Breitbard Stars of the Month, June, 2006

PROFESSIONALS

JOHN DRENNEN (Baseball, Lake County Captains/Rancho Bernardo High) – The second-year pro hit a home run off future Hall-of-Famer Roger Clemens with a first-inning, two-out shot to right field in a Class A game. Clemens pitched in the minor league contest as preparation for his return to the Houston Astros’ roster. Drennen, 19, was born in August 1986, or two months before Clemens pitched in his first World Series for Boston. Drennen, a Cleveland Indians’ first-round draft pick in 2005, finished the month leading the Captains in batting average at .311 with six home runs and 27 RBIs. His on-base percentage was .405 and slugging percentage of .489.

MONIQUE HENDERSON (Track and field, Bonita/Morse High) – The 2004 Olympic gold medalist in the 1,600-meter relay began her 2006 outdoor season by winning the 400 meters at the Reebok Grand Prix on June 3 in New York City. At the USA Track and Field nationals two and a half weeks later in Indianapolis, she placed third in the 400 with a time of 50.71 seconds. In an Olympic year, a third-place finish at the nationals would have qualified Henderson for the U.S. team.

ROSS MARCANO (Golf, Lakeside/Ramona High) – Marcano, an assistant pro at Barona Creek Golf Club the last five years, won the San Diego PGA Chapter Stroke Play Championship on his home course. Marcano earned a first-place check for $4,000 with a final-round of two-under par 70 for a two-stroke victory. He shot a 141 total and for the 36-hold tournament. In high school and college, Marcano played at Ramona High, Palomar College and the University of Utah.

CHRIS YOUNG (Baseball, Padres) – The right-hander acquired in an off-season trade was named the National League Pitcher of the Month. He finished June with a four-game winning streak and 0.93 ERA that improved his overall record to 7-3. He twice flirted with no-hitters – into the sixth inning in one and the eighth in the other while winning both game as shutouts. He allowed just 17 hits in 38 2/3 innings. The 6-foot-10 alumnus of Princeton’s basketball and baseball programs also struck out a career high 12 batters on June 9 against the Florida Marlins.

AMATEURS

JORDAN ABRUZZO (Baseball, USD/El Capitan High) – The junior catcher was named to the NCAA Fullerton All-Regional Team after batting .583 (7-for-12) in three regional games. In 19-12 win over St. Louis, he was 5-for-5 with three home runs, a double, four runs scored and eight RBIs. His home run and RBI totals were both USD single-game records and his three home runs tied a Goodwin Field record. Abruzzo’s year included being named a second-team pick on the All-West Coast Conference team. He drafted in the 39th round by the Boston Red Sox, but he is expected to return for his senior year.

ALLAN DYKSTRA (Baseball, Wake Forest/Rancho Bernardo High) – The left-handed hitting first baseman was named a Freshman All-American by Louisville Slugger as well as the Atlantic Coach Conference Rookie of the Year and a second-team pick on the All-ACC team. He batted .324 (60-for-185) in 55 games and his 15 home runs ranked second in the ACC, one of the nation’s most talented baseball conferences. His final numbers included leading the Demon Deacons in slugging percentage (.670), on-base percentage (.479), RBIs (56), home runs (15), walks (51) and sacrifice flies (9).

TIFFANY JOH (Golf, UCLA/Rancho Bernardo High) – The UCLA All-American and Pac-10 Freshman of the Year won the 30th U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links championship that finished June 25 at Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo, Colo. Joh defeated Kimberly Kim of Hawaii 6 and 5 in the 36-hole final. Joh went 6 up with an eagle from the fairway on the par 4 11th hole.

MEGAN MCALLISTER (Softball, Georgia/Carlsbad High) – The junior infielder added All-American honors to her resume after she earlier was selected as a first-team pick for the second straight year on the All-Southeastern Conference team. McAllister earned second-team All-American honors on the Easton-Bell team and third-team All-American honors on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association team. For the season, she led the Bulldogs and was second in the SEC in both home runs (16) and RBIs (64) while also leading the conference in slugging percentage (.725). She helped the Bulldogs win the SEC Eastern Division title and advance to the NCAA Tournament.

DAN PAYNE (Rugby, OMBAC/San Diego) – The Old Mission Beach Athletic Club rugby team won the USA Rugby Super League national title on June 10 over Southern California arch-rival Belmont Shore at Santa Clara’s Buck Shaw Stadium. OMBAC captain Dan Payne’s charging runs led directly to OMBAC scores during its 36-33 come-from-behind win, and his punishing defense caused numerous Belmont turnovers. Although it was OMBAC’s first Super League national title since the division of elite teams was formed in 1997, OMBAC previously won six national titles during a nine-year stretch in the 1980s and 90s. Payne, a San Diego transplant from New York whose brother Seth Payne plays nose tackle for the Houston Texans, was invited to a tryout for the USA Rugby national team.

