Breitbard Stars of the Month, April, 2006

PROFESSIONALS

BRAD GERLACH (Surfing, San Diego) – Gerlach earned the 2006 Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Award that was announced in April. Gerlach, 40, caught a 68-foot wave on Dec. 21 off Todos Santos Island near Ensanada. Billabong sponsored the contest that was open from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006 and rewarded the surfer who rode the biggest wave. Gerlach earned $68,000, or $1,000 per foot of the wave.

ADRIAN GONZALEZ (Baseball, Padres/Chula Vista/Tijuana) – The Padres first baseman from Eastlake High put together a quick start to in a bid to play his first full season in the Major Leagues. Gonzalez hit for a .300 average for most of the April and made defensive gems with his slick glove look routine. He finished the month sharing the team lead in hits (23), was second in RBIs (12) and tied for second in runs scored (12).

DEENA KASTOR (Women’s marathon, Olympic Training Center) – The Olympic Training Center resident won the London Marathon by breaking her own American record with a time of 2 hours, 19 minutes, 36 seconds. The 2004 Olympic bronze medalist from Agoura, Calif., and the University of Arkansas became only the eighth woman to break the 2:20 barrier.

MEB KEFLEZIGHI (Men’s marathon, San Diego/San Diego High) – The 2004 Olympic silver medalist recorded the best finish by an American in 21 years at the Boston Marathon when he placed third. Keflezhigi finished behind two Kenyans with a time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, 56 seconds, a mark that was fast enough to win the previous three Boston Marathons.

PHIL MICKELSON (PGA Tour, San Diego/University of San Diego High) – “Lefty” won his second Masters Championship and his second straight major title following his victory at the 2005 PGA Championship in August. Mickelson won by two strokes at Augusta with a final-round score of 3-under par 69. He finished with a 7-under par total of 281 to win the first-place check worth $1.26 million. It was also Mickelson’s second straight PGA Tour win after capturing the Bell South Classic on April 2. The Masters was Mickelson’s 29th career tour victory. He is tied with Breitbard Hall-of-Famer Billy Casper for most majors won by a San Diegan and tied for second with Breitbard Hall-of-Famer Gene Littler for PGA Tour wins with 29. Casper won 51 PGA Tour victories.

LUKE WALTON (NBA, L.A. Lakers Lakers/University of San Diego High) – The third-year pro played the best basketball of his NBA career at the end of the regular season and moved into the starting lineup for the opening series of the NBA playoffs against Phoenix. He responded with games of 17 points and 10 rebounds in a 99-92 win for a 2-1 series lead. In Game 4 when the Lakers took a 3-1 lead, he scored a late basket and made a steal with six seconds to play that set up Kobe Bryant’s game-winning shot at the buzzer. He had highs of 19 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists in the series that Phoenix came back to win.

AMATEURS

ERIN FLOROS (Softball, SDSU/Mt. Carmel High) – The freshman catcher from Mt. Carmel High was named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year as she helped the Aztecs to a No. 24 national ranking en route to winning the MWC regular-season title. She batted .457 in April with one home run, 10 RBIs and a .558 on-base percentage. She finished the season honored as a third-team All-American by the National Fastpich Coaches Association. She was the first SDSU player honored in the 30-year history of the Aztecs' program.

KATIE HANSEN (Women’s water polo, Stanford/Coronado High) – The junior driver from Coronado High was named first-team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. She was second on the team in scoring and helped Stanford win the MPSF Tournament title. She finished the season named a first-team All-American by the National Water Polo Coaches Association.

TIFFANY JOH (Women’s golf, UCLA/Rancho Bernardo High) – The freshman from Rancho Bernardo led UCLA to the Pac-10 team title as the Bruins’ medalist and the third-place finisher overall. Joh was named first-team All-Pac-10 and Freshman of the Year. She shot an even par 216 as UCLA won the Pac-10 team title by one stroke. She was later named a first-team All-American by the National Golf Coaches Association.

