Honors: Snell delivers in three sports

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - While most acknowledge the time demands placed on

a Division I college student-athlete are immense, Eric Snell may have

time to develop some new hobbies as a walk-on football player at UC

Berkeley next fall.

Snell, who graduated from Corona del Mar High Thursday, is used to

playing three sports in high school, moving seamlessly, and often without

more than a weekend break, between football, basketball and baseball.

He was a three-year varsity performer in all three sports and wound up

earning All-Newport-Mesa District and All-Pacific Coast League laurels in

each of the three.

His all-around ability helped him earn a share of the school’s Boys

Athlete of the Year honor, as selected by the school.

So diverse and prominent was his athletic ability, it is difficult to

identify which sport he is best in. Statistics may suggest baseball, but

his ability to contribute intangibles made him invaluable in basketball

and football, as well.

His senior season began for the football team, for which he started at

safety. He had two interceptions, was among the leading tacklers and also

caught seven passes for 66 yards as a part-time receiver. He earned

first-team All-Pacific Coast League recognition and was selected to the

All-Newport-Mesa District Dream Team.

His consistent contributions helped Coach Dick Freeman’s Sea Kings

advance to the CIF Southern Section Division IX playoffs.

A 6-foot, 180-pounder, he plans to pursue football at Cal.

His senior basketball campaign included scoring 333 points in 29

games, an average of 11.5, which was second best on the team.

Noted for his defense, which typically led Coach Paul Orris to assign

him to the opponent’s best scorer, Snell also blossomed on the offensive

end of the floor, becoming a threat from three-point range and also

creating his own opportunities on the drive.

He scored 25 points twice in league play, including an 84-82 upset of

league co-champion University, in which he drained the game-winning,

buzzer-beating bucket on a short runner in the lane.

He earned a spot on the all-district squad and was a second-team

All-PCL choice by the circuit’s coaches.

His senior baseball season saw him contribute on the mound, in the

field and at the plate. He hit .293 (24 for 82) with five homers and 18

RBIs and also posted a 4-2 record with one save, while fashioning a

glistening 1.14 ERA. Opponents managed just five earned runs off him in

30 2/3 innings.

Playing third base when not pitching, he helped Coach John Emme’s unit

win the PCL championship and compile a 17-9 record.

As a junior, Snell was an all-district choice in baseball, hitting

.435 in league play and .571 in the playoffs (4 for 7) to finish with a

.370 average (20 for 54). He added two homers, 12 RBIs and six stolen

bases and lost his only decision in brief mound duty.

He was also second-team All-PCL.

In basketball, he was a junior starter on a team that won the PCL

title, lost in the CIF Southern Section Division III-A semifinals and

advanced to the quarterfinals of the state tournament before finishing

23-8.

A role player who contributed primarily on defense, he averaged 3.9

points.

He started in the secondary his junior football season, earning

second-team All-PCL honors. He also caught six passes for 80 yards.

He played sparingly in all three sports as a sophomore. He caught two

passes for 24 yards in football, scored nine points in 14 basketball

games for the CIF Division III-A runner-up, and went 1 for 3 for the

baseball team that shared the Sea View League championship and won the

CIF Division IV crown at Edison Field.