Alumni represent LAHS in NCAA

In a school that has reached CCS in wrestling, water polo and basketball in this school year alone, it is not a surprise that its best athletes are excelling at the next level. Three athletes, Erik “Deuce” Johnson, ‘08, Kellen McColl, ‘07 and Margueritte Aozasa, ‘08, are using the skills that they have learned from playing at the school to make an impact at the collegiate level.

Erik “Deuce” Johnson

The former third baseman and pitcher for LAHS, Johnson led the Eagles to a CCS Division II Championship in 2007 and to another CCS Division II Championship game in 2008. Now at Cal, he is quickly rising to the top of the Bears organization and has become its top prospect for the 2009 season.

Although the buzz that accompanies this colossal rise to the top of a sport could get to the head of any athlete, Johnson has not let any of the hype about him change his personality.

“It’s a great feeling to do the thing you love every day,” Johnson said. “I am so thankful to be playing baseball at such a high level and receiving a great education from a school I wanted to attend.”

Johnson, who stands at 6’3” and throws a fastball in the low 90s, hopes to be able to carry his summer experience with the Alexandria Beetles club team into the 2010 season for the Bears. In his summer season he finished 4-2 with a 2.61 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 59 innings.

Although the dominant right-hander seems to have a great opporunity in front of him, he has not forgotten his LAHS roots.

“[The 2007 Division II CCS Championship team] was special with a great group of guys,” Johnson said. “I made some life-long friends that I still keep in close touch with.”

Kellen McColl

McColl, who played first base for the Eagles, is hoping for a starting spot in the Stanford Cardinal outfield this year.

According to McColl, 20-plus hour weeks of sports on top of the pressure from the academics isn’t easy.

“Sometimes [the workouts] wear on me physically, mentally and emotionally, but when I take a step back and look at the big picture I realize how lucky I am and am thankful that I have an opportunity not many people get,” McColl said.

At LAHS, McColl was named to the 2007 San Jose Mercury News All-Central Coast Section first-team and San Francisco Chronicle All- Metro first team after hitting .461 with 3 home runs, 32 RBIs and 15 stolen bases during his senior year.

In 2008, Stanford made the College World Series in Omaha, and even though McColl was not able to play his freshman year, he said the experience was unforgettable.

“I didn’t get to contribute much on the field, but knowing that I helped our guys make it there in any way I could was a pretty cool feeling,” McColl said.

McColl says that his success in sports comes from the hard work and dedication that it takes to keep up with the competition.

“Going above and beyond what is asked of you is what separates good from great,” McColl said. “Having a passion for the sport and wanting to accept the culture as a lifestyle is more important than just skills.”

Margueritte Aozasa

Aozasa, one of the key players who helped lead in the recent success of the school’s girl soccer programs and helped the team to win a CCS Championship in 2007 as a junior, is now playing for the girls soccer team at SCU.

Throughout her injury-ridden career, Aozasa has seen her future in a sport that she loves almost slip away multiple times, but gives much credit to her club soccer coach Albertin Montoya.

“I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for him,” Aozasa said. “He instilled in me ideas and standards that allowed me to overcome injuries and get to the level I am today.”

While she had a quick start at the collegiate level of soccer as a freshman, Aozasa soon found herself struggling and unable to compete at the same level the next year. Despite this, Aozasa has been training in the off season and hopes to have a comeback season as a junior.

“As I lost playing time and confidence, I tried to find the good in my situation,” Aozasa said. “When the season ended, although I didn’t play much, I was genuinely proud of the path I decided to take and I knew that I still contributed to my team and what we were trying to achieve.”