ORANGE COUNTY GIRLS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR 2024-25

Name: Teagan O’Dell

School: Santa Margarita

Year: Senior

Sports: Swimming

Notable highlights: Teagan O’Dell blazed to Orange County records in six of the eight individual events as a high school swimmer. One mark also set a national record.

But when asked to pick the record that meant the most to her, the Santa Margarita senior navigates off the board to select a team accomplishment: the 400-yard freestyle relay during her freshman year at the CIF State championships.

“I knew with the girls that we had at the school, that was going to be a very, very fast relay,” O’Dell recalled of a national record-setting relay that included Macky Hodges, Teia Salvino and Justina Kozan.

“I look back at photos and videos of that record and I was just so happy that we put our minds to it, gave it our all and we were able to get under the record. I can’t believe that it was four years ago. I’m still in contact with the girls today.”

Relationships and racing for Santa Margarita. That’s what helped push O’Dell to a sensational high school career, which now includes her second Orange County Girls Athlete of the Year honor in three years.

This spring, the Cal-bound O’Dell set four county records as the Eagles defended their CIF-SS Division 1 and CIF State titles.

O’Dell broke the school and county record of Olympian Katie McLaughlin in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1 minute, 42.98 seconds. She also lowered her own county records in the 50 (22.17) and 100 freestyles (48.01), and 100 backstroke (50.82) in earning a fourth consecutive Orange County female swimmer of the year award.

O’Dell departed the high school ranks with county records in the 200 individual medley (national record 1:53.38), 50, 100 and 200 freestyles, 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke (59.73).

The only individual county records that survived her run were Janet Evans’ legendary 500 free (4:37.30, 1988) and McLaughlin’s butterfly (51.53, 2015). Both those were national records at the time. Evans, of course, set multiple world records while attending El Dorado High.

“It’s worthy to compare (O’Dell) with the best ever (in Orange County),” former Mission Viejo Nadadores coach Terry Stoddard said.

O’Dell’s view of high school swimming often returns to her teammates and Santa Margarita co-coaches Rich and Ron Blanc.

“The relationships are always the most impactful in all areas of life,” she said. “People are what make the difference.”

Name: Cooper Stearns

School: Irvine

Year: Senior

Sports: Basketball, golf

Notable highlights: Cooper Stearns averaged 20 points, 13 rebounds and six assists a game for the Irvine boys basketball team.

That’s not his best sport.

Stearns is going to Stanford on a golf scholarship.

For his two-sport prowess, Stearns is the Orange County boys athlete of the year for the 2024-25 high school sports year.

Stearns also was named the Orange County Athletic Directors Association boys athlete of the year and the Pacific Coast Conference athlete of the year.

Stearns, who has a 4.2 grade-point average, was All-Orange County second team in boys basketball. He was selected to the All-CIF Southern Section Division 2A team.

He could shoot from deep, if required. His 31 3-point baskets were third-most for the Vaqueros. His brother, sophomore Holden Stearns, made a team-high 51 3-pointers.

Irvine’s boys basketball team went 10-0 in the Pacific Coast League for the school’s first boys basketball league championship in 34 years. Stearns averaged 24 points a game in the CIF-SS playoffs as the Vaqueros advanced to the 2A semifinals.

Vaqueros coach Harry Meussner said Stearns had, at 6-5 and 205 pounds, the size and athleticism to excel in basketball but it was commitment and desire that was most responsible for the player’s success.

“For four years he put in countless hours of work,” Meussner said. “He was very serious and very measured on how he worked on his game.”

Irvine boys basketball was a struggling program until Meussner was hired to coach the program before the 2021-22 season, Stearns’ freshman year.

“We started as a bad basketball program,” Stearns said, “and we changed it into what Irvine basketball’s all about now. It was a very special team. I had so many good friends on the team, some of them friends since childhood.”

Stearns is the top-ranked Orange County senior by the American Junior Golf Association. He also is the No. 16 high school senior in California in the AJGA rankings and No. 205 in its national rankings of high school seniors.

In golf last summer, Stearns won the Los Angeles City Junior Championship, a third-place finish at the 2024 AJGA Clovis CVB Championship and a 20th-place finish at the 2024 AJGA Mizuno West Coast Classic.

This award recognizes an Orange County athlete who was a standout in multiple sports, a team leader and someone who also excelled in areas outside of sports.

Name: Jackson Harlan

School: Corona del Mar

Year: Senior

Sports: Water polo, basketball

Notable highlights: It’s not unusual for two-sport athletes to participate in sports that have similarities.

Sometimes excellent basketball players are excellent volleyball players because the jumping skills are similar. Football offensive linemen get into wrestling because hand-to-hand combat is found in both.

Corona del Mar senior Jackson Harlan was a star in water polo and basketball. That is an unusual two-sport combination.

In water polo Harlan was an All-Orange County first-team selection and was selected to the All-CIF Southern Section Open Division team. An attacker, Harlan scored a school single-season record 139 goals and added 37 assists to lead Corona del Mar to the CIF-SS Open Division semifinals.

He recently withdrew his commitment to UC Santa Barbara for water polo to accept a scholarship offer from UCLA.

Harlan used his 6-foot-6, 210-pound frame to score those goals in the pool and to get rebounds and score inside on the basketball court. He averaged 13 points and seven rebounds a game for the Sea Kings, who finished 21-9 overall and placed third in the challenging Sunset League.

Harlan’s ability to grab just about every rebound in his area impressed Corona del Mar boys basketball coach Jason Simco.

“When coaches watched game film together,” Simco said, “we’d see Jackson get a great rebound and we’d say, ‘Holy moly, how are we gonna get that rebound next year?’”

Harlan leaves Corona del Mar with many great sports memories.

