Making their presence known

Records were set, expectations were realized and playoff runs were made in the 2009-10 sports season in La Cañada.

Whether it was swimming, basketball, volleyball, softball, soccer or track and field, the area had its share of fine individual female performers from a number of schools.

Those athletes won All-Area, All-CIF Southern Section, all-league and even All-American accolades. They were also instrumental in helping their respective teams earn CIF and league success.

Here are the top-10 female high school athletes of the year in La Cañada, as voted on by the sports editors and writers of the La Cañada Valley Sun and Glendale News-Press.

1 Andrea Kropp, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, swimming, senior — She showed she wasn't rusty at all after taking a one-year break from swimming to run cross-country for the first time ever her junior year. It wasn't a vacation for Kropp, as she emerged as the Tologs' best runner in the program's banner year, as they finished fifth at the Division IV State Meet.

Kropp picked up right where she had left off in the pool. She claimed league titles in the 200-meter individual medley and 100 breaststroke, breaking four school records her senior year in the 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, (including two of her past records in the) 200 breaststroke and 200-individual medley.

High school swimming wasn't the only place where Kropp left a ripple in the water. She swam in the 2008 Olympic trials and became the national 18-and-under champion in the 200 breaststroke at the 2010 ConocoPhilips National Championships in early August.

Now Kropp heads to Princeton University to see what else she can add to her list of achievements.

2 Courtney McCutchan, La Cañada, basketball and volleyball, senior — McCutchan struck fear in the hearts of her opponents when she stepped into the gym, whether she was playing basketball or volleyball.

Never taking a game off her senior year, McCutchan was named an all-tournament player in each basketball tournament she played. She led the Spartans in scoring and blocked shots and was second in rebounds and assists. La Cañada went undefeated in league with a 24-4 record and made it to the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs.

When they put the net up in the middle of the gym, McCutchan was still dominant. She led the Spartans in kills (390) and aces (48) and was second in digs (230).

With McCutchan serving as captain of the Spartans' volleyball team, La Cañada achieved a 26-8 record, went undefeated in league and made it to the CIF Southern Section Division II championship game and the quarterfinals of the CIF State Division II playoffs.

McCutchan is headed to Lehigh University on a full-ride scholarship to play volleyball after her final year of high school as an all-league and All-CIF first-team volleyball player. She drew statewide attention as well, being named a Prep Volleyball High School Academic All-American and making MaxPreps' All-California State Team.

3 Katy Campbell, La Cañada, swimming, sophomore — Campbell had more success in her two first years as a high school swimmer than most can hope to experience in their entire career.

After being named an All-American in three events her sophomore year, it will be interesting to see how Campbell tops that next season. The three All-American times came at the CIF Southern Section Division II Swimming and Diving Championships this May.

When the playoffs start, Campbell doesn't back down. She won two more CIF titles this year after a freshman year where she won the CIF title in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:53.04. Outdoing herself this year, Campbell reset personal-best times in the 500 freestyle (4:47.69) and the 200 freestyle (1:49.71), which were both good for CIF titles.

Campbell's third All-American award came with her participation as the anchor in the 200 freestyle relay at CIF, as her group finished with a time of 1:38.54.

Next year Campbell will look to replicate her success as competition heats up for the Spartans, who are moving up a division.

4 Natalie Zeenni, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, soccer, junior — When the Tologs needed shutdown defense, they called upon Zeenni. Her efforts led Sacred Heart to the CIF Southern Section Division II semifinals for the first time; as they went on to win the Southern California Division III Regional Championship.

Zeenni, the All-Area Girls' Soccer Player of the Year, bounced between center-back and midfield, skillfully filling each position. She served as captain of the Tologs' defense that produced a school-record 15 shutouts and a 22-1-4 record (7-0-3 in the competitive Mission League).