Postseason recognition swished in for the Malibu High boys basketball team last week.
A heptad of the squad’s players were either named to one of the Tri-Valley League’s all-league teams or received honorable-mention honors, and the Sharks coach, Richard Harris, was named a co-Coach of the Year of the seven-team conference.
Harris, recognized as the Tri-Valley’s top coach along with St. Bonaventure’s Patrick Frank, said he was surprised to receive the award because St. Bonaventure had such a good season.
“It is quite an honor,” Harris said. “I am growing every season and learning more, but I think this award was more a reflection of how well these guys played together as a team.”
Harris coached the Sharks to a 14-5 season. The team had a bye the first round of the CIF playoffs and advanced to the third round where they were defeated by La Puente.
Two of Harris’ players—freshman guard Corey Cofield II and senior forward Jake Hughes—were named to the All-Tri-Valley boys League basketball first team. Twelfth-grade Sharks—guards Anthony Chandrasena and Dylan Hicks and center Canaan Wilson—were named to the second team and junior guard Tanner Sausser and senior forward David Hudson received honorable-mention honors.
Harris said so many Sharks were recognized because the players put the team’s goals ahead of individual ambition. The coach conceded that the players didn’t gel immediately.
“This was a selfless group though, so they all accepted their roles and just started relying on one another to reach their goals,” Harris said. “It was fun to watch.”
Harris noted that Chandrasena, Hudson and Hicks could have played bigger offensive roles, but made sacrifices for the team.
“For all of them to play together and be unselfish says a lot,” Harris said of the Sharks.
He said the coolest part about Malibu players receiving league recognition is that opposing coaches cast votes in the process.
“So, for them to recognize our players and team in the difficult and talent-filled Tri-Valley League is quite a feat,” Harris said.
Boys basketball players weren’t the only Malibu High winter athletes to be acknowledged for play in the Tri-Valley or Frontier Leagues. A shiver of Sharks was honored in girls’ basketball and water polo, plus girls’ and boys’ soccer.
Malibu basketball player Amelia Goudzwaard, a junior center, was named to the All-Frontier League girls basketball first team.
Sophomore Nick Reinhold and junior Ben Lansbury were named to the All-Frontier League boys soccer first team, and sophomore Jesus Espinoza and freshman Diego Franco were placed on the second team. Juniors Ben Silbar and Stephen Tso were honorable-mention selections.
Senior utility player Gaia Hinds was named the Tri-Valley MVP in girls water polo. Hinds’ teammates—seniors Sophie Spivack and Annie Armitage—were named to the league’s girls water polo first team. Shark Sasha Alvarez was second teamer, and Katie Gorak, Lauren Maischoss and Luna Salinas got honorable mention honors.
Sharks girls soccer player Sara Cosentino, a senior forward, was named to the All-Tri-Valley girls soccer first team, and senior midfielder Morrea Morrison was named to the second team.