2017 ALL-AREA BASKETBALL
SHOWCASING THE CENTRAL COAST’S BEST AND BRIGHTEST
Len Wood, Staff
St. Joseph point guard JoJo Walker capped his high school career with a stellar senior season. He averaged more than 23 points and nearly eight assists per game. However, Walker had a lot of competition for All-Area MVP. Did he repeat or is Cabrillo’s LeAndrew Knight this year’s MVP?
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Joe Bailey Assistant sports editor jbailey@leecentralcoastnews.com (805) 739-2239 Twitter: @JBaileySMSports
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The MVPs Boys MVP..................................................................... Page 4 Girls MVP................................................................... Page 5-6 Coaches of the Year Boys COY.......................................................................Page 7 Girls COY....................................................................... Page 8 Offensive Players of the Year Boys OPOY............................................................... Page 9-10 Girls OPOY................................................................... Page 11 Defensive Players of the Year Boys DPOY............................................................................ 12 Girls DPOY...................................................................Page 13 Most Improved Player of the Year Boys Most Improved...................................................Page 14 Girls Most Improved...................................................Page 15 First Team All-Area Boys First Team...........................................................Page 16 Girls First Team...........................................................Page 17 Second Team All-Area Boys Second Team......................................................Page 18 Girls Second Team......................................................Page 19
St. Joseph’s JoJo Walker was the 2016 All-Area MVP. But Walker missed some time with an ankle injury this year and his Knights finished second in the PAC 8 League. Did Walker do enough to claim the MVP title again? Turn the pages to find out. LEN WOOD, STAFF
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LEN WOOD, STAFF
Righetti’s Zane Sheckherd, center, stepped up to help lead the Warriors after defending All-Area MVP Danita Estorga was injured midway through the season. Arroyo Grande’s Brynn Thoming, left, helped the Eagles finish second in the PAC 8 behind the Warriors. Look inside to see what honors the players took in this year’s All-Area special section.
Knight in shining black and gold armor Cabrillo star is All-Area MVP LORENZO J. REYNA
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lreyna@leecentralcoastnews.com
How serious is Cabrillo’s LeAndrew Knight on the basketball court? One perfect illustration of a focused Knight came on the road against Templeton in the season finale and with a perfect Los Padres League record in sight. But the Eagles stunned the Conquistadores by taking an early lead and, much to the dismay of Knight, started to joke about the way Knight and the Conqs were playing. Knight took that personal…and became the driving force on the CHS scoring end in the 82-47 rout of the Eagles, solidifying the perfect LPL mark and helping clinch a high playoff seed for the Conqs. “This game to me is a lifestyle. So if you disrespect the game, you’re disrespecting me. So I went out there and took it to them,” Knight said. That focused attitude and score-atwill philosophy has not only turned the 6-foot-3 junior into the frontrunner for the LPL Most Valuable Player award once again, but Knight has been named this season’s All-Area Most Valuable Player by Lee Central Coast News. Knight emerged as first-year head coach C.J. Simmons’s walking 20-point threat, as Knight used his long range shooting stroke from behind the arch and fearlessness for attacking the lane to emerge as one of the top players in the area. Knight, though, isn’t one to lounge in his own credentials. He’s more zoned in on chasing a CIF Southern Section Division 3A title and state playoff berth now. “It’s a good honor. I like it. But I’m more focused on CIF because we got knocked out in the second round last year and I don’t want that to happen now,” Knight said. “So my main focus is to do what I can to help my teammates and get them to help me so we can advance to the next round.” His coach and older cousin Simmons has not only witnessed his own family member blossom into Cabrillo’s latest round ball sensation, but has watched Knight’s affinity for wanting to improve. “I’ve witnessed LeAndrew’s love and passion for the game as a young kid. I’ve
LEN WOOD PHOTOS, STAFF
Cabrillo’s LeAndrew Knight has been voted the All-Area Most Valuable Player after leading the Conquistadores to an undefeated Los Padres League championship. seen his work ethic then and it’s now coming full circle for him,” Simmons said. “For him to be honored as the league MVP last year and to continue the drive and what he’s had going on for Cabrillo basketball has been awesome. It’s just a testimony to the person that he is. “I think LeAndrew has clearly set himself as, possibly, one of the best to come through here.” Colleges in the Mountain West and Western Athletic Conference have taken notice of Knight as Utah State, Boise State and Utah Valley State have asked about the rising Class of 2018 basketball
prospect so far. And Knight is slowly becoming a local celebrity in Vandenberg Village, as young kids have not only tried to latch onto to him, but has gotten the community to sing their praises to him. Knight, however, reminds people that he’s still not a complete model on the court yet. “I’m not even close to where I want to be,” Knight said. “I still need to improve on a lot of things from my shot, my defense and even my vertical. There’s a lot that I still need to work on. I say thanks, but I know I’m not the player I can be yet. So I stay humble and confident.”
2017: LeAndrew Knight, Cabrillo
2012: Brent VanderVeen, Arroyo Grande
2006: Andrew Schmalbach, St. Joseph
2016: JoJo Walker, St. Joseph
2011: Van Halloway, Righetti
2005: Ryan Adlesh, St. Joseph
2015: Cameron Walker, Righetti
2010: David Terrones, Cabrillo
2004: Stewart Kussler, St. Joseph
2014: Chad Brodhead, Cabrillo, Cameron Walker Righett
2009: Jordan O’Byrne, Lompoc
2003: Ben Paine, Aaron Subido, Righetti
2008: Randy Hunter, Righetti
2002: Joel Smith, Lompoc
2007: Randy Hunter, Righetti
2001: Matt McKinney, Santa Ynez
All-Area MVPs
2013: Cameron Walker, Righetti
Cabrillo’s LeAndrew Knight scores past Artesia’s Devion Smith, right. Knight says the game of basketball “is a lifestyle.” That showed this year, as he landed All-Area MVP honors as a junior.
LEN WOOD, STAFF
Cabrillo’s Erin Jenkins has led the Conqsuistadores to an outright and undefeated Los Padres League title. Jenkins has done that as just a junior. She is the first Cabrillo player to be named the LCCN All-Area Most Valuable Player this century.
