Local Athletes Play a Big Part on Fall’s All-Conference Teams

It’s time to take a look at the players who earned all-conference honors last fall in men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, water polo and wrestling.

Cypress, in only its second season of women’s soccer, won the Orange Empire Conference title and had five players named first-team all-conference. Laurie Wilson, the player of the year, was joined by Stacey Darin, Lana McHugh, Amy Wagner and Brandi Yates.

Renee Cario, Kristin Lowrey and Jeanette Eddy of Irvine Valley made first team. Orange Coast’s Bradie Johnson and Linda Lewin, Golden West’s Dana Ferdinand and Palomar’s Jaime Tate and Lisa Weck were also on the first team.

Men’s soccer: Fullerton, the conference champion, Orange Coast and Riverside each had three players on the Orange Empire Conference’s first team.

Eron Campuzano, Carlos Castello and Alberto Verduzco of Fullerton, and Scott Goldman, P.J. Polowski and Sergio Suarez from OCC were named.

Riverside’s Alejandro Vigueras was the player of the year, and teammates Edgar Gallina and Edgar Raczka also made the team.

Also on the first team: Cypress’ George Charlesworth, Golden West’s Chris Siok, Irvine Valley’s Keith Rosenberg and Rancho Santiago’s David King.

Women’s volleyball: Golden West had four of the seven Orange Empire Conference first-team selections, including most valuable player Tracy Schriber. Teammates Becki Gehlke, Jessica Lee and Heather Flaherty also made it.

OCC’s Bryn Gillis, Fullerton’s Sarah Roney and Riverside’s Vanessa Waggoner were also selected.

Water polo: Golden West, which won its fourth consecutive state title, had six players on the South Coast Conference first team.

Brandon Douglas, the Rustlers’ goalkeeper, was the most valuable player. Shroder Baker, Curt Bowman, Joaquin Felsmann, Dietrich Jewell and Ted Simpkins also made the first team. Fullerton’s Mark Allmon and Paul Marceau also made the team.

In the Orange Empire Conference, Orange Coast placed four players on the first team: Richard Ruffini, Rob Worthing, Craig McMillian and Ross McIlwain.

Rancho Santiago’s Peter Herman and Jeremy Yorba, and Cypress’ Erick Lynch also made the first team. Grossmont’s Rhett Gaeir was the player of the year.

Wrestling: Four from Orange County made the South Coast Conference first team. Three--David Niedringhaus (134 pounds), Brian Burgess (142) and his brother Kevin Burgess (150)--were from Rancho Santiago. Golden West’s Mike Bolster (heavyweight) also made it.

Missing from the team was Rancho Santiago’s Brian Tomazic, who won a state title at 190 pounds. Tomazic wrestled in the heavyweight class in conference and was second. He then moved down a weight class for the state meet.

Men’s basketball: All seven local teams are in tournaments the first part of this week in final preparation for the start of Orange Empire Conference play, Jan. 6.

Riverside, which clearly is the most-talented team, is the favorite among the coaches. The Tigers open by playing host to Fullerton.

Saddleback is at Golden West, Cypress is at Orange Coast and Rancho Santiago, the two-time defending champion, plays Irvine Valley at Capistrano Valley High. Games are scheduled for 7 p.m.

With the addition of Irvine Valley this season, the conference has eight teams, eliminating byes in the conference schedule.

Women’s basketball: The Orange Empire Conference starts Jan. 6 with Orange Coast at Cypress, Riverside at Fullerton and Golden West at Saddleback. Rancho Santiago has a bye.