Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Mater Dei
Photo by Louis Lopez
First team
F - Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) 6-0, So.
Perhaps the most improved player in the country, Mosqueda-Lewis was one of the main reasons Mater Dei went from a California afterthought to a national power in one season, earning the No. 4 ranking in the MaxPreps final national Xcellent 25. Mosqueda-Lewis averaged 22.5 points and 12 rebounds per game.
DeNesha Stallworth, Pinole Valley
Photo by Dennis Marpuri
F - DeNesha Stallworth (Pinole Valley, Pinole) 6-3, Sr.
The McDonald’s All-American finished 15th in the country by averaging 27.7 points per game to go along with 12.2 rebounds and 3.1 blocks. She shared team-high honors with 11 points leading the West to a 69-68 victory. College: Cal.
Monique Oliver, Poly
Photo by Gary Jones
C - Monique Oliver (Long Beach Poly) 6-2, Sr.
Led the Jackrabbits to an unprecedented fourth straight state Division I title by averaging 15.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.2 steals per game. The McDonald’s All-American is a true post player who is fundamentally very sound and versatile. College: USC
Layshia Clarendon, Cajon
Photo by Heston Quan
MAXPREPS STATE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
G - Layshia Clarendon (Cajon, San Bernardino) 5-8, Sr.
Did it all for the Cowboys (32-3), ranked No. 14 nationally in the final Xcellent 25. She averaged 20.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 3.2 steals per game for Cajon, which lost to No. 3 Brea Olinda and No. 4 Mater Dei and also had a win over Brea Olinda. College: Cal.
Chelsea Gray, St. Mary's
Photo by Gary Jones
G - Chelsea Gray (St. Mary’s, Stockton) 5-11, Jr.
Grew five inches from her sophomore to junior year and with it her game did also. She led the Rams (31-3) to a state Div. III title and No. 6 national Xcellent 25 ranking by averaging 19.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. See story.
Second Team
F – Tierra Rogers (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco), 5-11, Sr
A two-time All-Bay Area first team selection and a member of the McDonald’s All-American team, Rogers has helped make the Fightin’ Irish one of the top teams in the country the past two seasons. She has committed to play for the Cal Bears.
F – Christina Marinacci (Foothill, Santa Ana), 6-1, Sr
Marinacci was a McDonald’s All-American and was also named the player of the year in Orange County. She averaged 19.1 points per game and 10.1 rebounds. She’s headed to USC next year.
C – Gennifer Brandon (Chatsworth), 6-3, Sr
Brandon averaged 21.2 points and a whopping 17.8 rebounds per game in earning Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year honors. She was also a McDonald’s All-American and has committed to play at Cal.
G – Niveen Rasheed (Monte Vista, Danville), 6-0, Sr
Rasheed helped lead the Mustangs to a 29-3 record and a spot in the Division 1 state finals against Long Beach Poly. An all-Bay Area first team selection by the San Francisco Chronicle, Rasheed has committed to play at Princeton.
G – Ki-Shawna Moore (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco), 5-8, Sr
Selected as the West Catholic Athletic League MVP, Moore guided the Sacred Heart Cathedral team to a 61-2 record the past two seasons and a pair of Central Coast Section championships. She has committed to play at Washington State next year.
Third Team
F - Inga Orekhova (Bishop's School, La Jolla), 6-3, Sr
Named the San Diego County player of the year, Orekhova averaged 20.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in leading Bishop’s School to a section championship. She’ll head to Northwestern next year.
F - Afure Jemerigbe (St. Mary's, Stockton), 6-0, Jr
She combines with Chelsea Gray to give St. Mary’s one of the top tandems in the country. Able to play guard or forward, Jemerigbe poured in 23 points in the state finals against Inglewood to give the Rams the championship.
F - Kendall Rodriguez (Brea Olinda), 6-0, Sr
The Wildcats finished the season ranked No. 1 in the country and Rodriguez was a big reason why. Named the Southern Section Division II-AA player of the year averaged 11.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
G - Madison Parrish (Hanford), 5-9, Soph
Hanford captured a Central Section championship and Parrish was named the Fresno Bee’s All-Area player of the year after averaging 12.3 points and 7.4 assists per game. Helped lead the Bullpups to the second round of the SoCal playoffs before falling to eventual champion Brea Olinda.
G - Eliza Pierre (Muir, Pasadena), 5-8, Sr
A McDonald’s All-American, Pierre was also the Pasadena Star News player of the year. She averaged just over 11 points per game and will take her talents to Cal next year.
Honorable Mention
Camille Buckley (Colony, Ontario), 6-0, Sr
Averaged 22.0 points and 12.8 rebounds per game and was the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin player of the year. She’ll play for Loyola Marymount next year.
Darshae Burnside, (Cajon, San Bernardino), 6-3, Sr
The Arkansas recruit was an All-CIF Div. 1-AA first team selection who averaged 17.6 points and 16.2 rebounds per game while blocking 4.2 shots.
Talia Caldwell, (Marlborough, Los Angeles), 6-3, Sr
Caldwell earned All-CIF Div. 3-AA first team honors and averaged 12.3 points per game. She will play at Cal next year.
