Nine local baseballers receive recognition …

It formerly was called All-CIF Southern Section Baseball teams.
Now, it’s the 2008 All-Southern Section Baseball Teams compiled by
the California Baseball Coaches Association.

Tomatoes, tamahtoes, no big deal, although some of us wish the CIF
was still involved.

Nine area athletes have been acknowledged:

In Division III, California senior pitcher Tyler Leibert, La Serna
senior pitcher/outfielder Victor Soto and El Rancho senior pitcher Chris Villalobos were first team selections.
Named to the second team was El Rancho senior first baseman Aaron
Flores.

In Division IV, La Habra senior second baseman Bryan Aanderud was a second team pick. He also was a first team pick as a member of the
Highlanders’ CIF championship team.

Division V honorees were St. Paul sophomore shortstop Andrew Chico and sophomore pitcher/outfielder Gabriel Encinas on the first team, and Cantwell senior shortstop Antonio Andrade and St. Paul junior catcher Chris Carrillo on the second team.

Did the committee miss anyone who deserved (legitimate) recognition?

NOTE: We’re still rounding up the softball and boys volleyball
selections.

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Where is the support for SFBL, T&F, SWMNG, TNNS, VB??

Bloggers’ comments have been posted concerning the candidates for
all-area player of the year in baseball, but little has been said about
coach of the year, or potential choices for either player of the year and/or coach of the year in softball. Where are the supporters for that sport? And we’ll have
POYs and COYs for boys and girls track&field, boys and girls swimming,
boys volleyball and boys tennis being announced in the next two weeks.
Opinions for those sports, also, are welcome. Love all the football
stuff, but don’t let it intimidate the rest of you.

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Encinas, Chico step up, make tough decision

It is stressed in St. Paul High School football that no one
player will make or break the program. That while the gain or loss of an
individual might be significant in some respects, it will never be
reason for panic or alibi.
Two of the Swordsmen’s fine multi-sport athletes have decided to forgo
playing football this season in favor of concentrating on baseball. Both
played key roles in St. Paul’s march to the CIF-SS, Division V
championship this spring, Encinas as a pitcher/outfielder and Chico at
shortstop and leadoff batter, and both might have figured prominently in
coach Pete Gonzalez’s plans this fall.
“Both young men were up front about it,” Gonzalez said. “They came to us
and explained their feelings. It was their decision.”
Encinas’ reason was basic.
“I’ve known since I was 10 years old baseball was my sport,” said the
6-foot-3, 200-pound sophomore, although he might get a bit of an
argument from those who have watched him on the football field, both as
a quarterback his freshman season at Santa Fe and as a wide receiver on
St. Paul’s CIF-SS, Western Division championship team this past season.
“I know I’m going to play baseball as a career and I just feel it’s
time to start focusing on that.”
Encinas said “a lot of people,” including professional scouts, had been
telling him he should concentrate on baseball.
“It’s time, and I’m sure I’ll miss (football),” he said. “I really
love the game, but I think this (decision) is best for me.”
Chico is a talented athlete who played defensive back for the junior
varsity last fall. At least one observer close to the varsity program
said the 5-foot-11, 155-pound sophomore could have challenged for a
starting berth on the team this fall.
“No football,” Chico said. “I kinda want some time off to concentrate
more on what I want and need to do at home.”
Chico’s mother passed away last year, and he feels a
responsibility to help take care of his 12-year-old sister (Ashley).
“I also want to do really good in school. My grades are good, I just
want them to be better,” he said, citing their importance in obtaining a
scholarship for college.

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Playing in how many all-star football games is enough/too many?

Nine area football players are scheduled to participate in the Hall of
Fame game that will be played Friday, June 27 at Bassett High School.

For two of them, it will be their second all-star game in three weeks.
And two them have indicated they may participate in the LA Army Fiesta
Bowl scheduled June 28 at Los Angeles Wilson High School.

It is a rugged schedule, indeed. Not many bodies are in football
condition at this time of the year, which makes them more susceptible to
injury.

The locals in the Hall of Fame game are California center Chris Burns
(listed on the roster at guard) and guard Jose Castellon, and Pioneer
linebacker Andre Ortega, who will be playing for the East Squad, and
Schurr DB/WR Alex Valdez, DB Raul Pintaro and RB/WB Rudy Jordan (yes, he
played for La Serna last fall), Cantwell FB/LB Deonta Woodward, El
Rancho two-way lineman Travis Shaefer and Montebello two-way lineman
Vicente Torres, who are members of the West Squad.

Realizing the amount of time between games is the most important
factor, should one off-season all-star game enough, or is asking one’s
self to play in two, perhaps even three games no big deal?

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A football top 5 (in no particular order?)

1. La Habra – Some big names are gone, Morales, Davis, Tornell, Puga, just to name a few, but weep not for the defending Southeast Division
champion Highlanders. The return of All-Area safety-turned-QB-prospect
Randall Nygren plus versatile running back/receiver Ronnie Hillman means coach Frank Mazzotta has a solid starting point to build around. And of course, programs that reach La Habra’s level of consistent
efficiency don’t have down years.

2. St. Paul – Defending Western Division champion Swordsmen definitely have a target on their backs but addition of impressive transfer running
back Darius Bratcher and a trio of talented quarterbacks to choose from should make things a bit easier for coach Pete Gonzales. The biggest test will be in rebuilding the defense that has become a cornerstone but
lost many key performers who contributed to a brilliant season on their
side of the ball.

3. La Mirada – Not much to show for last season, but there are some
quality remnants to work with this year for newly named co-head coaches
Mike Moschetti and Ollie Lynch. One close observer wouldn’t go into detail but said, “There’s good things happening there.” Two of them might be returning QB Daniel Ponce de Leon and running back Devon Tracy. Another plus is the return to the sideline of A.D. Kim Brooks to oversee the project.

4. Santa Fe – The Chiefs took a beating on a couple of fronts last
season, both in and out of the arena. A lot of folks who had been waiting at least six years for a crack in the program’s armor were quick to kick the big dog when Santa Fe finished under .500 in both league (2-3) and overall (5-6) for the first time since anyone could remember. However, with Aaron Turner, one of the area’s top running backs, the Chiefs may feature a more conservative and efficient ground
game to take the pressure off which ever of the young quarterbacks (Alex , Flores, Cameron Oliver, Ryan Garcia?) is given the reins.

5. La Serna was on the verge of a break-through season a year ago until waylaid by California and then Pioneer in the last league game. The architect of an otherwise successful season was QB Ben Burke, and he’s back to lead again. Burke’s passing hopefully will help make up for the loss of leading rusher Rudy Jordan and his 1127 yards and 18 (overall) touchdowns. Graduated linebacker Nick Alvarez will be the Lancers’ biggest defensive hole to fill.

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