The best and the brightest senior student athletes from Culver City High were honored at the school’s 2017-18 Athlete of the Year Awards. Hundreds of people participated in the banquet, including students, parents, coaches, teachers and administrators. It was held Wednesday, May 23 in the school cafeteria, which was decorated in Centaur blue and white.
Culver High Athletic Director Tom Salter led proceedings, along with Assistant Principal DuBois McMillan. Each of the respective program head coaches presented various awards throughout the evening. The coaches’ speech presentations to their athletes exemplified the character and the accomplishments of the 2018 Senior Class.
“To be involved in athletics, Parents, I thank you for allowing us to be part of your experience,” said Assistant Principal McMillan. “First to help nurture your children, to help them get to places in the world that we might not be able to go ourselves. They are going to definitely take it to a different level.
“I feel confident that we try to create an environment where they can gain some character traits that they will be able to use throughout their lives. Whether it’s responsibility, trustworthiness, respect. Do you know the six pillars? Caring, what else? Fairness, last one… Citizenship. They exemplify this in their daily walk.”
Four Culver High athletic programs won Team of the Year Awards. Girls Volleyball and Girls Water Polo as well as Boys Football and Boys Basketball teams each earned the top team awards. The Girls Volleyball team became the first program in school history to win consecutive CIF Championships when they defeated rival Santa Monica High in five sets to take the title this past season.
The Girls Water Polo team won its very first CIF Championship this season as they triumphed over Valencia High, 4-3. The Boys Football advanced deep into the CIF Playoffs only to lose an overtime barnstorming heartbreaker to Covina High, 57-56, in the Semifinals. The Boys Basketball team won the Ocean League for the first time since 1986, and advanced to the Quarterfinals of the CIF Playoffs.
The Female Athlete of the Year Award went to two student athletes: Jessica Stewart - volleyball, who will be attending New York University, and Alexa Anderberg – water polo, who will begin studies at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania next fall.
The Male Athlete of the Year Award was given to three student athletes: Alex Smith – football, who will play at the University of Wisconsin; Tevian Jones – basketball, who will play at the University of Illinois; and Bart Salvetera – swim, who will be attending the University of Utah in the fall..
The Foundation Scholar Athlete for Culver City was awarded to Lena Johnson and David Dumas, who by coincidence are both going to UCLA. The Culver City High Booster Club $1,000 Scholarship went to three deserving recipients: Hayley Yamamota, Lena Johnson, and Alex Smith.
The Beth McNiven award goes to the Girls Team Outstanding Senior in each sport. Eden Winslow was awarded for Cross Country, Water Polo - Melany Marquez, Soccer - Jenna Maxberry, Basketball - Hayley Yamamoto, Track and Field - Jasmine Marrero, Lacrosse - Rachel Block, Volleyball - Lena Johnson, Tennis - Kayla Grey, Swim - Summer Coxwell, Softball - Emily Piera, Cheer - Olivia Stehlin and Melany Acorda, and Student Trainer - Jocelyn Herrera and Paige Rothfarb.
The Thomas Hart Award goes to Boys Team Outstanding Senior in each sport. Awarded for Football was Jonathan Martin, Cross Country - Mason Acevedo, Water Polo - Ruben Figueroa, Soccer - Brian Thiha, Basketball - Cyrus Johnson, Track and Field - Max Jordan, Lacrosse - Nick Jimenez, Volleyball - Ethan Small and Jack Hyslop, Tennis - David Fortugaleza, Golf - Austin Davis, Swim - Bart Salvaterra, and Baseball - Benny Mosqueira.
The largest group of award winners and perhaps the most acclaimed were the 53 senior student athletes who received the Dave Sanchez award, given for a GPA of 3.5 and above for four years:
Adrianno DaSilva Nazario, Alaina Brandt, Alex Smith, Alexa Anderberg, Angel Morris, Austin Davis, Bailey Levine, Bart Salvaterra, Brandon Libertore, Byran Thiha, Christopher Zelaya, Connor Edwards, Cyrus Johnson, David Chang, David Dumas, David Fortugaleza, Destiny Padilla, Diego Vital, Evangelia Magkolas, Eden Winslow, Emily Piera, Ethan Small, Hailee Saldivia and Harris Lanum.
Hayley Yamamoto, Huma Manjra, Isabel Musselman, Israel Egziaber, Jack Hyslop, Jacob Serber, Jaden Kimura, James Catillo, Jasmin Marrero , Jayden Porter, Jenna Maxberry, Jessica Stewart, Jocelyn Herrera, John Hyslop, Jonathan Martin, Karla Ramirez, Kayla Grey, Lena Johnson, Marina Abdelshahid, Martina Abdelshahid, Mason Acevedo, Matthew Ke, Matthew Kojima, Matthew Wong, Max Jordan, Maya Derbise and Melanie Acorda.
Melany Marquez, Mia Victorin, Micaela Garcia Lasso, Nicholas Federizo Jimenez, Noah Arancibia, Olivia Stehlin, Paige Rothfarb, Rachel Block, Rich Hibbs, Riley Jacobsen, Ruben Figueroa, Ryann McDowell, Ryann Willoughby, Safa Saleem, Sarah Velazquez, Sidonie Horn, Sophia Laguda, Sterre Hesseling, Summer Coxwell, Tevian Jones, Thet Su Lwin, Vivian Garcia and Xaul Starr.
The Jerry Chabola award is given to athletes with character who pursue victory with honor. The ten recipients were: Jayden Porter, Angel Morris, Xaul Starr, Brandon Libertore, Ryan Willoughby, Karla Ramirez, Hailee Saldivia, Isabel Musseslman, Connor Edwards and Adriano DaSilva Nazario.
Vivian Garcia received the Dr. George Colosimo Award for Outstanding Sports Medicine Senior and will attend Cal State Northridge in the fall. There were three seniors who won the Girls Volleyball CIF Championship two years in a row: Lena Johnson, Jessica Stewart and Destiny Padilla.
“Tom (Salter, Athletic Director) mentioned we have an extremely high GPA across the board for our athletic teams. That says a lot. Over the past few weeks I’ve asked the seniors what schools are you going to. It’s amazing to hear the responses,” stated McMillan.
“It’s really about the preparation in getting them to that point and a lot of you have had a tremendous impact in putting them in that place. Hopefully we’ve created an opportunity for them to go out and pursue greatness in the world.”
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