Fried finishes career with All-CIF

GLENDALE — During his two-sport career at Flintridge Prep, Aaron Fried has achieved Prep League titles, all-league recognition and more than a few personal highlights on the basketball court and baseball diamond.

But All-CIF was one distinction that had eluded him.

Until Tuesday, at least, when Fried was named to the All-CIF Southern Section Division VI second team for baseball in a press release from the CIF offices.

“To get an achievement like that, that’s something everyone, I think, strives for in high school sports,” said Fried, a third baseman, who helped lead the Rebels’ baseball team to a 12-10 finish for third place in league and the program’s first playoff appearance since 2006. “To get it on the last season of the last sport [of my career], is pretty spectacular.”

Fried batted .446 with a team-high 26 runs batted in and led the Rebels in hits with 33 and doubles with six. He also had two triples and two home runs, including a three-run shot in the second inning of the team’s 14-10 wild-card loss to Kern Valley in the Division VI playoffs.

After giving the Rebels a 3-1 lead with the aforementioned homer, Fried put Prep back up, 9-8, in the fifth inning with a two-run double.

“Frankly, I was surprised, I wasn’t expecting [to get All-CIF] or anything,” Fried said. “But I had a good season, so it was really rewarding. It felt great to get something like that.”

Rebels Coach Robert “Buzz” Cook said Fried will be sorely missed from his program and that his lone regret concerning Fried’s tenure is that he only played baseball for two years.

“He had a fantastic year and he’s just a great kid,” Cook said. “He was a fun kid to coach, very upbeat and worked extremely hard.

“He was certainly a leader on the team.”

After playing a prominent role in a basketball season that extended into late-February, and saw the Rebels successfully defend the Prep League title, Fried turned around and immediately contributed to a 7-2, 3-1 in league, start for the baseball team.

“What helped Aaron in that respect is just the fact that he is an athlete,” Cook said. “A lot of kids can’t get away with doing that, only playing baseball three of four months out of the year, which is basically what Aaron did.”

The Division II All-CIF team included a second-team spot for Burbank High junior shortstop Lonnie Kauppila, who transferred from Crescenta Valley prior to the 2009 season.

In leading the Bulldogs (11-11-1) to a third-place finish in the Pacific League, Kauppila batted .508 (30 for 77) with 25 RBIs, scored 27 runs and belted 12 home runs for a 1.169 slugging percentage.

“I really didn’t think about winning an All-CIF award before the season,” said Kauppila, whose brother Kris was All-CIF in his junior and senior season with the Falcons. “Being with a new team, I just wanted to fit in and do anything I could to help the team. But winning the award is a real honor.”

— Jeff Tully contributed to this story