Cabrillo’s Jenkins takes top honor LORENZO J. REYNA
lreyna@leecentralcoastnews.com
Cabrillo High’s latest girls basketball star hails from the “Birthplace of Television.” Erin Jenkins first got her first hands on the basketball while living in Rigby, Idaho,
a small city north of Idaho Falls known nationwide as the boyhood home of the inventor of television Philo T. Farnsworth. The junior Jenkins has provided plenty of highlight moments on the basketball court for the black and gold – the kind of highlights that would’ve made sports TV highlight shows from knocking down a 3-pointer to making a key defensive stop in the waning moments of a key league contest. And that kind of flair and energy on the
basketball floor from Jenkins has turned the former Rigby resident into the girls basketball All-Area Most Valuable Player from Lee Central Coast News. “I feel really honored about that,” Jenkins said when asked about her All-Area nod. “With my role on this team, I really feel like I just try to motivate everyone to the best of their abilities. My role on the court is I run the ball.” Once Jenkins takes control of the orange
spherical ball, opponents have to brace themselves for a player who does it all – score in the key, hit the long range shot, dish the ball down low in the post, then use her long arms to steal or swat. But the one trait she loves exhibiting on the floor? Getting her teammate, cousin and fellow LCCN All-Area selection Please see JENKINS, Page 6
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From Idaho to All-Area MVP
Jenkins
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From Page 5
Britney McCune involved. “When I’m on the wing or the point, I love feeding Britney in the post because she’s really good at posting up, getting the ball and getting it through the hoop,” Jenkins said. Jenkins’ big plays have helped elevate a once struggling girls basketball program at Cabrillo to Los Padres League supremacy, as the Conquistadores have either shared or won the outright LPL title in the three seasons Jenkins has played on varsity. This year’s Conqs not only won 24 of 26 regular season games, but clinched the outright league crown with a 14-0 record, which was solidified in what Jenkins called the highlight game of the regular season on Feb. 3: The 43-31 victory over city rival Lompoc that swept the regular season series against the two-time coleague champs. “That was the most exciting game we played so far,” Jenkins said, who had to counter the Braves’ top lockdown defender Cheyenne Marmolejo on that night, the same Marmolejo who held her to a season-low five points in the 36-33 road win at Bryan Ayer Court on Jan. 10. “Cheyenne was a really good defender. I’ll admit she did stop me in the first game. But I came back in the second game with trying to attack her and get past her,” Jenkins said, who improved to 14 points that night in her second go-round versus Marmolejo. “The only way she could stop me was by fouling me and getting me to the free throw line. That’s where I got most of my points that game.” With her versatility and winning resume, Jenkins has emerged as a rising women’s college basketball prospect on Constellation Rd. “I’ve had three colleges notice me so far: Cal Poly, Fresno State and Long Beach State,” Jenkins said. “I haven’t had much contact talking wise with Long Beach State and Fresno State. But they’ve been really busy. Cal Poly, though, always checks up on me and asks how I’m doing. We have those nice talks with each other and I go to their home games sometimes.” Jenkins has played on Conquistador teams that have gone an astonishing 40-2 in LPL games. Yet, she admits she had some humble court beginnings in Rigby. “I never got to play high school ball there and I’ve played on some youth teams. We weren’t really that great and we were young. I was one of the older, experienced players while everyone else was new. It was fun though,” Jenkins said. Now, she plays on basketball teams that have raised the bar high on the CHS campus. “No one is really surprised with how well we did in league, but the atmosphere (on campus) is really exciting,” Jenkins said. “We’re really excited to play and see if we can go farther than last year.” Now that she’s received her All-Area nod, there are two things remaining on Jenkins’ mind along with the rest of her teammates: A section title and state playoff appearance. “We want it so bad,” Jenkins said. “I think we have a really good chance. We’ve worked our tails off this season and I feel like we have a better chance of going on to CIF and the state finals because we want it bad this year.”
LEN WOOD, STAFF
Lompoc’s Cheyenne Marmolejo and Cabrillo’s Erin Jenkins go for a loose ball during a Los Padres League battle for first place on Jan. 10 at Lompoc High. Marmolejo and Jenkins have had some battles over the years. This year, Marmolejo has been voted the AllArea Defensive Player of the Year while Jenkins is the All-Area MVP.
All-Area MVPs 2017: Erin Jenkins, Cabrillo*
2011: Aly Beebe, St. Joseph
2005: Cynthia Regalado, Valley Christian
2016: Danita Estorga, Righetti*
2010: Aly Beebe, St. Joseph
2004: Amanda Voss, Arroyo Grande
2015: Ashlyn Herlihy, Arroyo Grande
2009: Ane McPike, St. Joseph
2003: Caysi Garife, Lompoc
2014: Shnyia Tell, Pioneer Valley
2008: Devin Riezebos, St. Joseph
2002: Meghan Gnekow, Santa Ynez
2013: Tatiana Dunlap, St. Joseph
2007: Kristina Santiago, Righetti
2001: Meghan Gnekow, Santa Ynez
2012: Heather Madrigal, Arroyo Grande
2006: Lara Hertzog, Valley Christian
* Unanimous
LEN WOOD, STAFF
Cabrillo’s LeAndrew Knight and head coach C.J. Simmons talk before practice on Feb. 10. Simmons and Knight have been tremendously successful this year. Simmons is the All-Area Coach of the Year while Knight is the All-Area MVP.
Simmons wins All-Area coaching honor LORENZO J. REYNA
lreyna@leecentralcoastnews.com
Coach of the Year 2017: C.J. Simmons, Cabrillo 2016: Tom Mott, St. Joseph 2015: Eliot Davis, Lompoc 2014: Gary West, Cabrillo 2013: Ryan Glanville, Arroyo Grande 2012: Ryan Glanville, Arroyo Grande they were used to. Lastly, I had to learn different personalities. And I think that was the most challenging, getting down that team camaraderie.” It took a December road trip to Palm Springs for the Conquistadores to realize that it was time to adapt to Simmons the head coach. The Conqs went 2-2 overall in the Rancho Mirage Holiday Invitational sponsored by Max Preps, losing to a Las Vegas Sierra Vista team that went 13-14 during
the regular season and a Brentwood-Liberty program that went 15-10 overall. And that 21-point loss to Liberty (5635) on Dec. 29 triggered a 13-game winning streak to close out the regular season for the Conqs. “I say it was before league, maybe around the time we played at the Max Preps Tournament (when they gave in to me),” Simmons said. “Honestly, they’ve always bought in, but I just think the camaraderie and those guys playing together came on full circle after that and over the course of the season.” His top scorer LeAndrew Knight, who was named the LCCN All-Area MVP, approves the top coaching honor his older cousin has received. “That’s good, especially for a first-year head coach who was taking on a program that has a lot of expectations,” Knight said. “For him to come out here then lead us to a 20-plus win season and get us to the playoffs, he deserves it.”
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It didn’t take long for C.J. Simmons to add a Los Padres League championship on his head coaching resume, which was what he accomplished in his first season of roaming the sidelines for Cabrillo High boys basketball. And his ability to keep CHS’s LPL reign – which has stretched to 31 consecutive victories—has earned him the Lee Central Coast News All-Area boys basketball head coach of the year honor. “Man, words can’t even express. I’m extremely blessed to hear that,” Simmons said after he learned of his award. “I’m honored that people voted for me for that award. I’m just going to continue to get the best out of these boys like I have all year.” And his road to the LCCN’s top boys basketball coaching nod didn’t come with a smooth route from what he says. For one, he had to replace Gary West at Cabrillo…the same coach West who
turned the Conquistadores into a perennial force in the LPL for 15 seasons and the same West who not only coached a young Simmons at Vandenberg Village, but handed him his first high school coaching opportunity. Second, Simmons had to convince his current players that he’s not entering the CHS gym with the attitude of an assistant coach, but as the new leader of the Conqs. Lastly, there was the massive amount of expectations that piled and stood in front of Simmons, from keeping the league streak alive to maintaining Cabrillo’s status as one of the faces of northern Santa Barbara County boys basketball – let alone the entire 805 region. And all Simmons did was lead a team that finished the regular season 23-3 and zero losses in league play. “It was absolutely challenging,” Simmons said. “They had to learn how to take me as a head coach and not as the assistant, plus me demanding more than what
LEN WOOD, STAFF
Righetti girls basketball coach Desiree Domingues and rising star Zane Sheckherd have been voted the All-Area Coach of the Year and the Most Improved Player, respectively. This is the second consecutive year that Domingues won the award unanimously.