In water polo, it was scoring six goals against Battle of the Bay rival and CIF-SS Open Division champion Newport Harbor, and the Sea Kings’ win over Harvard-Westlake in the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs.

In basketball, it was Corona del Mar advancing to the CIF-SS Division 2A semifinals.

ORANGE COUNTY GIRLS OUTSTANDING COMPETITOR 2024-25

This award recognizes an Orange County athlete who was a standout in multiple sports, a team leader and someone who also excelled in areas outside of sports.

Name: Jaslene Massey

School: Aliso Niguel

Year: Junior

Sports: Volleyball, track and field

Notable highlights: An all-league volleyball player. A state champion in track and field. A scholar with challenging courses.

Jaslene Massey’s well-rounded abilities kept her busy at Aliso Niguel in the 2024-25 school year but the junior didn’t mind. She’s more than comfortable as a multi-sport athlete.

“I love it,” she said. “I love working out. I love lifting. I love every aspect of being a dual-sport athlete. The most important part to remember is balance.”

Massey struck a balance at a high level, and for her accomplishments, is The Register’s Orange County Girls Outstanding Competitor for 2024-25.

In the fall, the 5-foot-10 Massey played middle blocker in volleyball. The daughter of former UC Irvine volleyball and track standout Popi Edwards, Massey earned second-team All-South Coast League and MVP at the Bishop Diego tournament for the Wolverines (21-10).

In the spring, she was selected Orange County’s female athlete of the year in track and field, the sport that she plans to pursue in college.

Massey became the first county girl to win the discus at the CIF State championships since El Toro’s Hilary Fraser in 2007 by throwing 163 feet and 9 inches. She took second in the shot with a throw of 45-5 1/4 as she attempted to become only the second county girl to ever to sweep the discus and shot put at the state finals.

Massey also found time to win the long jump at the South Coast League finals with a mark of 17-5.

She extended her success to the classroom by earning a 4.6 grade-point average in the spring. Her classes included AP physics, U.S. history and language.

“Jaslene is an amazing role model,” Aliso Niguel track and field coach Patricia Lusar said. “Not only does she push herself to be the best that she can be, she inspires her teammates.”

Corona del Mar’s Jackson Harlan is the OC Boys Outstanding Competitor

ALL-ORANGE COUNTY BOYS GOLF TEAM 2025

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Brayden Jones, Mater Dei, Sophomore 

Mater Dei’s Brayden Jones encountered a record-setting foe, and plenty of extra attention, at the CIF State boys golf championship in early June.

For the 18-hole final at Poppy Hills Golf Course, Jones’ pairing included star freshman Jaden Soong of St. Francis of La Canada, who was challenging to rewrite the state record book.

With college coaches following the pairing, Soong lived up to his billing as a prodigy while Jones strengthened his reputation by delivering his own special performance.

Jones recorded four birdies on the back nine to finish a county-best third with a 5-under-par 66, and for that, he is The Register’s Orange County player of the year.

“The back nine was unreal to watch,” Mater Dei coach Ryan Kelaher said. “I noticed a drive in (Jones’) eyes and his back nine was awesome to watch.”

Jones began to surge with a birdie on the par-5, 514-yard 10th, the third-longest hole on the course. He then posted birdies on the par-3 11th and par-4 12th.

On the par-5, 503-yard 18th hole, Jones recorded another birdie to finish four strokes behind Soong, who shot a 62 to set the record for lowest score at the state championships.

Kelaher said Soong “looked like he was playing a video game” but credited Jones for showing improved maturity and poise.

“Brayden is aware of his abilities but continues to play his game,” the coach said. “Golf is a game of numbers. He stayed consistent.”

After winning the Trinity League individual title at Yorba Linda Country Club, Jones began his ascent toward state by advancing through a series of grueling postseason tournaments.

At the CIF-SS Southern regional, section individual finals/SCGA qualifier and CIF-SCGA Southern California Regional, Jones made the necessary cut each time to play on.

He entered the SoCal regional with a nine-hole scoring average of 35.1, tied for fifth-lowest in Orange County.

And when the stage lights were brightest with Soong in Pebble Beach, Jones stayed cool and performed.

“The postseason experience allowed him to grow even more,” Kelaher said.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Andrew Parker, Woodbridge

In his sixth season, Andrew Parker fostered a tight-knit environment in guiding Woodbridge to a CIF-SS championship about 14 months after the death of junior Jeremiah Kim.

Woodbridge captured the Division 4 title at Los Serranos Golf Club to highlight a season that honored Kim.

In March 2024, Kim, 16, died after suffering sudden cardiac arrest while playing a golf tournament in Temecula.

This spring, the Warriors remembered Kim several different ways. There were hats with his silhouette and specially marked golf balls and signs such as “We play for Jeremiah.”

At the Division 4 finals, Woodbridge placed first with a 13-over-par score of 373 without a senior in its lineup.

The scoring players were sophomore Eli Allgood (7-under 65), junior Joseph Firestone (75), freshman Alex Li (77), junior Charles Godinez (77) and junior Logan Lin (79).

Woodbridge played so well at the Division 4 finals, it advanced two days later to the SCGA SoCal qualifier with mostly Division 1 powerhouses.

ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM

Ronin Banerjee, Santa Margarita, So.

Banerjee shot a 4-under-par 67 to place second at the CIF-SS individual finals and helped the Eagles take second at the CIF State championships. He led Orange County in nine-hole scoring average with a 34.7 entering the SoCal regional.

Nick Davis, Orange Lutheran, Sr.

The South Carolina Aiken-bound Davis posted a nine-hole scoring average of 34.8 — second-lowest in the county — entering the SoCal regional.

Matthew Hull, Corona del Mar, Jr.