KELLY RULON (Women’s water polo, UCLA/University High) – The junior driver was named the national Player of the Year on the All-American team selected by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches. It was the second straight year the University High alumnus from Point Loma was named a first-team All-American as she led the Bruins to a second straight NCAA title. In the final, Rulon scored four goals and set up the game-winner in a 9-8 victory over USC. She set an NCAA tournament record with 11 goals in three games and was named the tournament’s MVP. For the season, she led UCLA in both goals (70) and assists (60).

PREPS

A.J. ACOSTA (Track and field, El Camino High) – The Oregon recruit, a six-time CIF San Diego Section champion in track, began a busy month when he won the CIF State title in the 1,600 meters and attempted a grueling double in the 3,200 but settled for a runner-up finish. Later Acosta won two national titles – one for high school runners and won among junior national (19-and-under) competition. The high school national title was the two mile on June 18 at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, N.C. The junior national title was the 1,500 meters on June 24 at the USA Track and Field Junior Nationals in Indianapolis. His Nike victory earned USA Track and Field’s Athlete of the Week, making him the first high school honoree of the year. Acosta’s time of 8 minutes, 46.32 seconds in the two mile is second in San Diego Section history to the 8:45.2 Thom Hunt ran for Patrick Henry in1976. In the Junior National 1,500, Acosta’s winning time was 3:45.95 and it qualified him for the Junior World Championships Aug. 15-20 in Beijing. Earlier in the month, at the state meet, Acosta’s winning 1,600 time of 4:04.95 ranks No. 1 all-time in the section for 1,600-meter races. But among all-time mile marks, his time of 3:45.73 for a 1,500 race earlier in the year converts to a 4:03.79 mile to rank No. 3 all-time in the section behind Tim Danielson (3:59.4, 1966) and Thom Hunt (4:02.7, indoors, 1976). Later in the summer Acosta ran a 4:03.96 in the Mile Fest on July 1 at Mt. San Antonio College in attempt to break the four-minute barrier.

CHASE BUDINGER (Boys volleyball, La Costa Canyon High) – The Arizona-bound basketball All-American was named the National Player of the Year in volleyball by Volleyball Magazine. The 6-foot-8 senior outside hitter, whose potential Olympic volleyball career is on hold while he pursues college basketball and NBA careers, led La Costa Canyon to a third straight CIF San Diego Section Division I title and he was named CIF Player of the Year for the third straight season. His month also included leading the USA Elite 19-and-under basketball team to the Nike Junior World Championship in France. Budinger was named MVP of the tournament and averaged 21.5 points a game with a high of 40 against Lithuania.

EVAN EMERICK (Boys golf, Carlsbad High) – The Lancers sophomore finished off a season that included the CIF San Diego Section individual title and a third-place finish in the Southern California Regional by being named the Player of the Year on the All-CIF San Diego team. After the Southern California Regional June 1 at SCGA Golf Course in Murrietta, he placed 14th in the state tournament on June 6 at Santa Maria Golf Course.

STEVE FORMAN (Boys tennis, Torrey Pines High) – The Falcons junior successfully defended his CIF San Diego Section singles title with a 6-2, 6-1 win over La Jolla Country Day’s Greg Hirshman. Although he was the defending champion, a loss to Hirshman earlier in the year made Forman the No. 2 seed of the tournament behind Hirshman.

A.J. GRIFFIN (Baseball, Grossmont High) – The University of San Diego-bound pitcher/infielder was named the All-CIF team Player of the Year as he used his control on the mound and his bat and slick glove as a first baseman to lead Grossmont to a second straight CIF San Diego Section Division II title. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound right-hander was 11-3 with a 1.46 ERA while striking out 110 and walking only 16 in 91 innings. He batted .349 with five home runs, 24 RBIs, 24 runs scored and four stolen bases.

KASEY KEARIN (Girls track and field, Rancho Bernardo High) – The Broncos senior followed up her sweep of the long jump and the triple jump at the CIF San Diego Section finals with a sixth-place medal at the CIF State meet. Her mark was 18 feet, 1 ½ inches as she was the only San Diego girl to claim a state-meet medal. She finished the year with best marks in the section in both the long jump (18-10) and triple jump (39-1).

JANAE PORTUGAL (Softball, Westview High) – The San Diego State recruit led the Wolverines to a second straight CIF San Diego Section Division II title and was one of only three players named a first-team choice on the All-CIF team for a second straight season. Portugal tossed a three-hitter for a 4-1 win over Scripps Ranch in the final. In 2005, Portugal led the school to its first CIF championship since it opened in 2002.

Tom Shanahan can be contacted at 619-699-2334 or toms@sdhoc.com. Click on photos for larger images.