BVAL coaches selected the three local players as special award winners when the division all-league teams were picked recently.

Mt. Hamilton girls

Liz Widgren of Leland was named the Most Valuable Player in the BVAL's Mt. Hamilton Division after leading Leland to a league championship. The senior forward helped the Chargers to an 11-1 finish in league play and a 20-6 record overall.

Widgren led the league in scoring with 412 points (15.8 per game) and she also topped the circuit in rebounds (251).

Joining Widgren on the league's special honors list were teammates Jackie George and Kristen Yoshioka, Del Mar's Ali Mollet, Westmont's Rachel Gellman, Leigh's Laura McLellan and Santa Teresa coach C.J. Howard.

Mollet, the star guard for the Dons, was named the division's Senior of the Year and Gellman and George shared the Junior of the Year award. Mollet figured among the league leaders in rebounds (third at 162), assists (second at 101) and blocked shots (third at 37); Gellman was among the leaders in scoring (third with 361 points), three-pointers (third at 26), steals (first at 93) and assists (third at 91); and George was up there in blocked shots (second at 40).

McLellan (second in scoring, first in blocks and second in rebounds) was named the Sophomore of the Year and Yoshioka (first in three-pointers and third in steals) was the Freshman of the Year. Howard was named the Coach of the Year.

Earning all-league first team spots were McLellan of Leigh, Yoshioka and George of Leland, Gellman of Westmont, Mollet of Del Mar, Brianca Russel of Piedmont Hills and Kristen Lebherz of Santa Teresa.

Nabbing spots on the second team were Westmont sophomore guard Lynley Takaki, senior Gladia Castro and junior Nadia Walton of Del Mar, sophomore Natalie Nurnberg of Leigh, junior Jessica Scialabba and senior Tamika Williams of Oak Grove and junior Bianca Grogan of Piedmont Hills.

Santa Teresa boys

Dan White of Branham was picked the MVP in the Santa Teresa Division of the BVAL after leading the Bruins to a co-championship with Westmont. The two clubs each finished 12-2 in league play, and the Bruins were 18-7 for the year.

White, a senior forward, was a top scorer for the Bruins, and he was joined on the special honors list by Senior of the Year Nick Ward of Willow Glen, Junior of the Year Chris Bushnell of Overfelt, Sophomore of the Year Chantz Staden of Westmont and Coach of the Year Leo Hermosa of Independence.

Nailing all-league first team slots in the division were seniors Max Gourd and Justin Ble of Willow Glen, senior Josh Lagod of Branham, Staden of Westmont, sophomore David Farsai of Leland, junior Kevin Haynes of Prospect and senior Erwin Tadios of Mt. Pleasant.

Winning all-league second team positions were junior Michael Johnson and senior Rick Meinhold of Westmont, senior Steve Rebagliati and junior Will Robinson of Willow Glen, senior Josh Garcia of Branham, senior Joseph Castillo of Independence and senior Harvir Purewall of Overfelt.

West Valley girls

Maja Johnson of Willow Glen was named the MVP of the BVAL's West Valley Division after leading the Rams to a co-championship with Prospect. The two clubs finished league play with matching 13-1 records.

Johnson was the division leader in rebounds with 181 and she was second in scoring (313 points, 12.5 per game) and steals (33).

Amy Gannon of Willow Glen won the league's Coach of the Year award with Jade Miyakusa of James Lick and Kura Rodriguez the co-Seniors of the Year, Kathleen Roboton of Evergreen Valley the Junior of the Year and Shelly Otaguro of Prospect the Sophomore of the Year. Otaguro was third in the league in scoring (284 points) and second in three-pointers (16).

Seniors Katie Barnes of Prospect and Kiley McKown of Willow Glen were joined on the all-league first team by seniors Angela Nieto and Chloe Dorvilias of Yerba Buena, sophomores Courtney Taku and Jennifer Gines of Evergreen and senior Tamika Vaughn of Overfelt.

Winning all-league second team spots were senior Mikka Dixon of Willow Glen, Otaguro of Prospect, sophomore Jamelle Jones and senior Kimberly Carrasco of San Jose, junior Elizabeth Humphers of Evergreen, senior Daneisha Ward of Lick and freshman Alex Scoffone and senior Alycia Hurtado of Lincoln.