The UCLA commit and Sunset League co-champion finished third at the CIF-SCGA Southern California Regional and qualified for state by carding a 6-under 68. He tied for 12th at state with an even-par 71.

Brayden Jones, Mater Dei, So.

Orange County Player of the Year

Cole Kim, Sunny Hills, Jr.

The Crestview League champion and UC San Diego commit tied for fourth at the CIF-SS individuals. He also helped the Lancers tie for fourth at the CIF-SCGA Southern California Regional.

Shawn Nawata, Irvine, Jr.

Nawata shot a 5-under 69 at the SoCal regional to advance to the state championships as the area’s No. 4 qualifier. He held a nine-hole scoring average of 34.9 — fourth-lowest in the county — entering the regional.

Aadhavan Prasad, Beckman, Fr.

Prasad carded a 5-under 69 at the regional to qualify for the state finals. He tied for first at the CIF-SS Southern regional.

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

Bill Hancock, Newport Harbor, Jr.

Caleb Kim, Sunny Hills, Sr.

Supawit Mangkhalakhiri, Anaheim Discovery Christian, Sr.

Ben Matsuda, Portola, Fr.

Woorin Ninh, University, So.

Peter Oh, Anaheim Discovery Christian, Jr.

Junlin Pan, Orange Lutheran, So.

Maddox Pineda, Tesoro, So.

Hudson Vedder, Santa Margarita, Sr.

Note: Postseason performance and scoring average were factored in the selections of the All-County boys golf team.

ALL-ORANGE COUNTY BOYS TENNIS TEAM 2025

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Rishvanth Krishna, University, Sophomore

When the stakes were the highest for individual competition, University’s Rishvanth Krishna rallied to claim a championship.

When the stakes were the highest for team competition, the sophomore came from behind to help the Trojans capture a title.

Krishna used his budding talent and composure to deliver at the biggest moments, and for that, he is The Register’s Orange County boys tennis player of the year.

“(He) is special,” University coach John Kessler said. “We have obviously been fortunate to have many top players at Uni over the years but he might be the most composed player we have had.”

“When you watch him play, you honestly don’t know if he is winning or losing as he remains as even-keeled as one could be,” the coach added. “That’s not to say he isn’t nervous or doesn’t feel any pressure. … It’s the way he processes those feelings and uses them to his advantage.”

Krishna signaled an outstanding season winning the boys CIF division at the 123rd Ojai tournament in late April.

Seeded third, Krishna swept Mater Dei sophomore Matteo Huarte 6-4, 6-4 in the final.

In the semifinals, Krishna rallied from a three-game deficit in the opening set to knock off No. 1 seed Lorenzo Brunkow of Palisades 7-6 (4), 6-1. Brunkow is a senior committed to UC Santa Barbara.

In the Round of 16, Krishna was tied with Ryan Honary of Newport Harbor 7-7 in an eight-game pro set and trailed 15-40. Krishna responded with five consecutive winners en route to a 9-7 victory.

As the Ojai singles champion, Krishna hoisted the storied Farnam Cup one year after losing in Round of 16 to eventual champion and 2024 Orange County player of the year Niels Hoffmann of Corona del Mar. Krishna fell after holding match point but earned the nickname “King Slayer” from one of his coaches.

“I always know I have a chance against anybody,” he said. “You just have to believe it. It’s just inside me.”

For the postseason, Krishna focused on team competition and played a major role in University defending its CIF-SS Open Division, regional and state titles.

In the CIF State finals against Menlo, he rallied from a two-game deficit in the first set to defeat Northwestern-committed senior Cooper Han 7-5, 6-4. The comeback secured the championship point in a 4-3 victory that lifted University to a second consecutive state crown.

“He is a remarkable player,” University assistant coach John Mano said of Krishna, who was selected the SoCal MVP by the National High School Tennis All-American Foundation.

“There were multiple matches where he played from behind against Division I (recruits in the) 12th grade. Slowly but surely, he adapted his game and found ways to win outside of his normal game.”

Krishna credits his brother Rithvik, who played four years at UC Irvine, for inspiring him to play hard.

“My brother has always been better than me,” Krishna said. “I just want to be better than him.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

Tim Ludeke, Villa Park

In his third season, Ludeke guided the Spartans to a dramatic turnaround that culminated in the team reaching the CIF-SS championships for the first time.

Villa Park (13-4) used a retooled lineup to claim an undefeated North Hills League title and finish as the Division 4 runner-up to Millikan.

The Spartans’ run came one season after they finished 1-13 overall and 0-6 in the Crestview League.

Ludeke altered Villa Park’s lineup this spring with the return of standout Greg Gamal, who didn’t play in 2024.

Gamal, a UC Irvine commit, played No. 1 singles while his freshman brother Daniel settled at No. 2 singles.

The Spartans paired Gavin Kuo, their former No. 1 singles player, with Maddox Goodman at the top of their doubles lineup.

In the playoffs, the moves helped Villa Park defeat Alta Loma 11-7, No. 1 seed Oxford Academy 11-7, Temescal Canyon 13-5 and San Gabriel 12-6. Millikan defeated the Spartans 10-8 in the finals.

“It was a pretty awesome season,” said Ludeke, who was assisted by Edgar Padilla, one of his former players at Servite. “We’ll all remember it forever.”

ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM

Singles

Rishvanth Krishna, University, So.

Orange County Player of the Year

Brady Tallakson, Woodbridge, Jr.

The Boise State commit and Pacific Coast League singles champion finished as the runner-up in the CIF-SS individual championships.

Matteo Huarte, Mater Dei, So.

The Trinity League singles champion took second to University’s Rishvanth Krishna in Ojai and lost to eventual champion Andrew Johnson of Palos Verdes in the semifinals of the CIF individual tournament.

