Nicholson, Leuenberger Named Players of Year

Tommy Nicholson of Esperanza and Canyon’s Jeff Leuenberger, who led their teams to section baseball championships, have been named divisional players of the year and members of the All-Southern Section teams, as selected by the California Baseball Coaches Assn.

Gerald Laird of La Quinta and Jonathon Rouwenhorst of Brethren Christian shared player-of-the-year honors in their respective divisions. And 23 players from Orange County schools were first-team selections.

Nicholson, a shortstop, was the Division I player of the year after batting .456 and leading the Aztecs past Long Beach Millikan, 11-3, in the section championship game. Leuenberger pitched a one-hit, 4-0 victory over Lakewood Artesia in the Division III final to finish with an 11-1 record.

Laird, a catcher who set a county record with 56 hits, including 14 home runs, shared Division IV honors with Gray McNeill of West Covina South Hills. Rouwenhorst, who had a 14-1 record and struck out 188 batters in 101 innings, was the co-player of the year in Division V with Jason Kelly of Santa Maria St. Joseph. Rouwenhorst lost to Kelly, 4-1, in the section championship game.

The All-Southern Section rosters:

DIVISION I

Player of the year: Tommy Nicholson (Esperanza).

First team: Garrett Atkins (University), Sr.; Ryan Beaver (Long Beach Millikan), Sr.; Joe Borchard (Camarillo), Sr.; Ryan Brucker (Irvine), Sr.; Nathan Choate (Esperanza), Jr.; Brian Felton (Encino Crespi), Sr; Tony Garcia (Temecula Valley), Jr.; Ryan Garko (Servite), So.; Brett Kay (Mater Dei), Jr.; Mike Kolbach (Mater Dei), Sr.; Ryan Madson (Moreno Valley Valley View), Jr.; Paul Mangini (La Puente Bishop Amat), Jr.; Jesus Medrano (La Puente Bishop Amat), Sr.; Tommy Nicholson (Esperanza), Sr.; Joe Paterson (Ontario), Sr.; Bud Smith (Bellflower St. John Bosco), Sr.; Josh Stevens (Mira Loma Jurupa Valley), Sr.; Chase Utley (Long Beach Poly), Sr.; Dustin Wagoner (Corona), Jr.; Matt Williams (Long Beach Millikan), Sr.

Second team (Orange County players): Ryan Brown (Servite), Sr.; Ryan Clark (Fountain Valley), Sr.; Rickey Leach (Esperanza), Sr.; Pat Manning (Mater Dei), So.; Jim Munroe (Servite), Sr.; Brandon Pack (Esperanza), Sr.; Skip Schumaker (Aliso Niguel), Jr.; Matt Steinau (El Toro), Sr.

DIVISION II

Player of the year: John Snook (Glendora).

First team: Eric Coehlo (Cerritos Gahr), Sr.; Tony Cosentino (West Torrance), Sr.; Alberto Contreras (Pomona Garey), Sr.; Jerry Davis (Baldwin Park), Sr.; Jordan DeJong (El Dorado), Sr.; Jason Farmer (Indio), Sr.; John Hernandez (Nogales), Sr.; Eric Horvat (Newhall Hart), Sr.; Bryan Kennedy (Riverside North), Sr; Kenny LaPointe (Marina), Sr.; Anthony Lunetta (Riverside Arlington), So.; Jerry Miller (El Dorado), Sr.; Jeff Nicolini (La Mirada), Sr.; Jose Olquin (Riverside Norte Vista), Sr.; Chris Resendez (La Verne Damien), Sr.; Greg Sain (West Torrance), Jr.; Phil Seibel (Cypress), Sr.; John Snook (Glendora) Sr.; Matt Teahan (Yucaipa), Sr.; Jason Valenzuela (La Verne Damien), Sr.; Jim Zurn (La Mirada), Jr.

Second team (Orange County players): None.

DIVISION III

Player of the year: Jeff Leuenberger (Canyon).

First team: Josh Arhart (Foothill), Jr.; Brady Burrill (Valencia Valencia), Sr.; Joe Calderon (Artesia), Sr.; Aaron Davidson (Atascadero), Sr.; Anthony Fabrizio (Burbank Burroughs), Sr.; Wiley Garcia (Lakewood Artesia), Sr.; Chris Gray (West Hills Chaminade), Sr.; Ryan Hamill (West Hills Chaminade), Sr.; Kevin Howard (Westlake Village Westlake), So.; Wes Hutchinson (Burbank Burroughs), Sr.; Jeff Leuenberger (Canyon), Sr.; Juan Martinez (El Monte Mountain View), Sr.; Jared Moon (Redondo Beach Redondo Union), Sr.; Jose Munoz (Baldwin Park Sierra Vista), Jr.; Kory Otsuka (Lakewood Artesia), Sr.; Mike Paulus (Covina Charter Oak), Jr.; Art Ruiz (Covina Charter Oak), Sr.; R.J. Smith (Redondo Beach Redondo Union), Sr.; Mike Tomarelli (Canyon), Sr.; Jeremy Weinberg (Sonora), Sr.

