Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Daily News Staff Writer
Westlake High School's Steve Aylsworth is known for his style - whether making acrobatic catches on the football field or fancy passes on the basketball court, he gets things done with a flair.
Aylsworth knows how to go out in style, as well. The graduating senior was honored as the Ventura County High School Male Athlete of the Year on Saturday at the County Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the Doubletree Hotel in Ventura.
The Female High School Athlete of the Year was Thousand Oaks High School's Kim Mortensen, whose distance running accomplishments this year were the best in the country. Mortensen is headed to UCLA next fall.
In college athletics, California Lutheran University's Mark Ellis was selected the Male Athlete of the Year. The junior from Camarillo won the NCAA Division III singles title this year and completed his season with a 33-0 record. The Female Athlete of the Year went to Ventura College basketball standout Marina Torres.
For Aylsworth, the award caps a brilliant four-year run at Westlake High School.
``It was really a nice surprise,'' said Aylsworth, who will attend Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., next year. ``It's like the ending mark for me, and it's a great way to end my high school career.
``It's probably the last award I'll get for what I've done in high school, but it's definitely the best one. Now I just hope to go on from here and do my best in college.''
Aylsworth, whom many consider one of the best athletes to come from the area in quite some time, was a two-sport star for the Warriors during a stellar four years.
In football, he was selected to the All-Southern Section team two years, and in basketball he made the All-Southern Section team a school-record three straight years.
His best sport? That's hard to say since he dominated equally in both.
Last season in football he started the year at quarterback, then moved to wide receiver after four games. At that position, he was better able to use his outstanding athletic ability. The Warriors, who finished in third place in the Marmonte League, turned it up a notch in the playoffs and advanced all the way to the Southern Section Division III semifinals, where they were beaten by cross-town rival Newbury Park.
Just a few days after that loss, Aylsworth was starring for Westlake's basketball team, which eventually won the Marmonte League championship for the second straight year. Incidentally, the two league titles were the first in school history. Aylsworth was a big factor in both championships.
He figures to step right in at Lehigh University, where he hopes to contribute right away on the football team as a slot back and punt returner. He should also get plenty of time at point guard as a freshman.
``I'll get an opportunity to play early, and that's a big reason I decided to go there,'' said Aylsworth, whose older brother Bob and father both attended Lehigh.
His brother was Lehigh's starting quarterback last year but has since graduated. That shouldn't affect Aylsworth's chances of touching the ball often, though. Lehigh threw the ball about 40 times a game last year.
``They've got a pro prospect coming back at running back,'' Aylsworth said. ``So they might run the ball a little more. But they still like to throw the ball and I'm looking forward to that.''
Aylsworth will leave for Lehigh sometime in early August. Between now and then he'd like to add more weight and get stronger. He's been working out in the weight room five days a week recently and added 10 pounds already.
``That's the main thing I want to do,'' he said. ``In college, everybody is a little bigger and stronger.''
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