Pair of locals notch All-CIF

GLENDALE — Just how bright the futures will be for sophomore baseball players Elliott Surrey of Crescenta Valley High and Royce Park of Flintridge Prep remains to be seen, obviously.

But further example of how good they’ve been and of the potential that their futures hold was received on Monday, as both were bestowed All-CIF selections.

Surrey, a pitcher and center fielder, was a Division II second-team selection, while Park, a third baseman and pitcher, was a Division V second-team pick.

“I just go out there 100% to try and get better every day,” said Surrey, a first-team All-Pacific League pick, as well.

The Falcons finished second in the Pacific League, but received a wild-card berth in the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs and lost to Northwood.

It didn’t diminish some overall outstanding numbers for Surrey, however.

On the hill, Surrey went 6-2 with a save and struck out 55 batters and sported a 1.02 earned-run average.

At the plate, he hit .423 with 21 runs batted in and 19 runs scored.

For Surrey, though he admitted not knowing all the details about the honor of becoming an All-CIF player, he knew enough to admit he was honored to be in such good standing among the Southern Section’s elite.

“It’s kind of a cool feeling to be associated with other good players like that and being just a sophomore,” he said.

Park also put up stellar numbers and Flintridge Prep Coach Buzz Cook was pleased with the All-CIF news on Monday.

“He obviously had a very strong year,” said Cook, whose team took second in the Prep League before falling in the first round of the Division V playoffs to Capistrano Valley Christian and finishing with a 12-12 record. “I think he earned the respect of the other Prep League coaches.

“That was good to see him recognized.”

Park, a first-team all-leaguer, tallied 30 hits en route to a .462 batting average, driving in a team-high 29 runs batted in while also scoring 28 runs.

As the Rebels’ No. 1 pitcher, he went 5-5 and had 65 strikeouts in just under 50 innings pitched.

Going forward, Cook realizes Park will be a crucial cog in the success of his Rebels over the next two years and, just the same, Park appears to have plenty of potential to live up

to.

“I think he has a world of potential,” Cook said. “It’s a game that he loves, that’s obviously a big part of it.

“I think he’s gonna get better as he simply develops more confidence.”

For the second straight season, Burbank High’s Lonnie Kauppila, a transfer from Crescenta Valley, was a second-team All-CIF Division II selection.

Kauppila, also a first-team All-Pacific League pick, hit .443 on the season with 22 RBIs, 35 runs and 21 stolen bases.

Bellarmine-Jefferson’s Patrick Haney was the only other area player selected to an All-CIF squad, as he was a first-teamer for Division VI.