Each week, publications from the Southern California News Group’s 11 properties (Orange County Register, L.A. Daily News, Press-Enterprise, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Long Beach Press-Telegram, The Daily Breeze, San Bernardino Sun, Daily Bulletin, Redlands Daily Facts, Whittier Daily News and Pasadena-Star News) select the Athletes of the Week for their respective region.
Each athlete is then entered into the overall Southern California Athlete of the Week vote.
Click on the newspaper links below the athlete’s name to read about their performance from last week, and then vote for who you think deserves the top honor.
Readers are allowed to vote multiple times. Voting ends at midnight, but final totals aren’t always immediately reflected due to processing.
BOYS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK VOTING
The overall winner will be announced on Friday, September 30.
Voting poll at bottom of the page.
Anabel Kotzakov, Newport Harbor: Kotzakov recorded a career-high 31 kills in a four-set victory against Laguna Beach and 26 kills in an upset victory against Huntington Beach to help the Sailors move into a tie for first place in the Surf League. Newport Harbor snapped a 16-match losing streak against Huntington Beach with a four-set victory.
Ashby Zubchevich, La Cañada: The sophomore had 17 kills, six digs, three aces and a block in a victory over rival South Pasadena, 23-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-22, in last week’s mammoth Rio Hondo League match. Zubchevich also had 10 kills in a 3-0 sweep of San Marino as La Cañada improved to 18-3 overall and 4-0 in league.
Kacie Pedersen, King: Pedersen, a 5-foot-9 outside hitter and team captain, turned in a pair of strong all-around performances as the Wolves knocked off Norco and Santiago to move into a three-way tie atop the Big VIII League standings. Pedersen tallied 14 kills, 21 digs, three aces and two block assists as King outlasted Norco in a five-set thriller. She came back with 10 kills, five digs and a block assist as the Wolves swept Santiago to force the tie atop the standings.
Avery Peck, Long Beach Poly: Peck broke the Long Beach Poly girls cross country 5k record with a time of 18 minutes and 11 seconds at the prestigious Nike Portland XC meet on Saturday, Sept. 24. It was Peck’s first 5k high school cross country race. She was the fastest freshman in the race and finished 12th overall against a national-caliber field.
Nikki Garriola, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy: Garriola tallied 57 kills and 61 digs in the Crescenta Valley Tournament as the team finished third in the event. Garriola’s effort helped FSHA beat Arcadia, Castaic, Maranatha, Palisades and El Camino Real. She was named to the all-tournament team with teammate Mikayla Hsieh.
Kaci Demaria, Palos Verdes: Demaria had 21 kills and two blocks in a hard-fought, five-set loss against Mira Costa. Palos Verdes responded with consecutive wins, defeating Redondo and Santa Monica. Against Redondo, Demaria had 17 kills, two aces and four blocks, and against Santa Monica she had 10 kills, three aces and three blocks.
