1995 LOS ANGELES TIMES : All-Valley Baseball Team

Nathanson (coach)

Drootin (coach)

*

Kasey Canale (2B)

CRESCENTA VALLEY

Canale, who batted a team-high .450 with 23 runs batted in and was named the Pacific League player of the year, helped the Falcons claim a second consecutive league championship.

Brandon Cohen (RHP)

CALABASAS

Cohen, an All-Frontier League catcher in 1994, moved to the mound this season and was 10-0 with an 0.45 earned-run average. He threw six complete games and struck out 58 in 62 1/3 innings.

Darrell Hussman (RHP)

QUARTZ HILL

Hussman opened the season with a no-hitter and finished with a 9-1 record, an ERA of 1.14 and 83 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings. The Arizona-bound senior led the Rebels with a .438average.

Marvin Jones (OF)

EL CAMINO REAL

The right fielder batted .380 with 28 RBIs and five home runs, and led El Camino Real to the City Section 4-A semifinals. Jones, a senior, had the winning hit in a quarterfinal game against Poly.

George Kassis (IB)

KENNEDY

The Golden Cougars’ cleanup hitter and The Times’ Valley player of the year finished with a region-best (large schools) 41 RBIs. Kassis batted .427 with 13 doubles and three home runs.

Brett Niles (3B)

CALABASAS

Niles, a senior transfer from Crespi, exploded in his first season as a high school starter. He hit .460 with five home runs and 38 RBIs and anchored the Coyotes’ infield with a quick glove and strong arm.

Wayne Nix (RHP)

MONROE

Nix finished with an 11-2 record, a region-best ERA of 0.39 and 143 strikeouts in 90 innings. He was also a major cog offensively, batting .393 with eight doubles, four triples and 32 RBIs.

Chris Paxton (C)

PALMDALE

Paxton, who turned down a scholarship offer from Cal State Northridge to sign with the Orioles, set a Southern Section record with 44 career doubles and hit .493 with 34 RBIs.

Chris Ruley (3B)

SYLMAR

A 6-2 junior, Ruley batted .352 and scored 21 runs to lead the Spartans to a 19-8 record. He hit four home runs and eight doubles and finished with 30 RBIs. He occasionally used a wooden bat.

Luis Sanchez (SS)

HART

Sanchez was 20-3 as a three-year varsity pitcher, but defensive concerns prompted his move to shortstop this season. The senior batted .390 with seven home runs and 38 RBIs.

Jared Sandler (LHP)

CALABASAS

With a looping curve and an assortment of off-speed pitches, Sandler dominated the Frontier League. A senior transfer from Montclair Prep, Sandler was 8-1 with a 1.27 ERA and hit .475.

Bill Scott (OF)

ALEMANY

Though only a sophomore, Scott posted team-high totals in batting average (.471), doubles (10), home runs (six) and RBIs (34) as Alemany ran away with the Mission League title.

Terrmel Sledge (OF)

KENNEDY

Sledge, a senior center fielder who batted leadoff for the potent 4-A City champions, hit .545 in North Valley League games and finished with a .422 batting average and scored 36 runs.

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Second-Team Roster

Position: P Player: Natt Putra School: Crescenta Valley Year: Sr. Comment: Helped Falcons win Pacific League, was 9-2, had 1.90 ERA. *Position: P Player: Hugo De La Torre School: Poly Year: Sr. Comment: Was 9-2 with 1.12 ERA for East Valley League champions. *Position: P Player: John Wilson School: L.A. Baptist Year: Jr. Comment: Had 79 strikeouts in 69 innings and an 8-2 record.

*Position: 1B Player: Gabe Crecion School: Chaminade Year: Jr. Comment: Batted .390, tied for team lead with 5 home runs. *Position: 1B Player: Amador Solis School: Hoover Year: Sr. Comment: Led Tornadoes with .459 average. *Position: 1B Player: Jon Tucker School: Chatsworth Year: Sr. Comment: Dodger signee batted .370 with 22 RBIs. *Position: SS Player: Jarrod Penwarden School: Granada Hills Year: Jr. Comment: Slick fielder batted .414, scored 32 runs. *Position: OF Player: Robbie Rehfield School: Alemany Year: Sr. Comment: Batted .412 with 6 home runs, drove in 30 runs. *Position: OF Player: Fernando Centeno School: Birmingham Year: Jr. Comment: Exchange student from Ecuador led area with 14 doubles. *Position: OF Player: Judd Granzow School: Faith Baptist Year: Sr. Comment: Hit 12 home runs with 39 RBIs and signed with Dodgers. *Position: OF Player: Brian Baron School: Hart Year: Sr. Comment: Batted .412 and drove in 35 runs for Foothill League champions. *Position: C Player: Kevin Serr School: Kennedy Year: Sr. Comment: Hit seven home runs, including game-winner in City title game. *Position: C Player: David Quintero School: Bell-Jeff Year: Sr. Comment: Drove in 12 runs in a game, finished with 39 RBIs.

Area All-Stars Invited to The Times’ Awards Ceremony

Players selected to the All-Valley and All-Ventura County baseball and softball first teams are invited along with their parents and coaches to The Times’ awards breakfast Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills. The guest speaker is former major league slugger Reggie Smith, the hitting instructor for the Los Angeles Dodgers.