Sunny Hills High School

High school newspapers in Fullerton and Santa Ana received top honors Wednesday in the 1996 Times Orange County's Journalism Awards, presented to the top young writers, editors, photographers and artists. Capturing first place and a $1,000 prize for the best publication with five or more pages was the Accolade at Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton.

A Fullerton high school history teacher who was jailed this week when police -- acting on a tip -- found a shotgun and marijuana in his car in the school parking lot was the "victim of an elaborate setup," police said Thursday. Investigators are now convinced that Gregory Abbott, 31, of Placentia, who has taught at Sunny Hills High School for seven years, is innocent and was actually a victim, said Sgt. Mike MacDonald of the Fullerton Police Department.

It stands high above the masses, its hulking frame towering over all it surveys. As one stares at it (from a safe distance), three descriptive phrases come to mind: It's big. It's bad. It's green. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Some call it a monstrosity, others call it an anomaly. But Sunny Hills High School senior Jeff Foye calls it transportation. Since early this school year, Foye's pea-green 1949 Chevy Carry-All has graced his high school's parking lot.

Not that I need to feel any older, but nothing does the trick like hearing from someone you interviewed 12 years ago. Unfortunately, in another reminder of old age, I had to check the archives to see exactly what I'd written in April 1993 about Elizabeth Bangs that prompted her to write last week. Turns out that Bangs, a 1993 Sunny Hills High School graduate and now a lecturer in political science at Princeton, keeps up with her hometown Fullerton news.

Tim Devaney, who guided Sunny Hills High to three Southern Section football championships in 19 seasons, has stepped down as the Lancer coach to spend more time with his family. Devaney, 54, was among the more tenured coaches in Orange County, having been the Lancer coach since 1980. Only two current head coaches have been at their schools longer--Saddleback's Jerry Witte, who was hired in 1974, and Pacifica's Bill Craven, who was hired in 1976.

A broad grin spread across Javier Santiago's face as he pondered the question. "What's the biggest adjustment I have to make?" he asked, repeating the question. "That's easy. It's the way kids like to have fun here. I like the parties." It should be a smooth transition if learning how to party is the biggest adjustment native Puerto Rican Javier Santiago and his younger brother, Jose, have to make now that they're living in Southern California and attending Sunny Hills High School.

Carrie Garritson of Sunny Hills High School finished sixth and Shelley Taylor of Edison 21st in the Kinney national cross-country championships Saturday at Balboa Park. Garritson, a sophomore, covered the 5,000-meter course in 18 minutes 2.2 seconds. Taylor, a senior, ran 18:48.6.

Bob Pierce has been hired as the boys' basketball coach at Sunny Hills High School, Principal George Giokaris said Wednesday. Pierce replaces Steve White, who retired from coaching after last season. Pierce was an assistant at Southern California College the last five seasons. Prior to that, he was the girls' coach at Westminster for two seasons.

Sunny Hills High School forward Rob Burrer, who averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds per game, was named boys' basketball Player of the Year in the freeway league in a vote of the league coaches. Player of the Year-- Rob Burrer (Troy), 6-4, F, Sr. Coach of the Year--Mike Williams (Troy).

Sunny Hills High School will be one of 49 high schools competing in the 1999 U.S. Academic Decathlon championships beginning today. The nine-member team will compete in "Creative Problem Solving," one of the decathlon's 10 events. The competition will be held through Friday at various sites throughout Orange County, including Cal State Fullerton and Troy High School. An awards banquet will be at 11 a.m. Sunday at the WestCoast Anaheim Hotel.

From this day on, whenever a basketball team has nine losses in December and the season looks bleak, all the coach has to say is, "Remember Sunny Hills High." No scriptwriter could have dreamed up what Fullerton Sunny Hills pulled off Saturday, winning the Southern Section Division II-AA boys' basketball championship with a 41-38 victory over Villa Park at the Arrowhead Pond. This was a team that once had a 3-9 record. This was a team that finished the regular season with 13 losses.

Rooting for the Fullerton Sunny Hills boys' basketball team is easy these days. Just ask an opposing coach. The Lancers, who lost seven consecutive games and nine of 10 in December, have rebounded nicely to advance to their first Southern Section semifinal since 1969. "They are the crowd favorite.

Denny Oenar of Sunny Hills still remembers his victory over Loara's Jon Guerin last season to win the boys' singles championship in the Freeway League badminton finals. Oenar had played Guerin twice earlier in the season and had lost both times to the two-time defending league champion. However, it was a different story in their third meeting, and Oenar smiled as he recalled the final score, 15-3, 7-15, 15-7. "That was a big win for me," Oenar said.

FULLERTON 3:30 p.m. Music Though named after Mozart, the Amadeus Trio won't play any works by that composer on this Sunday program, part of the 42nd season of free afternoon concerts sponsored by the Fullerton Friends of Music. Instead, they'll plays works by Haydn (Trio in E minor), Gaspar Cassado (Trio), and Tchaikovsky (Trio in A minor.

1801 Warburton Way Fullerton 92833-2299 (714) 870-3400 * Enrollment: 2,150 * Established: 1958 * Team name: Lancers * Principal: Loring Davies * Student president: Eddie Jung * Valedictorians: Sue Chang, Kent K. Lam, Jane M. Lee, Grace Y. Lin and Erin H.

The accomplished pianist is now an accomplished tennis player. Joseph Kao passed the advanced level for classical piano three years ago. This year, the Sunny Hills senior passed everyone in the county on the tennis court. Kao's steady and sometimes brilliant all-court game was at its best against the best players.

Sunny Hills High School's agriculture curriculum has won a "superior" rating from the state Department of Education. The accolade places the Sunny Hills program on a national list of elite agriculture education programs, school officials said. Also, Sunny Hills agriculture instructor Scot Worrell has been named outstanding advisor by the California Assn. of Future Farmers of America.

You'll forgive Jessica Daniel if she's been lacking a little Christmas spirit. Her bedroom resembles a tornado's wake. And there's been so much packing to cram in between the rehearsals, swim practice, yearbook preparations and finals in her advanced-placement and honors classes at Sunny Hills High. Besides, she's been under the weather. But today, 14-year-old Jessica will get some much-needed holiday down time. On a plane. With a hundred or so other kids. Bound for Rome.

1998 RECORD: 6-5 overall, 4-1 in league COACH: Tim Brogden (0-0 at school) RETURNING STARTERS: 3 on offense, 2 on defense TOP RETURNERS James Drummond, QB/DE, 6-3, 205, Sr.; Paul Min, TB/LB, 6-0, 215, Sr.; Steve Rhoads, WR/LB, 6-0, 200, Sr. TOP NEWCOMERS Mike Cummer, QB, 5-11, 190, Jr.; Bryson Igarta, QB, 5-10, 145, Jr.; Brandon Shepard, RB/DB, 5-10, 190, Sr.; Zach Tune, FB/LB, 6-2 1/2, 220, Sr.