Doubles

Caden Lee, Sr., & Edwin Yuan, Fr., Beckman

The doubles pair rallied past top-seed David Tran and Trevor Nguyen of Marina 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7) to earn the Patriots a second consecutive doubles title at the Ojai tournament.

Riley Anson, So., & Brady Schaefgen, Sr., JSerra

The Trinity League champions delivered the Lions their first title at the CIF-SS Individual Championships — in singles or doubles — by defeating a Harvard-Westlake doubles pair 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 in the finals.

David Tran, Jr., & Trevor Nguyen, Sr., Marina

The Sunset League champion lost in a third-set tiebreaker to a Beckman doubles pair in the finals of The Ojai and fell to eventual champion JSerra in the semifinals of the CIF individual tournament.

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

Singles

Nikhil Bommaiah, Tustin, So.

Greg Gamal, Villa Park, Sr.

Rohan Grewal, Beckman, Jr.

JiHyuk Im, University, So.

Cayden Wang, Crean Lutheran, Sr.

Doubles

Kaiden Somaratne, Fr., & Landon Le, Fr., Beckman

Ethan Chung, Sr., Nathan Mermelstein, So., Dana Hills

Dylan Trinh, Sr., & Kai Stolaruk, Jr., Edison

Langston Walter-Wu, Jr., & Humam Alajeely, Sr., University

Tyler Chandler, So., & Reid Hashimoto, So., University

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Leo Francis, Santa Margarita, Senior

Leo Francis went to work right away when his track and field season ended last year.

“It all started around this time last year,” said Francis, a senior at Santa Margarita. “I focused immediately on my offseason training, getting in the gym and getting stronger and focusing on the coaches’ plan. I really got stronger as the season went on.”

And what a season it was.

Francis was the CIF State champion in the long jump and finished third in the 200 meters at the CIF State meet. He also finished second in the 100 at the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet.

Francis supplied 16 of the 24 team points that gave the Eagles their third-place finish in the CIF State team standings.

His wind-aided mark of 25 feet, ¾ inches in the long jump set the Orange County record in the event for all conditions, the best all-conditions mark in California this season, and was the eighth-best long jump mark under all conditions this season.

Francis’ time of 20.84 seconds in the 200 at the state meet was the fourth-best time in California this season. He finished third in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 finals at 10.45 seconds, the third-fastest time in Orange County this season, and was second in the Masters Meet 100 with a wind-aided 10.43.

He qualified in the 100 for the CIF State meet but opted to limit his state meet activities to the 200 and the long jump.

Francis won the 100, 200 and long jump at the Orange County Championships in April and anchored the Eagles’ winning 4×400 team. He led Santa Margarita to the boys team title, providing 30 of the Eagles’ 64 points.

“If I had to pick one favorite meet,” Francis said, “it would have to be the Orange County meet because I was first or part of being first in four things at Orange County. It was fun finding out I could be that good in so many things.”

Francis will attend the University of Pennsylvania this fall.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Brandon Thomas, Servite

Brandon Thomas of Servite is the Orange County boys track and field coach of the year.

The Friars won the CIF State championship, scoring 33 team points to second-place Clovis North’s 30 points.

Servite finished second to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame for the CIF Southern Section Division 3 championships, 106.50 team points for Notre Dame to Servite’s 104.

Servite’s stable of sophomore and freshmen sprinters set Orange County records in the 4×100 relay (40.00 seconds) and in the 4×400 relay (3 minutes, 9.46 seconds). The Friars also collected points during the season in hurdles and in the long and triple jumps.

Thomas also the assisted the Rosary girls team that was a CIF-SS Division 3 co-champion this year.

All-Orange County girls track and field team, athlete of the year 2025

ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM

(Selections made based on top marks and level of performance in the CIF Southern Section Finals and CIF State meet.)

100: Benjamin Harris, Servite, So.

200: Leo Francis, Santa Margarita, Sr.

400: Jaelen Hunter, Servite, Fr.

800: Alden Morales, JSerra, Jr.

1,600: Evan Noonan, Dana Hills, Sr.

3,200: Evan Noonan, Dana Hills, Sr.

110 hurdles: Blaise Burwell, Servite, So.

300 hurdles: Peyton Brown, Tesoro, Jr.

High jump: Brandon Gorski, Mater Dei, Sr.

Long jump: Leo Francis, Santa Margarita, Sr.

Triple jump: Oliver Jones, Fairmont Prep, Sr.

Pole vault: Brady Furr, Santa Margarita, Sr.

Shot put: Jayden Legaspi, Canyon, Sr.

Discus: Jack Paalova, Ocean View, Sr.

4×100 relay: Servite

4×400 relay: Servite

4×800 relay: JSerra

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

100: Leo Francis, Santa Margarita, Sr.

200: Benjamin Harris, Servite, So.

400: Jace Wells, Servite, Fr.

800: Mattheus Dos Santos, San Clemente, So.

1,600: Max Douglass, Corona del Mar, Sr.

3,200: Aidan Antonio, Woodbridge, So.

110 hurdles: Baron Giacchetto, Orange Lutheran, Fr.

300 hurdles: Jett Gary, Beckman, Sr.

High jump: Henri Huntington, San Clemente, Jr.

Long jump: Brandon Gorski, Mater Dei, Sr.

Triple jump: Judah Clark, Servite, Jr.

Pole vault: Garrett Higgins, Trabuco Hills, Sr.

Shot put: Jack Paavola, Ocean View, Sr.

Discus: Jayden Legaspi, Canyon, Sr.

4×100 relay: Mater Dei

4×400 relay: Northwood

4×800 relay: Beckman

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR 

Jaslene Massey, Aliso Niguel, Junior

If it’s true that we learn more from failure than success, then Jaslene Massey received an excellent education at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays track and field meet in April.

