The CIF Southern Section released its remaining All-CIF winter selections on Monday, recognizing the best basketball and soccer players in each division. Athletes from La Cañada High School, Flintridge Prep and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy were among those listed.
The lone Spartan to be honored was senior Tess Oakley-Stilson, who made the All-CIF Division 2A second team in girls’ basketball. Oakley-Stilson, who was also named the Rio Hondo League’s Most Valuable Player, was a consistent performer for La Cañada and averaged 14 points, five rebounds, 2.1 assists and 3.1 steals per contest. The senior guard stepped up in the postseason, scoring 25 points in the Spartans’ win over La Verne Bonita and 19 points in a second-round loss at Newbury Park.
Oakley-Stilson helped La Cañada finish its season with a 23-5 record, including a perfect 10-0 record in Rio Hondo League play to bring home the program’s third straight league crown.
“I am very proud of Tess and all that she has accomplished over her four years in the La Cañada basketball program,” said Sarah Beattie, who guided the Spartans the last three years and resigned as the girls’ basketball coach three weeks ago. “This recognition from the other coaches in our division is a great cap to her outstanding career, and I could not think of another player who is more deserving.”
Flintridge Prep had seven athletes and a coach recognized, most of them coming from the girls’ soccer team. The Rebels captured their first-ever CIF-SS girls’ soccer championship last month and were led by Julia Gonzalez. The senior forward was named the Division 3 Player of the Year after scoring 50 goals and recording 16 assists.
“She put up some ridiculous numbers,” said Flintridge Prep head coach Esteban Chavez. “Before league, we played some good competition and she scored in every game. She did what she needed to do for her team when we were missing players in the beginning because of injuries. I’m glad she was able to get her ring.”
Helen Schaefer, Caitlin Fong, Mikaela Celeste and Makenna Dominguez made the All-CIF Division 3 first team, and teammates Mona Cesario, Lindsey Uteda and Yasmeen White were second-team selections.
“Those players got better throughout the season every year,” Chavez said. “They consistently got better, and that shows how much work and detail goes into this. We’ve been constructing this for the last three to four years.”
Chavez was named the Division 3 Coach of the Year after guiding the Rebels to a CIF-SS crown and a CIF State Southern Regional final, feats he had not achieved in his nine years at Flintridge Prep.
“It’s nice to win it, but it’s a product of the girls winning CIF,” he said. “I take pride in it because I know it’s laboring for coaches and for the girls.”
Two members of the Flintridge Prep varsity girls’ basketball team also earned All-CIF honors. Sophomore Kaitlyn Chen and freshman Sofia Gonzalez were named to the Division 3A first team. Chen was one of the best players in the area, averaging 21.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.8 steals per game and leading the Rebels to the Division 3A championship game. Gonzalez adjusted quickly to high school basketball and averaged 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.
The Flintridge Sacred Heart girls’ soccer team captured its first Mission League championship since 2011 this year, and the squad was led by midfielder Amethyst Trang. The UC Irvine-bound standout was a Division 2 first-team selection after helping FSHA finish 10-5-5 on the season. Trang scored eight goals and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player.