Domingues girls All-Area Coach of the Year again Righetti coach makes it 2-for-2 KENNY CRESS
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kcress@leecentralcoastnews.com
ith all-everything senior Danita Estorga W doing what she does — that is scoring, rebounding and everything else — the Righetti girls basketball team was cruising toward the 2017 PAC 8 League championship. Then the 6-foot-1 Estorga went down in the second half of the team’s third league game of the season, at home against San Luis Obispo on Jan. 9, and suffered an injury to her left leg that likely ended her season. With Estorga cheering her team on from the bench, the Warriors ran the table anyway, finishing 14-0 in the PAC 8 and winning the outright league championship under second-year coach Desiree Domingues. For her work in guiding her team to an outright title Domingues, a Righetti alum,
repeats as the Lee Central Coast Newspapers Girls All-Area Basketball Team Coach of the Year. Righetti and Arroyo Grande shared the league championship in 2016. The Warriors were the top-ranked team in the CIF Southern Section’s Division 2A before Estorga got hurt, and they have remained so since she has been out. Estorga was averaging 16-plus points and seven-plus rebounds a game before she got hurt. Since she has been sidelined, “We have a lot of players who have taken up the scoring that Danita left,” Domingues said. Since Estorga has been out Righetti has been challenged just once, in a 57-54 win at Arroyo Grande as it started the second half of league play. Before the season started, Domingues moved 5-foot-10 junior Zane Sheckherd from a power forward spot to the wing.
All-Area Coach of the Year 2017: Desiree Domingues, Righetti* 2016: Desiree Domingues, Righetti* 2015: Claudia Terrones, Lompoc 2014: Pete Fortier, VCA 2013: Brian Hook Pioneer Valley 2012: Dwight MacDonald, Arroyo Grande 2011: Ed Torres, St. Joseph * Unanimous She has flourished since, consistently scoring in double figures since Estorga got hurt and becoming one of Righetti’s better ball-handlers. Sheckherd has led the team in scoring since Estorga went out. Sheckherd and sophomore Alijah Paquet are strong
3-point shooters, and several other Warriors have shown they can hit the ‘3’. Senior point guard Maya Armenta has responded since Estorga has been out. With Estorga gone, Armenta has taken it upon herself to drive deep into the lane more often, and to mix up her passes to open teammates. Domingues was a three-time league Defensive Player of the Year at Righetti before she went on to play for Cal State Los Angeles. Domingues constantly stresses defense to her players, and the Warriors have been adept at mixing up zone and man-to-man defenses. “With the girls we have, I’m very confident we can make a big playoff run,” Domingues said after Righetti defeated Arroyo Grande for the second time. “Our goal is to make the state tournament. We have a great point guard. We have all the pieces necessary.”
JOE BAILEY, STAFF
JoJo Walker takes a moment between plays during the CIF Southern Section Division 2AA playoff game against Burbank Burroughs. Walker averaged 23.3 points per game this season and 7.9 assists. He has been voted the All-Area Offensive Player of the Year by the Lee Central Coast Newspapers sports staff.
Walker is area’s top offensive player Senior averaged more than 23 points, nearly 8 assists JOE BAILEY
jbailey@leecentralcoastnews.com
Stat profile Points per game: 23.3
Rebounds per game: 3.6
Assists per game: 7.9
Steals per game: 2.2
“I’ve been hurt before, I know how it feels,” Walker added. “When I got back, I was just trying to get revenge on everybody that beat us. And it worked.” His value was still apparent in his absence. The Knights blew a big lead in that Atascadero game, falling 74-63 for their first league loss. They then had to scratch and claw their way past Righetti 82-75 in the following game. “JoJo, when he was out, I definitely hurt from that, too,” St. Joseph senior Scott McBeth said. “I get a lot of my shots from him just because he’s such a great facilitator; a great passer.”
“He just draws in the defense,” Elihu Cobb said of Walker. “Everybody is worried about him. So I’m just wide open pretty much.” Then came the turning point of their season: An 80-40 loss at Mission Prep, the eventual PAC 8 champion, on Jan. 17. After that loss, the Knights were able to regroup a bit, beating San Luis Obispo 8986 with Walker still out of the lineup. He made his return on Jan. 24, in an 84-35 win over Paso Robles, a game in which Walker scored 12 points. Walker, who has signed to play at the University of Portland next year, started to regain his groove in the game against Pioneer Valley. In that contest, he had 15 points, but he really hit his stride against Arroyo Grande, pouring in 28 points on 17 shots in a Jan. 30 win. Please see WALKER, Page 10
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St. Joseph’s JoJo Walker has all the tools needed to score at an elite level. He deftly handles the ball with either hand. He can also finish with his left or his right. Walker is incredibly quick and though he stands just a bit under 6-feet, he is a long, rangy athlete able to explode off the floor and attack the rim. He’s also fearless and has that ideal scorer’s mentality, relentlessly attacking opposing defenses. Then it comes as no surprise that Walker has been voted the All-Area Offensive Player of the Year. Walker averaged more than 23 points this year for the Knights, who went 22-5
during the regular season and finished second in the PAC 8 League. Walker was chosen the All-Area MVP last year as he led the Knights to a coleague championship and a CIF Southern Section divisional championship. He most likely would’ve repeated as the area MVP this year if he hadn’t missed three-plus games with an ankle injury he suffered against Atascadero in mid-January. Walker acknowledged that the season was a bit of a grind and missing those PAC 8 games gave him some extra motivation in the second round of league play. “I’m sad I got hurt and missed those games we lost,” Walker said. “It’s basketball. It happens. You just have to get back and get to work. It sucks to be hurt, but when I’m on the bench I can see different things that I don’t see on the court and when I get back I try to fix.
JOE BAILEY, STAFF
JoJo Walker has signed to play for the University of Portland next year. Walker, a native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, has scored nearly 2,000 points in three years of varsity action, coming back from a broken leg that robbed him of his entire freshman season.
Walker 10 | Lee Central Coast Newspapers
From Page 9
The Knights had just one slip up after Walker’s return, falling at rival Righetti 58-45 on Feb. 3. In that game, Walker had 13 points on 4-for-17 shooting from the field. He went 4-for-14 from the line in that contest. That performance proved to be an outlier for Walker. He and the Knights put that loss behind them and finished the regular season strong, dropping Mission Prep 77-66 in a rematch on Feb. 7. Walker scored 27 points in that game, with 16 points coming in the first quarter alone. Walker went 10-for-16 from the field in that game and 4-for-8 from deep. On the year, not including the postsea-
son, Walker had 16 games with 20-plus points. His high for the season came in an 83-62 win over Pioneer Valley on Jan. 6 when he poured in 45 points against the Panthers. In that game, Walker hit 16-of27 shots. He went 7-for-11 from 3-point range and 6-for-7 from the free throw line. On the year, Walker scored 555 points in the regular season and shot around 46 percent from the field, averaging 23.3 points per game. Walker connected on 64 of his 188 3-point shots, good for a mark of 34 percent. But Walker is St. Joseph’s point guard. And as such, he also revels in his ability to set up teammates. He did that this year to the tune of 7.9 assists per game, racking up 205 assists on the year if you include the postseason. Walker had six games in the regular
season with at least 10 assists, including 17 dimes in the Knights’ win over San Tan Hills in a tournament, a 95-47 victory for St. Joseph. Walker had an incredible stretch in tournament play right around New Year’s. On Dec. 31, playing two games in one day, Walker scored 37 points in a 70-66 win over Alchesay. Later that day, he had 38 points against Arizona’s Buena. Then came his 45-point outburst against the Panthers on Jan. 6. One of the highlights of Walker’s senior season was that Senior Night win over Mission Prep. Walker wasn’t able to enjoy the pre-game festivities that night as he was solely focused on beating the Royals. “I was focused,” he said. “After the game, then I was happy. But I was just focused on trying to win and getting some revenge.”
