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By Loren Kopff
Sports Editor | Follow X
June 8, 2026
June 8, 2026
By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X
La Mirada High has always excelled in maintaining the highest standards of its athletics especially when it comes to its baseball and softball programs. This season is no different as those two teams went a combined 51-14 and competed in the toughest division in the state, possibly the nation. Cerritos High put an end to the eight-year existence of the current 605 League as its baseball and softball teams won league titles to bring the combined total to 13 league championships out of 14 tries. And, 17 baseball and 10 softball players who did not make their respective All-League teams found their way on the 2026 HMG-Community News Spring All-Area Teams.
BASEBALL
FIRST TEAM
P-Jake Ourique (Gahr High)
P-Julian Pardinas (La Mirada High)
C-Jonah Mason (John Glenn High)
1B-Ryan Salas (Cerritos High)
2B-Michael Burgueno (La Mirada High)
3B-Cole Hefner (Valley Christian High)
SS-Andres Gonzalez (Gahr High)
LF-Bert Alvarado (John Glenn High)
CF-Jacob Johnson (Cerritos High)
RF-Eli Sarno (Cerritos High)
UTL-Bryce Morrison (Gahr High)
SECOND TEAM
P-John Cardenas (Valley Christian High)
P-Jacob Hoosac (Cerritos High)
C-Nathan Guangorena (Gahr High)
1B-Isaac Morales (Valley Christian High)
2B-Nico Villafana (Valley Christian High)
3B-Blake Barberena (La Mirada High)
SS-Lucas Witt (Valley Christian High)
LF-Mack Lynott (Valley Christian High)
CF-Quintin Ekstrom (Valley Christian High)
RF-Aaron Sykes (La Mirada High)
UTL-Max Douglas (Valley Christian High)
THIRD TEAM
P-Jayce Aragon (Cerritos High)
P-Kaden Corns (La Mirada High)
C-Justin Torres (La Mirada High)
1B-Jorge Vidal (Artesia High)
2B-Nate Arellano (Whitney High)
3B-Marcus Castillo (Norwalk High)
SS-Jesse Colon (La Mirada High)
LF-Jaeden Estevez (La Mirada High)
CF-Noah Rodriguez (La Mirada High)
RF-Lincoln Slater (Valley Christian High)
UTL-Corey Brammer (Norwalk High)
HONORABLE MENTION
P-Josue Lugo (Artesia High)
P-Carlos Munoz (Gahr High)
C-Trevor Torres (Valley Christian High)
1B-Brody Beck (Valley Christian High)
2B-Michael Nava (Artesia High)
3B-Justin Sagun (Cerritos High)
SS-Jared Brammer (Norwalk High)
LF-Oscar Grijalva (Gahr High)
CF-David Pelayo (Norwalk High)
RF-Kavi Stris (Whitney High)
UTL-Ian Aguayo (La Mirada High)
Player of the Year-In a season in which there weren’t a lot of returning starters, La Mirada junior second baseman Michael Burgueno picked up the slack in a big way. The Gateway League’s Most Valuable Player was batting around .400 and was leading the area with 40 hits while driving in 20.
Co-Pitchers of the Year-The top two consistent teams of the Gateway League continue to produce some of the best baseball pitchers in Southern California, and it shows in the selection of Gahr High senior Jake Ourique and La Mirada sophomore Julian Pardinas. Ourique, who will be taking his talents to the University of Oregon, started nine games but did not get his first decision until the sixth game, a complete game, five-hitter against Bellflower High on Apr. 1. He would end the season with a 3-0 mark and had an earned run average of 0.86, pitched nearly 49 innings, had 66 strikeouts and walked only four batters.
Pardinas paced the La Mirada pitching staff with an 8-1 record with a 1.44 ERA and 38 strikeouts in nearly 49 innings of work. He will be an integral part of the Matadores’ pitching staff next season who saw half a dozen seniors toe the slab.
Coach of the Year-For the second time in the past three seasons, La Mirada’s Jimmy Zurn gets this honor. In probably the toughest season he had to go through with many naysayers not giving the Matadores much of a chance because of who graduated last season, Zurn guided his team to a 25-9 mark and another Gateway League title. The 12-2 loss to Cathedral Catholic High last Friday in the CIF Southern California Division 1 Regionals was the only time La Mirada allowed more than eight runs this season and seven of the other eight losses were by three runs or fewer.
