Sun-Star honors the spring male athletes of the year

Trent Mallonee knows as a leadoff hitter and a shortstop, he plays a big role for the Los Banos High baseball team.

It's a role he takes seriously.

“My role is to be a leader,” Mallonee said. “I’m at the top of the order and I know everyone feeds off what I do. If I go, we all go.”

Mallonee led the team with a .500 batting average, 26 RBIs and 39 runs scored to help the Tigers win the Western Athletic Conference championship. The coaches in his conference were impressed, selecting Mallonee as the WAC Most Valuable Player.

Mallonee also is the Merced Sun-Star Baseball Player of the Year.

“As a coach, it's comfort for me to know you have a guy up there that is going to give you quality at-bats, play defense and run the bases,” said Los Banos coach Pat Fuentes. “Trent has fun, he works hard, he's committed and he's coachable. He's gotten better each year by working his butt off.”

Mallonee sparked his team, by not only reaching base most of the time, but he also found a way to get in scoring position. Half of his 44 hits on the season went for extra bases with Mallonee hitting 10 doubles and 12 triples. He also stole 12 bases.

“This season was special for me because our team is so close,” Mallonee said. “We all grew up together. I grew up playing Little League with a lot of my teammates.”

The Tigers have won the WAC championship in back-to-back seasons. However, Mallonee wants more.

“I've always wanted to bring back the blue banner to Los Banos,” said Mallonnee, whose Tigers were eliminated in the second round of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs this season. “We haven't had a section title since our coaches were in high school. I want to be able to say we brought it back for everyone.”

Swimming

Connor Norton, Atwater

Connor Norton has been the backbone for the Atwater High aquatics program during his four-year high school career. He's been an example of how hard work and dedication can help athletes succeed.

Norton swept the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events at the Central California Conference championships for the third consecutive season. The senior also became the first Atwater swimmer to qualify for the CIF State Championships.

Norton is the Sun-Star Swimmer of the Year for the third straight year.

"I was extremely happy with my season," Norton said. "My goal during high school was to make it to a state meet. To make it my senior year was amazing."

Norton enjoyed his experience at the state meet in Clovis. Norton qualified in the 100 freestyle with a time of 46.86, which is just 0.29 seconds off the school record held by Hans van Warmerdam (46.57).

“It was incredible,” Norton said. “I walked on the pool deck and you see all the sponsors’ signs. It's a beautiful pool. Words can't describe it. I must have took about 10 pictures on posted them on social medial.”

Norton finished fourth at the section championships in the 100 free and eighth in the 50 free (21.64).

Norton also was the Sun-Star Boys Water Polo Athlete of the Year in the fall after being named the CCC Most Valuable Player.

“I definitely like water polo better,” Norton said. “I have to give swimming credit for helping me a lot in water polo. I don't like swimming practice. I'd rather be throwing around a ball in the pool. But I love the competing.”

Tennis

Coen Alewijnse, Golden Valley

Coen Alewijnse wanted to make the most of his one year at Golden Valley High. The senior came over as a foreign exchange student from the Netherlands.

Alewijnse stayed busy, participating in cross country, soccer, track and field and tennis during the year. Alewijnse was an all-Central California Conference player in soccer.

After winning the CCC championship in tennis, Alewijnse is the Sun-Star Tennis Player of the Year.

“This year has been a very good experience,” Alewijnse said. “I love sports and I made a lot of friends. I like it here.”

When Alewijnse wasn't competing in sports, he found time to travel around California. He's visited Los Angeles, San Francisco, Monterey and Santa Cruz. He loves the beach and loves taking trips to Yosemite.

“When I was told I was coming I didn't want to have any expectations because I didn't want to be disappointed,” Alewijnse said. “But when I was told I was coming to California I was pretty excited.”

Alewijnse sparkled on the tennis court, losing just two matches during conference play. He then went on to win the CCC title despite a tough draw. Alewijnse defeated Pitman's Andrew Rosero 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the CCC finals.

“My goal was to make sections,” Alewijnse said. “So I was very happy when I won my semifinal match because I knew I was going to sections.”

Track and Field

Dominique Navarrette, El Capitan

Dominique Navarrette has set the bar for future throwers at El Capitan High. Navarrette capped his high school career with back-to-back Sac-Joaquin Section Masters championships in the discus.

The titles made Navarrette a two-time CIF State qualifier.

Navarrette is the Sun-Star Boys Track Athlete of the Year.

“It was definitely a memorable year,” Navarrette said. “A lot of hard work and dedication went into it.”

Navarrette raised eyebrows across the state when he uncorked a throw of 186 feet and 1 inches at a Central California Conference center meet in Turlock on April 11. If Navarrette could have duplicated that throw at the state meet he would have finished second.

Navarrette finished 18th at the state meet with a throw of 155-04.

“I wasn't chasing that mark the rest of the season, it was more about my technique,” Navarrette said. “What you do inside that ring determines how far your throw will go.”

Navarrette won Masters with a throw of 171-07.

After playing football and basketball and competing in track all four years of high school, Navarrette plans to focus just on throwing at College of the Siskiyous in Redding.

“When you think of all the success I've had in throwing when I've been training just two months out of the year instead of year round," Navarrette said, “I'm excited to see what I can do.”

Volleyball

Bryan Livesay, Golden Valley

The Golden Valley boys volleyball team repeated as CCC champions. Again it was CCC Most Valuable Player Bryan Livesay leading the way.

Livesay led the Cougars with 574 kills, which ranked third in the state, and 603 digs, which was second in the state.

Livesay is a repeat winner of the Sun-Star Volleyball Player of the Year.

“This year was a lot more fun,” Livesay said. “Winning league was a challenge. We struggled the first time we played Buhach. We had to fight back to beat them twice. We had a lot more energy in those games.”

It was also different for the Cougars in Year 2 of the volleyball program because most of the players now had a year under their belt. That made it easier at practices and it made communication and adjustments in games easier.

“We had a lot more experience,” Livesay said. “Most of our players played the first year. They knew what they were doing. It helped us in the playoffs.”

The Cougars finished with a 31-12 record on the season. They advanced to the section Division II semifinals before losing to top seed El Camino 3-1.

“The playoffs were a lot of fun,” Livesay said. ‘It meant a lot after losing in the first round last year. We didn't want to be that team from a weak conference that gets a good seed. We wanted to prove we could play volleyball, too.”

Golf

Chris Giardina, El Capitan

El Capitan junior Chris Giardina was playing his best golf when it mattered most. Giardina won the CCC championship with a round of 73.

Giardina then won the section Division I South Championship with an even-par 71 to qualify for the section Masters championship for the second time in his career.

Giardina is the Sun-Star Golfer of the Year.

“I was at the peak of my game for sure,” said Giardina about his late-season success.

Giardina finished third in scoring in the CCC behind Turlock's Prestin Magina and Connor Old. However, it was Giardina who swept medalist honors at the mid-season conference tournament and the CCC championships.

Winning the conference title was a springboard for Giardina's run to the Masters.

“It was a confidence booster for sure,"” Giardina said. “It gave me the sense that I knew I could win a tournament.”

Giardina worked hard this season to keep his emotions under control. He tried to prevent one mistake from leading to two or three out on the course.

“I focused on controlling myself on the course,” he said. “Not getting so mad at myself. I really just tried to hit one shot at a time.”

The approach worked as he turned in his best season. Giardina has high expectations for next year and wants to continue playing golf in college.

“I want to golf in college for sure,” Giardina said. “I’d like to stay in California. I’m not sure what exact school just yet.”

This story was originally published June 22, 2018 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Sun-Star honors the spring male athletes of the year."