Massey, a junior at Aliso Niguel High, won the shot put competition. She finished last in the meet’s discus because of fouls.

“I feel like that was the turning point,” Massey said. “That’s when I realized this is the season, this is track and field and this is how it might be for however long. It gave me inspiration to never have that happen again and to learn how to be consistent.”

From there, great marks continued in the shot put and resumed in the discus, leading to championships in both events in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 finals and in the CIF-SS Masters Meet. She ended the year at the CIF State meet with a first-place finish in the discus and a second-place finish in the shot put.

Her personal record of 50 feet, 7 inches in the shot put, set this year in the Orange County Championships at Mission Viejo High, was the best mark in California this season and the fourth-best mark in the nation this season. The 50-7 mark is the second best in Orange County history.

Massey’s personal-record discus throw of 165 feet, 6 inches at the CIF-SS Masters Meet was the second-best mark in the state this season. That’s also the fourth-best mark in county history.

She finished first in the discus at the CIF State meet with a mark of 163-9. She finished second in the shot put at the state meet with a mark of 45-5¼.

Massey competes in the Nike Nationals and the USATF U20 Championships, both in Oregon, this month.

She got her sports start as a figure skater. She said all of the spinning she did in figure skating transfers well to the shot put and discus circles.

She also is adept at the long jump. She won the South Coast League finals long jump with a personal-record mark of 17 feet, 5 inches in the league meet.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Chase Frazier, JSerra

Chase Frazier of JSerra is the Orange County girls track and field coach of the year.

He coached the Lions to the CIF Southern Section Division 3 championship. They tallied 84 team points; second-place Calabasas had 59 points. The 84 points was the second-most of any of the four CIF-SS division champions.

JSerra had athletes qualify for the CIF State Meet in four different events.

Frazier began coaching at JSerra in 2019 after coaching at Mission Viejo High. He was the Orange County boys track and field coach of the year in 2023.

ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM

(Selections made based on top marks and level of performance in the CIF Southern Section Finals and CIF State meet.)

100: Maliyah Collins, Rosary, Fr.

200: Justine Wilson, Rosary, So.

400: Justine Wilson, Rosary, So.

800: Anne Elise Packard, JSerra, Sr.

1,600: Evangeline Williams, Trabuco Hills, Fr.

3,200: Holly Barker, Trabuco Hills, Sr.

100 hurdles: Jada Faison, Rosary, Jr.

300 hurdles: Olivia Smyth, Santa Margarita, Jr.

High jump: Julia Teven, Brea Olinda, Jr.

Long jump: Jada Faison, Rosary, Jr.

Triple jump: Skyler Cazale, Calvary Chapel, Sr.

Pole vault: Sydni Harden, Dana Hills, Sr.

Shot put: Jaslene Massey, Aliso Niguel, Jr.

4×100 relay: Rosary

4×400 relay: Rosary

4×800 relay: JSerra

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

100: Eden Murray, Mater Dei, So.

200: Maliyah Collins, Rosary, Fr.

400: Maya Woolforde, JSerra, Jr.

800: Chloe Elbaz, JSerra, Jr.

1,600: Annie Ivarsson, Dana Hills, Sr.

3,200: Summer Wilson, Irvine, Jr.

100 hurdles: Kendall Jordan, Mater Dei, Sr.

300 hurdles: Natalie McCarty, Newport Harbor, Jr.

High jump: Amber Whipple, El Dorado, Jr.

Long jump: Alia Pasternak, Huntington Beach, Sr.

Triple jump: Amaya Faison, Rosary, Jr.

Pole vault: Olivia Bettinger, Los Alamitos, Sr.

Shot put: Abbey Reichard, Portola, Sr.

Discus: Madison Gallacher, Canyon, Sr.

4×100 relay: Mater Dei

4×400 relay: JSerra

4×800 relay: Trabuco Hills

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Cooper Flemming, Aliso Niguel, Senior

It took one season for Cooper Flemming to establish himself as an elite high school baseball player.

He played only one season of high school baseball, his senior season at Aliso Niguel.

Flemming’s excellent play as a shortstop, hitter and pitcher make him the Orange County baseball player of the year for the 2025 season.

He was a South Coast League most valuable player for the Wolverines, leading them to a share of the league championship. They finished 22-7 overall and 9-3 in league.

Flemming (6-foot-3, 190 pounds) batted .407 with six home runs, 27 RBIs, seven doubles and three triples. He scored 31 runs and stole 10 bases.

As a pitcher, Flemming finished 7-1 with a 0.69 earned-run average. He struck out 66 batters in 51 innings.

One of his top pitching outings came in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. Flemming held Arcadia to one run and struck out nine over eight innings in what would be a 2-1 loss in 11 innings.

Flemming spent his freshman, sophomore and junior years playing in the Baseball Performance Academy. He is grateful for the BPA experience, but wishes he would have played high school baseball for all of his high season years.

He attended a couple of schools, including Laguna Beach High, and wound up at Aliso Niguel for his season year.

“I knew playing high school baseball was a big need for me to be seen by scouts,” Flemming said. “Playing at Aliso was the best. I 100 percent wish I would have done it earlier.”

Of his many highlights, Flemming said the best of them was hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning to help the Wolverines beat Capistrano Valley 6-3 in a South Coast League game. Aliso Niguel would go on to sweep the three-game league series against Capo Valley.

He said another senior-season memory will always be hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning to break up a scoreless tie in what would be a 3-0 win over Trabuco Hills.

Flemming committed to Vanderbilt University and is projected to be an early-round selection in the MLB Draft on July 13-14. The Perfect Game website gives Flemming a ranking of “10” that, according to the website, marks him as “Potential very high draft pick and/or Elite level college prospect.”

