paul, Shaquille and Josh are paying a steep price for their lapse in judgment. They will not be allowed to enroll in school this fall and will not have the opportunity to begin their UCLA academic and athletic careers.

"Whether they are allowed to enroll for Winter Quarter will be determined at a later date. That decision will be based on several factors, including their behavior."

Player of the Year: SCOTT FRAZIER, Upland, Senior, Pitcher
Frazier went 6-2 with a 1.16 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 54 innings on his way to being selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth round of the MLB draft on June 8. Frazier's fastball peaked at 96 mph during a season he began with an 18-strikeout no-hitter. The 6-foot-7 senior, who is deciding between utilizing a 96% scholarship to Pepperdine of signing with the Phillies, was also an imposing hitter, batting .386 with 6 home runs and 21 RBIs for the Baseline League champions.

Player of the Year: JESSICA HALL, Ayala, Senior, Pitcher
The Gatorade California Player of the Year bound for UCLA led Ayala to the first CIF softball championship in school history. Hall went 28-3 with a 0.68 ERA and 336 strikeouts. She pitched four no-hitters, including two perfect games and the 5-foot-9 senior didn't allow a run in the first four games of the playoffs. She was a force at the plate too, batting .340 with a team-leading five home runs and 32 RBIs.

DIVISION 2
Player of the Year: Adam Plutko, Glendora
Coach of the Year: Dan Henley, Glendora
first team
Zack Belanger, Junior, Cypress
Thomas Bernal, Senior, Paso Robles
Jacob Cage, Senior, Glendora
Garrett Donohoe, Senior, El Toro
Julio Espinoza, Senior, Rialto
Jim Grob, Senior, Arlington
Tim Helton, Senior, Upland
Mike Hubbard, Senior, Crespi
T.J. Kendzora, Senior, El Toro
Nick Mandry, Senior, La Mirada
Kenny Mathews, Junior, Diamond Bar
Griffin Murphy, Senior, Redlands East Valley
Wyatt Padgett, Senior, Yucaipa

The Ayala duo of pitcher Jessica Hall and head coach John Ameluxen earned Player and Coach of the Year in CIF-SS Division 3 after the Bulldogs claimed the CIF title with a 5-4 come-from-behind win June 4 over Downey Warren. Upland's Bubba DeJournett was named the Division 2 coach of the year after leading the Highlanders to their first CIF championship in 13 years. In something of a surprise, star Washington-bound Upland pitcher Whitney Jones, who didn't allow an earned run after the first round of the playoffs, was beaten out for D2 Player of the Year by Vista Murrieta catcher Taylor Edwards, who hit .452 with 9 home runs and 28 RBIs this season for the Broncos, who exited the playoffs in the quarterfinals.

DIVISION 2
Player of the Year - Taylor Edwards, Vista Murrieta, 12, Catcher
Coach of the Year - Bob "Bubba" DeJournett, Upland
first team
Ashley Beza, California, 12, Pitcher
Sierra Curley, Canyon Springs, 12, Pitcher
Whitney Jones, Upland, 12, Pitcher
Brooke White, Temecula Valley, 12, Pitcher
Ashley Holmes, La Serna, 12, Catcher
Jessica Garcia, Redlands, 12, Catcher
Eliza Crawford, Lakewood, 12, Infield
Kylee Lahners, Laguna Hills, 11, Infield
Mahriseh Medina, Mayfair, 12, Infield
Ane Pahulu, Ramona, 9, Infield
Shelby Pickett, Chaparral, 11, Infield
Pauline Monreal, La Mirada, 12, Outfield
Tatum Edwards, Vista Murrieta, 12, Utility

BASEBALL
MVPs: Travis Santiago, Pitcher, Sophomore, Charter Oak;
Rouric Bridgewater, Infielder, Junior, Diamond Ranch

first team
Brian Tuttle, Bonita
Adam McCreery, Bonita
Matt Gelalich, Bonita
Derek Goodwin, Diamond Ranch
Robert Mier, Bonita
Joe Munoz, Los Altos
Gio Morales, Los Altos
Aaron Henry, Charter Oak
Evan Highley, Bonita
Joe Reynoso, Charter Oak
De Jon Wallace, Charter Oak
Anthony Ramos, Bonita
Chris Holden, Charter Oak

After the Houston Astros made him their second-round pick on June 8 in the MLB draft, Garey High School pitcher Vincent Velasquez will sign with the team Wednesday, according to his father Leonard Velasquez. The terms of the contract for the 58th overall pick were not disclosed.

