By Ed Piper
After the Vikings went 9-3 in the City League to finish a respectable second place, shortstop Hank Hansen was named Player of the Year for the league, while rightfielder Harper Lane received First Team honors along with Hansen in postseason accolades.
In 30 games, Hansen, a senior, hit .333, with 19 RBI's (tops on the Vikings) and 15 doubles (almost doubling the next closest teammate).
A running threat, the senior stole 11 bases to lead Coach Gary Frank's squad. He was a perfect 11-for-11 in that category.
Hank, who also starred in football for the Viking squad the last two falls, moved over from third base this season and played a sparkling shortstop, recording a .947 fielding average with a respectable seven errors.
In other stats, he led the team in slugging percentage at .624 (the next closest, Lane, was over a hundred points lower). Likewise, his OPS was 1.050, tops on the team with Lane second at .963.
"HH", as he once told this sportswriter he liked to be nicknamed, also served as a closer for La Jolla's baseball team. He saved two games, first on the team, in seven appearances.
His teammate Harper, who still has another year on the Ronnie Spelman diamond, hit .373, highest for Coach Gary Frank's squad, with 12 RBI's. His familiar lefthanded swing followed Hansen in the order, Hank hitting second, Harper third.
As Frank said late in the season, "We got just enough offense" along with excellent pitching to deliver a strong City League campaign.
Named to the All-League Second Team were Adam Lafever, Abel Delgadillo, Ryan Kestler, and Charlie Smith.
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