Aliso Niguel coach Craig Hanson has coached many standout players, including current MLB players like Blake Sabol of the Boston Red Sox and Eric Wagaman of the Miami Marlins.

Of Flemming, Hanson said: “I’ve never had a player like him.”

“He’s such a great athlete and more so a great kid,” Hanson said. “His work ethic and leadership have been great. He didn’t come in here with attitude or a chip on his shoulder, he just came in and did the work right away.”

PITCHER OF THE YEAR

Gary Morse, Orange Lutheran, Senior

There comes a time when the pitcher becomes less of a thrower and more of a pitcher.

This past baseball season was that kind of season for Orange Lutheran junior right-hander Gary Morse.

He tapped into his potential to post a 0.94 earned run average. Opposing batters hit only .134 against him.

For his standout season, Morse is the Orange County pitcher of the year for the 2025 season.

Morse went 8-2 with 65 strikeouts in 52⅓ innings. He was named Trinity League pitcher of the year.

That’s quite an honor to get that award in a league in which five of its six team qualified for the CIF Southern Section playoffs, three of them played in CIF-SS championship games and one of them (St. John Bosco) won the CIF-SS Division 1 and CIF Southern California Regional Division I championships.

Morse (6-7, 200)  added a changeup to his arsenal, a pitch that became as effective as his fastball and breaking ball.

“His fastball sits at 92 to 94 miles an hour,” said Orange Lutheran coach RJ Farrell, “and he gets it up to 96. He has a ‘plus’ breaking ball and his changeup was a game-changer for him this year.”

Morse, who committed to Tennessee, was happy with his improvement but is not satisfied.

“There’s a lot of progress still to be made,” Morse said. “But I took a step forward from last year to this year. I took a long time off from throwing, so I struggled a little bit at the start of this season but I was able to home in on my control by the end of the year.”

Morse said his best outing this season might have been his two-hit shutout of Los Angeles Granada Hills Charter early in the season when he had 16 strikeouts and no walks in a 1-0 win.

Then there was the 5-0 victory over Rancho Cucamonga in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs. Morse pitched a one-hitter with six strikeouts and one walk.

“When I’m totally on like that,” Morse said, “I’m throwing strikes early and for the hitters it’s a guessing game from there.”

Morse had hitters guessing a lot, and a lot wrong, during his outstanding junior season.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Josh Lee, Newport Harbor

Josh Lee of Newport Harbor is the Orange County baseball coach of the year for the 2025 season.

Lee guided the Sailors to a 22-7 season in his fourth year as the team’s head coach. The 22 wins is a school baseball record. Newport Harbor finished second in the always-good Sunset League with a 14-4 record.

The Sailors beat Sunset League champion Huntington Beach twice in their three league games.

“We played really good defense, for the most part,” said Lee, summarizing the season. “We pitched really well. The team became a family.”

ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM

Pitcher: Brennan Bauer, Santa Margarita, Sr.

He was 11-3 with a 2.19 ERA and was especially sharp in the CIF Southern Section playoffs, going 4-0 while allowing only one earned run in 22⅓ innings and was named All-Trinity League first team.

Pitcher: Mike Erspamer, San Clemente, Sr.

He was named MVP of the Sea View League, went 7-3 with a 1.50 ERA and had 90 strikeouts in 56 innings and was a solid hitter, too, with a .341 batting average and 20 RBIs.

Pitcher: Gary Morse, Orange Lutheran, Jr.

The Orange County pitcher of the year.

Pitcher: Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach, So.

The younger of the Oilers’ Grindlinger brothers, Jared Grindlinger was 5-0 with a 0.87 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 32⅓ innings and was named to the All-Sunset League first team.

Catcher: Trent Grindlinger, Huntington Beach, Sr.

Named All-Sunset League first team, Grindlinger, who signed with Mississippi State, batted .333 with 24 hits, 22 RBIs, six home runs and five doubles.

First base: Brandon Thomas, Mater Dei, Sr.

Thomas, a Fresno State signee, was named All-Trinity League first team after finishing second on the Monarchs in hits with 27, driving in 12 runs and going 6-5 on the mound with a 0.79 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 79⅓ innings.

Infield: Cooper Flemming, Aliso Niguel, Sr.

Orange County player of the year

Infield: Brody Schumaker, Santa Margarita, Jr.

A repeat All-OC first-team selection, Schumaker batted .356 with team highs of 20 runs scored and 12 stolen bases and has committed to Texas Christian University.

Infield: Becker Syberski, Laguna Beach, Sr.

The Pacific Coast League most valuable player, Syberski, a 4.3 grade-point-average student going to the New Jersey Institute of Technology,  hit. 424 with nine doubles and 15 RBIs, including going 3 for 5 with three RBIs in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs, and as a pitcher was 8-1 with a 0.51 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 55⅓ innings.

Outfield: Trevor Goldenetz, Huntington Beach, Sr.

Goldenetz, a Long Beach State signee, was selected to the All-Sunset League first team after collecting a team-high 36 hits, batting .409 and driving in 20 runs with three triples.

Outfield: Ethan Porter, Huntington Beach Sr.

Porter batted .385 with 30 hits, 19 RBIs, three home runs and a team-high eight doubles, was named All-Sunset League first team and signed with Oregon State.

Outfield: Josiah Hartshorn, Orange Lutheran, Sr.

Hartshorn, who signed with Texas A&M and was All-Trinity League first team, finished with team-highs of 32 hits, 27 runs scored, five home runs and nine doubles and batted .364.

Designated hitter: Lucas Perez, Newport Harbor, Sr.

The Sailors catcher, Perez was the Sunset League MVP, batted .333, made no errors, threw out 72 percent of stolen-base attempts against him and as a pitcher was 5-1 with a 1.36 ERA.

Utility: Gavin Lauridsen, Foothill, Sr.

