Player of the Week : La Quinta Reflects Success of Paulsen, the Slugging Shortstop

When the 1985 high school baseball season began, it appeared that the only hope La Quinta had of being 19-2 and ranked No. 2 in Orange County at this date was to do it with mirrors.

Enter Troy Paulsen. Six-foot, talented and the biggest pane in the glass for the Aztecs’ opponents.

In two games last week against Bolsa Grande, Paulsen was 4 for 8 with six RBIs and a three-run home run. The homer started La Quinta on its way to a 15-1 romp on Wednesday, which locked up the Garden Grove League’s title. Paulsen is The Times’ Player of the Week.

Paulsen, only a junior, leads La Quinta in every offensive category. He’s batting .437 (31 for 71) with 20 RBIs and 30 runs scored. On defense, he anchors the Aztec infield at shortstop. He’s made only six errors this season. With only two starters returning and not a pitcher with a day of varsity experience, the outlook wasn’t rosy for La Quinta at the start of the season. Paulsen played on the varsity his sophomore year but had missed 12 games due to injury.

“People might not have expected us to do as well,” Coach Dave Demerest said. “But Troy is the kind of guy other players rally around. I think he makes the players around him better.”

Paulsen couldn’t wait for the season to start.

“There’s nothing worse than having to watch games from the sidelines on crutches,” Paulsen said. “It made me really want to get after it this season.

“Get after it means being very aggressive, very alert,” Paulsen said of his teammates. “We’re not the most talented team, but we really want to win. We don’t let up even if we’re losing. We know we can come back on teams. Look what we did against Esperanza,”

Down by seven runs to those other Aztecs in the Santa Ana Easter Tournament, La Quinta came back to win, 9-8. Paulsen was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, and he also picked up the win by pitching three innings, striking out four.

Troy Paulsen La Quinta High Position: Shortstop Height, class: 6-0, Jr Last Week: In two games against Bolsa Grande he was 4 to 8 with six RBI’s. He hit a three-run home run to break a 1-1 tie in Wednesday’s game that clinched Garden Grovw League title for the Aztecs. Season: Batting 437 with 20 RBI’s and 30 runs scored.