June 7, 2005

BVAL All-league selections sees several from Westmont get nods

Warrior volleyball’s Connor Quinn named Mt. Hamilton MVP

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Westmont had several athletes named as honorees in baseball, softball and volleyball as the Blossom Valley Athletic league handed out All-league honors for spring sports participants on May 31.

Westmont volleyball’s Connor Quinn received the Mt. Hamilton Division MVP award on May 31 for his play throughout the season, which helped the Warriors to a 14-5 mark. Photo courtesy www.mikejanes.com

Among the top honorees was Connor Quinn, a senior middle blocker for the Warriors boys’ volleyball team. Quinn was selected as the Mt. Hamilton Division’s Most Valuable Player, something Head coach Jeff Poppinga said is very deserving for a player with Quinn’s abilities. At one point during the 2005 season, Quinn contributed 64 kills in a two-game span versus Leigh and Willow Glen, which Poppinga said is “unheard of” in the BVAL.

“He was big offensively,” Poppinga said of Quinn. “I put him in the middle so he could block everything and also be able to get to all the balls. If we ever got in trouble, it was very easy to set the middle instead of pushing it to the outside.”

Also garnering honors on the Warriors volleyball team were Jon Ng-Parish and Ryan Soden. Both players received second-team All-league honors. Poppinga said Soden, who served as team captain throughout the season, inspired his teammates with his play and leadership.

“The guy did basically anything and everything I asked him to do without hesitation and without any doubt,” Poppinga said of Soden. “He’s a total leader. At the end of the season, I had the kids vote on the player’s choice award, a player they really respected and looked up to, and Ryan got it. So that shows that he not only has my respect, but he also has the respect of the kids.”

Ng-Parish got the nod on the second-team All-league squad after getting Freshman of the Year honors last season. Poppinga said Ng-Parish will play a pivotal role in the makeup of next year’s squad.

“He’s just an outstanding player,” said Poppinga, whose team finished with a 14-5 record. “Volleyball is his life. The guy plays volleyball all year long, so when he’s not playing here, he’s playing on a club team, going to Junior Olympics. He can do anything - pass, set, hit – so next year he’ll by far be the leader, MVP of our team, everything.”

Baseball
In baseball, the Warriors had two honorees mentioned, with Westmont pitching ace Ryan Magana receiving first-team All-league honors for his contributions, while infielder D.J. Jackman received second-team All-league praise.

Westmont baseball pitcher Ryan Magana received BVAL first-team All-league honors on May 31. The right-hander served as the ace of Head Coach John Salberg’s pitching staff, guiding the Warriors to a 14-12 overall record in 2005. Photo by Diego Abeloos

Magana served as the number one starter on Head Coach John Salberg’s pitching staff, helping the Warriors to a 14-12 overall record and a 13-8 record in the Mt. Hamilton Division. Magana, along with Jackman, helped guide Westmont to the CCS playoffs, where the Warriors dropped a 7-0 loss to Mitty in the first round on May 18.

“He loves baseball and he played through injury and pain because he was all about baseball,” Westmont Athletic Director Liz Garrett said of Magana. “He has a great attitude … he’s dedicated, fun, positive and loves sports. He’s out there for the win and to play well.”

In softball, four players received All-league honors, with first baseman Allyson Carrothers sharing the Senior of the Year award with Leigh’s Alisha Jones. Shortstop Ashley Britton got the nod as a first-team selection, while Samantha Brown and Whitney Morris received second-team honors.

Overall, the Warriors softball team had a successful run in 2005, ending the season with a 14-6 overall record and a 6-2 record in the Mt. Hamilton Division, good for third place. As a result, the Warriors managed to get seeded in the CCS playoffs, where they lost a first round game by a score of 5-3 to North Monterey County on May 18.

Garrett said the accolades received by the Warriors softball players are a direct reflection of head coach Jon Hennig and his staff’s season-long efforts as well as the players themselves.

“All-league is such an honor,” Garrett said. “It’s the one thing at the (team) banquet that you are hoping to get because it’s an honor to be part of a whole league and be the top of the top. For your coach to nominate you and for the other coaches to vote for you is pretty powerful.”