Banner year continues with All-CIF awards

The 2016 season was a season of firsts for the Laguna Beach High baseball team.

It was a month ago that the Breakers won the first CIF Southern Section baseball championship in school history. Reaping the benefits of that title, the accolades continued for the program when senior catcher Will McInerny was named Player of the Year, Mike Bair Coach of the Year, and junior pitcher Ashton Goddard First Team, to the 2016 All CIF Southern Section Division 4 Baseball Team.

The CIF honors for McInerny and Bair are a first in each category in Laguna’s baseball history.

McInerny and Goddard become the fifth and sixth players in program history to make first-team All-CIF, and 14th and 15th Laguna players, overall, to make an All-CIF team. Chris Paul, the first first-team All-CIF selection from the school, was a two-time All-CIF player (2009, 2010).

McInerny also landed the MVP title and Goddard was a second-team pick for the 2016 All Orange Coast League Baseball Team.

Laguna won the 2016 OCL championship and a few weeks later, went on to shut out second-seeded Fontana Kaiser, 2-0, in the CIF-SS Division 4 championship game in early-June at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino.

“Will absolutely deserved CIF MVP and OCL MVP,” Bair said. “Being a leader as our catcher and then taking off his gear to pitch in crucial moments of ‘do-or-die’ playoff games while getting clutch base hits, shows just what a tough competitor he is. I am proud of the way he finished his senior year and left a major impact on the baseball program.”

Bair said his coach of the year award comes with the territory.

“I’m pretty sure winning D-4 coach of the year is automatically given to the team that wins it all, so I am very thankful for these players and our coaching staff,” he said. “It’s a great honor.”

In 32 games, McInerny batted .321, had a .523 slugging percentage, and an on-base percentage of .434. He had 27 hits with more than half (14) of those hits going for a double, and he homered once. He drew 17 walks, drove in 21 runs, was six for six on stolen base attempts, and scored 18 times. His 14 doubles tied for a team-high with junior Dustin Angus, and he led the team in RBIs.

Defensively, McInerny held a 1.000 fielding percentage (84 putouts, nine assists on 93 total chances without an error). A right-hander thrower, he had eight pitching appearances (one start), went 2-1 with two saves and had a 0.42 ERA (162/3 innings). He allowed only two runs, six hits and one earned run, walked five, and struck out 16.

McInerny, who’s headed to UCLA, registered two, huge pitching victories in relief efforts in the CIF-SS playoffs, a 12-inning quarterfinal win at California, and a nine-inning semifinal home win over St. Bonaventure.

Bair said McInerny’s contributions to the program have been invaluable.

“He has been a rock-solid starting catcher for four years,” he said. “He plays intensely and fearless every game and leads by example and with his words. Will is irreplaceable and we will miss him dearly, but are blessed to have his impact be a foundation for our program.

“Will knows how to reign in his pitchers and say things that matter. He also calls a very good game and gets in tune with his pitchers and their pitches. Will knows all the very small nuances of being a catcher and that is why he stands above everyone else.”

In addition to taking the mound, Goddard, who overcame elbow surgery and a shoulder injury during the season, also played at second base.

The right-hander started on the mound eight times and had nine appearances, overall. He threw four complete games, went 5-2 with an ERA of .1.55, and posted four shutouts. In 492/3 innings pitched, he allowed 16 runs, 36 hits, 14 walks and 11 earned runs, and struck out 46.

He gave an outstanding performance in Laguna’s CIF championship game shutout victory to end the season.

In the infield, Goddard had 17 putouts and 16 assists (39 total chances) in 23 games. On offense, he hit .324 (23 games), had a .441 slugging percentage and .343 on base percentage, had 11 hits (four doubles), four RBIs and scored eight runs.

“Ashton learned a lot about toughness and competition this year,” Bair said. “He had some arm issues to fight through and had some tough losses during the season. When the team needed him most he was spectacular and gained confidence and toughness, and was a major reason for our CIF championship.”

Laguna Beach’s 2016 CIF-SS Division 4 championship team, which went 20-12 overall, was honored at the Angels’ June 14 home game against the Minnesota Twins at Angel Stadium. They met Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, General Manager Billy Eppler and former Angel Mark Langston prior to the start of the game. Bair threw out the first pitch, and the Breakers players helped lead the seventh-inning stretch.

2016 All CIF Southern Section Division 4 Baseball Team

(Presented by the LA84 Foundation, selected by CIF-SS Baseball Coaches’ Assn.)

Player of the Year: Will McInerny, Laguna Beach

Coach of the Year: Mike Bair, Laguna Beach

Team: Ashton Goddard, Laguna Beach; Louie Crow, Buena Park; Jakob Farmer, California; Benny Aguilera, Don Lugo; Joshua Ibarra, Don Lugo; Troy Frazier, Grace Brethren; Miles Sandum, Granite Hills; Armando Duenas, Kaiser; Oscar Rocha, Kaiser; Angel Lopez, Katella; Jose Macias, Montebello; Daniel Martinez, Ramona; Angel Ochoa, San Gorgonio; Robert Lucia, Santa Fe; Saxon Andross, Serrano; Dylan Villalobos, Sonora; Brent Dickey, St. Bonaventure; Jared Hiskey, St. Bonaventure; Jake Eisner, Troy; Cody Wissler, West Torrance.

Laguna Beach All-CIF Baseball Players: Steve Ramsey (1957, North-South team, second team); Dave Cottingham (1963, AA Division, second team); Damon Berryhill (1982, AA Division, third team); Danny Lane (1988, AAA Division, second team); Aaron Schied (1990, AAA Division, second team); Aaron Skinner (1998, Division 4, second team); Chris Paul (2009, Division 4, first team); Chris Paul (2010, Division 4, second team); Keaton Jones (2011, Division 4, second team); Jackson Rees (2013, Division 4, first team); Steven Harrison (2013, Division 4, second team); Grant Wilhelm (2014, Division 4, first team); Preston Grand Pre (2014, Division 4, first team); Richie Nunes (2014, Division 4, second team); Ashton Goddard (2016, Division 4, first team); Will McInerny (2016, Division 4, player of the year).

2016 All Orange Coast League Baseball Team

Most Valuable Player: Will McInerny, Sr., Laguna Beach

Pitcher of the Year: Troy Lombardo, Calvary Chapel, Soph.

First Team: Connor Basile, Sr., Laguna Beach; Dante Faicchio, Jr., Laguna Beach; Blake Burzell, Soph., Laguna Beach; Isaiah Lara, Sr., Calvary Chapel; Isaiah Lee, Soph., Calvary Chapel; Jacob Todd, Sr., Calvary Chapel: Connor Brown, Sr., Estancia; Colin Gardner, Jr., Estancia; Grady Conner, Sr., Costa Mesa; Dylan Schafer, Jr., Costa Mesa; Juan Gonzalez, Sr., Godinez; David Rojas, Jr., Saddleback.

Second Team: Dustin Angus, Jr., Laguna Beach; Jack Loechner, Soph., Laguna Beach; Ashton Goddard, Jr., Laguna Beach; Patrick Glasgow, Sr., Calvary Chapel; John Portillo, Jr., Calvary Chapel; Josh Bush, Sr., Calvary Chapel; Jeff Alai, Jr., Estancia; Brian Rodriguez, Soph., Estancia; Ryan Lether, Sr., Costa Mesa; Carter Chapman, Jr., Costa Mesa; Rafael Salas, Sr., Godinez; Andrew Vargas, Sr., Godinez.