Velasquez will pass up a scholarship to Cal State Fullerton and hop a flight to Houston on Thursday to meet with the media. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound right-hander posted a 1.89 ERA his senior season, went 6-1 and struck out 52 batters (in addition to hitting .608 with with 29 RBIs).

BASEBALL
MVP: Derek Penilla, Senior, Pitcher, San Dimas

first team
Pitcher: Jason Martinez, Covina
Pitcher: Eddie Pedroza, Northview
Pitcher: willie Gomez, Ganesha
Infielder: Shawn Kennedy, San Dimas
Infielder: Nick Hynes, Covina
Infielder: Fernando Gonzalez, Baldwin Park
Infielder: Bobby Ramos, Northview

Nobody seems to know why Etiwanda High School graduate Maurice Edu's apparent game-winning goal in Friday's U.S. World Cup match against Slovenia was waived off. A foul was called in the 85th minute of an eventual 2-2 tie as he knocked Redlands native Landon Donovan's free kick into the back of the net but referee Koman Coulibalu negated the score due to a foul he wouldn't reveal to the U.S. players, later reported to have been a violation by U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra of Alta Loma.

"I'm a little gutted to be honest," Donovan, who scored the first goal of the second-half comeback, told the New York Daily News. "I don't know how they stole that last goal from us. I'm not sure what the call was. He (the referee) wouldn't tell us what the call was."

If there was a foul on the play, the Americans, namely Michael Bradley, looked to be the victim. Edu, who won an NCAA championship at Maryland, was the No. 1 pick in the 2007 MLS draft but currently plays in Glasgow, Scotland for Rangers, who paid a 2.6-million pound transfer fee for him. Friday marked the first action in a World Cup match for the 24-year-old Edu, who is keeping a World Cup diary.

Miller High School pitcher Cesar Aguilar signed with the St. Louis Cardinals a week ago - he received a $60,000 signing bonus - after the team selected him in the 14th round of the MLB draft on June 8. Aguilar is set to begin play in the Gulf Coast League Monday but he is acclimating himself to Jupiter, Florida as we speak.

"It's hot, himid," Aguilar said, "They've got us running and lifting right now before we start playing on Monday. I'm excited, ready to go."

Aguilar compiled a 1.02 ERA and a 6-2 record his senior season. The two-time first team all-Citrus Belt League pitcher struck out 89 batters in 69 innings in addition to batting .333 with 13 RBIs.

Upland High School's Scott Frazier, a 6-foot-7 power pitcher drafted in the 5th round by the Philadelphia Phillies on June 8, said he likely won't decide until August whether to sign with the team or play baseball at Pepperdine. The 171st selection of the 2010 MLB draft, who is being advised by the Creative Arts Agency, hasn't yet met with a Phillies representative to begin negotiating a signing bonus.

"We have an idea of what we're looking for but we're not 100 percent set on a number," said Frazier. "It's going to be a tough decision either way."

After a stellar summer and an even better senior season in which his fastball velocity jumped from 92 or 93 mph to 96, the right-hander was expected to be selected in the first or second round. If the Phillies are going to sign Frazier, they may have to pay him more than 5th-round money.

"If I don't go pro I'll be able to get an education and get some good experience," Frazier said. "The coaches at Pepperdine are very good and of course the coaches in the minor leagues are very good and it's their job to develop players and get them to the big leagues as soon as possible. So whatever happens, we'll figure out what's best for me."

MVP: Jessica Garcia, Redlands, C, Sr.

first team
Marshean August, Eisenhower, C, Sr.
Sara Pineda, Eisenhower, P, So.
Christina Castro, Fontana, SS, Sr.
Nicole Soltis, Fontana, P, Sr.
Diauna Nelson, Miller, P, Fr.
Narissa Garcia, Redlands, P, So.
Marlee Rettig, Redlands, OF, Jr.
Michelle Solomon, Redlands, SS, Jr.
Amanda Weis, Redlands, 3B, So.
Jenna Jaquish, REV, OF, Jr.
Savannah Jaquish, REV, C, Fr.
Leann Lopez, REV, SS, Sr.
Amy Nece, REV, 2B, Sr.
Cassidy Bingham, Yucaipa, SS, So.
Courtney Brown, Yucaipa, 3B, Jr.
Ashley Huff, Yucaipa, C, Jr.
Mackenzie Maxwell, Yucaipa, P, Fr.