Lauridsen, a USC signee, was a Crestview League pitcher of the year after going 8-2 with a 1.59 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 79 innings and was the Knights shortstop, batting .358 with a team-leading 23 RBIs.

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

Pitcher: Jack McGuire, Villa Park, Jr.

Pitcher: Tristin Dalzell, Los Alamitos, Sr.

Pitcher: Otto Espinoza, Huntington Beach, Sr.

Pitcher: Tate Belfanti, Cypress, So.

Catcher: Noah Johnson, Cypress, Jr.

First base: Ben Finnegan, Santa Margarita, Sr.

Infield: Mikey Gray, Trabuco Hills, Sr.

Infield: Gavin Spiridonoff, Santa Margarita, Sr.

Infield: Tyler Peshke, Fountain Valley, Sr.

Outfield: Devin Porch, Los Alamitos, Sr.

Outfield: Miles Scott, Servite, Sr.

Outfield: Aidan Young, Villa Park, Jr.

Designated hitter: Sean Green, Foothill, Sr.

Utility: Gavin Guy, Newport Harbor, Jr.

ALL-COUNTY THIRD TEAM

Pitcher: Stevie Jones, Corona del Mar, Jr.

Pitcher: Toby Kwon, Servite, Sr.

Pitcher: Kemuel Zhang, Canyon, So.

Pitcher: Logan Steenburgen, El Dorado, Jr.

Catcher: Warren Gravely IV, Santa Margarita, Jr.

First base: Jayton Greer, Huntington Beach, Sr.

Infield: Bobby Brooks, La Habra, Sr.

Infield: Diego Gonzalez, El Dorado, Sr.

Infield: Wyatt Hanoian, Orange Lutheran, Sr.

Outfield: Blake Bowen, JSerra, Jr.

Outfield: Carson Etnire, Aliso Niguel, Sr.

Outfield: Hamilton Friedberg, Orange Lutheran, Jr.

Designated hitter: Brady Murrieta, Orange Lutheran, Jr.

Utility: Rohan Ramos, Garden Grove, Sr.

ALL-ORANGE COUNTY SOFTBALL TEAM 2025

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kai Minor, Orange Lutheran, Senior

The feats of athleticism and high-level production remained consistent but there was something different about Kai Minor’s contributions this season.

The speedy center fielder became more of a visible role model for Orange Lutheran’s softball team.

“Beside her God-given talent, she’s a leader,” Lancers coach Steve Miklos said. “A great mentor for our younger players.”

Just call Minor a six-tool player, and The Register’s Orange County player of the year.

Minor blended her leadership skills with her abilities to hit for average and power, race around the bases, make stunning catches and throw from the outfield.

Minor, who signed with Oklahoma, hit .500 with 23 extra-base hits (five home runs) and 34 RBIs in 28 games.

She also stole 11 bases and didn’t commit an error for a team that spent time ranked No. 1 in Orange County.

Minor highlighted her defense by robbing a three-run home run against Mater Dei with a leaping catch at the fence in the first round of the Trinity League.

Orange Lutheran won the game 3-2, and ended up beating Mater Dei by one game for its sixth consecutive Trinity League title.

“She’s amazing,” Miklos said of Minor, who also earned Trinity League player of the year.

Orange Lutheran (22-6, 6-3) earned the No. 3 seed for the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs but was upset by Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks 9-7 in the first round.

Minor remains positive about the season because of the interaction with her teammates.

“Being a senior and being a leader was a very amazing thing,” she said. “Leading by example is really important (to me). I’m not really a fire under the butt, type of person. I kind of say things, and if they go that way, they do. If not, somebody else has to take the wheel.”

“I’m still close with all these girls and I still talk to them to this day,” she added.

Minor credits her leadership skills to Mike Stith, her travel coach with the Orange County Batbusters.

“Talking to him, whether it’s about softball or just life in general, I always take away something to apply to other people or even myself,” she said.

Minor finished her four-year career at Orange Lutheran with a .474 average, 156 hits, 86 RBIs and 59 stolen bases.

The Lancers posted an 86-25 record during Minor’s four years. Last season, they reached their first Division 1 final since 2016.

“I’m more about the team,” Minor said. “I’m just glad that I left a mark … mentoring the younger kids so they can be the same, too.”

PITCHER OF THE YEAR

Liliana Escobar, JSerra, Jr.

JSerra pitcher Liliana Escobar showed up to practices and games last season motivated to help her teammates despite knowing she wasn’t eligible to play because of her transfer from Santa Margarita.

“I threw (batting practice) to all the girls, trying to get them ready,” she recalled.

This spring, Escobar contributed from the circle and led the Lions to new territory.

The junior went 14-5 with a 1.20 ERA and 239 strikeouts in 140 innings to power JSerra to its first appearance in the CIF Southern Section finals.

For her efforts, Escobar is The Register’s Orange County pitcher of the year.

“She’s been our go-to all season,” JSerra coach Katie Stith said of Escobar after a 3-0 loss to Los Alamitos in 10 innings in the Division 2 final. “She’s a grinder and I love her intensity.”

In a dramatic Division 2 championship game, Escobar struck out 16 — one shy of her season-high — and walked two.

The Lions almost won the title in the bottom of the seventh inning but Los Alamitos threw out a runner at the plate and scored three runs off Escobar in the 10th.

While the loss stung JSerra, Escobar said her squad — which featured only two senior starters — still celebrated its season over pizza after the game.

“We’re super excited with where we got as a program and as a team,” she said. “That game was really fun. Winning is not everything. It’s the goal and it’s the journey with your teammates.”

Escobar often paired with freshman catcher Annabel Raftery.

The battery developed its chemistry and united in some impressive performances, especially in the Trinity League.

