Player of the Year: Blake Tourville, Sonora, Sophomore

Sonora High School doesn’t have a strong history in boys soccer over the past two decades, but the Raiders have trended upward the past two seasons, with back-to-back CIF Southern Section playoff appearances.The resurgence has been keyed by sophomore Blake Tourville, who after being selected All-CIF-SS Division 2 in consecutive seasons is the 2016 Whittier Daily News Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
“It’s just hard training and hard work,” Tourville said. “I try to train with my team, my club. Training on my own has really helped in getting my confidence up.”
It also helped the Highlanders, who after missing the postseason in seven of the previous eight seasons, have followed with consecutive playoff trips. Tourville was the difference, showing his diversity by playing the defender and mid-field positions this season.
He was the only area player to earn All-CIF-SS this season and is the first sophomore to receive All-CIF-SS honors in boys soccer in the first two seasons of play since the early 1970s.
Tourville, who also earned back-to-back All-Freeway League honors, including being league defensive MVP in 2015, provided strong leadership for Sonora.
He also has been invited to two U.S. National team workouts twice since he was 11-years-old and played for the Arsenal USSDA U16 team.
“He was quarterback of the team,” Sonora coach Cory Witt said. “It worked for him being that versatile player. Earning All-CIF is a great honor for him.
“He was just a solid player for us. He was the one kid we could move around and when we moved him around, we’d score goals with his leadership and it would allow us to control the mid-field. We got to a back-to-back CIF berths because of him.”
Coach of the Year: Gerry Goyenaga, El Rancho
El Rancho has been the area’s dominant team over the past decade, but slipped a bit last year. This season they found itself back on top of the Del Rio League. Goyenaga, in his second year, got the Dons back on track.
For his efforts, he is area coach of the year.
“We took a step forward with a young team (two seniors), but it was still incredibly challenging,” Goyenaga said. “All the credit in the world goes to my players and my assistant coaches. When things weren’t going so well, we didn’t make any excuses. Our players came together, pushed one another, and played their hearts out this past year. We still have lots of room for growth, and will continue to hang our hats on team-play and hard work.”
First Team
Forward: Adrian Lopez, El Rancho, Jr.
Forward: Ricky Sotelo, La Serna, Sr.
Forward: Jason Ramos, Montebello, Sr.
Mid-fielder: Josh Gomez, El Rancho, Jr.
Mid-fielder: Alexander Corpus, St. Paul, Sr.
Mid-fielder: Michael Lara, St. Paul, Sr.
Mid-fielder: Oscar Salazar, Montebello, Sr.
Mid-fielder: Andrew Escobar, Montebello, Sr.
Defender: Owen Escamilla, Schurr, Sr.
Defender: . Estevan Anguiano, El Rancho, Sr
Goal keeper: Luis Barrera, Whittier, Jr.
Second Team
Forward: Emilio Gonzalez, El Rancho, Sr.
Forward: Rodrigo Cano, Santa Fe, Sr.
Mid-fielder Juan Carlos Reinis, Whittier Chr., Sr.
Mid-fielder: Ishmael Marquez, La Serna, Sr.
Mid-fielder: Parker Hodges, La Serna, Sr.
Mid-fielder: Andrew Escobar, Montebello, Sr.
Mid-fielder: Jonothan Lopez, Schurr, Sr
Defender: Rafael Gomez, Whittier, Jr.
Defender: Kyle Huitt, Sonora, Sr.
Defender: Jose Zepeda, Schurr, Sr.
Goal keeper: Emilio Gutierrez, Santa Fe, Jr.
FINAL TOP FIVE
1. Montebello (18-4-4)
2. St. Paul (17-8)
3. El Rancho (13-9)
4. La Mirada (12-9-3)
5. La Serna (9-8-6)
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Almont: Montebello
Del Rio: El Rancho
Freeway: Sunny Hills
Olympic: Valley Christian/Maranatha
Santa Fe: St. Paul
Suburban: Bellflower

If you have any scores or stats from any local high school sporting events call them into the desk at 626-544-0992 or 0991 or scores@SGVN

Baseball
Whittier Christian 9, Heritage Christian 2 — Isaiah Carreon went 4 for 4 with three doubles and three runs, Logan Veloff had four RBIs and Matt Salas had two doubles for the Heralds (6-3, 1-0) in their first Olympic League win of the season. Brett Greene pitched six innings and Josh Hernandez go the save.
El Rancho 3, Glendale 0 — Mike Viera pitched a complete game, striking out nine, Jason Vela went 3 for 4 with three stolen bases and an RBI and Bobby Banuelos had two RBIs for the Dons (4-4) in a Babe Herman Tournament win.

If you have any scores or stats from any local high school sporting events call them into the desk at 626-544-0992 or 0991 or scores@SGVN

Baseball
California 3, Whittier 0 — Jake Carmichael went 4 for 4 with a double for the Condors (4-5, 1-0) in their first Del Rio League game of the season.

Boys golf
Whittier Christian 200, La Habra 233 — Karsten Briley and Brian Rafter both shot 38, Mitchell Briley shot 40, Matt White shot 41 and Matt Rafter shot 43 for the Heralds (6-0) in a nonleague match.
St. Paul 237, Bosco Tech 272 — Brandon Baucom shot a 3-over par 38 to lead the Swordsmen (6-2) to win their Del Rey League season opener at Whittier Narrows. Steven Huezo shot 47, Giovanny Sandoval shot 48, Nick Governale shot 49 and Brian Parze shot 55 for St. Paul.

If you have any scores or stats from any local high school sporting events call them into the desk at 626-544-0992 or 0991 or scores@SGVN

Baseball
La Mirada 0-7, Lakewood 1-0 — Shawn Dumser pitched a no-hitter to lead La Mirada (6-3) to win the second game of the doubleheader. Jakob Gonzalez pitched a two-hitter for the Matadores in Wednesday’s opener.

CIF STATE GIRLS BASKETALL REGIONALS
SEMIFINALS
DIVISION IV
LA CANADA 50, ST. PAUL 49
LA CANADA — There was a look of relief and excitement on the face La Canada High School girls basketball coach Sarah Beattie following Tuesday’s thrilling 50-49 win over St. Paul.
The Spartans almost blew a double-digit lead in the closing seconds, but held off the Swordsmen in the Southern California regional semifinals of the CIF State Division IV playoffs.
La Canada (29-4) will play Antelope Valley in Saturday’s Southern California final at Colony High in Ontario. Antelope Valley defeated La Canada in a CIF Southern Section Division 3A title game, 59-44. St. Paul finished 22-14.
The Spartans got a 15-0 run to start the second half and needed every point of their advantage to get by after St. Paul made a furious rally late in the game. The Swordsmen trailed, 50-44, with less than 30 seconds to play when Jurhandi Molina scored on a put-back shot. That was followed by a steal, which set up Francesca Facchini for a 3-pointer that she hit to close it to within 50-49 with 10 seconds left.
St. Paul fouled La Canada on the ensuing possession and got a golden opportunity for the win when La Canada missed the first free throw. Facchini’s 3-pointer from the top of the key was straight, but long, and the ball hit off the back of the rim and went over the backboard returning possession to La Canada.
— Aram Tolegian