Rookie success for McKendry

Rick Devereux

Bryce McKendry, who was named the Estancia High Male Athlete of the

Year, could have easily been named the Rookie of the Year.

McKendry was named to the Newport-Mesa football Dream Team as a

standout linebacker, but he also led the Eagles with 603 rushing

yards and nine touchdowns on 125 carries. He was also named

second-team All-Golden West League.

McKendry was a starting defensive end as a sophomore, but his

season was cut short due to a knee injury. He did not play football

as a junior and Coach Craig Fertig referred to the 6-foot-5,

205-pound McKendry as a rookie.

McKendry was also a power forward for the Golden West League

champion basketball team. He averaged 3.4 rebounds per game to help

the Eagles win league for the first time since 1997. Estancia

advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division IIIA semifinals and a

23-6 record. It was McKendry’s first year playing varsity basketball.

McKendry helped the Eagles tennis team win the league championship

and advance to the CIF Division V playoffs as a junior, but he tried

his hand at track and field as a senior.

Like football and basketball, he found success.

McKendry finished seventh in Division III in the long jump with a

leap of 21 feet, 3 inches and finished 10th -- missing the cut for

the finals by one spot -- in the high jump with a leap of 6-0 in the

preliminaries.

He was second in the long jump at the Orange County Championships

with a leap of 21-9.

McKendry was the undefeated Golden West League champion in the

high jump (5-10) and long jump (21-11, a personal record). He was

second in league in the triple jump (42-3 1/2 ) and was threat during

dual meets in the 110-meter high hurdles.

McKendry was named Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week twice this

year.