Editor's note
Online sports producer Drew McCullough is spending his summer digging through Star archives and compiling a list of every high school athlete of the year since 1999. Today: 2002-03.
High School Reunion: 2002-03 Athletes of the Year
Here's a look at the Arizona Daily Star's 2002-03 high school athletes of the year.
Editor's note
Football player of the year
Football player of the year
Name: Phillip Pickett
School: Catalina
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Football
From the archives: Behind the rushing of Southern Arizona player of the year Phillip Pickett, Catalina had its first winning season since 1974. — Star staff, 2002
Girls volleyball player of the year
Girls volleyball player of the year
Name: Rebekka Brown
School: Sierra Vista Buena
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Girls volleyball
From the archives: In Sierra Vista, Buena staved off a potential third game to beat Westwood in a first-round match Monday. In the process, Buena (30-5) set a school record for victories in a season.
Rebekka Brown had a team-high 10 kills and 14 digs to lead the Colts into the second round of the 5A state tourney for the first time in school history. — Star staff, 2002
Boys cross country runner of the year
Boys cross country runner of the year
Name: Ben Reed
School: Catalina Foothills
Year in school: Junior
Sport: Boys cross country
From the archives: Catalina Foothills junior Ben Reed captured the Class 4A state cross country title and helped lead his team to the championship for the third consecutive year. — Andrea Aker, 2002
Girls cross country runner of the year
Girls cross country runner of the year
Name: Valerie McGregor
School: Mountain View
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Girls cross country
From the archives: The Class 5A girls state championship turned into a bout of sibling rivalry as the McGregor sisters from Mountain View battled with the Sammons sisters from Phoenix Desert Vista for first place.
Valerie McGregor managed to pull ahead in the final stretch of the 3.1-mile course at Anthem Community Center to secure her title as the state champion with a time of 18 minutes 22 seconds.
Her twin sister, Emily, finished third at 18:26. — Andrea Aker, 2002
Boys golfer of the year
Boys golfer of the year
Name: Michael Thompson
School: Rincon/University
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Boys golf
From the archives: Senior Michael Thompson finished fifth individually and helped Rincon/University win the 4A boys state golf championship. — Star staff, 2002
Girls golfer of the year
Girls golfer of the year
Name: Andrea Ratigan
School: Rincon/University
Year in school: Freshman
Sport: Girls golf
From the archives: A familiar name remained atop the team leader board, but a new one emerged from individual play Tuesday at the Class 4A girls state tournament.
Rincon freshman Andrea Ratigan won the individual honor with a 153 total. — Mike Marco, 2002
Boys swimmer of the year
Boys swimmer of the year
Name: Paul Oman
School: Rincon/University
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Boys swimming and diving
From the archives: Senior Paul Oman broke his own state records in the 200 IM and 100 breast stroke. Oman's time of 1:51.22 in the IM shattered his previous record of 1:52:56. — Danny Van Klaveren, 2002
Girls swimmer of the year
Girls swimmer of the year
Name: Abbey McIntosh
School: Rincon/University
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Girls swimming and diving
From the archives: The Rangers' Abbey McIntosh capped off her high school swimming career with a successful defense of her 200 free (1:50.90) and added a win in the 100 free (52.15) to her impressive list of accolades. — Danny Van Klaveren, 2002
Boys basketball player of the year
Boys basketball player of the year
Name: Scott Lackey
School: Mountain View
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Boys basketball
From the archives: Lackey was one of the premier guards in Southern Arizona. — Star staff, 2003
Girls basketball player of the year
Girls basketball player of the year
Name: Sybil Dosty
School: Salpointe Catholic
Year in school: Junior
Sport: Girls basketball
From the archives: The 6-foot-3-inch junior scored a game-high 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting during the 2003 Class 5A state championship game, and added 11 rebounds and a state final record-tying five blocks.