MVP: Chance Fuglistahler, Kaiser, Jr.

first team
Ernie Zaragoza, Kaiser, Sr.
Thomas Chacon, Kaiser, Sr.
Louie Ortega, Kaiser, Sr.
Antonio Duenas, Kaiser, Jr.
Jonathan Rodriguez, Kaiser, Jr.
Dakota Stokely, Jurupa Valley, Sr.
Nick Salvaggio, Jurupa Valley, Sr.
Ricky Bentacu, Jurupa Valley, Sr.
Marty Mercado, Jurupa Valley, So.
Angus Miller, Summit, Sr.

Former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Dave Coggin, an Upland High School graduate, is holding a three-day youth pitching/catching camp - Monday, Wednesday and Friday - that will include instruction from several local players selected in the MLB draft last week.

The special inscructors include Garey High school pitcher Vincent Velasquez (Houston Astros, 2nd round), Upland pitcher Scott Frazier (Philadelphia Phillies, 5th round), Los Osos catcher Jake Hernandez (who was drafted by the Detriot Tigers in 22nd round but will play at USC), Rancho Cucamonga pitcher Austin Reed (Chicago Cubs, 12th round), Upland catcher Tim Helton (Los Angeles Angels, 28th round) and Glendora pitcher Adam Plutko (Astros, 6th round).

This camp is a small part of the training outfit - Performance Fitness for Athletes - begun by Coggin after the 30th pick of the 1995 MLB draft finished a baseball career that included three seasons in the major leagues (after he turned down a scholarship to play quarterback at Clemson). For more information on the camp click here.

Summit High School's Devon Blackmon, who has played a variety of positions for the SkyHawks including wide receiver and quarterback, is rated the 39th best recruit in the nation, according to ESPN's 150.

The 6-foot, 175-pound senior-to-be is rated the fifth-best athlete in the country and 41st player overall by rivals.com. Scout.com, which classifies him as a wide receiver, ranks him the 31st nationally at the position.

Blackmon has scholarship offers from:

Jessica Hall's Ayala High School softball team won the CIF-SS Division 3 championship six days ago but she officially received her Gatorade shower on Wednesday. The senior pitcher bound for UCLA was named the 2009-10 Gatorade California softball Player of the Year.

"It was a shocker to me," Hall said. "Knowing all the hard work actually paid off. I know I'm representing a lot of people in the softball world, my high school, my travel team, so it's pretty amazing to do this."

Hall, who has been Ayala's starting pitcher since she was a freshman, posted a 28-3 record her senior season with a 0.68 ERA in leading the Bulldogs to the first CIF title in school history. The 5-foot-9 senior was also an offensive force with a .340 batting average, five home runs and 32 RBIs. Competing against a national field in March's Faster to First Tournament, Hall led Ayala to the tournament title, earning MVP honors in the process.

Etiwanda offensive tackle Jamal Prater was offered a scholarship by Oregon on Wednesday, the third offer collected by the senior-to-be, according to Etiwanda coach Steve Bryce. In February, Washington State made the 6-foot-5, 295-pound offensive lineman his first offer before San Diego State offered him last month. The three-star tackle is rated the 46th-best at his position in the country by rivals.com.

After slipping to the 22nd round where the Detroit Tigers selected him in the MLB draft on Tuesday, Los Osos catcher Jake Hernandez decided he would rather utilize his scholarship to USC. Considered one of the best defensive catchers in the draft, the senior made it known he was leaning toward playing college baseball for three years, the likely reason a prospect of his talent went in the 22nd round.

"I'll go to college and see what happens in three years," Hernandez said. "I was telling people I was going to go to college (before the draft). USC's not too bad. I think I'll have a little fun there."

Hernandez, who verbally committed to USC his freshman year before signing in February, batted .446 with four home runs and 29 RBIs his senior season.