As of this writing, Walker had played 92 games in a St. Joseph uniform and averaged exactly 20 points per game, with a total of 1,841 over three years after the second round of the playoffs. Walker did all this after missing his entire freshman season with a broken leg and coming to St. Joseph from his native Carolina, Puerto Rico knowing almost no English. “It’s been amazing,” Walker said of his time at St. Joseph. “But there were hard times. Coming over here not knowing English and everything, it was hard. So many life experiences, though, that will all help me in the future.” For his career, Walker has connected on 616 field goals on 1,433 shots. That’s a lot of attempts, but it’s also a lot of makes and good for a 43 percent field goal percentage. He’s also made 424 free throws in his career.
Estorga tabbed Offensive Player of the Year KENNY CRESS
kcress@leecentralcoastnews.com
DANIEL DREIFUSS, CONTRIBUTOR
Righetti’s Danita Estorga (5) dribbles the ball around Ventura’s Aubrey Knight during the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions championship game on Dec. 23. Estorga was injured later on in the season, but did enough on the floor to be named Offensive Player of the Year by the Lee Central Coast Newspapers’ sports staff.
Player Profile Danita Estorga, Righetti, Sr. Pos.: Guard-Forward Height: 6-foot-1 Points per game: 15.2 Rebounds per game: 7.2 College: Signed with Biola University has been going on the floor have been so keen, “She’s almost like another assistant coach. She’s very good at noticing what opponents are doing, who’s getting tired.” Estorga has honed her basketball instincts with years of club ball. Observing the entire game from the bench has given her another perspective. “When you’re on the bench, you definitely have a little different view of what’s JOE BAILEY, STAFF going on,” she said. “You notice what anRighetti’s Danita Estorga smiles at halfcourt as she’s introduced during Senior Night other player is doing whereas you might ceremonies on Feb. 10. Estorga missed the second half of her senior season with a leg not have a chance to if you’re playing side injury. That didn’t stop her from being named the All-Area Offensive Player of the Year. by side with them.”
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Danita Estorga had been characteristically productive before an injury to her left leg likely finished her season. Even while she was on the bench, her Righetti teammates built their offense on what Estorga had given them. “Thanks to what Danita had, we had a good idea of what kind of team we wanted to be,” said Righetti coach Desiree Domingues. The 6-foot-1 Estorga was averaging 15.2 points and 7.2 rebounds a game when she went down with an injury in the second half of Righetti’s third league game of the season. For what she contributed when she did play, and what she has contributed even when she has not, Estorga is the Lee Central Coast Newspapers All-Area Girls Basketball Team’s Offensive Player of the Year, as voted on by the LCCN sports staff. Righetti was the top-ranked team in the CIF Southern Section’s Division 2A. The Warriors remained so after Estorga’s injury. The Warriors ran the table in the PAC 8, finishing 14-0 in league play. Righetti finished the regular season 22-3 overall. After Estorga’s injury, the Warriors were pushed just once in league games, in a 5754 win at Arroyo Grande when they started the second half of league play. “That doesn’t surprise me at all,” said Estorga. “I know what they can do. I have total faith in my team. They’re competitive at a high level. They’re so well-rounded.” Besides steady leadership Estorga, a Biola signee, gave the Righetti offense a consistent inside and outside scoring threat when she was in there. “I was taking more outside shots this year because of our bigs inside,” said Estorga. The senior helped give the Warriors a diversified offense, and Domingues said Righetti’s offense remained a diversified one after Estorga went out. Zane Sheckherd has led the Righetti scoring since Estorga went down. She is averaging 11.6 points a game. Alijah Paquet is at 10.3. Both have shown they can hit the outside shot with regularity. As they had been when Estorga was in there, Righetti’s inside players have been adept at getting open in the lane, and point guard Maya Armenta has been adept at getting the ball to them. Though Domingues said most of the character of Righetti’s offense has not changed, it has been tweaked some. “Since she didn’t have Danita to look to anymore, Maya knew she had to start driving deeper more often,” the coach said. “She has done a very good job of attacking the basket. Maya gets at least two layups a game (on the drive now). She also hits a couple of outside shots a game.” Domingues said that since Estorga’s been on the bench her observations about what
Cobb makes first varsity season a memorable one Cobb is All-Area Defensive Player of the Year JOE BAILEY
12 | Lee Central Coast Newspapers
jbailey@leecentralcoastnews.com
Elihu Cobb was an unknown commodity six months ago. Today, he’s known as perhaps the top low-post player in the Central Coast, making the biggest impact on the defensive end of the floor. For one reason or another Cobb, just wrapping up his junior year at St. Joseph, had never been able to contribute at the varsity level before this season. Cobb certainly has all the tools to dominate a game on the defensive end. He’s 6-foot-6 and has incredibly long arms. Though he appears to be slight, he has some serious strength, able to keep his position when opponents try to back him down in the post. Though his physical traits are impressive, they’re not what set him apart on the basketball court. His attitude does that. Cobb is a dog on the court. When he makes a big play on defense, like swatting a weak shot out of bounds, he won’t hesitate to intimidate his opponent, either by towering over the shot-taker or pounding his chest. He did that about 3 times per game this year. Cobb averaged just over three blocks this season for the Knights. As such, Cobb has been voted the AllArea Defensive Player of the Year. His intensity on the court belies his demeanor off it. Cobb is well-spoken and insightful. It just so happens that he doesn’t like guys making shots on his basket. “When I go out on the court I’m like a whole different person,” Cobb said. “I just feel completely different. Sometimes I don’t even know what I’m doing until I watch the replay and I’m like yelling at somebody or talking mess.” Though Cobb is a tremendous defensive player, he’s not one-dimensional. Cobb had 11 double-doubles this year and was third on the team in scoring with 12.2 points per game. Cobb was hit with five technical fouls this year, but also showed a knack to not pick up unnecessary fouls. He fouled out just once during the regular season. What’s scary is that Cobb is still dealing with a steep learning curve of his first year of varsity basketball. “I had to get used to so much, but once I started to get a feel for the game I started getting better,” Cobb said. “I’m still progressing every day, working hard every day. I’m just trying to perfect my craft.” Cobb feels in just one season playing for the Knights he has transformed into an entirely different player. “When I first got in I was a little timid, I was a little weak,” Cobb said. “But now
LEN WOOD, STAFF
Elihu Cobb and Scotty McBeth both earned top All-Area honors.
Stat profile Points per game: 12.2
Steals per game: 1.0
Rebounds per game: 9.0 Blocks per game: 3.1 Assists per game: 0.4
LEN WOOD, STAFF
St. Joseph’s Elihu Cobb goes up to defend on Righetti’s Jalen Davis during a Feb. 3 game. Cobb averaged just over three blocks per game this season and has been named the AllArea Defensive Player of the Year. I’m starting to realize my strengths and what I really can do. I’m also starting to make smarter decisions.” And Cobb feels like he’s just getting started. He hopes to one day play Division I basketball, something his teammate JoJo Walker is expected to do next year after
he signed with the University of Portland. I’m looking to go Division I and play for the rest of my life, overseas or anywere,” Cobb said. “I just want to play basketball for the rest of my life.” To do so, Cobb already has a solid plan aimed at improving his all-around game.