"My teammates were doing whatever they could to get the ball inside to me," said Dosty, who had 23 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in a 61-57 loss earlier this season to Highland, the Lancers' only other loss. "(Highland) didn't play me any different than anyone else. I was just really fired up." — Brian J. Pedersen, 2003
Boys soccer player of the year
Boys soccer player of the year
Name: Corey Sipos
School: Salpointe Catholic
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Boys soccer
From the archives: Corey Sipos, a Fresno State signee, scored 13 goals, in addition to solidifying the Lancers' backline in leading them to the Class 5A state final. — Brian J. Pedersen, 2003
Girls soccer player of the year
Girls soccer player of the year
Name: Levise Robertson
School: Catalina Foothills
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Girls soccer
From the archives: Catalina Foothills won its first Class 4A soccer title this season, thanks to senior Levise Robertson. — Star staff, 2003
Wrestlers of the year
Wrestlers of the year
Name: Nick Gallick
School: Sunnyside
Year in school: Sophomore
Sport: Wrestling
From the archives: Gallick was undefeated in 44 matches and won his second straight individual state championship. — Star staff, 2003
Name: Matt Lopez
School: Sunnyside
Year in school: Sophomore
Sport: Wrestling
From the archives: Lopez won his second straight individual state championship. — Star staff, 2003
Baseball player of the year
Baseball player of the year
Name: Steven Pesqueira
School: Sunnyside
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Baseball
From the archives: Sunnyside senior shortstop/pitcher Steven Pesqueira hit .580 with 44 stolen bases during the regular season and also was 6-1 on the mound. — Star staff, 2003
Softball player of the year
Softball player of the year
Name: Kady Garrick
School: Canyon del Oro
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Softball
From the archives: Canyon del Oro senior pitcher Kady Garrick struck out a state-record 34 batters in one game while leading the Dorados to the Class 5A state semifinals. — Star staff, 2003
Boys tennis player of the year
Boys tennis player of the year
Name: Adrian Lai
School: Rincon/University
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Boys tennis
From the archives: Rincon/University senior Adrian Lai won his second straight Class 4A state singles title. — Star staff, 2003
Girls tennis player of the year
Girls tennis player of the year
Name: Hala Sufi
School: Catalina Foothills
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Girls tennis
From the archives: Sufi became only the second girl in Arizona history to win four high school state tennis singles titles. — Star staff, 2003
Boys track athlete of the year
Boys track athlete of the year
Name: Eric Chavez
School: Rio Rico
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Boys track and field
From the archives: Rio Rico senior Eric Chavez won four Class 3A state individual titles. — Star staff, 2003
Girls track athlete of the year
Girls track athlete of the year
Name: Amber Gill
School: Rincon/University
Year in school: Junior
Sport: Girls track and field
From the archives: Rincon/University junior Amber Gill won the Class 4A state title in the 100-meter dash. — Star staff, 2003
Boys volleyball player of the year
Boys volleyball player of the year
Name: Poasa Masaniai
School: Sierra Vista Buena
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Boys volleyball
From the archives: Sierra Vista Buena senior Poasa Masaniai led the Colts to a 30-win season. — Star staff, 2003
More High School Reunions
Click the photo below to check out more athletes of the year in our "High School Reunion" series.
2002 girls volleyball player of the year
2002 girls volleyball player of the year
Name: Rebekka Brown
School: Sierra Vista Buena
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Girls volleyball
From the archives: In Sierra Vista, Buena staved off a potential third game to beat Westwood in a first-round match Monday. In the process, Buena (30-5) set a school record for victories in a season.
Rebekka Brown had a team-high 10 kills and 14 digs to lead the Colts into the second round of the 5A state tourney for the first time in school history. — Star staff, 2002
2002 football player of the year
2002 football player of the year
Name: Phillip Pickett
School: Catalina
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Football
From the archives: Behind the rushing of Southern Arizona player of the year Phillip Pickett, Catalina had its first winning season since 1974. — Star staff, 2002
2002 girls cross country runner of the year
2002 girls cross country runner of the year
Name: Valerie McGregor
School: Mountain View
Year in school: Senior
Sport: Girls cross country
From the archives: The Class 5A girls state championship turned into a bout of sibling rivalry as the McGregor sisters from Mountain View battled with the Sammons sisters from Phoenix Desert Vista for first place.
Valerie McGregor managed to pull ahead in the final stretch of the 3.1-mile course at Anthem Community Center to secure her title as the state champion with a time of 18 minutes 22 seconds.
Her twin sister, Emily, finished third at 18:26. — Andrea Aker, 2002