REVISED: Wednesday, December 11, 2013, 12:26 p.m.
2013 FALL AREA TEAMS: Norwalk football, girls volleyball kings and queens of the area
By Loren Kopff
Norwalk High School was already on the map because of its recent success from the football and girls volleyball teams. But the school went one step further this past fall with the football team coming one play away from its second California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section championship and the volleyball team claiming its first Suburban League title. The Cerritos football team made huge strides in turning the program around while Valley Christian’s football team had a bounce back campaign. Here are the recipients of the Los Cerritos Community News 2013 Fall All-Area Teams.
FOOTBALL
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB-Jack Struiksma (Valley Christian)
RB-LaMarr Crowder (Cerritos)
RB-Jonathan Nicholson (Valley Christian)
RB-Rashaad Penny (Norwalk)
WR-Brian Cok (Valley Christian)
WR-Tytus Simmons (Artesia)
LT-Gabriel Silva (Norwalk)
LG-Aaron Armendarez (Norwalk)
C-Louie Hernandez (Norwalk)
RG-Adam Gonzalez (Norwalk)
RT-Rodrigo Sanchez (Norwalk)
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL-Dillon Faamatau (Norwalk)
DL-Lene Lauti (Artesia)
DL-Kent Running (Valley Christian)
DB-Nick Fernandez (Norwalk)
DB-William Latham (Gahr)
DB-Rashaad Penny (Norwalk)
DB-Tytus Simmons (Artesia)
LB-Jose Abrina (Norwalk)
LB-Aaron Armendarez (Norwalk)
LB-Matthew Ortega (Norwalk)
LB-Kyle Westra (Valley Christian)
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB-Jimmy Rodriguez (Artesia)
RB-Vincent Brown (Artesia)
RB-Ryan McDowell (Norwalk)
RB-Ki’Jon Washington (Cerritos}
WR-Felipe Jimenez (John Glenn)
WR-Austin Kirchner (Valley Christian)
LT-Jake Kim (Cerritos)
LG-Mitchell Torres (Valley Christian)
C-Sam Kim (Cerritos)
RG-Garrison Coley (Valley Christian)
RT-Waldo Juarez (Artesia)
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL-Nathan Aaronsen (Valley Christian)
DL-Esteban Rosiles (Norwalk)
DL-Chandler Vos (Valley Christian)
DB-Vincent Brown (Artesia)
DB-Daniel Moreno (Norwalk)
DB-De’Jah Pickett (Gahr)
DB-Jose Soto (Artesia)
LB-Tyrant Davis (Norwalk)
LB-Devon King (Artesia)
LB-Steven Morones (John Glenn)
LB-Jeremy Stanley (Valley Christian)
HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE
QB-Jacob Carr (Norwalk)
RB-Kory Boyd (Cerritos)
RB-Matthew Ortega (Norwalk)
RB-Angel Rochin (John Glenn)
WR-Steven Morones (John Glenn)
WR-Kyle Westra (Valley Christian)
LT-Joseph Castanos (Valley Christian)
LG-Vander Ferrer (Cerritos)
C-David Garibay (Artesia)
RG-Tonatiuh Ocampo (Cerritos)
RT-Neel Patel (Cerritos)
HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE
DL-Grant D’Amico (Valley Christian)
DL-Xavier Fuery (Norwalk)
DL-Enoka Sautia (Artesia)
DB-William Brines (Valley Christian)
DB-Dominick Enriquez (John Glenn)
DB-Leotis Johnson III (Gahr)
DB-Aaron Kirchner (Valley Christian)
LB-Isaiah Benoit (Artesia)
LB-Andrew Castro (John Glenn)
LB-Garrison Coley (Valley Christian)
LB-Daryll Seals (Norwalk)
Offensive Player of the Year: From the first game of the season against Long Beach Cabrillo to the finals against La Serna, Norwalk senior wingback Rashaad Penny was on fire, even when he was being temporarily contained by opponents. Penny rushed for 2,520 yards and 40 touchdowns. He scored at least two rushing touchdowns in every game. Of his 40 ground scores, 13 went for more than 50 yards. Penny was also the team’s leading receiver with over 600 yards. He wraps up his Norwalk career with 81 rushing touchdowns, 22 receiving touchdowns and four return touchdowns. Penny also became the 16th player in state history to leave with over 100 career touchdowns.
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Opponents just couldn’t get away from Norwalk senior linebackers Jose Abrina and Aaron Armendarez. Both of them combined for over 250 tackles entering the championship game and each had a pair of interceptions. Abrina had 130 tackles while Armendarez had five fewer through 13 games.
Coach of the Year: After two unsuccessful trips to the semifinals in 2008 and 2009, Norwalk head coach Jesse Ceniceros reached the championship game for the first time in his six seasons at Norwalk. Ceniceros now has an overall record of 51-24 with the Lancers and 26-10 in the Suburban League. In contrast, Norwalk won 30 overall games and 18 league games the previous 10 seasons before his arrival.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
FIRST TEAM
S-Dayna Moreno (Norwalk)
OH-Viviana Gomez (Norwalk)
OH-Mariah Gonzalez (Cerritos)
MB-Daisy Briseno (Artesia)
MB-Jazmin Guzman (Norwalk)
OPP-Karly Dantuma (Valley Christian)
DS-Rachael Fitterer (Cerritos)
L-Kathleen Perez (Norwalk)
SECOND TEAM
S-Lorinet Marquez (Cerritos)
OH-Oluoma Okaro (Gahr)
OH-Jody Suski (Cerritos)
MB-Amanda Chamberlain (Valley Christian)
MB-Reyna Ta’amu (Whitney)
OPP-Daniela Lozada (Norwalk)
DS-Paola Nava (Norwalk)
L-Kaylee Westra (Valley Christian)
THIRD TEAM
S-Alexyss Nelson (Valley Christian)
OH-Maggie Streelman (Valley Christian)
OH-Stephanie Yeh (Whitney)
MB-Kaitlyn Bales (Cerritos)
MB-Stephany Rodriguez (Gahr)
OPP-Ashley Alatorre (Norwalk)
DS-Brittany Diaz (Cerritos)
L-Nicole Medina (Cerritos)
HONORABLE MENTION
S-Frankie Di Iorio (Gahr)
OH-Martina Kim (Artesia)
OH-Athena Sio (Norwalk)
MB-Brittany Freeman (Cerritos)
MB-Myra Gomez (John Glenn)
OPP-Ashley Duru (Whitney)
DS-Alicia Barron (Gahr)
L-Kashmir Davies (John Glenn)
Player of the Year: The Suburban League was stocked with sever power hitters but it’s safe to say that if you take Norwalk junior middle blocker Jazmin Guzman off her team, the Lady Lancers probably don’t win as many matches as they did. Guzman was a dominant force in the middle who had a season-high 26 kills at Cerritos in a five-set loss and at Mayfair in a four-set victory. Guzman also reached 20 kills several other times.
Coach of the Year: Although Norwalk had reached the playoffs 10 times before this past season, never before had Norwalk won the Suburban League. But that’s what head coach Jessie Gonzalez accomplished in 2013. In addition, the Lady Lancers won their first postseason match since 1994 and the team hosted its first playoff match since 1999. Norwalk went 16-7 this past season and Gonzalez has won 25 matches in his two seasons as the varsity coach.
