Eric Sondheimer

1 week ago | latimes.com | Eric Sondheimer

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. It’s awards time for high school baseball and softball. All-star teamsPitcher Seth Hernandez of Corona is The Times’ baseball player of the year for the second consecutive season. He improved on his performance and put together a two-year run in which he went 18-1. Here’s a profile on the impact he made. The Times’ All-Star baseball team includes Quentin Young of Oaks Christian. He moved to shortstop and hit 14 home runs.

1 week ago | latimes.com | Eric Sondheimer

Years from now, when Seth Hernandez is pitching in the major leagues and pro baseball commentators are debating just how good he might become, those who saw him throw during his two years of high school baseball at Corona High will gladly offer their fondest memories. The statistics are impressive enough: In 53 1/3 innings this season, he struck out 105, gave up 19 hits and three earned runs for an ERA of 0.39.

1 week ago | latimes.com | Eric Sondheimer

Four years ago, after seeing freshman outfielder Kai Minor for the first time during the first softball practice, Orange Lutheran High coach Steve Miklos remembers arriving at home and telling his wife, “This girl is special.” And she was. Minor, headed to Oklahoma after four spectacular seasons at Orange Lutheran, saved her best for her senior season, exceeding even the highest of expectations with 44 hits, a .500 batting average, 34 RBIs and 17 doubles for the Trinity League championship team.

1 week ago | latimes.com | Eric Sondheimer

St. John Bosco High, a sports powerhouse, had been waiting years to get its baseball program to a high level. It finally happened under second-year coach Andy Rojo, who guided the Braves to the Southern Section Division 1 championship and Southern California Division I regional championship, a first in school history. “He just held us accountable from the first day in the fall,” pitcher Jack Champlin said. “Every practice was a grind. Every day has been a grind.

1 week ago | latimes.com | Eric Sondheimer

During a softball season when top pitchers were hard to find, coach Rick Robinson of Norco High was patient, wise and comforting in helping sophomore Coral Williams make the kind of improvement that could lead to a championship. Then came the biggest game of the season — the Southern Section Division 1 final against El Modena. And all Williams did was complete a one-hit shutout in a 3-0 victory, rewarding Robinson and Norco with an eighth championship.