“My main thing is footwork,” he said. “I don’t really have that many post moves but I’m going to work on that all offseason.” Though Cobb’s biggest presence this year for the Knights has been defense and rebounding, his offensive game is impressive. Cobb scored in double-digits 20 times during the regular season and shot 64 percent from the field. Most of his scoring came on dunks or shots right around the basket. He hit on 157-of-264 shots through the season’s first 28 games. His best offensive game came against San Tan Foothills in a tournament. In that game, Cobb hit 12-for-14 shots and scored 26 points. His top rebounding game, was against Arizona’s Buena, also at a tournament, and the game against Righetti on Jan. 13. He grabbed 15 boards in each of those games. Cobb also had seven games with at least five blocks. He had a season-high seven blocks in the second game of the season, against Serra in the Mission Prep Christmas Classic. Cobb had six blocks four times this season, three of those coming in PAC 8 League games. Cobb said he’s also developed off the court at St. Joseph. “It’s good for me to be around these people, I get distracted easily and they always stay on me,” he said. “My coaches and teammates are making sure my grades are OK. They’re making sure I’m a better player off the court, not only on the court.”
“Defense is still my number one thing. … I know what I need to do and how to get it done.” Cheyenne Marmolejo, Lompoc senior
Defense defines Lompoc’s Marmolejo Lompoc senior is Defensive Player of the Year LORENZO J. REYNA
lreyna@leecentralcoastnews.com
BILL MORSON, CONTRIBUTOR
Cabrillo’s Erin Jenkins, left, and Lompoc’s Cheyenne Marmolejo fight for a loose ball during a Los Padres League game on Feb. 3 at Cabrillo High. Marmolejo is the All-Area Defensive Player of the Year and Jenkins is All-Area MVP. or student section with her blocks, Marmolejo leads the fast break and 3-point stampede for Lompoc. But that doesn’t mean she’s not neglecting what she’s renowned for among the northern Santa Barbara County competition. “Defense is still my number one thing,” Marmolejo said. “I tell myself ‘Don’t let her get the ball.’ And that’s what my coaches tell me as well. I know what I need to do and how to get it done.” Her father not only preached defense to a young Marmolejo during her early round ball years, but her head coach Claudia Terrones relies on the senior to set the early
defensive tone for the Braves. Terrones said she believes Marmolejo’s defensive game has few equals. “There is no surprise that Cheyenne Marmolejo is the defensive player of the year in any league. In the central coast, I think she is the best defender around,” Terrones said. “She is going to give everything she has and will give you 100 percent no matter where she is on the floor; whether if it’s on offense or defense. It’s exciting because defense was one of the things she was grilled on early when she was little. Even when she’s here (at LHS), we’ve made it a big effort to make sure that Cheyenne was our stopper.”
Player Profile Cheyenne Marmolejo, Sr., Lompoc Position: Guard Height: 5-foot-9 Points per game: 10.4 Rebounds per game: 5.2 Assists per game: 4.5 Steals per game: 4.4 Blocks per game: 1.5 College: Fresno State
Lee Central Coast Newspapers | 13
Standing at 5-foot-9 and coming equipped with a long wingspan that gets utilized to force turnovers and deny the ball, Cheyenne Marmolejo of Lompoc High girls basketball could pass as a shutdown cornerback on the football field. As it is, she’s slowed down and put the lockers on the opposing team’s top scoring option on any given night – from holding Erin Jenkins of Cabrillo to a combined 19 points in the two regular season meetings to recently taking Mission Prep’s rising sophomore Julia Carney out of her scoring element in the CIF Southern Section Division 2A playoffs. Marmolejo fits the “lockdown defender” role that normally gets labeled to the defender who prevents the best wide receiver from touching the ball. Except Marmolejo does her defensive damage for one of the top basketball defenses in the area…and her stellar play away from the ball has earned her the Lee Central Coast News All-Area Defensive Player of the Year award for girls basketball. “It’s a great honor. It’s my third year in a row with getting recognized, but this one is the best one in my eyes,” Marmolejo said. “I think defense wins championships.” Marmolejo has used those long branches to swat and steal for the Braves throughout the entire season. The senior and future Fresno State nursing student leads the team with 105 steals in 24 games, giving her an average of 4.3 steals per game. Her leaping ability has allowed her to tack on 36 blocks for the season, placing her at second on the Braves behind team leader Danielle Morgan (41). Marmolejo, who owns a CIF Southern Section championship ring for her role on the Braves’ softball team last year, has become the pulse for an LHS defense that has surrendered an average of 35.4 points per game this season. Yet stunningly, Marmolejo wanted to focus more on the offensive side of the ball heading toward her senior year…and that resulted in Marmolejo surfacing as one of three Braves who averaged over 10 points a game this season along with Morgan and Chavon Garrett. “I think this year, I’ve stepped up in offense more,” Marmolejo said. When she’s not forcing turnovers or launching the basketball into the sidelines
LEN WOOD, STAFF
Santa Maria’s Joey Nevarez drives against Farmersville’s Jeremiah Galaviz in the Santa Maria Holiday Tournament in December. Nevarez led the Saints in scoring in that game, something Nevarez did a lot this year, with a game-high 30 points. He has been voted the area’s Most Improved Player.
Nevarez is Most Improved Player Santa Maria sharp-shooter has upped his game KENNY CRESS
14 | Lee Central Coast Newspapers
kcress@leecentralcoastnews.com
Joey Nevarez liked to launch 3-point shots from the corner in his sophomore season. The Santa Maria junior liked to launch 3-point shots from the corner his junior season too. He also liked to shoot them from the wing. He could also dribble drive and either pull up and shoot or pass to an open teammate. A more versatile Nevarez helped make for a more productive Nevarez. As a result, he is the Lee Central Coast News Boys AllArea Basketball Team’s Most Improved Player, selected by the LCCN sports staff. “I’ve been working on it,” Nevarez said
of his 3-point stroke. “I shot some from the corners, mostly from the wing.” Nevarez started honing his shot before pre-season workouts. “I worked on my shot during the summer,” he said. The work paid off for the Saints. “I haven’t looked at the stats yet, but either Joey or (point guard) Blake Truhitte is our leading scorer,” said Santa Maria coach Dave Yamate. “Joey’s averaging around 15 points a game. He’s probably our leading 3-point shooter. It’s either him or Blake.” Nevarez averaged 11.3 points a game last season. Yamate said, “Joey has been penetrating with the ball more and that has opened up other guys’ 3’s as well as his own 3. “We have three guys averaging in double figures, and it’s actually pretty close to four. There are four other guys (at any
Player Profile Joey Nevarez, Santa Maria Position: Guard Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 165 Points per game: 15.0 time on the floor) who can shoot the 3, not just Joey. A defense can’t just concentrate on one guy.” Nevarez is a shooting guard. In fact, “We’re all pretty much guards,” said Nevarez. Before the season started Yamate, with a chuckle, said the same thing about his players. Characteristically, the Saints don’t have much height.
