The awards season is in high gear for the Coronado High School spring sports teams, with team banquets and post-season awards being announced daily. We’ll re-cap the awards, wrap up the baseball and track and field seasons, and then throw in a little basketball and girls water polo news into the mix.

The fact that the Islander Boys and Girls Lacrosse Teams both had great years is reflected in the volume of post-season recognition received by both squads. We’ll start with The Girls Lacrosse Team, where All-Conference First Team honors went to Dayna Queisser, Julia Schelkun, Katie Bickert, Angela Naple and Jessica Keltz. Second Team honors were awarded Alexis Castro, Jessica Lindsay, and Kelsey Dampier.

In the rarified air of the All-San Diego Section Team, meaning the best players from the county, Queisser was named to the First Team, while Naple and Schelkun earned recognition on the Second Team.

A similar pattern was followed by The Boys Lacrosse Team, where they dominated the City Conference selections. First Team honors went to Glenn Goebels, Steve Torkington, Trevor Serfass, Zach Todaro, Jeremy Redding, and Kevin Chenoweth. Second Team recognition was earned by Cote Perkins, and Kyle McArthur. Goebels was the Player of the Year and Coronado was the league champion.

All San Diego Section First Team honors were bestowed upon Goebels and Redding. Second Team recognition was earned by Torkington and Chenoweth.

Queisser, who previously earned All CIF honors in soccer, repeats the honor in lacrosse, which is a phenomenal achievement. Queisser has earned a soccer scholarship at U.C. Berkeley.

Head Track and Field Coach George Green checks in with a final report that will summarize their fine season. "Jamie Klages and Reid McLean finally got through their track seasons last weekend at the state meet in Sacramento. Reid went into the preliminary heats in the 300-meter hurdles as San Diego’s top seed. Although he didn’t make the finals, he was the only San Diego Section runner to break 40 seconds by placing fifth in his heat in 39.37. He finished the season with the top time in San Diego of 38.94, which was a new Coronado High School record.

The high jump prelims Friday featured the Top 30 girls in the state and narrowed the field down to the Top 9 who would compete in the finals Saturday. The opening height of 5 feet, 3 inches eliminated only nine girls. After 5 feet, 5 inches, there were still 16 in contention, but it was obvious that the next height would determine the final contestants, as several girls had required three tries to clear that level. Jamie cleared both 5-3 and 5-5 on her first try. She cleared 5-7 on her third attempt to advance to the finals with seven other girls who cleared the height.

The next day at the finals, Jamie was easily clearing 5-5 during her warm-up, so high jump coach Kerry Elders elected to start her at that height instead of the opening height of 5-3. She cleared both 5-5 and 5-7 on her first try. Since only four girls cleared 5-7, the bar was raised to 5-8 where she went out. Three girls jumped 5-8 and one made 5-9. Based on misses, Jamie tied for fifth place with Khristina Curtis from Tustin. Jamie was the only San Diego jumper for either the Boys or Girls to medal at state.

At the track awards ceremony last night, Jamie was awarded the Outstanding Performance of the Year Award for breaking the school record by 3 inches and placing fifth at the State meet. Other awards for school records were presented to Katherine Wingert for the 1600-meter run (5:03.82), Reid McLean for the 300-meter hurdles (38.94), Beth Wittry for the triple jump (33 feet, 6.5 inches), and Jake Ruzevick for the 1,500-meter run (4:04.56).

The Girls MVP Award went to Katherine Wingert as she was the top point scorer for the team, triple Harbor League champion for the 800, 1600 and 3200 meter runs, was named Harbor League Track Athlete of the Year for the third year in a row, and set a new school record in the 1600-meter run. For 4 years in a row, Katherine has been the Harbor League champion in those three events.

The Boys MVP went to Reid McLean. In addition to advancing to the State with the top time in San Diego for the 300-meter hurdles, and setting a new school record, he was the top point scorer for the Boys, a triple Harbor League champion (300-meter hurdles, 400-meter run, and long jump) and CIF and Masters champion in the 300-meter hurdles. Reid’s 400-meter and long jump marks of 50.15 seconds and 21 feet, 9 inches were excellent, not to mention the fact that he has high jumped 6 feet 3 inches this year.

Jake Ruzevick and Adam Munns were given Coaches’ Awards for the Boys Team. Munns’ 6 feet, 6 inches in the high jump was one of the top performances in San Diego this season. A sore take-off foot hampered him during Harbor League and CIF competition, but he will be back next year. Ruzevick in addition to his school record was a triple Harbor League champion in the 800, 1600 and 3200 meter runs and was named the Harbor League Athlete of the Year by the league coaches.

Coaches’ award winners for the Girls were given to seniors Beth Wittry, and Nila Heurtelou. Beth holds the school record for the triple jump, while Nila set the record for the 100-meter dash. Both were on the school record 4 x 400 meter relay team with Wingert and Klages.

