Culver High Names Athlete of the Year Award

Culver City High celebrated one of its most successful athletic seasons in school history by honoring the senior students at the 2018-19 Athlete of the Year Awards on Wednesday, May 15. The ceremony honored the school's student athletes that excelled scholastically as well as exemplified responsibility, respect, trustworthiness, and character.

There were four Athlete of the Year Award recipients: Kayla Barnes, who starred in girls track and signed to attend Fresno State University later this year; Megan Shimoda shined in girls volleyball and signed with the University of California Santa Barbara; Jamal Glaspie lettered in football and ran boys track, signed with Fresno State; and Giselle Godoy, who excelled as student trainer.

Four students earned the Zeidman Booster Club Scholarship Award, with $1,000 going to each winner: Catie Shin, girls lacrosse, will be attending Long Beach State University; Megan Shimoda, girls volleyball; Desi Dickson, cross country, boys soccer and track is enrolling at UCLA; and Hannah Beighey, girls lacrosse will study at Gonzaga University.

Two programs were presented the Team of the Year Award: girls soccer and football. The girls soccer team enjoyed its most successful season ever under head coach Pete Bartlett and made it to the CIF Division III Regional Championship Finals. Centaur football won its second CIF Championship ever under head coach Jahmal Wright.

The Beth McNiven Award went to the outstanding seniors in each of the girls athletic programs. Elyssa Salazar won the award for the cheer team. Anna Payton won for cross country, Halen Anderson – volleyball, Brooke Dunlap – soccer, Heaven Cooper – basketball, Amaya Mendez Molina - water polo, Catherine Shin – lacrosse, Emily Sugiyama – track, Claribel Alcantar – swim, Zoe Brandt - figure skating, Hazel Anagu – student trainer, and Savaughna Mayo for tennis.

The Thomas Hart Award went to the outstanding seniors in each of the boys athletic programs. Brandon Cummings won the award for cross country, Andres Abraham-Davila for water polo, Kevin McGuire – football, Ryan Blackmon – basketball, Mason Le – baseball, Sean McDonnell – soccer, Thomas Wilcox – Lacrosse, Dylan Atianzar - volleyball, Arman Rostamian – track, Andrew Dresel Kurtz – swim, Gabriel Machado – student trainer, and Benjamin Vizcarra Barton for golf.

In total, there were 56 Dave Sanchez Award winners. Students had to earn a 3.5 GPA or higher for all four years they attended Culver City High School to be eligible for the award. There were The Jerry Chabola Award was given to 21 athletes with character who pursue victory with honor. Giselle Godoy also earned the Dr. Colosomo Award as the school's Top Student Trainer.

The Dave Sanchez Award winners: Lauren Andrade, Alexandria Baiz, Andrea Morales, Grace Hirai, Neha Ichharam, Jaydan Evans, Desmond Dickson, Margaret Lezcano, Julia Adler, Kenzie Bishara, Ana Wong, Anna Payton, Romi Takara, Siddharth Gupta, Keishi Teteda, Erin Marble, Anne Coury, Emily Sugiyama and Liam Wall;

Anna Lewicki, Bryan Bae, Camilia Fernandez, Jarius Montgomery, Dylan Atianzar, Aidan Kim, Claribel Alcantar, Alyssa Kawano, James Dimeo, Hannah Beighey, Ben Vizcarra Barton, Dexter Hollier-Larousse, Audreen Fune, Megan Shimoda, Antonio Mansfield, Halen Anderson, Catherine Shin and Amaya Mendez Molina;

Heaven Cooper, Maya Brandis, Kyle Van Slyke, Elijah Guy, Savaughna Mayo, Tyler Curry, Mason Le, Peyton Smith, Merhawit Mehzun, Meseret Mehzun, Brandon Cummings, Abndrew Dressel Kurtz, Daru Yu, Laura Dolores Cruz, Thomas Wilcox, Kirk Nascimento, Margaret Walhert, Treleven Reed and Elijah Spencer.

The Jerry Chabola Award winners: Kenzi Bishara – basketball, Amir Hodge – football, Jesse Castillo – soccer, Tyler Luckett – football, Bryan Bae – tennis, Nabil Doheny – tennis, Jessie Gonzalez – softball, Bryanna Gramajo-Santizo – softball, Jayden Evans – track, Hannah Beighey – lacrosse, Erin Marble – lacrosse;

Logan Brand – baseball, Keishi Tateda – lacrosse, Annette Harrison – cheer, Alexandra Baiz - cheer, Kenedie Cade – trainer, Chase Metoyer – volleyball, Rodrigo Bos – volleyball, Sean Green - Associated Student Body, Joshua Wright - Associated Student Body, Shamar Carter – track, and Randall Santiago – water polo.

The Culver City High Baseball Award winners were also announced. The 2019 Frosh/Soph Most Valuable Player Award went to Brandon Zeidman. Kevin Guzman won the Most Outstanding Player Award and Vincent Soto earned the Most Outstanding Definsive Player Award

The Centaur JV Baseball Award winners: C.J. Arango was the

Defensive Player of the Year, Bryce Kinkead won the Centaur Award and the Coaches Award went to Kai Hines. The Varsity Baseball Awards went to: Mason Le for Most Valuable Player, James Roque won the Most Inspirational Player Award, Logan Brand won the Coaches Award, and the Freshmen Rookie of the Year Award went to Alonso Reyes.

Culver City High won seven league champions this year, the most in one year in the school's history. That eclipsed the record six league titles set by the Centaurs the previous season, 2017-18. The girls programs earned five league titles in volleyball, soccer, basketball, softball and lacrosse. The boys earned two Ocean League championships in lacrosse and track.

Combined, the Centaurs enjoyed six deep runs in the 2018-19 CIF Playoffs, led by the football team's CIF Championship. The boys water polo team made the Semifinals while four girls programs advanced into the CIF Semifinal rounds: volleyball, tennis, soccer and softball.

The End