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June 8, 2023
By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on Twitter
The new Suburban Valley Conference produced a pair of new league champions, both coming from Norwalk High, which found itself in the Mid-Cities League for the inaugural season. Norwalk joined Cerritos High and La Mirada High as repeat league champions in baseball and softball. The area saw five out of seven baseball teams and seven out of eight softball teams advance to the CIF-Southern Section playoffs. Listed are the newest members of the 2023 HMG-Community News Spring All-Area Teams.
BASEBALL
FIRST TEAM
P-Noah Andrunas (Gahr High)
P-Eric Jeon (La Mirada High)
C-Angel Cortez (Gahr High)
1B-Maverek Russell (La Mirada High)
2B-Aidan Haller (La Mirada High)
3B-Carter Chi (Cerritos High)
SS-Kyle Panganiban (Gahr High)
LF-Mike Lee (Gahr High)
CF-Randy Martinez (Norwalk High)
RF-Benjamin Kim (La Mirada High)
UTL-Jonah Rouwenhorst (La Mirada High)
SECOND TEAM
P-Jaden Alba (Gahr High)
P-Walker Calvo (La Mirada High)
C-Steven Martinez (Norwalk High)
1B-Alahni Salcedo (Gahr High)
2B-Paul Kim (Cerritos High)
3B-Gabriel Cancino (Norwalk High)
SS-Caden Barnhill (Norwalk High)
LF-Raymond Sierra (Cerritos High)
CF-Travis Friend (La Mirada High)
RF-Cristhian Rodriguez (Gahr High)
UTL-Bryce Morrison (Gahr High)
THIRD TEAM
P-Dylan Burton (Cerritos High)
P-Kaleb Nakano (Norwalk High)
C-Leo Arcos (Artesia High)
1B-Kenny Hoogerheide (Valley Christian High)
2B-Andrew Gonzalez (Gahr High)
3B-Jose Perez (Gahr High)
SS-Dalton Chi (Cerritos High)
LF-Tyler Primanto (La Mirada High)
CF-Austin Abrahams (Valley Christian High)
RF-Noah Gapuz (Cerritos High)
UTL-Vicente Rodriguez (Artesia High)
HONORABLE MENTION
P-Daniel Carbajal (Artesia High)
P-Jaidon Carter (Valley Christian High)
C-Jacob Celiz (La Mirada High)
1B-Joseph Davis (Norwalk High)
2B-Evan Sawai (Valley Christian High)
3B-Joseph Chavez (John Glenn High)
SS-Aiden Aguayo (La Mirada High)
LF-Alex Valdivia (Artesia High)
CF-Johann Gibbs (Cerritos High)
RF-Francisco Rodriguez (Norwalk High)
UTL-Nolan Lynott (Valley Christian High)
CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR-
One of many key components in La Mirada’s offense was senior right fielder Benjamin Kim, who led all area players with a .390 average for a team that hit .279. Kim was one of five players who played in all 30 games and led the Matadores in hits (32), runs batted in (19) and doubles (seven). Kim also scored 16 runs, tied for fourth on the team, had a pair of triples and was one of seven players who hit a home run. Defensively, he did not make an error in 23 chances and was one of four players with at least 10 chances who did not have an error.
Over the past few seasons, Gahr senior shortstop Kyle Panganiban matured into one of the best players to put on the blue and gold of the program. The soon to be California State University, Northridge student led the Gladiators with a .378 average and 37 hits, scored 29 runs, second most on the team, and drove in 15. He was also patient at the plate as he was walked a dozen times and was hit eight times while striking out just nine times.
PITCHER OF THE YEAR-
One of the most dominant pitchers in the area was La Mirada senior Eric Jeon, who was tough as the team’s number one hurler. Jeon went 7-2, allowed 38 hits in 55 innings and gave up 11 earned runs, good for an earned run average of 1.42. Jeon, who just about averaged a strikeout per every inning pitched, had a no-hitter against Warren High and gave up two hits at Bellflower High and Servite High. In the latter, he was perfect through the first four innings. Jeon also had a save on Mar. 9 against Oaks Christian High.
