Hot Shots: Meet OC Varsity’s Athletes of the Year

The Register's Athletes of the Year, from left, Tarbut V'Torah's Carly Malatskey (girls soccer), Calvary Chapel's Justin Thomas (wrestling), Canyon's Rachel Baxter (track and field), Calvary Chapel's Jeremy Thomas (wrestling) and Santa Margarita's Grant Shoults (swimming).

Calvary Chapel brothers Jeremy, left, and Justin Thomas are the Register's small school boys athletes of the year.

Tarbut V'Torah's Carly Malatskey is the Register's small school girls athlete of the year.

Santa Margarita swimmer Grant Shoults is the Register's boys athlete of the year.

The Register's Athletes of the Year, from left, Tarbut V'Torah's Carly Malatskey (girls soccer), Calvary Chapel's Justin Thomas (wrestling), Canyon's Rachel Baxter (track and field), Calvary Chapel's Jeremy Thomas (wrestling) and Santa Margarita's Grant Shoults (swimming).

Santa Margarita swimmer Grant Shoults is the Register's boys athlete of the year.

Canyon's Rachel Baxter is the Register's girls athlete of the year.

Calvary Chapel's Jeremy Thomas is the Register's small schools boys co-athlete of the year.

Santa Margarita's Grant Shoults, who didn't focus solely on swimming until he entered high school, capped his senior year by setting national records in the 200- and 500-meter freestyles.

Canyon junior Rachel Baxter dominated in the pole vault this year, setting the state record and capturing CIF-SS and CIF State titles.

Tarbut V'Torah's Carly Malatskey scored 73 goals this season, the second most in CIF-SS history, despite facing defenses focused on stopping her. ‘That was an insane year,' her coach, Walid Khoury, said.

Canyon's Rachel Baxter is the Register's girls athlete of the year.

Calvary Chapel wrestler Justin Thomas is the Register's small schools boys co-athlete of the year.

Santa Margarita swimmer Grant Shoults is the Register's boys athlete of the year.

Tarbut V'Torah senior Carly Malatskey set an Orange County record with 73 goals this season, which is also the second most in CIF-SS history.

Calvary Chapel's twin brothers, Jeremy, left, and Justin Thomas, won CIF State wrestling titles in March with dramatic, come-from-behind victories in the finals.

The Register's Athletes of the Year, from left, Tarbut V'Torah's Carly Malatskey (girls soccer), Calvary Chapel's Justin Thomas (wrestling), Canyon's Rachel Baxter (track and field), Calvary Chapel's Jeremy Thomas (wrestling) and Santa Margarita's Grant Shoults (swimming).

Canyon's Rachel Baxter is the Register's girls athlete of the year.

Santa Margarita swimmer Grant Shoults is the Register's boys athlete of the year.