Breitbard Stars of the Month, June 2008

The Hall of Champions has been presenting Star of the Month plaques since 1946. The professional and amateur Stars of the Month represent baseball, football, water polo, golf and track and field. The high school Stars of the Month represent baseball and softball The Stars of the Month from throughout the 2008 calendar year will be honored at the 63rd annual Salute to the Champions dinner on a date to be announced in late February, 2009.

Padres infielder Edgar Gonzalez of Eastlake High: Photo: San Diego Padres.

Colorado Crush's John Dutton of Fallbrook High. Photo: Colorado Crush.

PROFESSIONALS: John Dutton, Edgar Gonzalez, Cole Hamels

JOHN DUTTON (Football, Colorado Crush/Fallbrook High) – The eighth-year veteran quarterback of the Arena Football League led the Crush to the playoffs for the fifth straight year and a first-round win in the wild-card round with a victory over Utah. For the regular season, Dutton threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns to finish the regular season with his career high for passing yards. He completed 450 of 681 passes for 4,547 yards with 94 touchdowns. He ranked fourth in the AFL in both categories. Dutton is a three-time Star of the Month. Dutton is a three-time Star of the Month.

EDGAR GONZALEZ (Baseball, Padres/SDSU/Eastlake High) – The rookie finished June with a .325 batting average for the season and career highs established in a June 30 win at Colorado with four hits, two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored. He became a regular at second base when Tadhito Iguchi was placed on the disabled list on June 6. Among National League hitters in June, Gonzalez’s average (.330) ranked 10th overall, his hits (33-of-100) tied for fifth and his doubles (9) tied for second. Gonzalez is a first-time Star of the Month.

COLE HAMELS (Baseball, Philadelphia Phillies/Rancho Bernardo High) – The left-hander pitching his third big-league season was 3-1 for the month with a 2.61 ERA and a complete-game shutout on June 5 to beat the Cincinnati Reds. He finished June with an 8-5 record. His 103 strikeouts in 120 innings ranked tied for third in the National League. Gonzalez is a first-time Star of the Month. Hamels is a two-time Star of the Month. Hamels is a two-time Star of the Month.

AMATEURS: Stephanie Bagan, Kyle Blair, Brandon Burke, A.J. Griffin, Boldizsar Kocsor, Mike Leake, Jamie Lovemark, Brittany Rowe, Jenna Schuster

STEPHANIE BAGAN (Track and field, San Diego State) – The sophomore pole vaulter earned All-American honors when she finished as the runner-up in the NCAA outdoor championship in Des Moines, Iowa. The Mountain West Conference champion cleared 13 feet, 9 ¼ inches. Bagan is a first-time Star of the Month.

KYLE BLAIR (Baseball, University of San Diego) – The freshman right-hander was named a Freshman All-American by Lousville Slugger. For the season, Blair was 8-4 for the season and struck out a USD freshman record 99 batters. Blair is a first-time Star of the Month.

BRANDON BURKE (Baseball, Fresno State/Rancho Bernardo High) – The senior Fresno State relief pitcher set a school career record for saves and was on the mound when the Bulldogs clinched their first NCAA title in the final of the College World Series against Georgia. He was a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference pick. Burke is a first-time Star of the Month.

A.J. GRIFFIN (Baseball, USD/Grossmont High) – The sophomore right-handed relief pitcher was named one of five finalists for College Stopper of the Year Award voted upon by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. The All-West Conference pick finished the year with 13 saves and a 1.96 ERA. He also was named to pitch for Team USA. Griffin is a three-time Star of the Month.

BOLDIZSAR KOCSOR (Track and Field, UCLA/University City High) – The junior earned All-American honors and the NCAA outdoor championships in Des Moines, Iowa, when he placed fourth with a lifetime best throw of 229 feet, 5 inches. The mark also broke his own UCLA school record. Kocsor is a two-time Star of the Month.

MIKE LEAKE (Baseball, Arizona State/Fallbrook High) – The sophomore pitcher earned second-team All-American honors after earlier being named the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year. He finished the year 11-3, his second straight season with more than ten victories. He was also named to pitch for Team USA. Leake is a two-time Star of the Month.

GARY LEE (Track and field, Fresno State/Hoover High) -- The true freshman placed fifth in the long jump at the NCAA Track and Field finals to earn All-American honors. Lee entered the meet ranked No. 17 in the nation, but he set a personal record with a leap of 27 feet, 5 1/2 inches on his second leap of the day. The mark tied him for fourth, but the tie was broken when Idaho's Elvie Williams had a better second-best mark. The mark also qualified Lee for the U.S. Olympic trials.

JAMIE LOVEMARK (Golf, USC/Torrey Pines High) – The sophomore earned first-team All-American honors for the second straight year from the Golf Coaches Association of America. During the season he led the Trojans to a tie for the Pac-10 team title and a win in the NCAA West Regional. Lovemark is a three-time Star of the Month.

BRITTANY ROWE (Water polo, UCLA/University City High) – Rowe was named a third-team All-American after winning her fourth straight national title with UCLA. She finished her senior season having scored 49 goals on 105 attempts. Rowe logged a team-leading 43 earned exclusions in addition to 27 steals, 14 assists and 10 blocks. Midway through the season, Rowe compiled a 14-match scoring streak. Four straiaght ncaa championship teams. Rowe is a first-time Star of the Month.

JENNA SCHUSTER (Water polo, San Diego State) – The junior earned second-team All-American honors that were announced by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC). Schuster led the Aztecs in scoring 83 goals, the fourth highest total in school history, as she led her team to the NCAA Tournament. Schuster is a first-time Star of the Month.

HIGH SCHOOLS: Matt Cerda, Ashley Lane

MATT CERDA (Baseball, Oceanside High) -- The senior shortstop was named the All-CIF Player of the Year and a first-team All-State selection for all divisions by Cal-HiSports.com. Cerda was drafted in the fourth round by the Chicago Cubs and signed, passing up a scholarship with the University of San Diego. Cerda hit .519 with 16 homers on the year while driving in 46 runs He led the Pirates to back-to-back Avocado League titles and a CIF San Diego Section Division II runner-up finish. Cerda is a first-time Star of the Month.

ASHLEY LANE (Softball, Escondido High) -- The junior infielder followed up earning first-team All-CIF honors by being named second-team All-State on CalHiSports.com's Underclass team. For the year, Lane batted .419 with 20 runs scored and 19 RBIs. She helped Escondido win the Valley League title and a 27-1-2 record. Escondido finished the year ranked No. 1 in San Diego, No. 6 in California and No. 25 in the nation. Lane is a first-time Star of the Month.

Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels of Rancho Bernardo High. Photo: Philadelphia Phillies.