SOFTBALL
FIRST TEAM
P-Isabella Gonzalez (Gahr High)
P-Alison Ortega (La Mirada High)
C-Riley Hilliard (La Mirada High)
1B-Adelyn Archie (Cerritos High)
2B-Fatima Serna (La Mirada High)
3B-Giselle Albidrez (Norwalk High)
SS-Reese Hilliard (La Mirada High)
LF-Alanna Adams (La Mirada High)
CF-Choyce Chambers (Valley Christian High)
RF-Tallulah Ireland (Valley Christian High)
UTL-Ava Ceron (Cerritos High)
SECOND TEAM
P-Jade Hernandez (Cerritos High)
P-Rachel Zhang (Valley Christian High)
C-Peyton Kingery (Valley Christian High)
1B-Juliana Rivera (La Mirada High)
2B-Mylah Burrowes (Gahr High)
3B-Megan Wong (Gahr High)
SS-Hazel Anglo (Gahr High)
LF-Jazmin Jimenez (Norwalk High)
CF-Nayeli Sanchez (Norwalk High)
RF-Elizabeth Biado (La Mirada High)
UTL-Karla Diaz (Norwalk High)
THIRD TEAM
P-Mariah Favela (Norwalk High)
P-Abbygail Perez (Artesia High)
C-Daphne Linsangan (Cerritos High)
1B-Pacifica Hamilton (Artesia High)
2B-Kiara Vasquez (Norwalk High)
3B-Brianna Ramirez (Valley Christian High)
SS-Aubrielle Ramirez (Valley Christian High)
LF-Noelle Martinez (Cerritos High)
CF-Brisyeda Munoz (Artesia High)
RF-Jaslene Pelayo (Norwalk High)
UTL-Milani Cruz (La Mirada High)
HONORABLE MENTION
P-Alexis Ceron (Cerritos High)
P-Danika Vega (Artesia High)
C-Sofia Garcia (Artesia High)
1B-Maryah McElroy (Gahr High)
2B-Jewel Malae (Valley Christian High)
3B-Rylee Thurmond (La Mirada High)
SS-Audrina Ramos (Norwalk High)
LF-Jade Jaquez (Valley Christian High)
CF-Kayleigh Allen (Gahr High)
RF-Zoe Corrales (Cerritos High)
UTL-Paulina Nava (Artesia High)
Pitchers of the Year-With one more season to go, La Mirada junior Alison Ortega is making a serious claim to finish her high school career as one of the best pitchers to have ever played for the school. Ortega was beyond masterful in the circle, going 20-3 and sporting a 1.05 ERA with 161 strikeouts in nearly 140 innings. Two of her three losses came to JSerra High by a combined four runs and the other loss was a 9-7 setback to Gahr High.
Co-Players of the Year-They were born less than a minute apart from each other and have one more season to display their talents before going onto bigger and better things. They are juniors Reese and Riley Hilliard, who continued to help keep La Mirada a major threat in the CIF-Southern Section’s Division 1. Riley Hilliard, a catcher who is committed to the University of Oklahoma, led all area players with a .568 average, had 46 hits, drove in 33 runs, and bashed out 14 doubles and 10 home runs. Shortstop Reese Hilliard, who will be taking her talents to Stanford University, batted .567 with 55 hits, scored 39 runs, had 38 RBI, 11 doubles and seven home runs.
Coach of the Year-After winning 25 games and advancing to the Division 1 quarterfinals in 2025, La Mirada head coach Brent Tuttle finally made an appearance in a CIF-SS championship game, his first as the head coach of the Matadores. Tuttle guided his team to a 26-5 record this season and his pitching staff allowed 62 runs. Take away a 10-0 loss to Los Alamitos High in the second game of the season, and the Matadores went 23 straight contests in which they did not allow more than five runs.
Tuttle, who has been at the helm for 12 seasons, has a record of 226-83-4 with the Matadores and seven straight league titles.
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