What they do have is a lot of productive 3-point shooters. “We made 329 3s last year,” said Yamate. “I’m pretty sure that was between first or second in the state. I haven’t checked, but I’m pretty sure we’re close to that this year.” The 3-point shot, “is something we work on a lot in practice,” said Yamate. “We put in a lot of reps.” The Saints also put up a lot of shots. The shot clock is usually merely a formality for Santa Maria’s guys. They seemingly are never in danger of a shot clock violation. Santa Maria finished fifth in the Los Padres League and made the most of its at-large berth in the playoffs. The Saints defeated Pomona Garey 79-64 at Garey in the first round of the CIF Southern Section 4A Playoffs. “It was good,” said Nevarez. “We worked hard and got a win.”
Sheckherd earns Most Improved award Righetti junior steps up for Warriors KENNY CRESS
kcress@leecentralcoastnews.com
Zane Sheckherd did well enough in her move back to basketball last year. The 5-foot-10-inch Sheckherd , then a sophomore, did not amass big stats last year but she made some timely plays as Righetti shared the PAC 8 League title with Arroyo Grande. She had not played basketball since junior high school, but decided to give up water polo to return to that sport. She played power forward last year. Before the start of this season, secondyear coach Desiree Domingues moved SheckZane Sheckherd, Jr, herd to the wing, Righetti and she has blossomed. SheckPos.: SG-W herd has consistently scored Ht.: 5-10 in double figures PPG: 11.5 since team scoring and reboundRPG: 6.2 ing leader Danita Estorga suffered a probable season-ending season to her left leg. Estorga, who was averaging 16.4 points and 7.9 rebounds a game, went out on Jan. 9, and Sheckherd has helped pick up the slack ever since. She is the Lee Central Coast Newspapers Girls All-Area Basketball Team Most Improved Player. Sheckherd was the unanimous choice among the LCCN sports staff. “We moved her to a (wing), and shooting guard, and that’s really helped her game,” said Domingues. “With the way she handles the ball, she’s played some point guard for us. She has really attacked the basket aggressively on offense, really done a good job.” Once the move took place during the summer, “I knew I’d have to work on my shooting outside, shooting the ‘3’, my ballhandling,” said Sheckherd. Sheckherd said with a laugh, “There was a drill in practice involving this really fancy ball-handling technique, and I was the only one who couldn’t do it.” Domingues said the junior has since delivered in all aspects of her game. “I think she’s one of the best athletes at our school. She’s an excellent volleyball player. I think she could play basketball in college, but volleyball’s her No. 1 sport.” Sheckherd was far and away the season kills leader, with 292, for Righetti’s 2016 girls volleyball team. When it comes to rebounding, “She has a nose for the ball, and as soon as the ball’s shot, she knows where it’s going,” said Domingues. “Even if a girl is in front of the ball when it’s shot, Zane will get to
Player Profile
it because of her quickness.” Besides her scoring, Sheckherd averages six-plus rebounds a game for a team that is top-ranked in the CIF Southern Section’s Division 2A. This is the first time, at least in recent
memory, that a Righetti girls basketball squad has a top divisional ranking. Domingues, who is a full-time teacher at Righetti, said Sheckherd is solid in all parts of her game. Sheckherd and Estorga go way back.
“Danita is one of my friends I played basketball with when I was younger,” said Sheckherd. After a recent win, Righetti point guard Maya Armenta said the rest of the team has dedicated the rest of the season to Estorga.
Lee Central Coast Newspapers | 15
FRANK COWAN CONTRIBUTOR
Righetti’s Zane Sheckherd is held by a Torrance defender as she drives down the court during the Warriors’ CIFSS Division 2A playoff game at Righetti on Feb. 18.
Tyler heads All-Area First Team McBeth, Truhitte, Stephens and Lester-Saunders also there KENNY CRESS
16 | Lee Central Coast Newspapers
kcress@leecentralcoastnews.com
Jordan Tyler’s skill set has given opponents headaches this year. The Cabrillo senior is 6-foot-7. Besides that, he’s agile. Tyler made timely shots and blocks and grabbed timely rebounds as he helped the Cabrillo boys basketabll team (14-0 Los Padres League) roll to its sixth straight league championship. Tyler heads the Lee Central Coast News Boys All-Area Basketball First Team. His companions on that team are seniors Scott McBeth of St. Joseph, Drew Stephens of Santa Ynez and Dakota Lester-Saunders of Righetti, and Santa Maria junior Blake Truhitte. All of the First Team members helped their respective teams to playoff spots. Santa Ynez, under coach Rod Caughell, finished second in the Los Padres League, its best league finish in years. Stephens, with a steady stream of scoring, helped the Pirates get there. The senior point guard-forward consistently scored in double figures. St. Joseph, the 2016 PAC 8 League cochampion with Mission Prep, settled for second place in the PAC 8 this year. McBeth helped the Knights win the CIF Southern Section 5AA championship last year. The Knights moved up to 2AA this school year as the CIF Southern Section office revised its divisions. As he did last year, McBeth has given the Knights steady points production from the outside. At press time, McBeth averaged 13 points a game, second on the team to point guard JoJo Walker’s 23.8. He also had the second-most three-pointers on the team, 58. Walker leads with 63. At 6-5, Lester-Saunders plays long, a particular headache for opponents as they try to get in the lane. He received a vote among the LCCN sports staff for Defen-
LEN WOOD, STAFF
Righetti’s Dakota Lester-Saunders blocks a shot by St. Joseph’s Scott McBeth. Both Lester-Saunders and McBeth have been voted to the All-Area First Team.
All-Area First Team Jordan Tyler, Jr., Cabrillo; Scott McBeth, Sr., St. Joseph; Drew Stephens, Sr., Santa Ynez; Dakota Lester-Saunders, Sr., Righetti; Blake Truhitte, Jr., Santa Maria.
LEN WOOD, STAFF
Santa Maria’s Blake Tuhitte drives past Cabrillo’s Jordan Tyler during a Los Padres League game in December. Both Truhitte and Tyler have been voted to the All-Area First Team.
sive Player of the Year. Lester-Saunders has also given the Warriors some reliable scoring. Righetti, under second-year coach Jeremiah Rivas, an alum who starred at Righetti as a player there, earned an at-large berth into the playoffs. The Warriors lost 51-48 at Whittier La Serna in the first round. Truhitte is a junior who is a standout in the traditional “big three” sports. He played quarterback for the 2016 Santa Maria football team that had its best finish in years, 5-5, and just missed the playoffs. He is an outfielder for the baseball team. In basketball, he is a point guard who is adept at driving into the lane. He has also hit some timely outside shots. On defense, he plays long and has quick hands. SETH MURRAY, CONTRIBUTOR Voting by the LCCN sports staff deterSanta Ynez’s Drew Stephens has been voted to the All-Area First Team after leading the mined the composition of the All-Area Pirates to a second-place finish in the Los Padres League. basketball teams.
FRANK COWAN, CONTRIBUTOR
Righetti’s Ashley Reynoso, left, and Maya Armenta, center, double team Torrance’s Jordan Sakasegawa during the Warriors’ playoff game at Righetti on Feb. 17. Armenta has made the All-Area First Team while Reynoso is on the All-Area Second Team.
LEN WOOD, STAFF
Cabrillo’s Britney McCune has been a force for the Conqs this year. After averaging 13.5 points per game and 7.5 rebounds, she has been voted to the LCCN All-Area First Team.
