Fallbrook hoopsters named to all-league teams

After what can only be described as a strong rebound for the boys' and girls' basketball teams at Fallbrook High School this past winter season, two players from each of the teams were named to the Valley League all-league teams.

Head coach Jessica Ramirez's Warriors girls' varsity team went 6-4 in league and 17-11 overall, falling in the first round of the CIF playoffs.

As a result, sophomore point guard Naiya Kurnik, a 5-9 sophomore was named to the Valley League's First Team. Senior forward Antonia Rosario was selected to the league's second team.

Senior shooting guard Kate Calhoun and sophomore forward Ellie Ahrend were named as honorable mention performers.

The boys' team seeded No. 1 in the Division 5 CIF Playoffs, fell short of advancing to the finals with a close loss at home in the semifinals.

That was quite a rebound from the 2018-2019 season that saw the Warriors win only one game all season. This spring they finished with an 18-9 record, going 5-5 in league play, under head coach Ryan Smith.

Four-year varsity player Joel Calhoun was named to the Valley League's First team and senior guard Cooper Sherman was named to the second team.

Smith thought Calhoun deserved more consideration for the league's player of the year honors, which went to Escondido High School's Nicholas Payne.

"It's disappointing, I think he deserved it, but at the same time you have to win or get to a CIF championship game to be able to get that award," Smith said. "But I think Joel kinda resurrected the program that had been down the last four or five years in doing what he did. And then the stats of the average about 22 a game and about eight rebounds.

"I'm a little bit bummed he didn't get it, but at the same time, it does go by how far you get, and unfortunately we didn't get there, so I can see why," he said.

Smith said he was proud of both his senior athletes.

"I think they both had great years," he said. "Joel's been on varsity for four years and for me three years where he's steadily gotten better and better. He was the second team kid last year. He was, I think, honorable mention in his sophomore year. It just kind of culminated the end of his high school career, getting first-team all-league and being a leader and transforming the program the way he did this year too.

"Cooper has shown probably some of the biggest growth I've seen from a kid in my years coaching where he's kind of an unknown his sophomore year and he was athletic and had potential, and it just kind of all came together by a senior year. For Cooper, it has kind of been like a light switch that clicked on his head, and he just transformed this year and was able to get a second-team spot.

"That was awesome for both those guys. I'm very proud of both of them," Smith said.

Jeff Pack can be reached by email at [email protected].