ALL-LEAGUE SELECTIONS
• Coach of the Year: Scott Thomason, Sierra.
• Most Valuable Player: Kiwi Gardner, Jr., Manteca
• First team: Ernie Pimentel, Sr., Manteca; Will Ward, So., Sierra; Trevor Nogueira, Sr., Sierra; Alex Kiriluk, Jr., Sonora; Nate Moises, Sr., Weston Ranch.
• Second team: Justin Canatsy, Sr., Ceres; Ricky Inderbitzin, Sr., East Union; Gerry Cooper, Sr., Manteca; Jacob Martinez, Jr., Oakdale; Zach Gorgas, Sr., Sonora.
• Honorable mention: Jordan Kron, Fr., East Union; Robert Vaughn, Jr., East Union; Umar Muriset, Jr. Lathrop; E.J. Godfrey, Jr., Manteca; Nathan Madson, Sr., Oakdale; Eddie Andrade, Jr., Sierra; Ronnie Collins, Sr., Weston Ranch; Jason Steele, Sr., Weston Ranch.
• All-defensive team: Marcus Hernandez, So. Oakdale; Edy Guzman, Jr., Sierra; Ernie Pimentel, Sr., Manteca; Vicente Navarro, Sr., Sonora; Jason Steele, Sr., Weston Ranch.
• Coach of the Year: Jim Agostini, East Union.
• Most Valuable Player: Cassandra Clark, Jr., Oakdale.
• First team: Jode Johnson, Sr., Ceres; Shalane Jackson, So., East Union; Lexy Posz, Jr., East Union; Sharon Washington, Jr., Manteca; Kelli Keefe, Jr. Sonora; Brittany Malone, Sr., Sonora; Timnesha Wilson, Jr., Weston Ranch.
• Second team: Jamie Beck, Jr., Ceres; Phylicia Martinez, Sr., Central Valley; Krystal Young, Sr., East Union; Tori Selesia, Sr., Sonora; Courtney Duran, Sr., Weston Ranch.
• Honorable mention: Jazlyn Simon, Fr., Lathrop; Mikayla Hasal, Fr., Manteca; Cynthia Perez, Sr., Manteca; Carly Barton, Sr., Oakdale; Jaslynn Liotard, Sr., Sierra; Jasmine Currimao, Jr. Sierra; Michelle Arroyo, Jr., Sierra; Alysia Atkins, Jr., Sierra.
• All-defensive team: Bryce Ford, Fr., Ceres; Rachel O’Neal, Sr., East Union; Davina Bennett, Sr., Manteca; Alanna Jones, Sr., Oakdale; Stephanie Vanni, Jr., Sierra; Tori Selesia, Sr., Sonora.
Oakdale finished tied for fourth place in league (9-7, 19-9 overall), but its top player, junior guard Cassandra Clark, was voted MVP. East Union’s Jim Agostini was named Coach of the Year for the second time in three years.
Manteca junior guard Kiwi Gardner is the boys MVP after leading the Buffaloes to their second straight conference championship. Sierra’s Scott Thomason is the boys Coach of the Year after leading the Timberwolves (11-5, 18-10) back to the postseason despite losing the 2008-09 MVP, Christian Williams, to graduation.
Clark as MVP comes as somewhat of a surprise considering how her team fared, but she was the league’s top scorer at 18.9 points per game.
East Union’s girls (14-2, 23-6) settled on having two players on the all-VOL first team. Three different Lancers were recognized as MVPs over the three previous seasons — Christin Gowan in 2007, Rachel McDaniel in 2008 and Ashley Rose in 2009.
Junior guard Lexy Posz and sophomore forward Shalane Jackson among four area players named to the first team. Posz averaged 14 points, eight rebounds, 3.6 assists and three steals in league. Jackson checked in with 12 points and 10 rebounds per league game.
Also earning first-team honors were Manteca’s Sharon Washington (16.4 ppg overall) and Weston Ranch point guard Timnesha Wilson (14.5 ppg, 3.6 spg).
Area players on the second team are East Union senior guard Krystal Young and Weston Ranch senior guard Courtney Duran. Sierra guard Stephanie Vanni, East Union center Rachel O’Neal and Manteca forward Davina Bennett made the all-league defensive team.
Gardner was the league’s most dynamic and productive player after serving a four-game suspension sanctioned by the Sac-Joaquin Section to start conference play. He was suspended for an additional game by the team. The suspensions stemmed from light contact he made with an official during a non-league tournament game.
The 5-foot-7 guard put up big numbers throughout the season, including a 52-point effort against Pitman during the Modesto City Classic and a 41-point outburst against Weston Ranch in league. He finished the regular season with 24 points per game, 3.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 steals.
He is joined by senior teammate Ernie Pimentel — who turned in 15.1 points, 3.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals — on the first team.
Sierra and Weston Ranch, the league’s runners-up, were also represented on the first team. Sophomore center Will Ward was outstanding in his first varsity campaign in which he averaged 14.7 points, 10 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in league for Sierra. Fellow Timberwolf Trevor Nogueira, a senior guard, chipped in 12.9 points and 3.6 assists in league.
Senior Weston Ranch wing Nate Moises scored 11.9 points and grabbed 6.0 rebounds overall.
East Union senior forward Ricky Inderbitzin and Manteca senior forward Gerry Cooper were all-league second-team selections.
Sierra’s Edy Guzman, Weston Ranch’s Jason Steele and Pimentel were named to the all-defensive team.
