Nearly 60 young men and their families recently celebrated the just-concluded and successful season of Point Loma High School (PLHS) baseball during an annual team banquet.
Awards were made to several players from all three teams: varsity, junior varsity and freshman AAU teams.
The evening’s biggest playing awards went to center fielder Matt Arlington, a 6-foot, 205-pound junior who led the team in virtually all offensive categories and was named to the All-Western League first team. Arlington returned from a serious knee injury suffered in a football mishap during early drills last summer.
The Coach Delgado Award, now in its second year, was shared by seniors Andy Martin, a catcher, and outfielder Sean Lund. The award, named for Pointer pitching coach Mike Delgado, is given to players who demonstrate outstanding attitude, effort and teamwork and who lead by example. Delgado returns his coaching stipend annually and award winners determine how the funds will be spent to help next year’s team.
Last year’s winner, Scott Heylman, now the starting shortstop at UC Davis, chose to provide embroidered equipment bags for each player on the current varsity.
Martin and Lund excelled in the classroom, carrying GPAs of 4.07 and 4.67, respectively.
Pointer head coach Jon Posternack and Booster Club President Richard Vermazen hosted a Mexican dinner prepared by team parents.
Finishing with an overall record of 13-13, the Pointers were not awarded a CIF playoff slot. But the team defeated eventual CIF champions Cathedral Catholic (Div. III) and Coronado (Div. IV) and lost to Div. I finalist La Costa Canyon by only three runs (8-5), Posternack noted.
Posternack said the baseball future looks bright for the Pointers, with several sluggers and live arms coming up from a 13-10 junior varsity squad.
Playing in an AAU league, the Pointer freshman team advanced to the tournament quarterfinals.
Varsity awards included:
“¢ Junior Garrett Bruhn, most improved player.
“¢ Junior Coleman Cox, underclassman of the year.
“¢ Andy Martin, senior of the year.
“¢ Senior Thomas Dobbs and Martin, team captains.
“¢ Senior Thor Johnson and Martin, Gold Glove awards.
“¢ Lund, teammate of the year.
Martin will continue his playing career at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Lund and Dobbs will attend UC Berkeley and will room together this fall. Several other Pointer seniors are continuing their careers at local junior colleges, while some may attempt to earn a position as walk-ons at San Diego State University and other schools.
Summer baseball league has already begun for the Pointers. Home games, played at 4 p.m on the Dana Middle School home field:
“¢ Thursday, June 19 vs. Rancho Bernardo.
“¢ Wednesday, June 25 vs. Santana.
“¢ Monday, June 30 vs. Bonita Vista.