Postseason honors for locals
GLENDALE — The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene.
KNIGHTS EARN LEAGUE HONORS
Competing in the Mission League was no picnic for the St. Francis High baseball team this season, but three Golden Knights were recognized for their fine seasons when all-league selections were announced recently.
Junior catcher David Hubinger earned a first-team nod, while sophomore infielder David Olmedo-Barrera and senior pitcher Ethan Bramschreiber were named to the second team.
Hubinger was an everyday fixture behind the plate, throwing out 69% of would-be base thieves, and a regular contributor at it, batting .381 (.401 in league) with 21 runs batted in and 18 runs scored.
“I can’t speak highly enough of David,” said St. Francis Coach Brian Esquival, whose team went 13-14 with a 3-9 league mark. “He did a great job handling the pitching staff and blocking balls. He has great leadership qualities and he hit well, too.”
Olmedo-Barrera missed the bulk of the nonleague season with a back problem, but hit .511 (.513 in league) with 15 RBIs and 11 runs scored over 17 games.
“In my estimation, he’s probably our toughest out at the plate,” Esquival said. “He did a great job of letting balls get deep and putting them in play.
“A lot of the coaches we played against this year said that he was the one they worried about.”
Bramschreiber went 4-2 as a starter with a 3.47 earned-run average. He also batted .358 (.328 in league) and drove in 19 runs, while scoring 12.
“He gave us a chance to win every time he got on the mound,” Esquival said. “We lost a couple of games for him late in the game, but he easily could have been 7-2 or 8-1 with any luck at all.
“He has the stuff to be a No. 1 pitcher.”
COUGARS PICK UP LEAGUE HONORS
Two members of the Glendale Adventist Academy boys’ volleyball team received All-Westside League recognition.
Senior outside hitter Eshban Lee was named to the first team. The outside hitter/setter finished with 27 aces and 173 assists.
Senior opposite hitter Jordan Khoe earned a spot on the second team after registering 93 kills and 58 digs.
The Hugo Gomez-coached Cougars, who went 4-8 and 4-4 in league for third place and made the playoffs, also received the league’s sportsmanship award.
Perhaps surprisingly, four-year varsity starter Finster Paul, a senior opposite hitter, did not receive all-league accolades.
He led the team with 133 kills and 45 total blocks and also had 22 aces.
CV SWIMMING GETS ALL-LEAGUE NODS
All-Pacific League swimming selections were recently released with several of the top awards going to Crescenta Valley High swimmers and coaches.
Freshmen Harrison Thai and Young Tae Seo were named boys’ co-swimmers of the year after winning multiple league titles.
Girls’ Coach Robert Miller and boys’ Coach Jan Sakonju took coach of the tear honors after leading their respective squads to league championships.