Tayler Champion, (Inglewood), 6-1, Sr
Helped lead Inglewood to a SoCal championship while averaging 13.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. She has committed to the Oregon State Beavers.
Jonae Ervin, (Brea Olinda), 5-2, Sr
Named the co-player of the year for Southern Section Div. II-AA along with teammate Rodriguez, she averaged 10.7 points and four assists per game. She has committed to Cal-Poly.
Morgan Hatten, (Clovis West), 5-11, Sr
A contender for player of the year honors in the Fresno area, Hatten averaged 14.4 points, 5.2 assists and 10.6 rebounds a game. She’ll play at Saint Mary’s next year.
Sarah James, (Oak Ridge, El Dorado Hills), 5-10, Sr
The Sacramento Bee’s All-Metro player of the year, James averaged 20.9 points, 10.9 rebounds and 4.4 steals per game in leading the Trojans to a section championship.
Jasmine Lister, (Santiago, Corona), 5-5, Jr
Lister was a first team All-Southern Section 1-AA pick after averaging 21.9 points per game with 94 3-pointers.
Tre'Shonti Nottingham, (Canyon Springs, Moreno Valley), 5-5, Sr
One of the top players in the Inland Empire, Nottingham was a first team All-Southern Section 1-A pick and a member of the Riverside Press-Enterprise first team. She averaged 17.8 points per game and will play at UC Riverside.
Lauren Polansky, (Branson, Ross), 5-9, Jr
Polansky has helped Branson win a pair of state championships in her time on the varsity and she also earned a spot on the San Francisco Chronicle’s All-Bay Area team as the player of the year in the North Bay.
Brittany Shine, (Sacramento), 5-10, Jr
Made the Sacramento Bee’s All-Metro first team and helped her team finish second in the Sac-Joaquin behind St. Mary’s. Averaged 14.9 points and 5.0 assists per game.
Cierra Windham, (Norco), 6-2, Sr
Named to the All-CIF Div. II-AA first team, 18.4 points and 9 rebounds per game for the Cougars.
Ashley Ward, (Woodbridge), 5-10, Jr
Ward was named the Southern Section Div. III-AA player of the year after leading Woodbridge to a section championship.
Brittany Wilson, (Poly, Long Beach), 5-7, Jr
Found a place on the Southern Section Div. 1-A first team and was guiding the Jackrabbits to a state championship. She averaged eight points per game while directing the offense.
Melissa Zornig, (Santa Margarita), 5-9, Jr
Shared Southern Section Div. III-AA honors with Ward after averaging 23.6 points per game.
Jeff Sink, Brea Olinda
Photo by David Steutel
Coach of the Year
Jeff Sink, Brea Olinda - The Wildcats went 33-2, won their last 27 games and knocked off the No. 1 ranked team in the nation in Mater Dei. Sink's squad finished the year ranked No. 1 in the MaxPreps/Army National Guard rankings national rankings and won a ninth state championship - more than any boys or girls program in state history.
Division 1
G - Layshia Clarendon (Cajon, San Bernardino)
G - Morgan Hatten (Clovis West)
C - Monique Oliver (Poly, Long Beach)
F - Gennifer Brandon (Chatsworths)
F - Niveen Rasheed (Monte Vista, Danville)
Division 2
G - Sarah James (Oak Ridge, El Dorado Hills)
G - Madison Parrish (Hanford)
C - DeNesha Stallworth (Pinole Valley, Pinole)
F - Koleena Mosqueda Lewis (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
F - Kendall Rodriguez (Brea Olinda)
Division 3
G - Chelsea Gray (St. Mary's, Stockton)
G - Ki-Shawna Moore (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco)
F - Christina Marinacci (Foothill, Santa Ana)
F - Tierra Rogers (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco)
F - Afure Jemerigbe (St. Mary's, Stockton)
Division 4
G - Brandi Henton (Modesto Christian), 5-8, Jr
Modesto Bee player of the year; averaged 15.8 points per game.
G - Jhazmine Lynch (Mater Dei Cathedral, Chula Vista), 5-6, Sr
Led the Crusaders to a state title; averaged 15.0 points per game.
F - Nicole Hung (Harvard-Westlake, North Hollywood), 5-11, Jr
The Southern Section Div. IV-A player of the year; averaged 18.8 points per game.
F - Inga Orekhova (Bishop's School, La Jolla)
F - Sage Romberg (McKinleyville), 6-0, Jr
The Humboldt Del Norte Big Five MVP averaged 19.0 points, 4.3 assists and 11.3 rebounds per game.
Division 5
G - Lauren Polansky (Branson, Ross)
G - Cheyenne Williams (Bradshaw Christian, Sacramento), 6-1, Jr
Led the Pride to a Sac-Joaquin Section title averaging 22.1 points per game.
C - Shelley Gupalin (Bellarmine-Jefferson, Burbank), 5-9, Sr
Led the Guards to a state championship and was the Southern Section Div. V-A player of the year.
F - Shaneva Hayward (View Park Prep, Los Angeles), 5-8, Sr
Made the All-City Section team while averaging 15.5 points per game.
F - Lindsay Nickel (Pinewood, Los Altos Hills), 5-11, Sr
Led Pinewood to a NorCal championship while averaging 13.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
MaxPreps senior writer Mitch Stephens contributed to this story.
