ALL-EMPIRE: 2006 ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
ATHLETE SELECTIONS
LARGE SCHOOL
ANDREW ROGERS
Healdsburg
The Greyhound senior became the fourth Empire athlete to earn a state wrestling title when he won the 145-pound crown this year. Rogers was a four- time champ, four-time NCS placer -- he won his sophomore and senior seasons -- and four-time state qualifier. Rogers also played football, although he missed four games in his senior year with a wrist injury. He still earned All-SCL, All-Empire honors.
SARAH PETERS
Petaluma
The Trojan senior was unique, excelling as a goalie on the soccer team and a standout kicker on the football team. ''She may be the best kicker we've had,'' said longtime football coach Steve Ellison. She was 23 of 24 on extra points, 4 of 5 in field goals. She was also a key part of the basketball team, earning All-Empire honors her senior year. In soccer, she was an All-Empire pick in all three of her seasons.
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JEAN LIGHTFOOT
Maria Carrillo
The Puma senior was outstanding in volleyball and track and was also a key factor on the basketball team that was 14-0 in league. In volleyball, she was first-team All-Empire and team MVP as the Pumas won the NCS title. After making second-team All-NBL in basketball, she headed for the track where she has been the top Empire competitor in the discus and shot for two seasons.
SMALL SCHOOL
LARGE SCHOOL SMALL SCHOOL
MIKE PEREZ
Lower Lake
The senior distance star came into his own this past season, clocking some of the best times in the nation in the 1,600 and 800. This on the heels of finishing fourth in the state cross country meet. ''Mike has had a lot of adversity in his life,'' according to athletic director Marty Udy. ''But he has been committed to his running.'' Perez has signed a letter of intent to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
JON CUNHA
Fort Bragg
The senior was not only a three-sport athlete for the Timberwolves, but he also earned All-Empire honors in all three -- football, basketball and track. He was team captain in all three sports. Cunha played four years of varsity football and two years on the varsity basketball squad. In four years of track, Cunha has been the team's most valuable runner and his 110 hurdle marks have been the best in the Empire this year.
KATIE STILES
Willits
Stiles was All-Empire in basketball and volleyball. She also excelled in swimming for three years before turning to track this season, where she qualified for NCS in the discus. Stiles ''is a natural leader,'' according to volleyball coach Jill Walton. Stiles was all-league in volleyball and basketball for four seasons, All-Empire in volleyball this past season and a two-time All-Empire selection in basketball.
SCHOLAR ATHLETES
LARGE SCHOOL
CLAIRE FRAZER
Healdsburg
Frazer played sweeper on the soccer team and competed in track. She earned all-league and scholar-athlete honors in soccer and track, where she was selected on the All-Empire team as a hurdler. She also cleared hurdles in the classroom, compiling an overall 4.60 GPA. Frazer, headed for Dartmouth, also performs for the Santa Rosa Youth Symphony.
KEVIN WADE
Montgomery
Wade played three sports for all four years -- football, basketball and baseball. He was All-Empire in football and team captain and is headed for the University of Colorado. In basketball, he was team captain; and in baseball, he was all-tournament in the Rabinovitz Memorial. Wade earned a 4.2 GPA overall, 4.33 his senior year while taking AP classes in calculus, physics, pre- calculus and chemistry.
SMALL SCHOOL
BEN BUECHNER
Point Arena
Buechner, a senior headed to Menlo College, where he plans to play baseball, also competed in football and baseball for the Pirates. He was NCL II North Co-Offensive Player of the Year his senior season and competed four years in wrestling, earning All-Empire honors. He has also been All-Empire in baseball. In the classroom, he had a 4.13 GPA overall with AP classes in U.S. History and English.
HALEY SANDERSON
Clear Lake
Sanderson was all-league, All-Empire in soccer and first-team in softball. She was also team captain in soccer. In the classroom, she earned a 4.2 GPA overall, 4.0 her senior year. Sanderson, headed for BYU or Cal State Sacramento, took AP classes in U.S. History, Biology, English and Spanish. She plays in the Lake County Honor Band and earned a solo award (piano) at the Folsom Jazz Festival.
COACHES OF THE YEAR
PAT FITZGERALD
Cardinal Newman
There have been only three basketball coaches at Cardinal Newman, and two of them are named Fitzgerald. Pat, 49, took over 12 years ago for Tom Bonfigli, who had replaced Pat's father, John. Pat's record is 245-110, including the school's best-ever (by percentage) record of 28-5 this past season. Fitzgerald took his team to the CIF Division IV finals in 1996.
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