Other awards were given to freshman Sarah Player as Rookie of the Year; Megan Mushovic for versatility (The Swiss Army Knife Award), David Zodrow for the throws and Alexis Castro for the shot put."

The Girls Softball Team played in the tough Western League this season and earned a couple of post-season nods as Missy Lopez was named to the Western League First Team and Farrell Pompa was named to the Second Team.

The Varsity team awards as announced by Head Coach Ed Shanholtz, and Assistant Coaches John McClimon and Greg Loving include: Most Valuable Player – Missy Lopez; Most Improved Player – Jessica Davis-Ricci; Coach’s Award – Sara Noceto; The Big Bat Award – Farrell Pompa with a .352 batting average; The Gold Glove Award – Jessica Bridges with a .967 fielding average.

The JV Softball Team Awards from Coaches John Coolidge and Vanessa Stahley were: Co-MVPs – sisters Alana Zimmer (sophomore) and Juliette Zimmer (freshman); Most Valuable Offense – Hayley Kitzmiller; Most Valuable Defense – Jaime La Chappa; Most Improved – Amberlynn Smith; and Most Inspirational – Natalie Gunn.

The CHS Baseball Team had their fine 19-13 season ended by eventual CIF Division III champion Mission Bay last week in a 7-0 loss in the playoffs. The Buccaneers are led by the No. 1 selection in the Major League Baseball Draft (San Diego Padres) and California Player of the Year Matt Bush, but their No. 2 pitcher Lorenzo Church, would be the ace on virtually any other pitching staff in the county.

Islander Head Coach Sam Ceci knew it was going to be an uphill battle against the Bucs. "We got Church and he was much better than he was at our place. It was a good game for a while. They were up 1-0 going into the bottom of the fourth and we played hard and kept it close before the wheels came off. They hit the ball pretty hard. The offensive fire power from Mission Bay is awesome."

An interesting side note to the season, the Islanders wound up playing Division III champion Mission Bay five times during the season, going 1-4. They also played a total of 12 games against the Top 5 seeds in Division III this season.

In their first year in the Western League, the Islanders earned respect and placed senior catcher Geoff Thorne on the Western League First Team, while sophomore pitcher/shortstop Kevin Couture was voted to the Second Team.

The team awards as announced by Coach Ceci Monday evening at the squad’s banquet at the Coronado Yacht Club included: The Gamer Award – Geoff Thorne; Co-MVP Awards to J.T. Rogan and Kevin Couture; Co-Most Improved – Ryan Nunn and David West; Most Inspirational – Drew Chance and the Islander Sports Foundation Award – Josh Okerman.

The JV Awards announced by JV Head Coach Blaze Smallwood were: Co-MVP Jimmy Gersonde and Brandon Wheeler; Co-Most Improved – Dustin West and Ryland Gil.

Last week the Boys and Girls Swim Team convened for their banquet. Coaches Randy Burgess and Dave Throop announced their team awards for the Varsity as follows: Girls MVP – Katherine Burt; Girls Diving MVP – Krysta Chaldekas; Boys MVP – Matt Digges; Most Improved Girl – Molly Patrick; Most Improved Boy – Sean Castillo; Girls Team Captains – Sandra Fernandez and Elizabeth Hopkins; Boys Team Captains – Devin Farrell and Drew Ratcliffe; Coach’s Award Boys – Matt Landon; Coach’s Award Girls – Sydney Van Orden.

The JV Girls Awards included: MVP – Lisa Hejl; Co-Most Improved – Megan Braun and Maggie Sosnowski; Coach’s Award – Kelly Phelps. The JV Boys Awards were: MVP – Scott Simeral; Most Improved – Steven Sullivan; and Coach’s Award – Patrick Queisser.

Notes from the Water Polo World according to Dave Throop, seven of the 13 girls who represented San Diego in the recent National Youth Team Camp have Coronado ties. Five of the girls honored are from Coronado High School and they include Elizabeth Hopkins, Sandra Fernandez, Katie Estrada, Kelly Phelps and Megan Braun. Two girls, Carly Hoshko and Hannah Sebenaler are from Coronado Middle School.

Phelps and Hopkins were voted into the Top 40 of the 170 girls that participated in the camp. Megan Braun was ranked the third best of the 15 goalies in camp and earned a slot on the National Youth B Team this summer.

The Peninsula Water Polo Club starts their workouts June 21 for the coming year for all ages and all ability levels. For the first time, the club is adding swimming as a component of their program. For more information on the Peninsula Water Polo Club, call Dave Throop at 619-851-9734.

Coronado High’s Brett Milke earned some recognition on the basketball floor in the recent North vs. South All-Star games, which feature senior athletes only. Playing for the South squad which lost by the score of 85-73, Milke hit a three-pointer and had another two baskets in the contest for a total of seven points, according to Islander Head Boys Basketball Coach Sandy Dillon.

"Brett played well and played for more than half the game," said Dillon. "There were a total of five kids that played in the two games from the Harbor League. "

Next week – The Annual Axey Awards, which will wrap up the CHS sports season.