Back-to-Back Athlete of Year Honors for Boseman Is a First

Stais Boseman, the Morningside High football and basketball standout, has been named Southern California Athlete of the Year by the Amateur Athletic Foundation board of sportswriters, becoming the first two-time male recipient of the award.

Although Boseman’s senior year wasn’t as successful as his junior season, when he led Morningside to a Southern Section title in football (which was later forfeited because of an ineligible player) and a state title in basketball, he nonetheless overcame many distractions to finish his prep career as one of the finest athletes in South Bay history.

He led the Monarchs to the Ocean League football title--something they failed to accomplish in 1991 despite winning the section championship--and was named the league’s most valuable player for his play at quarterback and defensive back.

In basketball, the 6-foot-4 swingman led Morningside with averages of 17.9 points and 7.1 rebounds to help the team repeat as champion of the Ocean League, Southern Section Division III-AA playoffs and Southern California regionals. He was named Division III player of the year for the second consecutive season.

Away from the court, Boseman’s biggest challenge came in the form of the Scholastic Aptitude Test. He needed a score of at least 700 to meet USC’s admissions requirements, and on his final attempt he got it. He will attend USC on a basketball scholarship, but said last week he would also like to play football for the Trojans. He becomes eligible for that sport in 1994.

Boseman is the fourth South Bay recipient of the male athlete of the year award and the first since 1981, when Banning running back Michael Alo was honored. Other winners include Tim Hovland of Westchester in 1977 and Dennis Littlejohn of North Torrance in 1972, the first year of the award.

Hovland, a longtime member of the pro beach volleyball tour, was a standout in that sport as well as football and basketball at Westchester. Littlejohn was a catcher on North’s baseball team.

Marion Jones of Thousand Oaks, a nine-time state champion in track, was named female athlete of the year for the third time.