Basketball, water polo players earn all-league accolades
Bits and pieces from the local sports scene.
Three Providence girls’ basketball players honored on all-league list: For the second time in three seasons, the Providence High girls’ basketball team captured a Liberty League championship, but didn’t have player voted the league’s player of the year.
This season, that honor went to Archer School’s Maia Barnett, a senior who averaged 22.4 points and 9.7 rebounds a game.
However, the Pioneers did have three players honored on the single Liberty League all-league list. The players were junior Katia Dabbaghian, sophomore Fabi Jimenez and senior Kristie Kawamoto.
Dabbaghian, an All-CIF Southern Section selection the past two seasons, was a driving force in helping the Pioneers win a fifth straight Liberty League championship.
“Without a doubt, Katia is the hub of our team and everyone kind of revolves around her,” Providence Coach Andrew Bencze said. “She means so much to our team and our success is usually directly related to the way that she plays. She was the most consistent player for us all year long.”
Dabbaghian led the Pioneers in scoring, averaging 13.3 points a game to go along with 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and three steals.
Kawamoto averaged 7.1 points and 3.1 steals and Jimenez averaged 10.5 points.
Along with winning the league title, the Pioneers (18-7) advanced to the Division IV-A quarterfinals and won the league tournament.
Burbank, Burroughs boys’ basketball players earn all-league accolades: Two players from Burroughs High and two from Burbank were honored with all-league selections this season in boys’ basketball.
The lone first-team selection was Indians senior Amad Wainright. Senior Bulldogs player Richard Elmoyan was a second-team pick, while Burroughs sophomore Steven Hubbell and Burbank senior Anthony Kardosh were honored with honorable mention.
“Amad was an obvious pick on the first team,” Burroughs Coach Adam Hochberg said. “I thought that Steven had a pretty solid year for a sophomore. We are looking forward to him stepping up in the next couple of years and helping us out.”
Wainright, a transfer from Missouri, led Burroughs in scoring, averaging 24.9 points a game. He also averaged 12.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 3.1 steals and 1.9 blocks. In addition, he averaged double figures in every game and his season high was 43 against Valencia on Dec 4.
However, after the Pacific League season concluded, Wainright went back to Missouri with fellow teammate Rashid Ewing and the two didn’t participate in the Indians’ CIF Southern Section Division II-AA playoff first-round game against Placentia Valencia.
Hubbell averaged 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game.
Burroughs went 16-10 and tied for third in the Pacific League with an 8-6 record. The Indians went 6-1 and tied for first place in league after the first round, but slipped to 2-5 in the second round.
While Elmoyan averaged 11.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.4 steals a game, Kardosh averaged 11.5 points and 7.9 rebounds.
Burbank (13-14) finished fifth in the Pacific League and qualified for the playoffs as an at-large entry.
Providence High has two boys’ basketball players named to all-league team: The Providence High basketball team won two games in the Liberty League Tournament and placed third in league this past season.
For their efforts, the Pioneers had two all-league selections in seniors Josias Parker and Jonathan Ly.
Providence (15-11) won a game in the CIF Southern Section playoffs, beating Salesian, 50-47, in a first-round contest.
Four local girls’ water polo players earn all-league awards: Senior Kailee Groveman from Burroughs was the lone local player to earn first-team recognition in the Pacific League this past season.
Groveman helped Burroughs (8-16) qualify for the CIF Southern Section V playoffs after a fourth-place finish in the Pacific League.
Making the second team for Burbank was sophomore Stella Aghakian. Earning honorable mention were Burbank junior Lala Herpetian and Burroughs senior Cheyenne Morrison.
Burbank (4-10) did not qualify for the postseason.
Burbank cheer team wins national championship: The cheerleading team from Luther Burbank Middle School took home a national title earlier this month.
The team of 26 performers captured the Large Junior Show Cheer division March 2 at Disney’s California Adventure at the USA Junior Nationals Competition.
The squad competed multiple times throughout the day against six other squads in the division. The squad also took home first place at two qualifying competitions which took place at Summit High in Fontana and Whittier High.
This is the fourth year of existence for the squad that is coached by Jenifer Coderko, who graduated from Burbank in 2008. Many of the girls have been on the squad for three years, including Jewel Musich, Miriam McCoole and co-captains Ashley Tran, Emma Reiter and Gracie Sessinghaus.