Escobar allowed one run and struck out 12 in nine innings of a 2-1 loss to Orange Lutheran in 11 innings. About a week later, she threw a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts in a 3-2 win against Santa Margarita.

“(I’m) just happy to be back playing and definitely happy of how the hard work has paid off to the point that we got as a team,” said Escobar, who was selected co-pitcher of the year in the Trinity League with Orange Lutheran’s Rylee Silva.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Bobby Calderon, El Modena

In his ninth season, Calderon guided the Vanguards past challenges on and off the field for a historic campaign.

El Modena (23-10) claimed its first title at the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions. The team captured its first Crestview League crown under Calderon, reached its first CIF-SS Division 1 final and was ranked No. 1 in Orange County for the first time.

For his program building and his team’s resiliency, Calderon is The Register’s coach of the year.

The Vanguards finished as the Division 1 runner-up after losing center fielder Jocelyn Alatorre for much of the season due to injury. In the fall, the squad united to support shortstop Kylie Tafua after her mother died from lung cancer.

“We took our lumps there a couple years, but with the mindset that we were going to get this opportunity one day, and we wanted to be ready for it,” Calderon said. “If you ask me, I think we were ready for it.”

Calderon, a special education and math teacher at El Modena, was assisted by his brother Tony, Andy Martinez and his cousin Jeana Gonzales-Alvarado.

ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM

Pitcher: Liliana Escobar, JSerra, Jr.

Orange County Pitcher of the Year

Pitcher: Ava Phillips, Rosary, So.

The Pacific Coast League MVP went a county-best 20-3 with a 1.37 ERA, and earned MVP pitcher as the Royals won the Carew Classic for the first time.

Pitcher: Sara Pinedo, El Modena, Sr.

The Loyola Marymount-bound Pinedo went 17-5, including 3-1 in the section playoffs, with a 2.01 ERA to help lead the Vanguards to a runner-up finish in Division 1.

Pitcher: Mia Valbuena, Marina, Jr.

The Sunset League MVP pitcher posted a 19-10 record with a 1.88 ERA and a county-high 293 strikeouts in leading the Vikings to the CIF-SS Division 3 title.

Catcher: Brooke Piwowar, Sonora, Sr.

The Arizona State-bound Piwowar hit .433 with nine home runs, and played strong defense in the Raiders’ run to the second round of the Division 2 playoffs.

First base: K’lene Gutierrez, Rosary, So. 

The all-tournament selection from the Carew Classic had a school-record 50 RBIs and hit .488 with 20 extra-base hits.

Infield: Jenna Caldera, Rosary, So.

The all-tournament shortstop from the Carew Classic hit .552 and had a school-record seven triples to help the Royals rise to No. 1 in Orange County for the first time.

Infield: Kaitlyn Galasso, El Modena, Sr.

The Boise State commit and Crestview League co-MVP hit .462 with 12 home runs, 31 RBIs and 16 stolen bases to lead the Vanguards to their first appearance in a SoCal regional final.

Infield: Tea Gutierrez, Huntington Beach, Sr.

The Jacksonville State-bound third baseman hit .578 with nine home runs and 41 RBIs to earn Sunset League MVP and help the Oilers reach the second round of the Division 1 playoffs.

Outfield: Makayla Bishop, Cypress, Sr.

The Cal State Dominguez Hills-bound leadoff batter hit .474, scored 28 runs and stole 14 bases in earning co-MVP honors in the Crestview League.

Outfield: Hayden Huerta, Rosary, So.

The Pacific Coast League offensive player of the year hit a team-leading .565 and scored a school-record 47 runs for an offense that averaged 8.4 runs per game.

Outfield: Kai Minor, Orange Lutheran, Sr.

Orange County Player of the Year

Designated player: Bree Carlson, Huntington Beach, So.

The first baseman hit .500 with a school-record 11 home runs and a county-leading 53 RBIs in her first season with the Oilers.

Utility: Payton Kennedy, Santa Margarita, Sr.

The Mississippi-bound dual threat hit .408 with a county-leading 14 home runs and 37 RBIs, and went 6-2 with a 2.27 ERA.

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

P: Ellena Ediss, Pacifica, Sr.

P: Katelynn Mathews, Fullerton, So.

P: Loula-Rae McNamara, Tesoro, Sr.

P: Rylee Silva, Orange Lutheran, Fr.

C: Eliana Corona, La Habra, Fr.

1B: Cienna Kowaleski, Los Alamitos, Sr.

Inf: Camryn Bradshaw, El Toro, Sr.

Inf: Natalie Keith, Northwood, Jr.

Inf: Sierra Nichols, Orange Lutheran, Jr.

OF: Cali Bennett, Huntington Beach, Sr.

OF: Hayley Brock, Fullerton, Jr.

OF: Sophia Rolon, Mater Dei, Sr.

DP: Auddrey Lira, Villa Park, Sr.

Utility: Delaney Faus, Cypress, Sr.

ALL-COUNTY THIRD TEAM

P: Jaliane Brooks, Los Alamitos, Fr.

P: Cassidy Stinnett, Capistrano Valley, Jr.

P: Mia Tamkoc, Woodbridge, Sr.

P: Emily Yoon, El Dorado, Fr.

C: Annabel Raftery, JSerra, Fr.

1B: Irma Urincho, Canyon, Sr.

Inf: Renay Chavez, El Dorado, Sr.

Inf: Alyssa Grajeda, Santa Margarita, Sr.

Inf: Emily Racine, San Clemente, Jr.

OF: Jocelyn Aguilar, Westminster, Sr.

OF: Ella Haugo, Aliso Niguel, Sr.

OF: Alyssa Hernandez, La Habra, Jr.

DP: Layni Kimura, Los Alamitos, Sr.

Utility: Mia Gonzalez, Buena Park, Sr.