Laguna Hills’ Hick Is Named Scholar Athlete of the Year

Laguna Hills’ Jeff Hick toiled in anonymity as a blocker for the county’s all-time leading rusher, but Monday, he was named the CIF Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Hick is the first offensive lineman to receive the statewide honor since the award began in 1982. He is the fourth boys’ winner to come from Orange County.

Laguna Hills won the Southern Section’s Division VIII champion as Michael Jones broke the county rushing record and ended 82 yards short of the state record.

Hick, a Times’ All-Orange County guard who scored 1470 on the SAT, had a 3.95 (unweighted) grade-point average. Bound for Brigham Young, he will receive a $5,000 scholarship.

The girls’ winner was Esther Gurrola, a basketball and softball player from Fillmore.

They will be introduced before the state legislature March 19, at halftime of Sacramento Kings’ game that night, and participate in a luncheon as part of the state basketball finals.

Each applicant was required to complete an essay titled “Catching the Spirit,” which focused on the importance of sportsmanship.

El Toro pitcher Suzanne Guy was named the winner for softball, and Cypress’ Melissa Kuo the winner for badminton. Both receive $2,000 scholarships.

Guy is ranked 13th in a class of 553 with a 3.8 GPA. Kuo is fourth in her class of 445 with a 3.98 GPA. Kuo also played tennis.

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The site for tonight’s Southern Section Division I-A girls’ basketball semifinal game between Marina and Ventura Buena has been changed. It will be played at 7:30 at Westminster instead of Fountain Valley.