Top 10 Boys’ Athletes: Flintridge Prep’s Jack Van Scoter leads way
It was a year of stars and breakout performances from upperclassmen and seniors, in particular, in the city of La Cañada Flintridge. So many teams enjoyed valuable leadership, which translated into championship runs and individual success.
Leading the way was the 2015-16 La Cañada Valley Sun Boys’ Athlete of the Year, Jack Van Scoter of Flintridge Prep.
Here is the list of the La Cañada Valley Sun’s top-10 boys’ athletes in 2015-16.
1 Jack Van Scoter, Flintridge Prep cross-country and track and field, senior – Through his first three years of participation at Flintridge Prep, Jack Van Scoter had already put together a very successful body of work.
The cross-country program won three Prep League titles, one CIF Southern Section Division V championship and turned in two top-three finishes at the state championships. Individually, Van Scoter also won a Southern Section Division V title and Prep League crown in 2014.
As for track, Van Scoter picked up a few Prep League championships.
What remained before the start of Van Scoter’s senior year was whether all this success would lead to a brilliant 2015-16 campaign or a letdown.
“I don’t think there was ever a worry that Jack wouldn’t have a great senior year, but you also have to acknowledge that he had an already successful run in high school,” Flintridge Prep cross-country Coach Ingrid Herskind said. “I think we were all excited to see what he would do.”
Van Scoter didn’t disappoint. If it’s possible, the senior outperformed expectations and delivered in both cross-country and track and field.
Van Scoter won six individual races during the cross-country season, including a second straight Prep League individual title, a second consecutive Southern Section Division V crown and a second-place finish at the CIF State Division V meet.
His team also enjoyed its share of spoils as the Rebels won their 23rd league crown in 24 seasons and captured the Southern Section Division V crown, the seventh such title in school history.
Flintridge Prep also claimed an elusive state championship, the first for the program since 2004, as the Rebels blasted Marin Academy, 43-168. Van Scoter ended up finishing second in that race with a time of 15 minutes, 07.28 seconds.
“That’s the one we had wanted to get for years and had come up short,” said Van Scoter, whose team lost, 86-87, to St. Joseph Notre Dame in the 2012 state final. “It was a wonderful feeling.”
In track, Van Scoter enjoyed his finest season, which included the best mark in the state in the 3,200-meter run at the Arcadia Invitational in a time of 8:51.32.
The senior won Prep League titles in the 1,600-meter (4:20.42) and 3,200 (9:18.06) runs, followed by Division IV championships in the 1,600 (4:13.90) and 3,200 (9:01.81).
Finally at the CIF State Championships, Van Scoter finished fifth in the 3,200 with a mark of 8:55.60.
2 Dante Fregoso, Flintridge Prep basketball and volleyball: Flintridge Prep’s boys’ basketball and boys’ volleyball teams had banner seasons and without Fregoso, it’s hard to fathom their fates would have been nearly as successful.
The front court force led the Rebels’ basketball team to a Prep League title, a run to the CIF Southern Section Division 5-A championship game and the second round of the Division 5 state playoffs. After averaging 18.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game, Fregoso was the Prep League Most Valuable Player, an All-Area first-teamer and an All-CIF selection.
He earned all the same accolades in the spring.
The former All-Area Boys’ Volleyball Player notched 414 kills, 265 digs, 57 aces and 48 blocks as the outside hitter led the Rebels to another league championship and a spot in the Division IV semifinals.
“With Dante these last few years, it’s been kind of like having an extra coach on the floor,” Flintridge Prep Coach Sean Beattie said in June. “He’s the type of player that can change a game with a big hit, or a big block or with the jump serve. He’s the type of player who gets six, seven, eight straight points for you.
“Maybe the most important thing, though, is that ‘coach on the floor’ aspect. He’s great at mentoring younger kids and getting them to play their best.”
3 Koko Kurdoghlian, La Cañada basketball, senior – It was a wonderful year for the sharp-shooter, who helped his team to a 26-4 record and a 10-0 mark in the Rio Hondo League for a league crown.
For a third straight year, Kurdoghlian earned a least a share of the league’s most valuable player honor, along with being named a CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA first-team choice.
Kurdoghlian averaged 13 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 steals per contest this season and was named the All-Area Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year.