Second team (Orange County players): David Correa (La Habra), Sr.; Tommy Duarte (Canyon), Jr.; Erik Estrada (Sonora), Fr.; Brandon Smith (Canyon), Sr.; David Towery (Valencia), Jr.; Joe Urban (Newport Harbor), Sr.; Ryan Vorell (Sonora), Sr.

DIVISION IV

Player of the year: Gerald Laird (La Quinta) and Gray McNeill (West Covina South Hills).

First team: Adrian Barraza (Covina Gladstone), Sr.; Ben Carey (San Luis Obispo), Sr.; Jeff Coleman (San Dimas), Jr.; Kevin Estrada (El Segundo), Jr.; Brian Fatur (Calabasas), Sr.; Kevin Gustafson (Covina), Sr.; Marcus Harris (Lompoc Cabrillo), Sr.; Chris Herman (West Covina South Hills), Sr.; Bobby Hogeboom (San Marino), Sr.; Danny Jacobs (Santa Fe Springs St. Paul), Sr.; Gerald Laird (La Quinta), Jr.; Shaun Larkin (La Quinta), Sr.; Jason Marcus (San Dimas), Sr.; Gray McNeill (West Covina South Hills), Sr.; Bill Scott (Mission Hills Alemany), Sr.; Jon Sum (Pasadena La Salle), Sr.; Adam Summerell (Monrovia), Jr.; Bill Traber (El Segundo), Sr.; Greg Young (Magnolia), Sr.; Kris Zacuto (Playa del Rey St. Bernard), Sr.

Second team (Orange County players): Morey Aldrup (La Quinta), Sr.; Joe Camarillo (Magnolia), Sr.; Art Garland (Magnolia), Sr.; Ty Harper (Corona del Mar), Sr.; Steve Lee (La Quinta), So.; Josh Leech (Fullerton), So.

DIVISION V

Player of the year: Jonathon Rouwenhorst (Brethren Christian) and Jason Kelly (Santa Maria St. Joseph).

First team: Doug Bernier (Santa Maria St. Joseph), Sr.; Randy Blood (Calvary Chapel), So.; Dana Cariss (Temecula Linfield), Sr.; Josh Egan (San Bernardino Aquinas), Sr.; Tim Feirfeil (Los Angeles Baptist), Jr.; Chris Hageman (Santa Maria St. Joseph), Sr.; Brendan Hall (Lake Isabella Kern Valley), Sr.; Brian Haller (Riverside Woodcrest Christian), Sr.; Aaron Ireland (Brethren Christian), Sr.; Jason Kelly (Santa Maria St. Joseph), Jr.; Ronnie Martinez (Malibu Kilpatrick), Sr.; John McGowan (Downey Calvary Chapel), Sr.; Ryan Nungesser (Pasadena Poly), Jr.; Joe Perry (Long Beach St. Anthony), Sr.; Jonathon Rouwenhorst (Brethren Christian), Sr.; Kirk Saarloos (Cerritos Valley Christian), Sr.; Chad Sterbens (Downey Calvary Chapel), So.; John Tucker (Calvary Chapel), Jr.; Mario Varela (Rosamond), Sr.; Matt Whitmore (Mammoth Lakes Mammoth), Sr.

Second team (Orange County players): Sean Ireland (Brethren Christian), So.; Erik Jensen (Brethren Christian), Sr.; Mike Molina (Calvary Chapel), Jr.

DIVISION VI

Player of the year: Ryan Day (Hesperia Christian).

First team: Andy Ashmore (Maricopa), Sr.; Jackson Beauchamp (Simi Valley Grace Brethren), Fr.; Levi Berg (Riverside Christian), Jr.; Paul Caffrey (Heritage Christian, Jr.; Eric Camarena (Hesperia Christian), Sr.; Ryan Day (Hesperia Christian), Sr.; Chris Delaplane (Simi Valley Grace Brethren), So.; Nate Frank (Hesperia Christian), Sr.; Jason Fuerte (Colton Christian Center Academy), Jr.; Kurt Glomb (Hesperia New Life Christian), Sr.; Freddy Hernandez (Bloomington Christian), Sr.; Art Jimenez (Avalon), Sr.; Bryan Olson (Los Angeles Lutheran), Sr.; David Pergrin (Colton Christian Center Academy), Jr.; Brandon Pistone (Riverside Christian), Sr.; Ron Pomeroy (Maricopa), Sr.; David Rodriguez (Riverside Bethel Christian), Sr.; Chaney Sheffield (Calabasas Viewpoint), Jr.; Tim Thompson (Simi Valley Grace Brethren), Fr.; Matt Valenzuela (Riverside Bethel Christian), Sr.; Brian Walth (Maricopa), Sr.; Sam Watson (Colton Christian Center Academy), Jr.

No second team selected.