YATHOMAS RILEY (Boxing/Golden Gloves, San Diego) – Riley, who trains with the Gladiator Boxing Club in San Diego, won the Golden Gloves national light heavyweight title (178 pounds) when he defeated Bear Richardson in an upset on April 29 in Omaha, Neb. Riley was one of nine first-time champions in 11 weight classes at the USA Boxing tournament. Riley, 23, landed several heavy blows en route to a 5-0 decision.

KEONI RUTH (Baseball, USD) – The junior infielder led the Toreros in batting in West Coast Conference play in April as he hit .448 to keep USD in contention for the conference regular-season title. The second baseman from Kamehameha High in Honolulu was 4-for-5 with a double in a 9-3 win April 30 over USF. Ruth finished the season as a first-team All-West Coast Conference pick and was drafted in the 17th round by the Chicago Cubs.

GLENN SWANSON (Baseball, UC Irvine/Morse High) – The senior pitcher from San Diego tossed a no-hitter at USD on April 25 that was UC Irvine’s first no-hitter in 32 years. The left-hander needed only 89 pitches and struck out a career-high 14 batters in the 7-0 complete-game victory. Swanson helped the Anteaters advance to the NCAA Tournament. He signed with the Texas Rangers organization.

PREPS

SARAH AKAMINE (Softball, Escondido High) – The Arizona recruit as third baseman and pitcher led the Cougars at the plate and on the mound as Escondido started the season with a 19-0 record. Akamine finished the month leading the team with a .455 batting average and 10-0 record. Akamine finished the year leading the Cougars to the CIF San Diego Section Division I title and was named the CIF Player of the Year.

DARIUS SAVAGE (Boys track and field, Morse High) – The defending state champion in the discus won the Arcadia Invitational with the No. 1 mark in the nation. His winning toss of 206 feet, 4 inches was one inch short of the CIF San Diego Section record. The UCLA football and track recruit finished the year with a section record of 212 feet, 1 inch and swept the CIF state titles in the discus and shot put. He was the boys track Athlete of the Year for the section.

ERIC HILLENBRAND (Baseball, Torrey Pines High) – The junior right-handed pitcher led the Falcons to rankings of No. 1 in San Diego and No. 1 in the state for all divisions by CalHiSports.com. Hillenbrand, a 6-foot-2, 220-pounder, finished the month leading the team with a 6-1 record and 1.35 ERA. He also led the Falcons with a .472 batting average (34-of-72). He finished the year as a first-team All-CIF pick.

GARRETT MUAGUTUTIA (Boys volleyball, Francis Parker) – The UCLA recruit, a 6-foot-6 middle blocker for the Lancers, set a career high with 30 kills in a non-league win over Mt. Carmel and led Parker as the Lancers’ extended their unbeaten record in Coastal League play. Muagututia later was named an All-American by Volleyball Magazine. He finished the year leading the Lancers to the CIF San Diego Section Division IV title and was named to the All-CIF first team.

MANDY ROSS (Girls track, Christian High) – The junior sprinter won the 400 meters at the Titan Track Festival at Poway and the 800 meters at the Jaguar Invitational and finished the month with the CIF San Diego Section’s leading marks in the 400 and 100. She ended the year as the CIF champion in the 100 and 200 and was the girls track CIF Athlete of the Year.

WHITNEY SPENCE (Girls swimming, Mt. Carmel High) – The Stanford recruit, a 2008 Olympic trials qualifier, led Mt. Carmel to the Granite Hills Invitational team title and finished the month with the fastest times in the CIF San Diego Section in three individual events. At the Granite Hills Invitational, she won the 200 individual medley, 100 freestyle and swam on the winning 200-medley relay. She finished the year as the CIF champion in the 200 freestyle.

Tom Shanahan can be contacted at 619-699-2334 or toms@sdhoc.com.