“It’s just so important to know your role and watch a lot of game film, so you can step on the court and be prepared for any given situation,” Kurdoghlian said. “You need to know how to be in position to know the flow of the game and be a facilitator so you have all of your teammates involved at the same time.”
Though known for his prowess behind the arc, Kurdoghlian became the program’s all-time leading rebounder with 906 boards, which easily surpassed the previous mark of 785.
“It’s something I take great pride in,” Kurdoghlian said. “You work your tail off for so long to be good in something and rebounding became an area in which I could help my team.
“It wasn’t really a goal of mine to break the rebounding record. You’re taught to go after the ball on either side of the floor. It’s just about being able to box out and then jump up to get the ball. It’s pretty cool to break the record.”
La Cañada advanced to the quarterfinals of the Division IV-AA playoffs after wins over Northview (65-24) and San Luis Obispo (58-32), but fell to visiting San Gabriel Academy (68-60) to end its season.
4 Sean Davitt, St. Francis football: Twenty-three sacks.
It’s a number that stands out and is unlikely to be duplicated anytime soon.
It’s the final tally for Sean Davitt, the 2015 All-Area Football Player of the Year, who led the Golden Knights to the CIF Southern Section Southeast Division semifinals.
An All-CIF first-teamer performer who was voted All-Angelus League co-Linemen of the Year, Davitt registered sacks in 12 of 13 games, 78 tackles and 34 tackles for a loss.
The defensive end also played some tight end and was an excellent blocker who came up with a clutch catch here and there. But, ultimately, he turned in a season in which he terrorized offenses like nobody has in the area for some time.
“He was somebody people had to plan for and scheme around,” St. Francis Coach Jim Bonds said in January. “That changes your game plan. That’s an unseen stat.”
5 Jasher Foster, St. Francis football and track and field: Foster was somewhat of an enigma.
During the football season, his flat out speed and improved talent made him a weapon, but his histrionics proved to be a problem. As a returning track and field star in the spring, an injury kept him sidelined for much of the season.
In the end, Foster could not be slowed, as he hurdled his way to a stellar season.
Prior to Foster racing to a CIF Southern Section Division III 110-meter hurdles title in 2015, the St. Francis track and field team had won three championships since 1958.
After his run in 2016, Foster equaled that all by himself.
Foster won the 110 and 300 hurdles at the CIF finals on May 21.
He would move on to the CIF State Meet in both events.
Prior to his swan song in the spring, Foster was an All-Mission League selection for the St. Francis football team, scoring nine total touchdowns and tallying 1,105 all-purpose yards.
6 Lawrence Ku, La Cañada soccer, senior – The Gettysburg College-bound striker is another in the long line of feared scorers produced by the Spartans program.
Ku was his school’s third straight All-Area Boys’ Soccer Player of the Year as he was unanimously chosen and joined teammates Armand Bagramyan and Nicholas Pereira.
Ku racked up the stats and was the area’s leading scorer with 25 goals and 19 assists, which gave him 53 goals and 46 assists for his career.
Besides the All-Area honor, Ku was named a CIF Southern Section Division VI first-team selection and a league honorable mention.
As for his team, La Cañada finished runner-up in the Rio Hondo League to Monrovia, but fell a round shorter in the postseason than the previous season as the Spartans were defeated in the Division VI quarterfinals. Overall, the Spartans finished 13-6-5 and were 8-1-1 in league.
“I was proud with how we played this year, but I also think we could have done better, especially in league,” Ku said. “I think we were as good as Monrovia, but you have to give them credit because they got the big wins.”
7 Andrew Tsangeos, Flintridge Prep football, basketball and baseball: Perhaps Tsangeos was just a natural.
In his senior season, he put up impressive numbers from fall to spring, earning three All-Prep League honors, two Prep League team championships, two trips to the CIF semifinals or further, two All-Area accolades and on and on.
As a football player in the fall, the quarterback was named the Prep League Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 1,764 yards and 15 touchdowns, while rushing for 520 yards and 13 scores. He was also an All-Area first-teamer.
His All-Area first-team skills were further showcased on the hardwood, as Tsangeos was key in the Rebels’ march to the CIF Southern Section Division 5-AA championship game and the state tournament.
In the aftermath of the ultra-successful campaign in which Tsangeos averaged 18.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game and was rewarded with All-Prep League, All-Area and All-CIF first-team honors.
