It's another to be a standout in the classroom.

La Jolla's Peter Sefton and Torrey Pines' Ashlin Yahr make managing both look easy.

K.C. ALFRED / Union-Tribune Before Torrey Pines' Ashlin Yahr heads to Columbia and La Jolla's Peter Sefton leaves for Stanford, the Union-Tribune Student-Athletes of the Year met at the Birch Aquarium.

The pair are among the best three-sport athletes in the San Diego Section – Sefton in water polo, basketball and baseball, Yahr in cross country, soccer and track.

Both also are at the top of their respective classes, achieving goals few can match.

For their blend of academics and athletics, Sefton and Yahr have been chosen the Union-Tribune High School Student-Athletes of the Year. The award represents top recognition by the U-T All-Academic Team, which honors students for academic and athletic achievement and overall leadership.

Sefton and Yahr acknowledge that the success of their teams in the postseason left little time for rest between sports, something Yahr joked had her “kinda sore all the time.”

Four years ago, Sefton planned to focus on basketball and baseball. Then peer pressure set in.

“We have that really nice pool at our school, and a lot of my friends were going to be playing,” said Sefton, who carries a 4.29 GPA and scored 1,990 on the SAT. “So I started playing the summer before my freshman year. I picked it up pretty quickly and really liked it.”

Sefton not only learned the game but mastered it at a level that had colleges calling. The 6-4 senior will continue his water polo career next year at Stanford.

In the winter, Sefton led the Vikings to a section Division III title in basketball before becoming the first player in school history to record back-to-back 30 RBI seasons for the La Jolla baseball team.

“It was always my goal in high school to win a championship,” Sefton said. “When we won (the basketball title), it was amazing. It was a team win through and through.”

Keeping a similarly tight schedule, Yahr said the overlap had a positive impact on her.

“I've learned how to manage my time,” said Yahr, who scored 1,970 on the SAT and carried a 4.20 GPA. “It's been a great experience.”

After a fall that ended with a section Division I team championship for the Falcons in cross country, and another trip to the state meet for Yahr, the 5-9 senior led the Torrey Pines soccer team to its third consecutive section title in the winter.

After capturing a share of the Avocado League girls track championship in the spring, Yahr advanced to the state track meet in two events, the 400 meters and the high jump.

Yahr will play only soccer at Columbia, where she plans to major in something related to science, like biology, eventually pursuing a career as a surgeon.

“I'll still be really busy, but it will be nice to focus on one sport,” said Yahr, who added she's a fan of doctor dramas “Grey's Anatomy” and “House.”