ESPN Radio Executive Producer David Singer announced state Division I champion Saugus' nomination during the Saugus High School's Friday morning television broadcast.

The Centurions, along with the state Division II champion Mater Dei boys basketball team and L.A. City Champion Birmingham football team are the three candidates for the title of high school team of the year.

Taylor will vie with Long Beach Poly basketball's Jasmine Dixon and Woodbridge cross country's Christine Babcock for the female athlete honors.

The awards will take place April 3 at the ESPN Zone in Anaheim and will be hosted by San Diego Chargers running back LaDanian Tomlinson and ESPN radio personality Colin Cowherd. Winners will be decided by Internet voting, with an ESPN VIP Club Membership required to vote on the station's Web site.

Saugus won its second-consecutive CIF Division I state championship in record-breaking fashion this year and finished second in the country at the Nike Team Nationals.

Taylor, already honored as both the Gatorade and CalHiSports.com 2007 State Player of the Year and a first-team All-American selection for leading the Vikings to the nation's top ranking, is now one of two starting pitchers at Michigan.

She set California records last season for best won-loss mark in a season (32-0), most wins in a week (10), and joined several other top-10 lists, bringing her career totals to a staggering 77-8 record with 1,055 strikeouts, 66 shutouts and a 0.27 earned run average.