Rebels pick up league honors

GLENDALE — Collectively, the Flintridge Prep baseball team had a core group that stabilized its lineup throughout the season and helped carry it to the playoffs once again.

In doing so, each player brought something different to the table for the Rebels, whether at the plate or on the base paths.

Royce Park, Kyle McDonald, Brenden McKiernan and Karlsen Termini had their contributions recognized as they were selected to the All-Prep League team. The league’s five coaches named Park and McDonald to the first team and McKiernan and Termini to the second team.

“I’m very happy with the players who made it,” said Flintridge Prep Coach Buzz Cook, whose team advanced to the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs. “They could do many things at the plate and these guys went out there and gave their all.”

Park a junior third baseman/pitcher and a reigning All-Area pick, had another solid campaign for the Rebels (14-10, 8-4 in league for second place).

At the plate, Park batted .427 (32 for 75) with 25 runs batted in and seven doubles and 30 runs scored. He finished with a .547 on-base percentage and a .587 slugging percentage.

On the mound, Park went 5-3 with two saves and a 2.24 earned-run average in 12 appearances. The right-hander struck out 62 and walked 16 in 56 1/3 innings.

“I still feel like Royce is the best pitcher in our league,” Cook said. “He just doesn’t get much help defensively because we did not play very good defense behind him.

“He’s also one of the strongest hitters in the league. The [league] coaches have always spoken highly of him.”

For Park, securing all-league accolades is nothing new, as he’s been named to the first team all three seasons.

“I don’t go out there thinking about getting all-league, but it’s a nice way to end the season,” Park said. “My goal was to help the team out and shoot for the league championship.

“We had a young team this season and a lot of them will be back next year. I’m satisfied with the season I had.”

McDonald, a senior shortstop, provided the Rebels with an added dimension at the top of the lineup. He led the team with 21 stolen bases and drove in 14 runs.

McDonald batted .408 (31-76) and scored a team-high 32 runs in 22 games.

“He was our catalyst and he set the tone a lot at the top,” Cook said. “When he had a good game, the team also played well.

“When he got on base, our chances were good that he would score. He scored a lot of runs.”

Termini, a sophomore first baseman, proved adept at being a run-producing threat for the Rebels in the middle of the lineup. Termini batted .328 (22-67) and drove in a team-best 28 runs in 22 games.

Termini also registered a team-high 11 doubles and a .567 slugging percentage.

“He was normally a threat for us and it’s great that we’ll have him back next season,” Cook said. “He did a lot for us at the plate.”

McKiernan might have provided a glimpse of the Rebels’ future. The freshman handled himself well at the plate and in the field.

McKiernan batted .370 (27-73) and drove in 17 runs and scored 27 runs. In the field, he collected six assists.

“He really shined of all the freshmen we had this year,” Cook said. “He typically hit second in the lineup, but he struggled late in the season before getting two hits in our playoff game.

“He will be a big part of the team again next year.”

Pasadena Poly’s Hunter Merryman was named the league’s most valuable player. Pasadena Poly won the Division VI championship on Saturday.