Barry FaulknerCorona del Mar resident Katie McKitterick,...

Barry Faulkner

Corona del Mar resident Katie McKitterick, a freshman who helped lead

the Sage Hill School girls tennis team to the CIF Southern Section

Division V quarterfinals last fall, has been named Girls Athlete of

the Year by the school.

The Lightning’s Co-MVP in tennis, who shared the No. 1 singles

spot with fellow freshman Kellie Ammerman, McKitterick also played

soccer and softball in her first year at the school.

She won 53 of 57 singles sets for Coach A.G. Longoria last fall,

helping the Lightning finish second in the Academy League and earn

the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. McKitterick’s strong singles play

helped the Lightning defeat Estancia, 14-4, in the first round, then

handle Azusa, 15-3, in the second round. Sage, with seven freshmen in

the lineup, lost to Santa Maria, 10-8, in the quarterfinals to finish

15-4.

McKitterick advanced to the semifinals of the Academy League

singles tournament and earned first-team All-Academy honors.

She played halfback for the soccer team, which finished 3-14 and

missed the playoffs, then helped the softball team finish third in

league and advance to the CIF Division V playoffs.

An outfielder, McKitterick hit .243 with one home run, nine RBIs,

eight runs and nine stolen bases for Coach Jim Percival’s Lightning,

which lost a wild-card playoff game to Western Christian to finish

10-10.

She earned the team sportsmanship award in soccer and softball and

lists one of her goals as helping the tennis team win a CIF

championship before she graduates.