Esperanza’s Alleman, Santa Margarita’s Gerlach Earn Top Honors

Jon Alleman of Esperanza and Tim Gerlach of Santa Margarita, who led their teams to section championships, have been named player of the year in their divisions by the CIF-Southern Section Boys’ Volleyball Coaches Assn.

Orange County also swept the three coach-of-the-year awards and placed 11 players on the three first teams of the All-Southern Section squads.

Alleman and his coach, Kurt Kersten, were honored in Division I, as was Gerlach and Santa Margarita Coach Eddie Rapp in Division II.

Playing in the final with a hamstring pull, Alleman still managed 33 kills in sparking the Aztecs to a four-set victory over Simi Valley Royal in the Southern Section Division I championship match. Gerlach helped the Eagles to a three-set victory over Santa Barbara in the Division II final.

Corona del Mar’s Steve Conti was chosen the Division III coach of the year, as the unseeded Sea Kings advanced to the section final before losing in five sets to Santa Ynez.

The All-Southern Section rosters:

DIVISION I

Player of the year: Jon Alleman (Esperanza), MB/OH, Sr.

Coach of the year: Kurt Kersten (Esperanza).

First team: John Baxter (Simi Valley Royal), S, Sr.; Justin Dalton (Esperanza), S, Sr.; Ryan Denihan (Simi Valley Royal), MB, Sr.; Dan Harrington (Esperanza), S, Sr.; Donald Killian (Los Angeles Loyola), OH, Sr.; Jeremy Koop (Manhattan Beach Mira Costa), OH, Sr.; David McKienzie (Huntington Beach), OH, Sr.; Ryan Thurlow (Capistrano Valley), OH, Sr.

Second team (Orange County players): Kyle Anderson (Esperanza), MB, Sr.; Dennis Masuda (Huntington Beach), S, Sr.; Jim Polster (Dana Hills), OH, Sr.

Third team (Orange County players): Caleb Guimaraes (Huntington Beach), OH, Sr.; Ryan Hiskey (Edison), S, Sr.; Beau Rawi (Capistrano Valley), OH, Jr.

DIVISION II

Player of the year: Tim Gerlach (Santa Margarita), MB/OH, Sr.

Coach of the year: Eddie Rapp (Santa Margarita).

First team: Justin DeBlasio (Santa Margarita), OH, Sr.; Mike Doemeny (Bellflower St. John Bosco), OH, Sr.; Micah Fargey-Williams (Santa Barbara), MB, Sr.; Dan Hoefer (Goleta Dos Pueblos), OH, Jr.; Eddie Kaulukukui (Torrance Bishop Montgomery), S, Sr.; Nick Kimose (Torrance Bishop Montgomery), OH, Sr.; Ben Koski (Santa Barbara), OH, Sr.; Nick Mauro (Santa Margarita), MB, Sr.

Second team (Orange County players): Adam Breault (Santa Margarita), S, Jr.; Brit Galang (El Dorado), S, Sr.; Marcus Skacel (Santa Margarita), OH, Jr.

Third team (Orange County players): Jeff Aichelman (Bolsa Grande), MB, Sr.; Mike Deal (Servite), MB, Jr.; Kevin Kowalski (Tustin), MB, So.; Scott Ogilvie (La Quinta), MB, Sr.

DIVISION III

Player of the year: Michael Wall (Santa Ynez), OH, Sr.

Coach of the year: Steve Conti (Corona del Mar).

First team: Dennis Alshuler (Corona del Mar), OH, Sr.; Bobby Chalermsopone (Burbank Providence), S, Sr.; Blair Hoppe (Corona del Mar), OH, Sr.; Trevor Julian (North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake), MB, Sr.; Miles McGann (Laguna Beach), S, So.; Kevin Rausch (Calvary Chapel), S, Sr.; James Williams (Capistrano Valley Christian), S, Sr.; Larry Witt (Santa Ynez), OH, Jr.

Second team (Orange County players): Tim Andrews (Corona del Mar), OH, Sr.; Chris Simmons (Calvary Chapel), OH, Sr.

Third team (Orange County players): Travis Dunn (Capistrano Valley Christian), OH, Sr.; Andrew Jennings (Capistrano Valley Christian), OH, Sr.; Aidan Leedom (Laguna Beach), MB, Jr.; Josh Miller (Calvary Chapel), S, Sr.