1st round
24. San Francisco Giants: Gary Brown, OF, Cal State-Fullerton (Diamond Bar HS)
Supplemental round
34. Toronto Blue Jays: Aaron Sanchez, RHP, Barstow HS
43. Seattle Mariners: Taijuan Walker, RHP, Yucaipa HS
2nd round
58. Houston Astros: Vincent Velasquez. RHP, Garey HS
61. Toronto Blue Jays: Griffin Murphy, LHP, Redlands East Valley HS
3rd round
95. Chicago White Sox: Addison Reed, RHP, San Diego State (Los Osos HS)
5th round
171. Philadelphia Phillies: Scott Frazier, RHP, Upland HS

After pleading no contest to a felony and a misdemeanor in March for allegedly having sex with two underage female classmates, Claremont High School senior Tyler Singleton was sentenced to 180 days in jail. The former standout running back convicted of statutory rape was also placed on probation for five years and ordered to undergo counseling and stay away from the victims in the case.

Singleton, 18, is not required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction following February incidents that prompted two girls, one 14 and one 17, to come forward with accusations against him. Read the story in its entirety at dailybulletin.com.

These quotes and details didn't make it into my MLB draft day 2 story. Thanks to colleague T.J. Berka for the info and quotes.

Miller High pitcher Cesar Aguilar was drafted in the 14th round by St. Louis on Tuesday.

"It feels good to be drafted. I've been looking forward to this for a long time," he said.
"I didn't really know when I'd be drafted, so I wasn't that worried about it. I figured I would be drafted, but I wasn't sure when."

"I've been dreaming of this since I was a little kid. Every time I went to a major league game or a minor league game, I imagined playing on the field."

He plans on signing Thursday and will leave Friday. He received a $60,000 signing bonus.

"It's not bad for an 18-year old kid in high school. I'll just save it, There's really nothing I need to buy right now," he said.

Though Upland fireball-pitcher Scott Frazier was projected to go as high as the first round of the MLB draft, the 6-foot-7 senior didn't let Tuesday's fifth-round selection deter him from being optimistic about beginning his professional career as soon as possible.

In between bombing batting-practice home runs over the wall at the Epicenter during practice for the Inland Valley High School All-Star game on Tuesday, Frazier said he was eager to begin the next step in the process after the Philadelphia Phillies selected him with the 171st overall pick.

"We'll sit down with my advisor (from the Creative Arts Agency in Los Angeles) and the scout from the Phillies and see if we can get a deal done," Frazier said. As for his being selected lower than expected..."You try not to listen to everyone because nobody knows what's going to happen until the first player gets taken. I'm excited. It' been a long emotional year and I'm just happy to have been drafted."

BASEBALL
MVP: Vincent Velasquez, Garey, Sr.
1st team
Kevin Lara, Don Lugo, Sr.
Alex Mancillas, Don Lugo, Sr.
Jeff Miller, Don Lugo, Sr.
Scott Makoran, Don Lugo, Sr.
Danny Maturino, Garey, Sr.
Josh Ortega, Garey, Sr.
Thomas Michel, GArey, Jr.
Oscar Gomez, Montclair, Sr.
Eddie Ramirez, Montclair, Sr.
Andrew Jacquez, Ontario, Jr.
Joey Puzin, Colony, Sr.
Kyle Zosky, Colony, So.
Andrew MacKenzie, Colony, Sr.
Aaron Bernal, Colony, So.

BASEBALL
MVP: Tim Helton, Upland, 12, C

1st Team
Marcos Flores, Alta Loma, 11, 3B/P
Austin Keenan, Alta Loma, 12, SS
Kyle Jackson, Claremont, 11, 2B
Jonny Traber, Etiwanda, 12, 3B
Mikey Ramirez, Etiwanda, 12, P/OF
Spencer Thorton, Los Osos, 11, CF
Anthony Fernandez, Los Osos, 12, 2B
Jake Hernandez, Los Osos, 12, C
James Zamarripa, Rancho Cucamonga, 11, CF
Austin Reed, Rancho Cucamonga, 12, P
Frankie Christian, Upland, 12, OF
Scott Frazier, Upland, 12, P
Ryan Goodman, Upland, 12, IF

It assuredly didn't quite have the same feeling when it left the bat - or the same championship implications - but it was a grand slam just the same.
Three days after her grand slam won the CIF-SS Division 3 championship game, Ayala High School outfielder Mary Massei hit another one to put away Monday's 10-1 victory for the South team in the seventh annual Inland Valley High School All-Star softball game.

The difference in the home run that awarded Ayala the first CIF championship in school history on Friday and the one that put the All-Star game out of reach was more than a few feet. Massei's hit never left Big League Dreams Park Monday night but the speedy Ayala senior raced around the bases in the sixth inning to give the South team a commanding nine-run lead.

