Breitbard Stars of the Month, July, 2008

The Hall of Champions has been presenting Star of the Month plaques since 1946. The Professional Stars of the Month represent baseball and football. The high school Stars of the Month represent baseball, softball, volleyball and basketball. Stars of the Month from throughout 2008 will be honored at the 63rd annual Salute to the Champions dinner on Feb. 18, 2009 at the Town and Country Hotel.

Edmonton Eskimos kicker/punter Noel Prefontaine of San Diego State and El Camino High. Photo: Edmonton Eskimos.

Trevor Cahill, pitching for the Oakland A's organization and on the U.S. Olympic team, of Vista High. Photo: Midland Rockhounds.

PROFESSIONALS: Bruce Billings, Trevor Cahill, Jody Gerut, Noel Prefontaine

BRUCE BILLINGS (Baseball, Colorado Rockies organization/SDSU/Morse High) – The second-year pro, playing in the Denver Rockies organization, threw a no-hitter on July 23 for Single-A Ashville with a 10-0 win over Lakewood. He was 3-3 with a 3.23 ERA for the month and is 8-9 for the season. He is a four-time Star of the Month.

TREVOR CAHILL (Baseball, Oakland A’s organization/Vista High) – The right-hander playing his second season of professional baseball in the Oakland A’s system was named to pitch in the XM All-Star Futures Game at Yankee Stadium and named to the USA Olympic team for the 2008 Games in Beijing. The 2006 second-round draft pick threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts at Yankee Stadium. Before he was named to the Olympic team, he was 9-4 with a 2.66 ERA while pitching for Single-A Stockton and Double-A Midland. Cahill helped the U.S. to a bronze medal. He is a first-time Star of the Month.

JODY GERUT (Baseball, Padres) – The Padres centerfielder and leadoff batter hit .303 (20-for-66) with nine runs scored and eight RBIs for the month in 22 games. He lifted his season average to .288 with 32 runs and 24 RBIs. His .288 average ranked third on the team. He is a first-time Star of the Month.

NOEL PREFONTAINE (Football, Edmonton Eskimos/SDSU/El Camino High) – The veteran kicker/punter helped the Edmonton Eskimos to a 4-2 start as he finished the month leading the Canadian Football League in scoring with 75 points. Prefontaine is playing his 11th CFL season but his first with Edmonton after the Eskimos acquired him from the Toronto Argonauts for a first-round draft pick. Prefontaine has hit 17-of-22 field goals with a long of 54 yards and is 17-of-17 on PATs. He is a three-time Star of the Month.

AMATEURS

Sam Cyr

SAM CYR (Golf, Point Loma Nazarene) -- Cyr followed up winning the NAIA individual national title by leading the U.S. to a win in the USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship at Tokyo Golf Club. Cyr, from Hawaii, won two of his three matches. He was the third Point Loma golfer to win an NAIA title when he won his national title in May at Indiana National Golf Course in Plymouth, Ind.

HIGH SCHOOLS

Ariana Elegado, Kellie Fox, Natalie Hagglund, Trina Harrison, Ryan O'Sullivan, Kelly Reeves

ARIANA ELEGADO (Basketball, La Jolla Country Day) -- The Torreys' junior point guard averaged 10 points and four assists a game to lead LJCD to the highest finish by a San Diego school in the 22nd annual San Diego Classic, the nation's largest girls high school basketball tournament with 323 teams. She is a first-time Star of the Month.

KELLIE FOX (Softball, Mt. Carmel High) -- The Sundevils shortstop, who helped Mt. Carmel win a second straight CIF San Diego Section Division II title, wrapped up her sophomore season with honors on the All-State team selected by CalHi.sports.com and was selected to play in the Under Armour All-American game in July in Orlando, Fla. Fox batted .429 with six home runs and 33 RBIs. She is a first-time Star of the Month.

NATALIE HAGGLUND (Volleyball, La Costa Canyon High) -- Hagglund helped the Wave, an Encinitas-based club team, to a national title by winning the 16-and-under Junior Olympics Open division title. The junior outside hitter was named to the all-tournament team. Later in the month she teamed with Wave teammate Kelly Reeves to win a national title in the USA Volleyball Junior Olympics Beach Volleyball 16-and-under division at Manhattan Beach. She is a first-time Star of the Month.

TRINA HARRISON (Softball, Oceanside High) -- The Cal-State Fullerton-bound infielder earned first-team honors on both the All-State team picked by Cal-HiSports.com and the All-American team selected by EA Sports. Harrison hit .639 as a senior and set CIF San Diego Section records for home runs in a season with 17 and in a career with 41. She is a first-time Star of the Month.

SHA'DARE McNEAL (Volleyball, Fallbrook High) -- McNeal played for the 20-and-under USA Junior National team that won a gold medal at the the NORCECA Women's Junior championships in in Saltillo, Mexico. In the championship match, McNeal helped the U.S. defeat the Dominican Republic 25-21, 25-20, 25-18. McNeal, a senior in the fall, is committed to play for Texas.

RYAN O'SULLIVAN (Baseball, Valhalla High) -- The San Diego State-bound infielder/pitcher earned first-team All-State honors on the team picked by CalHi-Sports.com. O'Sullivan finished his senior year batting .407 (35-of-86) with 13 home runs and 34 RBIs. On the mound, he was 8-2 with a 2.09 ERA and 81 strikeouts. He is a two-time Star of the Month.

KELLY REEVES (Volleyball, Cathedral Catholic) -- Reeves led The Wave, an Encinitas-based club team, to a national title by winning the 16-and-under Junior Olympics Open division title. The junior outside hitter was named the tournament MVP. Later in the month she won two more titles. She was named to play for the 18-and-under USA Youth National team that won the gold medal in the NORCECA Women's Youth championship in Puerto Rico that won a gold medal. On July 19, she paired up with Wave teammate Natalie Hagglund to win the USA Volleyball Junior Olympics Beach Volleyball National title in the 16-and-under division at Manhattan Beach. She is a first-time Star of the Month.

Contact Tom Shanahan at toms@sdhoc.com.

The Padres' Jody Gerut. Photo: San Diego Padres.