COACH OF THE YEAR–
Last season, Norwalk went 14-13 for its first winning season since 2023 and to show it wasn’t a fluke, head coach William Wenrick guided the Lancers to a 23-5 mark and a Mid-Cities League title, the program’s first league crown since 1995. Norwalk advanced to the Division 6 quarterfinals, falling to Hesperia Christian High 8-3. It’s the first time since 1999 that Norwalk had reached the quarterfinals.
SOFTBALL
FIRST TEAM
P-Jalynn Banda (Norwalk High)
P-Montserrat Reyes-Cardenas (La Mirada High)
C-Leilani Juan (Norwalk High)
1B-Natalie Craig (La Mirada High)
2B-Hayley Olivas (Gahr High)
3B-Toafaoalii Pua (Cerritos High)
SS-Kendall Nakano (Norwalk High)
LF-Kasarey Lotts (Norwalk High)
CF-Camille Lara (Cerritos High)
RF-Sophia Magcale (Gahr High)
UTL-Natalia Hill (Gahr High)
SECOND TEAM
P-Carissa Galvan (John Glenn High)
P-Maya Torres (Artesia High)
C-Rebecca Eckhart (La Mirada High)
1B-Itzel Hernandez (Norwalk High)
2B-Ava Ceron (Cerritos High)
3B-Vanessa Soto (Artesia High)
SS-Amanda Urbina (La Mirada High)
LF-Jazlynn Jara (Artesia High)
CF-Madison Morgan (Valley Christian High)
RF-Choyce Chambers (Valley Christian High)
UTL-Larissa Flores (Gahr High)
THIRD TEAM
P-Danielle Baca (Cerritos High)
P-Marley Cortez (Gahr High)
C-Peyton Kingery (Valley Christian High)
1B-Kayla Martin (Valley Christian High)
2B-Kristy Rodriguez (John Glenn High)
3B-Julia Cole (John Glenn High)
SS-Beatriz Galvez (John Glenn High)
LF-Hailey Sanchez (Gahr High)
CF-Diana Bravo (John Glenn High)
RF-Aileen Lopez (John Glenn High)
UTL-Natalie Gardea (Cerritos High)
HONORABLE MENTION
P-Quira Castillo (La Mirada High)
P-Monicka Manni (Whitney High)
C-Alianna Calderon (Cerritos High)
1B-Anais Perez (John Glenn High)
2B-Sasha Gonzalez (Norwalk High)
3B-Cerise Cervantes (Norwalk High)
SS-Britton Brown (Valley Christian High)
LF-Catherine Quibrantar (Cerritos High)
CF-Alea Medina (Artesia High)
RF-Angelina Ratzlaff (La Mirada High)
UTL-Chiugo Anyama (Whitney High)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR–
Norwalk was a solid offensive unit, hitting .454 as a team. Leading that attack was junior shortstop Kendall Nakano, who batted a blistering .690 with 69 hits, 49 runs scored, 71 runs batted in, 17 home runs and 25 doubles, all tops on the team. Nakano was also very patient at the plate, striking out just twice all season. When she was on base, she stole 20 bases and when she wasn’t at short, she was in the circle where she went 5-2 and struck out 104 batters in 62 innings.
PITCHER OF THE YEAR–
La Mirada is in good hands for the next two seasons with sophomore Montserrat Reyes-Cardenas leading the Matadores in the circle. Reyes-Cardenas didn’t get her first start until the 13th game of the season, but from that point on, she would sport a 9-1 record with a 1.04 ERA with 121 strikeouts. She walked only 15 batters and yielded 52 hits. Her lone setback was a 1-0 decision to Kennedy High on Mar. 25 in the La Mirada Showcase.
COACH OF THE YEAR–
The one thing missing from Ed Blanck’s resume is a league championship. But at the rate things are going with the Artesia High program, he just might get that elusive title. Still, Blanck guided the Pioneers to a 16-8 mark, just missing the school record of 17 wins, accomplished in 2019. Artesia advanced to the Division 6 semifinals, falling to J.W. North High 4-0 in the last inning. It was the first time in over 25 seasons that Artesia had reached the semifinals.
