Vedder, Wilkes Come Away With Top County Honors

Justin Vedder, Saddleback’s record-setting quarterback, Cypress softball pitcher Jamie Wilkes and Golden West volleyball player Mariah Marquis have been selected Orange County community college athletes of the year.

Vedder, from Laguna Hills High, helped Saddleback to an 11-0 record and a co-national championship. Vedder, who has since transferred to California, threw for 2,753 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Wilkes, from Bolsa Grande High, was 39-4 for Cypress, which won the state title. She was 4-1 in the state tournament, including a one-hitter as Cypress beat Sacramento, 5-0, in the title game.

Marquis, a freshman outside hitter from Santa Cruz Harbor High, was the most valuable player of the state tournament for Golden West, which won its fourth consecutive state title. She also was co-most valuable player in the Orange Empire Conference.

The selections were made in a vote of sports information directors.

Cypress softball Coach Brad Pickler was selected female sport coach of the year. His team finished 66-5 and set a single-season state record for victories.

Saddleback’s Bill Cunerty and Golden West’s Mike D’Alessandro were the male sport co-coaches of the year. Cunerty’s football team was 11-0 and his golf team was 17-0 in conference matches.

D’Alessandro’s volleyball team was 19-1 and won the state title.

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Dieter Horton, who has been a walk-on men’s basketball coach at Fullerton College the last two years, has been hired full time.

Horton, in his first full season last year, helped Fullerton to a second-place finish in the conference. The previous season, Fullerton did not win a conference game.

Fullerton finished 19-13 under Horton, advancing to the second round of the Southern California playoffs. At 26, Horton is the youngest community college head coach in the state.

“I’m so excited,” Horton said. “This is the only job I wanted. I was asked to apply for others, but I didn’t.”

Fullerton also announced the hiring of Tim Byrnes as a full-time assistant football coach. Byrnes has worked with the running backs in a part-time role for the last four seasons.

A Sunny Hills High graduate, he played for current Fullerton College Coach Gene Murphy when Murphy was head coach at Cal State Fullerton.