All-Area First Team filled with winners McCune, Armenta, Thoming, Morgan and Garrett make the list JOE BAILEY
jbailey@leecentralcoastnews.com
All-Area First Team Brynn Thoming, Sr., Arroyo Grande; Maya Armenta, Sr., Righetti; Britney McCune, Jr., Cabrillo; Chavon Garrett, Sr., Lompoc; Danielle Morgan, Jr., Lompoc. ing during the regular season, but consistently set up her teammates running the Righetti offense at the point guard position. Armenta was still able to shoot, knocking down more than 20 3-pointers this year for the Warriors when called upon. But Armenta’s defense has been just as pivotal. Armenta is a bulldog on the perimeter, typically mirroring the opponent’s point guard. With Armenta at the point the last two seasons, the Warriors have gone 45-8, including the playoffs. Armenta has averaged over two steals per game the last two seasons. Lompoc’s Garrett may have been the Braves’ best threat on offense in the 2016-17 season, though Marmolejo was the team’s top all-around player. Garrett
led the Braves with 10.9 points per game. But Morgan wasn’t too far behind at 10.8 points per game. Morgan and Garrett also have almost identical rebounding stats: Each averaged 7.6 rebounds per game this year. Garrett was stellar at rebounding on the offensive end, with 4.1 offensive rebounds per game for the Braves. Morgan averaged 2.9 assists per game while Garrett added 2.1 per for Lompoc. Incredibly, both Garrett and Morgan were strong on the defensive end with almost identical steals numbers: Morgan had 2.5 per game and Garrett had 2.3. Morgan led the Braves with 1.7 blocks per game. Garrett added one block per game for the Braves. They each had four double-doubles this season. Over at Cabrillo, McCune won on the brink of nearly averaging a double-double this year with 13.3 points per game and 7.5 rebounds as the Conquistadores cruised to the LPL title. McCune averaged 4.3 offensive rebounds per game and was second on the team with 2.1 steals per game.
Lee Central Coast Newspapers | 17
Maya Armenta quietly yet confidently helped Righetti to an undefeated PAC 8 League championship. Britney McCune did the same at Cabrillo. Arroyo Grande’s Brynn Thoming was Arroyo Grande’s top player throughout the season and helped the Eagles nearly hand Righetti its lone league loss, scoring 26 points at home in the Warriors’ 57-54 win on Jan. 24. Arroyo Grande finished second in the PAC 8 behind Armenta’s Warriors. Chavon Garrett and Danielle Morgan of Lompoc helped the Braves to a secondplace finish in the LPL at 12-2 in league. The two, along with standout Cheyenne Marmolejo, helped the Braves test McCune’s Conqs twice this year, though Lompoc never had quite enough to topple
Cabrillo. All those players have led their teams to stellar seasons in various ways. But they also have one more thing in common: They all combine to make-up the LCCN All-Area First Team. These players all helped their teams win throughout the 2016-17 season. In fact, they helped their teams win a ton. As of this writing, Cabrillo, Arroyo Grande, Lompoc and Righetti combined to go 8216 in the regular season and were a combined 52-4 in league. Cabrillo finished the regular season 23-2 overall and went 14-0 in the LPL. Arroyo Grande went 19-6 in the regular season and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Righetti finished 22-3 in the regular season after going 14-0 in the PAC 8 League. Lompoc was 12-2 in the LPL and 18-5 in the regular season. Three of the players on the All-Area First Team are seniors: Thoming, Armenta and Garrett. Morgan and McCune are both juniors and will have some interesting matchups next year as seniors. Armenta rarely led the Warriors in scor-
LEN WOOD, STAFF
Righetti’s Jordan Allen drives between St. Joseph’s Connor Morinini and Steele Brooks (25) during the Feb. 3 game.
LEN WOOD, STAFF
Righetti’s Quentin Pettiford blocks a shot by St. Joseph’s Connor Morinini on Friday night. Pettiford scored 18 points to lead the Warriors in a 58-45 win over the Knights on Feb 3. Pettiford has been selected to the All-Area Second Team.
Stars, key role players lead All-Area Second Team Righetti’s Allen, Pettiford lead Second Team JOE BAILEY
18 | Lee Central Coast Newspapers
jbailey@leecentralcoastnews.com
The All-Area Second Team is filled with players who helped their team to league championships while playing a supporting role. Some were the best players on their team that finished third or fourth in their respective league. Others are second or even third options on championship contenders. Righetti’s Jordan Allen was, perhaps, the best player on a Righetti team that finished strong to qualify for the postseason in coach Jeremiah Rivas’ second year in charge. Allen consistently powered the Warriors’ offense as a senior, helping Righetti to a 7-7 mark in the PAC 8 League and 1314 record overall. The Warriors qualified for the playoffs as an at-large team. Allen scored 21 points in a pivotal overtime win over Pioneer Valley on Feb. 10. That 63-61 win virtually locked up a playoff spot for the Warriors. Allen is on the All-Area Second Team. Righetti’s Quentin Pettiford is also on the Second Team. Pettiford’s most memorable game from the 2016-17 season came against St. Joseph in the second round of league play. Pettiford scored 18 points on his 18th birthday to lead the Warriors to a 58-45 win over rival St. Joseph. Isak Deming, of VCA, was most likely the best player on his team as the Lions
All-Area Second Team Leo Partida-Ruiz, Sr., Pioneer Valley; Isak Deming, Jr., Valley Christian Academy; Kiernan Quinonez, Jr., Valley Christian Academy; Daniel Hyun, Soph., Nipomo; Jordan Allen, Sr., Righetti; TreVaughn Ross, Sr., Cabrillo; Blake Hadley, Sr. Santa Ynez; Zach Hewitt, Jr., Santa Ynez; Kam Davis, Sr., Lompoc; Jaden Jones, Fr., Pioneer valley; Marc Pyle, Jr., Orcutt Academy; Luke Wilenius, Sr., Nipomo; Quentin Pettiford, Sr., Righetti; Zach Bullard, Sr., Arroyo Grande; A.J. Panetta, Jr., Arroyo Grande; Patrick Angle, Sr. Arroyo Grande. finished third in the Coast Valley League this year. Deming averaged over 15 points per game as the Lions went 13-7 and 6-4 in the CVL. Deming also averaged 3.7 rebounds per game and was the Lions’ primary ball-handler with 3.6 assists per game. He also swiped 2.8 steals per game. Kiernan Quinonez, another VCA junior, helped Deming in powering the Lions this past season. Both Deming and Quinonez are on our All-Area Second Team. Quinonez averaged 11.5 points per game with 5.7 rebounds, 1.9 steals and nearly a block per game. With both players returning to the team next year and the Lions losing just two seniors, the future looks promising for VCA and coach Pete Fortier. Pioneer Valley also has two players on our All-area Second Team: Leo PartidaRuiz, a senior, and freshman Jaden Jones.
