Raub, Stevens Named Coach, Player of Year

Even with three future Division I players, the 1983-84 Kennedy High girls basketball team couldn’t make it to the City 4-A finals. The Golden Cougars, led by Fonda DeCree, Shondra Dillard and Carla Reynolds, lost by one point in overtime of the semifinal round last year.

Having lost Decree to Oregon State, Dillard to UC Santa Barbara and Reynolds to Pepperdine, the 1984-85 Kennedy team didn’t figure to qualify for the championship game to be held at the Sports Arena. But that’s exactly what the Golden Cougars did.

And despite losing the city finals to Locke, 47-38, Kennedy took the league championship, enjoying yet another successful season (21-5) under Coach Craig Raub.

For his efforts, Raub has been named The Times’ Valley-area Coach of the Year.

Kennedy went 10-0 in the Valley 4-A League this season, extending its winning streak to 70 games. And with four starters returning next season, Raub appears to have a good chance to make it 80 in 1985-86.

While Kennedy has caused problems for its league opponents, Michelle Stevens of Westlake, the area’s Player of the Year, wreaked havoc on the Marmonte League for three straight seasons. The 5-9 senior guard paced Westlake to its third league championship in three seasons and was named league MVP for the third straight year (she was co-MVP as a sophomore).

Having missed the Warriors’ first eight games after suffering a broken left hand in a scrimmage against Kennedy, Stevens returned in time for league play and led the Warriors to an 11-1 record. She averaged 19.1 points and 7.7 rebounds a game, making 54% of her shots from the field. Stevens led Westlake to the Southern Section 4-A quarterfinals, where the Warriors lost to Compton, who went on to win it all.

Westlake was 16-7 this season, 13-2 in games Stevens played. A two-time All-Southern Section performer, Stevens is a favorite to make it again.

Raub, Stevens and the other members of the All-Valley team were honored Tuesday night at The Times’ annual high school awards program.