School Sports Stars Honored by Media
CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE BEST QUARTERBACK EVER TO COME OUT OF ORANGE COUNTY, JT DANIELS GREW UP IN IRVINE. COURTESY MATER DEI ATHLETICS
By Irvine City News staff
OC Varsity Athlete and Coach of the Year Awards were announced in June, with several high school athletes and coaches from Irvine making the prestigious list of awardees chosen by the OC Register. The banquet was held at the Marconi Automotive Museum, with speakers including former Angels and Dodger Mickey Hatcher and Jake Olson, USC’s inspirational long snapper, who lost his sight as a young man. Also during the event, FivePoint’s Steve Churm introduced the enthusiastic crowd to the next phase of the Sports Park debuting soon at the Orange County Great Park.
Boys Tennis Athlete of the Year
Stefan Dostanic
Woodbridge High School
The Woodbridge junior finished the tennis season undefeated (78-0), and didn’t lose a single set, defending his CIF and Pacific Coast League titles. Dostanic is committed to USC.
Girls Golf Athlete of the Year
Nodoka Honda
University High School
Honda helped University make school history by winning the CIF State title, a first for the girls golf team.
Girls Golf Coach of the Year
Kevin Kasper
University High School
The former professional baseball player coaches the boys and girls golf teams at Uni, and led the girls team to the state championship this past school year.
Boys Soccer Athlete of the Year
Sebastian Hertel
University High School
Hertel helped lead the Trojans to the school’s first CIF Southern Section Division 3 title, and was the Pacific Coast League offensive MVP and the Division 3 player of the year.
Boys Soccer Coach of the Year
Martin Wallwork
University High School
Coach Wallwork led the University boys soccer team to the first boys soccer title in school history when the team beat Villa Park 2-0 in the title match.
Male Athlete of the Year
JT Daniels
Mater Dei High School
Considered by many to be the best quarterback ever to come out of Orange County and the best football player in the country this year, Daniels grew up in Irvine. As a youth football player, he quarterbacked the Irvine Chargers team to the OCJAAF Super Bowl title in 2012, the team’s first since 1994. He is bypassing his senior season to attend and play for USC, where he’s already been dubbed “the next great quarterback” for the college football team.
Boys Swimming Coach of the Year
Alex Nieto
Northwood High School
In his ninth season as coach, Nieto led the Timberwolves to the school’s first boys CIF State Swimming & Diving Championship and their first CIF Southern Section Division 1 title. Northwood also won a third consecutive title in the Pacific Coast League.
Boys Tennis Athlete of the Year
Stefan Dostanic
Woodbridge High School
The Woodbridge junior finished the tennis season undefeated (78-0), and didn’t lose a single set, defending his CIF and Pacific Coast League titles. Dostanic is committed to USC.
Girls Golf Athlete of the Year
Nodoka Honda
University High School
Honda helped University make school history by winning the CIF State title, a first for the girls golf team.
Girls Golf Coach of the Year
Kevin Kasper
University High School
The former professional baseball player coaches the boys and girls golf teams at Uni, and led the girls team to the state championship this past school year.
Boys Soccer Athlete of the Year
Sebastian Hertel
University High School
Hertel helped lead the Trojans to the school’s first CIF Southern Section Division 3 title, and was the Pacific Coast League offensive MVP and the Division 3 player of the year.
Boys Soccer Coach of the Year
Martin Wallwork
University High School
Coach Wallwork led the University boys soccer team to the first boys soccer title in school history when the team beat Villa Park 2-0 in the title match.
Male Athlete of the Year
JT Daniels
Mater Dei High School
Considered by many to be the best quarterback ever to come out of Orange County and the best football player in the country this year, Daniels grew up in Irvine. As a youth football player, he quarterbacked the Irvine Chargers team to the OCJAAF Super Bowl title in 2012, the team’s first since 1994. He is bypassing his senior season to attend and play for USC, where he’s already been dubbed “the next great quarterback” for the college football team.
Boys Swimming Coach of the Year
Alex Nieto
Northwood High School
In his ninth season as coach, Nieto led the Timberwolves to the school’s first boys CIF State Swimming & Diving Championship and their first CIF Southern Section Division 1 title. Northwood also won a third consecutive title in the Pacific Coast League.