Local high schools honor 2023-24 athletes of the year

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (July 24, 2024) — This spring the local high schools honored their athletes of the year.

The awards recognize students who had excelled in their chosen sports during the 2023-24 school year.

Carondelet

Cougar Athlete of the Year Keshia Vitalicio. The senior’s outstanding achievements throughout the year set her apart. She was voted the East Bay Athletic League Most Outstanding Player while leading the Cougars basketball team to an impressive CIF State, NorCal Division 1 runner-up finish. She earned all-Bay Area News Group first team honors. She served as a two-year captain for the Cougars and will continue her basketball career at Lehigh University.

College Park

Female Athlete of the Year Katheryn Isherwood was honored after earning team MVP awards and serving as team captain in both lacrosse and soccer after three years on both varsity teams. The scholar athlete also ran cross country for one year. She was a two-time all-DAL first team lacrosse.

Male Athlete of the Year Matthew Northrup was two-time DAL wrestling champion and last winter placed seventh at NCS. He never missed a practice or training during the regular season senior year and recorded a 42-9 record this past season while having a 3.9 GPA.

Falcon Award Mariah McCoy for exemplary service and dedication to College Park Athletics.

Clayton Valley Charter

Athlete of the Year Male Daniel Martinez earned first or second-team all-DAL honors the past two years in both cross country and track helping the Ugly Eagles to the NCS meets in both sports.

Athlete of the Year Female Ashtyn Hosler was three-time first team all-DAL golf and was also part of three shooting sports for the Ugly Eagles: trap, sporting clays and skeet. She earned 13 varsity letters during her career at CVCHS despite missing some freshman sports in the pandemic.

• Irvine Scholar Athlete Male Angel Gonzalez – Football
• Irvine Scholar Athlete Female – Katie Dargani – Stunt Cheer
• Eagle Award Leadership Fernando Perez – Track
• Bruce Iversen Memorial Award Derek Covert – Basketball
• Football Award Manny Serna
• Pete Lawerence Wrestling Scholarship Award Steven Marin II
• Matt Nolen Memorial Baseball Award Dylan Cesario
• Mark of the Year Female, tie, Molly Gray Diving and Abbi Cooper Wrestling
• Mark of the Year Male Diego Castaneda – Swimming

Concord

Female Athlete of the Year Jasmine Diaz was part of the sideline and stunt program all four years as an outstanding, admired teammate and quiet leader. She was first team all-DAL stunt as a senior as well as team MVP. She was also her East Bay Club STUNT 2023 Most Improved and the school’s 2023 Sideline “Toughest Cheerleader” and best base.

Male Athlete of the Year Monte Beam was an integral part of the Concord football and track teams throughout his high school career although he missed his freshman track season due to Covid. His sprint relay team was together for three years and were undefeated and league champs during their sophomore year in the frosh-soph division. He was a four-year starter on varsity football and was team captain and all-DAL first team as a junior and senior.

De La Salle

Athlete of the Year Alec Blair was selected from among 34 student-athletes nominated by their coaches across 13 sports. Still a junior, Blair is a highly rated professional baseball prospect and one of the top basketball recruits in the country. He averaged over 18 points and five rebounds per game while shooting 54% from the field. His efforts earned him the San Francisco Chronicle’s Contra Costa/Tri-Valley Regional Player of the Year title and EBAL, Cal-Hi Sports and NorCal Preps Player of the Year. Additionally, he was a first team selection by Bay Area News Group, All-State and Cal-Hi Sports. He is currently ranked number 30 in the nation for basketball in the class of 2025 by 247 Sports.

In baseball he batted .373 with a .472 on base percentage and is ranked 22nd for the class of 2025 as a Major League Baseball prospect.

Mt. Diablo

Female Athlete of the Year Makayla Powell earned all-DAL honors as a junior and senior helping her Red Devils team into the NCS and Nor Cal playoffs both years.

Male Athlete of the Year Herschel Turner smashed the school’s football record book that goes back 100 years with an incredible senior season. Turner is headed to Utah State this fall and leaves behind rushing and scoring marks that will likely never be approached with 43 touchdowns (all but one rushing) and 3027 years from scrimmage on only 177 carries, averaging 17 yards a carry and 275 yards per game. He helped propel the Red Devils to the North Coast Section playoffs.

With his rushing total among the national leaders Turner was tabbed all-state first team by MaxPreps. He was selected Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division offensive MVP and was named to the all-Bay Area News Group first team and was all-Metro first team chosen by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Mitch Stephens.

Northgate

Female Eric Griffin Memorial Award Rebecca Fletcher is the first female wrestler to win this award at Northgate after earning first-team all-DAL honors at 118 pounds moving her on to the NCS championships.

Male Eric Griffin Memorial Award Roland Anderson was honored for his football and basketball team performances.