Former Woodbridge Star Stovall Makes Mark in Hawaii

Erin Stovall, who left Woodbridge High to attend Honolulu Iolani School for her senior year, was named the first Ms. Basketball Hawaii by the Honolulu Star Bulletin.

Stovall was selected despite being a non-starter for all but one game. She did not start because she missed parts of most practices because she participated on the track team concurrently. Both sports compete in the spring.

She won four state championships in track, and set state records in the 200 meters (24.60 seconds) and 100 hurdles (14.64). Her other victories were in the long jump (19-0) and 100 (12.14).

Her 19-0 mark in the long jump missed the Hawaii state mark by two inches; it would have been the longest jump by an Orange County athlete this year.

Stovall apparently encountered some resentment in Hawaii. Despite leading the Interscholastic League of Honolulu with a 17-point scoring average in limited playing time--often playing two quarters or less--she didn’t make the league’s first or second team.

“We got plenty of phone calls from people who said naming her Ms. Basketball was a slap in the face to the local girls,” said Star-Bulletin reporter Pat Bigold. “But we stuck to our guns on this. What Erin accomplished with her hands tied behind her back was amazing, basically.

“She was certainly a victim of resentment about her advance notice--being a Street & Smith’s second-team All-American. Many times, it was said to me that she was overrated.

“It was an amazing feat with the little time she played, the duress under which she played, and she was very long-suffering--she never uttered a negative word about her coach, her opponents or anyone else. We found that to be a high mark of sophistication for a high school athlete.”

Stovall, who averaged 20.2 points and had 112 steals during her junior season at Woodbridge, said Monday the honor took her by surprise because her team didn’t even qualify for the state tournament.

“It meant a lot,” she said. “It was a perfect ending to the year. Even though the basketball season didn’t go right, I thought I worked hard and it was fun, but it was kind of hard to go out for basketball and track at the same time.

“Everyone was very supportive, very open. I made a lot of friends. I didn’t have hard feelings for anyone, and they didn’t have hard feelings for me. And if they did, they didn’t say anything.”

She said it was a learning experience that was ultimately worth it, and the separation from her friends and family was good preparation for the fall when she leaves for Virginia.

“I think I’m going to be a stronger person for it, and my whole family has grown closer after being apart so long.”

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Prep Extra looked at St. Angela Merici two weeks ago and that tiny school’s contribution to the Orange County sports scene. But the 1993 graduating class of 35 also made a notable contribution to New Mexico.

Mike Sexton moved from Brea to Albuquerque his sophomore season, and immediately became a starter. He passed for 3,321 yards, 24 touchdowns and completed 187 passes in 261 attempts in 24 games. He was voted all-district three year, and signed to attend Southeastern College, a NAIA Division II school in Winfield, Kan.

Sexton also led his high school team, St. Pius, to second place in the 1996 state final.

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In one of the amazing stats of the year, St. Margaret’s pitchers (and twins) Abbey and Amber Arnold gave up more walks than hits. In fact, their numbers were incredibly twin-like: Abbey pitched 79 innings and gave up 14 hits and 19 walks, six earned runs and had a 10-2 record with 0.53 earned-run average. Amber gave up 19 hits and 21 walks in 89 innings, five earned runs and had a 9-3 record with 0.39 ERA.

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Foothill center fielder Lauren Bauer made quite an impression last week at the Orange County All-Star softball game at Brea Olinda High. Bauer was in the middle of a couple of big plays--while playing first base.

She stretched to receive a throw to complete a double play that prevented the North from scoring one run, and she made a nice catch on a bunt with a runner at second and none out that prevented another rally in the sixth inning.

Said South Coach Doug Myers of Mater Dei: “I think she wanted to play shortstop next.”

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Pacifica’s softball team finished No. 1 and Woodbridge finished No. 2 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Assn. poll.

Foothill, which was beaten by Upland in the section final, fell out of the poll after holding down the No. 2 position for several weeks. Upland moved to No. 4.

Foothill’s only losses this season were to Pacifica (which it also tied) and Upland. Woodbridge’s only losses were to Foothill. Pacifica’s only loss was to Scottsdale Chaparral, which was ranked No. 3.