Stratton named OCL’s best player

Estancia High senior Kassie Stratton earned the Orange Coast League MVP in girls’ basketball after helping the Eagles win their first league title in eight years.

Stratton was joined by Estancia senior teammates Yesenia Maldonado and Jenny Boldizar on the first team, as well as Costa Mesa senior Annie Sturm and sophomore Marilyn Armstrong.

Stratton, who has signed with University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, averaged a team-best 16 points per game, six rebounds, three steals and two assists for Estancia in league. She played through a calf injury early in the season and helped the Eagles go 21-7, 10-0 in league.

Stratton was first-team all-league all four of her high school years. It’s the second such honor for Maldonado, a point guard who avareaged 10.6 points, 5.7 assists, four rebounds and three steals per game in league.

Boldizar averaged 9.6 points per game and made 61 three-pointers for the year.

Sturm averaged team-bests of 13.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for the Mustangs (12-15, 7-3), who finished second in league. Armstrong, a point guard, averaged 10.6 points and 3.1 steals per game.

Estancia senior Brenda Soto and freshman Celia Duran earned second-team all-league honors.

— From staff reports

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Soleimany earns first-team honors

Sage Hill School junior guard Ava Soleimany has earned first-team All-Academy League honors for girls’ basketball.

Junior center Zoe Kreitenberg and sophomore forward Shelby Bolen made the second team for the Lightning.

Soleimany, a repeat first-team selection, averaged a team-best 15.5 points per game for Sage Hill (14-9, 5-5 in league). She also had 1.5 steals per game for the Lightning, who finished fourth in the six-team league, and made 87 of 101 free throws (86%).

Kreitenberg was second on the Lightning with 9.2 points per game and also averaged a team-best 12.3 rebounds per game. Bolen averaged 4.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest.

Whitney freshman Rachel Nagel and St. Margaret’s junior Jenny Tedori shared league Player of the Year honors.

— From staff reports

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Newport’s Thompson, Morton honored

Newport Harbor High junior forward Kasey Thompson has been named a first-team All-Sunset League selection for girls’ basketball, with senior center Alex Morton on the second team.

Thompson averaged a double-double with a team-best 14.8 points and also 10.6 rebounds per game for the Sailors (11-16, 2-8 in league). She also had 1.1 blocks per game for Newport Harbor, which finished fifth in league and advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division II-A playoffs. She was a second-team selection as a sophomore.

Morton, a first-team selection a year ago, missed time with back and ankle injuries but also averaged a double-double. She had 10.8 points and a team-best 12.3 rebounds and four blocks per game.

Morton also had two triple-doubles (points, rebounds and blocks), including one in the first-round playoff loss to Eisenhower of Rialto. She is expected to play for Orange Coast College next year.

Edison senior Bonnie Samuelson and her sophomore sister Karlie, who helped lead the Chargers to the CIF Southern Section Division I-A title, were the league co-MVPs.

— From staff reports