Prep baseball: 2001 Dream Team 2001

Barry Faulkner

- Contrary to budding mythology, fed by increasingly plentiful

victims of his gap-spanning outfield defense, Billy Eagle cannot fly.

Still, the Corona del Mar High junior center fielder clearly soars above

the rest of the Newport-Mesa prep baseball community, in nearly all

facets of the game.

Thus, Eagle tops the Daily Pilot’s All-Newport-Mesa District Dream

Team as Player of the Year.

Joining Eagle on this year’s 14-player unit are repeat selections Eric

Snell, Cavan Cuyler, Andrew Johns and Dave Knecht (all from CdM), as well

as Costa Mesa repeat honorees Carlos Franco and Nick Cabico.

Also representing the Pacific Coast League champion Sea Kings is

sophomore Nick Rhodes, while Mesa, which reached the CIF Southern Section

Division IV quarterfinals, also placed Josh Feldman, Daniel Hunter and

Steven Shores on the team.

Estancia is represented by Brent Davis and J.B. Goff, while Garrett

Brant is recognized from Newport Harbor.

Doug Deats, whose underdog Estancia squad managed to win the

three-game season series with Costa Mesa and post one upset victory over

PCL rival Corona Del Mar, is Coach of the Year for the second straight

spring.

Eagle, who shared Player of the Year laurels as a sophomore, led the

district in batting average (.472), hits (42), home runs (six), doubles

(10) and extra-base hits (16). And that was just the half of it.

When it was time for the other team to hit, the three-year varsity

starter roamed the outfield with rare abandon, saving nearly as many runs

with his glove as he created with his bat and legs.

With one year remaining, he is 49 hits shy of former Sea King Ty

Harper’s district career record hit record, established in three seasons.

“(Eagle) has got a gift, no doubt,” said CdM Coach John Emme, who

appreciates Eagles’ offense, but more consistently marvels at his

defense. “He makes some plays that are surreal to me.”

Eagle’s real value to the Sea Kings included 23 RBIs, 25 runs, 11

stolen bases and only four strikeouts. He hit third most of the year, but

filled in briefly in the leadoff spot. He shared Most Valuable Player

honors in the PCL with USC-bound Jay Nichols of University High.

Snell, like Cabico, Franco and Davis, contributed on the mound, as

well as in the batter’s box and in the field.

Primarily a third baseman, Snell hit .293 with five homers and 18

RBIs. Also an all-district performer in football and basketball, Snell’s

athleticism helped him post a 4-2 pitching record with a minuscule 1.14

ERA. He yielded just five earned runs in 30 2/3 innings on the bump,

where he also earned one save. He plans to walk on with the football

program at UC Berkeley.

Though Johns did not pitch, he diversified his strong offensive

contributions with impressive glove work. Bound for the U.S. Naval

Academy, where he plans to continue his diamond career, the senior first

baseman hit .381 (32 for 84), with one homer 20 RBIs, 16 runs and seven

stolen bases. His ability to scoop low throws out of the dirt at first,

also saved his fellow infielders countless errors and undoubtedly made

him a popular man with his pitchers.

During one critical week in the league schedule, Johns had

game-winning hits in victories over second-place University and

third-place Costa Mesa.

Cuyler, who plans to play water polo at UC Irvine next year, capped a

three-year varsity career with district-leading seven wins in 10

decisions. The competitive right-hander threw a district-high 76 1/3

innings and finished with a 3.48 ERA.

Knecht, who missed two weeks battling mononucleosis, hit .342 with 14

RBIs, 14 runs, seven stolen bases, six doubles and one triple from the

leadoff spot. His value to the team was apparent when CdM collected all

three of its PCL losses during his four-game absence. He plans to walk on

at the University of San Diego.

Johns, Cuyler and Knecht were first-team all-league honorees this

spring.

Franco, a spirited third-year varsity performer, posted a 5-3 pitching

record with a district-best five saves. He struck out 27 in 29 innings

and walked just eight to fashion an impressive 1.45 ERA. Also a first

baseman, he hit .321 with one home run, 24 RBIs, five doubles, 13 runs

and one stolen base. He struck out only five times. He hopes to catch on

at either Orange Coast College or Irvine Valley College.

Cabico, a junior in his third varsity season, went 3-1 with a 1.87 ERA

as the Mustangs’ No. 1 starter, though he did not pitch the final month

of the season due to a sore shoulder. He also hit .370 with 30 hits, 15

RBIs, 20 runs and 10 stolen bases from the No. 2 spot. He played outfield

when not on the mound.

Mesa seniors Feldman, Hunter and Shores were big reasons why the

Mustangs set a school single-season victory record with 17.

Feldman, a leadoff-hitting center fielder, hit .398 with 35 hits, two

home runs, 19 RBIs, 24 runs and 14 stolen bases. He and Cabico were both

first-team All-PCL selections. He plans to play at Irvine Valley.

Hunter, a fiery catcher, hit .344 with four homers, 24 RBIs, six

doubles, 18 runs and three steals. His walk-off three-run homer was the

decisive blow in a second-round playoff win over Mayfair. The Mustangs

MVP, Hunter plans to continue on the diamond at Concordia University.

Hunter and Franco joined Snell on the All-PCL second team.

Shores, a second baseman, hit .372 with 29 hits, four homers, 16 RBIs,

six doubles and 16 runs. His leadership also came in handy as the team

captain. He hopes to continue playing at OCC.

Brant, a smooth technician behind the plate, wasn’t bad standing

beside it either. The Sailor senior hit .427 with 35 hits, two homers, 20

RBIs, 12 doubles, 14 runs and five steals for the Tars. The first-team

All-Sea View League performer, who will play next season at OCC, also

threw out 42% of opponents attempting to steal.

Davis, who had never pitched before but stepped forward to fill a need

for the Eagles, threw 52 1/3 innings, winning three games and posting a

4.01 ERA. His primary contribution, however, came with the bat, hitting

.397. He would like to play next season at OCC.

Rhodes, a left-handed pitcher, compiled a 5-2 record with two saves

and a 3.18 ERA. He struck out 43 and walked only 10 in 56 innings and

should be a fixture on the mound the next two seasons.

Goff, a junior outfielder, hit .390 with 32 hits, 12 RBIs, seven

doubles, three triples, 20 runs and one stolen base for the Eagles.