CIF releases ALL-CIF basketball selections

Several local athletes were honored in the AllCIF selections released on Monday.

Mikah Ballew, of Valencia High School, capped off his high school playing career with a CIF and state championship. A CIF Division 4 Player of the Year award is the cherry on top for Ballew.

The senior shooting guard averaged 22.4 points and five rebounds a game during the Vikings’ championship run.

Junior Bryce Bedgood was also honored alongside Ballew. Valencia’s star forward was dominant in the paint throughout the postseason and finished his CIF run averaging 18.8 points, 13.2 rebounds and more than five blocks a game.

Former Valencia head coach Bill Bedgood was also named Coach of the Year, before retiring after the state championship run.

In the Open Division, the back-to-back Foothill League Player of the Year, Andrew Meadow, picked up his first ALL-CIF selection. Meadow is at the top with a few local athletes who finished their high school careers with long resumes, with plenty of play left.

On the girls’ side, CoLeague MVPS Aaliyah Garcia and Laney Grider were honored in the Division 2AA team. Hart’s Morgan Mack was also named in the selections.

Garcia’s defense and passing capabilities helped lead the team back into another playoff run. The point guard will play collegiately but is yet to commit.

Grider displayed a strong all-around game, highlighted by sharpshooting from behind the arc and defensive skills. Mack, a sophomore, was just as strong of a threat from behind the 3-point line with a strong rebounding game.

Mack has a lot of high school ball left to play but will have Grider not too far away at The Master’s University, should she need any mentoring.

In Division 3A, Trinity forward Emma Schaaf was honored with her first ALL-CIF honors. The Heritage League MVP averaged 23 points and 13.6 rebounds in the Knights’ playoff run.

Schaaf will return to the Knights for one more playoff run next year for her senior season.