After zero grand slams in the first six years of the Inland Valley High School All-Star softball game, there were two Monday night. Chino's Lauren Ackerson hit a conventional grand slam - over the left-field fence - in the fourth inning to give the South a 5-1 lead.

"When I was trying to put a lineup together before the game, I realized I don't know all these girls that well," said Ontario's Bob Vasquez, coach of the South team. "But no matter who you put out there, you can't go wrong."

What was left for Whitney Jones to accomplish, she likely checked off the list Saturday afternoon.

The Upland High School pitcher completed her fourth consecutive playoff game without allowing an earned run, went 2 for 4 with three RBIs, hit a home run and even stole home to lead the Highlanders to a 10-2 win over Temecula Valley in the CIF-SS Division 2 championship game at Deanna Manning Stadium.

"It feels amazing," said Jones, who'll play for Washington next season. "To end it this way, there just couldn't be anything better."

Upland's first CIF championship since 1997 made it the second consecutive titlist from the Baseline League. The Highlanders (21-9-1) finished second in the Baseline to defending CIF champ and No. 1 seed Etiwanda, which was knocked off in the first round by the same Temecula Valley team that advanced all the way to the final.

As the stakes got higher in the CIF softball playoffs, Mary Massei continually rose to the occasion. She hit the ceiling Friday night.

Ayala High School's right fielder hit a go-ahead grand slam in the fifth inning to lift the Bulldogs to a 5-4 victory over Downey Warren in the CIF-SS Division 3 championship game at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine. After she provided the game-winning hit in a 1-0 semifinal win over top-seeded Bonita, Massei helped fourth-seeded Ayala to the first CIF title in school history.

"It was seriously in slow motion," Massei said. "That change-up literally stopped me in my tracks but when I connected it felt so right."

Rancho Cucamonga High School graduate and New York Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas will host a football camp in his hometown for the second consecutive year. The USC graduate who recently completed his second season with the Giants after they made him a second-round pick in 2008 will be on hand for the camp on Saturday, June 26, at Ralph M. Lewis Park in Rancho Cucamonga.

Players ages 7 to 14 are welcome for the camp that runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Campers must register by June 14 and submit scholarship applications by June 7. To register visit Thomas' website: www.terrellthomas24.com. The camp cost is $30 with an extra $10 to include a camp photo.

Thomas is also hosting an all-star poker tournament and silent auction from 7 p.m. to midnight on June 25 at the Ontario Airport Hilton to raise money for Terrell Thomas Charities. The poker tournament open to the public will include NFL and USC players. Poker tournament tickets are $40, general admission tickets are $30 and table sponsorship for up to six players is $500. For more information, e-mail t2charities@gmail.com.

As the head girls basketball coach for 17 years at Ayala High School, Mel Sims has seen his share of games on the hardwood. It's the lack of soccer games, among other things, that led him to a decision to retire from coaching on Thursday.

"I've got a daughter on the soccer team who I saw play one game all of last year," Sims said. "I've had 35 great years but at some point you've got to choose between work and family. I've been neglecting my family for too long."

Sims, 69, has coached the Ayala girls to 14 consecutive Sierra League titles, leading the Bulldogs to a CIF championship in 2007 before a triple-overtime loss cost them a berth in the state championship game. He also won a CIF title in 1990 coaching the Pasadena Muir girls.

Given that all matches must begin 0-0, the score was the only edge the Claremont High School boys tennis team entered Wednesday's CIF-SS Division 3 championship match without.

On the collective mind of opponent Placentia Valencia was the sound defeat it absorbed from Claremont in last year's CIF title match. Only this year Claremont entered as a No. 1 seed that hadn't lost a match all season. Once the score turned in Claremont's favor courtesy of a 4-2 edge after the first round, everything was in motion for the Wolfpack's eventual 12-6 win that gave the it a 19-0 record and a second consecutive CIF championship.

"(Valencia) had more pressure on them because of last year and they just wanted it really badly," Claremont coach Tom Spinosa said. "If you want it that badly you can't relax."

Rancho Cucamonga High School head football coach Nick Baiz is holding a youth football camp that will consist of three sessions, the firt from June 8-17. Players ages 7-14 are welcome for instruction from the coaching staff of the 2008 CIF champions.

For more information, click here.