“Andrew, being a quarterback, can see the whole field or court and can anticipate what will be happening when he shoots, rebounds or passes,” Flintridge Prep boys’ basketball coach Garret Ohara said of Tsangeos in the winter.
For the first time in his Prep career, Tsangeos decided to give baseball a try and though he missed games at the season’s onset due to the basketball team’s postseason run, he didn’t miss a beat and was a first-team All-Prep League selection with a .463 average, 14 runs batted in and 14 extra-base hits.
8 Andreas Langean, Flintridge Prep swimming: It was a sophomore season overflowing with titles for Langen.
At the Prep League Finals, Langen would earn co-swimmer of the year honors as he was a part of four Prep League titles, including the Rebels’ fourth straight team crown.
In addition, he was part of the victorious 200-yard medley relay squad. Individually, he claimed titles in the 50 freestyle and 100 free. It was all leading up to the CIF Southern Section Division IV Championships at Riverside City College.
Langen struck gold, as he swam to victory in the 50 free in 21.46 seconds. It was only two years prior that a Rebel had won a CIF crown, but it was 1980 when a Rebel had last won a CIF title in the 50 free.
Langen added a second-place finish in the 100 to his day.
Langen made further history when he became the first Flintridge Prep swimmer to receive an invitation to the CIF State Meet.
9 Hamilton Evans, Flintridge Prep soccer and baseball: A leader on the field and off, Evans was Prep’s senior class president and the Tom Fry Award recipient, named after the longtime former coach who passed away and given to the student-athlete who showcases “generosity of spirit and love of life.”
With such high marks and respect, perhaps it’s little surprise that Evans built a reputation for winning and clutch play at Flintridge Prep.
Previously, he had been a focal point for a lengthy postseason run for the boys’ soccer team and a CIF championship run for the baseball team.
It was more of the same as a senior.
The Rebels boys’ soccer team struggled with a young squad for much of the season, but received an at-large berth into the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs and went all the way to the semifinals.
Evans was a key contributor and then some. In a huge upset to open the tournament, Prep defeated No. 2 Monrovia, 1-1 (4-2), with Evans tallying 11 saves and stopping a penalty kick and also converting one.
“We just defended really well and took it to [penalty kicks],” Rebels Coach AJ Yates said after the game. “I have a returning All-CIF goalie, so I’ll take my chances.”
In his team’s 3-2 sudden-death overtime win over Rancho Mirage in the quarterfinals, it was a huge boot by Evans that led to the game-winning goal. He finished with eight saves and the game-winning assist. At season’s end, he was once again an All-CIF, All-Area and All-Prep League goalie with 117 saves in 20 matches and seven shutouts.
As a third baseman for the baseball team that won the Prep League title, Evans was an All-CIF Division VI, All-Prep League and All-Area pick who batted .324 with 25 RBI and 24 runs. But it was his extra-inning walk-off hit to defeat Salesian, 7-6, in the CIF quarterfinals that loomed largest.
“We’re just having fun when we’re playing,” Evans said after the game. “When you have fun when you’re playing, you win.”
10 – David Vardanian, La Cañada football and wrestling, junior – Injuries certainly played a big factor in the football and wrestling seasons for the talented athlete.
In wrestling, La Cañada finished with a 12-4 dual meet record, which translated into a third-place finish in the Rio Hondo League behind powerhouse San Marino and upstart Hoover.
The Spartans received a berth to the CIF Southern Section Dual Meet Western Division Championships and lost in the first round. One of the bright spots that day was Vardanian, who pinned Mayfair’s Victor Ramirez for six of his team’s nine points.
Vardanian, who missed most of the regular season because of injuries, rallied to capture a second straight league championship at 220 pounds when he pinned Hoover’s Chris White at Monrovia High on Feb. 10.
“This was pretty big for me and my team,” Vardanian said. “We lost to Hoover and I feel like if I was there, it would have been at least a little different. I just wanted a comeback [win] for my team to prove we could win.”
Vardanian advanced to the CIF Coastal Division Championships, where he posted a 1-2 record.
In football, La Cañada had a chance to qualify to the postseason, but just missed out by finishing 4-6 overall and 2-3 in league.
Vardanian was an All-Area second-team pick and a Rio Hondo League first-team defensive lineman.
He played despite an almost season-long ankle injury and totaled 71 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss and six sacks. He also played on the offensive line and fullback as he carried the ball 21 times for 108 yards and added one receiving touchdown.