Partida-Ruiz and Jones helped the Panthers to a respectable season in the tough PAC 8 League. The Panthers finished 12-16 on the year and went 4-10 in the PAC 8, where they tied San Luis Obispo for sixth place. Partida-Ruiz and Jones combined to power the Panthers past Arroyo Grande in what could be counted as the Panthers’ biggest win of the year. Jones had 19 points and Partida-Ruiz added 15 as the Panthers beat the Eagles 51-44. Arroyo Grande’s Zach Bullard, A.J. Panetta and Patrick Angle are all on the AllArea Second Team. Arroyo Grande finished third in the PAC 8 at 9-5. The Eagles went 16-12 overall. Angle and Bullard are both seniors. Panetta is a junior. Bullard’s best game was the double-overtime victory over San Luis Obispo. He had 21 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in the 63-60 win over the Tigers. Angle had 16 points in that game and consistently helped lead the Eagles in scoring. Daniel Hyun, a sophomore, and senior teammate Luke Wilenius are both on the All-Area Second Team. In 25 games, Hyun averaged 19.6 points per game for the Titans. Wilenius racked up 12.9 point per game average as the Titans went 7-21 overall and 7-7 in the Los Padres League and qualified for the playoffs as the fourth seed in the league. TreVaughn Ross was a senior captain for the Cabrillo Conquistadores. Ross has consistently filled a key role for the Conqs, as a knock-down shooter and a
trusted ball-handler. Ross and the senior Conqs went a combined 92-22 during their four years with Cabrillo. The Conqs were 50-7 over the last two years heading into the quarterfinals of the playoffs. Though Cabrillo surprised almost nobody by winning the LPL title again, Santa Ynez was a surprise second-place finisher. The Pirates were led, along with First Team member Drew Stephens, Blake Hadley and Zach Hewitt, who are both on the All-Area Second Team. Santa Ynez went 10-4 in the LPL and was 17-7 on the year heading into the quarterfinal game of the Division 4A playoffs against Los Angeles Milken. Santa Ynez coach Rod Caughell did a stellar job leading the Pirates, and was in the running to be named All-Area Coach of the Year, though Cabrillo’s C.J. Simmons took that honor in his first season leading the Conquistadores. Lompoc senior Kam Davis is the lone Brave on the All-Area Team. The Braves went 6-20 overall and 5-9 in the LPL as they struggled with injuries. Davis’ highlight from the past season was when he scored 19 points and the Braves nearly upset Cabrillo at Paisola Pavilion, eventually falling 46-39. Orcutt Academy junior Marc Pyle was the Spartans’ top scorer, averaging 11.5 points per game as the Spartans went 6-17 overall and 2-12 in the LPL this year. He also averaged 6.9 rebounds per game and a block per game. Pyle is on the AllArea Second Team.
Knights, Warriors and Pirates lead All-Area Second Team Patel and Brackett land on Second Team JOE BAILEY
jbailey@leecentralcoastnews.com
JOE BAILEY, STAFF
Santa Ynez’s Lita Wright dribbles the ball against the defense of Santa Maria’s Cerenity Watson during a Los Padres League basketball game in January. Wright led the Pirates in scoring this year and has been voted to the All-Area Second Team.
JOE BAILEY, STAFF
Sam Brackett, seen in a PAC 8 League game against SLO on Feb. 10, has been voted to the All-Area Second Team. LEN WOOD, STAFF
Righetti’s Alijah Paquet drives around Arroyo Grande’s Kinsey McBryde. Paquet averaged 10.3 points per game this year for the Warriors as a sophomore. Paquet is on the All-Area Second Team. is also on the Second Team. Smith, who was voted Defensive Player of the Year two years ago, may be the best perimeter defender in the PAC 8 League. Sommer Vasquez was the primary scoring threat for Orcutt Academy this year. Yet she still found a way to fill it up for the Spartans. Vasquez, a senior, was the only Spartan to average double-digit points last year. Vasquez averaged 11 points per game. She also led Orcutt Academy in rebounding at 7.2 rebounds per game. Vasquez has been voted to the All-Area Second Team. Vasquez finished the year with six double-doubles. She had a season-high 23 points in a game a 49-47 win over San Marcos and poured in 21 points against
Morro Bay in a 43-40 LPL loss. Remarkably, Vasquez shot over 60 percent on the season, almost unheard of in the girls game. She connected on 75-of-123 shots on the year. Nipomo seniors Sidney Aguilera and Kylie Mendez helped the Titans to a strong showing in the LPL this year, where they went 9-5. After a pair of playoff wins, the Titans were 17-11 on the season. Aguilera led the Titan in scoring at 10.3 points per game. Mendez chipped in 8.3 points and also led the Titans with 4.8. rebounds per game and 6.3 assists. Mendez was also one of the better defenders in the area, with 3.8 steals per game. Aguilera averaged 2.8 rebounds per game, 1.8 assists and 2.7 steals per game
All-Area Second Team Jenna Patel, Jr., St. Joseph; Sam Brackett, Jr., St. Joseph; Alijah Paquet, Soph., Righetti; Ashley Reynoso, Righetti; Meghan Smith, Sr., Arroyo Grande; Sommer Vasquez, Sr., Orcutt Academy; Lita Wright, Soph., Santa Ynez; Allie Spence, Sr. Santa Ynez; Kylie Mendez, Sr., Nipomo; Dasia Ramirez, Sr., Righetti; Ashley Quiroga, Jr., Santa Ynez; Alyssa Stewart, Jr., Cabrillo. for the Titans. Aguilera and Mendez have been voted to the All-Area Second Team. Alyssa Stewart was third in scoring for Cabrillo with 6.0 points per game. She also had 1.5 assists per game and 2.5 rebounds per game. Stewart has been voted to the All-Area Second Team.
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St. Joseph’s Jenna Patel and Sam Brackett helped lead the Knights back to the playoffs this past season. Though the Knights finished 9-17 overall, they were able to go 7-7 in the PAC 8 League and clinch an automatic playoff spot. Patel and Brackett were the Knights’ top scorers. Patel led the Knights with 10.6 points per game while Brackett averaged 8.6 points. What’s exciting about Patel’s and Brackett’s performances this year? They’ll both be back next year. They’re both juniors. Patel was also the Knights’ leading rebounder at 5.6 per game. Brackett was third on the team in steals per game at 2.1. Both Patel and Brackett are on the AllArea Second Team. Joining them are Righetti sophomore Alijah Paquet and junior Ashley Reynoso. Paquet provided the Warriors with some much needed scoring punch after top scorer Danita Estorga went down with a knee injury midway through the season. Paquet averaged 10.3 points per game. Reynoso gave the Warriors just about everything else they needed: Physicality, strength, size, defense and rebounding. Righetti senior Dasia Ramirez did just about everything for coach Desiree Domingues: She providing rebounding, defense, passing and leadership. Both Paquet and Ramirez are on the AllArea Second Team. Santa Ynez has three players on the AllArea Second Team. Lita Wright was instrumental in the resurgence of the Santa Ynez girls program this year. The Pirates went 14-13 this year and qualified for the playoffs, where they won a first-round game and lost to undefeated Aquinas by a slim margin in the second round. Wright led the Pirates with 11.4 points per game, the lone Pirate in double-figures. Wright also led the Pirates with 3.4 assists per game and 2.2 steals. Wright was fourth on the team in rebounds with 3.9 per game. Not too bad for a sophomore. Wright’s teammate, Allie Spence, had a strong senior season for Santa Ynez. Spence was third on the team in scoring with 8.2 points per game and led the Pirates in rebounding at 6.7 per game. She also provided some defense for Santa Ynez with 1.5 steals per game. Spence proved she can also set up teammates, averaging nearly two assists per game. Ashley Quiroga was second on the team in scoring at 9.1 points per game for Santa Ynez. She was third in rebounding at 4.7 per game. Wright, Spence and Quiroga are on the All-Area Second Team. Arroyo Grande senior Meghan Smith
A20 | Sunday, February 26, 2017 | Lee Central Coast Newspapers
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