Only one school can boast of having two first team and one second team all-staters and if you check the top of the national rankings the name of that school is easy to figure out. Others with multiple honorees include Norco, Hart of Newhall and Sheldon of Sacramento.

By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Contributing: Ronnie Flores, Paul Muyskens, Harold Abend, Steve Brand

Congratulations to all of the following 30 players, who have been written up as first team all-state for the CalHiSports.com all-state softball honors. We have been compiling all-state teams in softball for nearly 25 years and our Ms. Softball Player of the Year lists extend back into the 1970s.

Catchers

Taylor Edwards (Vista Murrieta, Murrieta) Jr.
The Southwestern League Player of the Year handles the pitching staff for the Broncos and is also one of the most disciplined underclass hitters in the state. In 111 plate appearances, Edwards struck out only twice and drew 20 bases on balls. She not only is tough and intelligent, she also has power, as her 15 home runs and 1.209 slugging percentage attest to. Edwards, a Nebraska commit, finished her junior campaign with a .571 batting average and 45 RBI while being named to the all-star squads of the Riverside Press-Enterprise and the Los Angeles Times. She's also an EA SPORTS All-American.

Jessica Shults (Hart, Newhall) Sr.
She caught all-state teammate Destiny Rodino at Hart and in college at Oklahoma may catching Keilani Ricketts. Shults, an EA SPORTS All-American, was the 2009 All-Santa Clarita Valley player of the year in a pick over Rodino. On the year, she hit .448 with 10 home runs and 27 RBI. The Indians won three straight games in the playoffs by 1-0 final scores, before losing to Norco, and in two of the three games she drove in the game's lone run as she homered against Trabuco Hills and doubled in a run against Esperanza. On the yea,r she had just two errors while being a part of 284 putouts for a fielding percentage over 99 percent.

Brittany Schutte (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) Sr.
An all-Orange County pick and co-player of the year in the tough Trinity League, Schutte hopes to continue to improve next season as a freshman at NCAA power Florida. She was an outstanding catcher working with freshman Brianne Matthews in 2009 and also had a .447 batting average. Schutte also scored 20 times, had 19 RBI plus nine doubles and a pair of homers.

Shawna Wright (Lancaster) Sr.
This year, for the second time in her prep career, Wright belted 14 home runs in a season to finish with an even 50 for her prep career. Just a few years ago, that total would have set the state record by a wide margin, but for now Wright is No. 3 on the all-time state list behind Crenshaw's Alia Williams and Crescenta Valley's Baillie Kirker. Wright, a four-year standout headed to the University of Washington, finished her senior season with a .631 batting average and 36 RBIs. Named to the all-CIFSS Div. III squad, Wright as also a first team greater San Fernando Valley all-region pick by the L.A. Daily News.

Lindsay Ziegenhirt (Sheldon, Sacramento) Sr.
She was one half of a Cal-bound tandem for Sheldon that struck fear in the opposition with or without the bat as she caught fellow first-teamer Jolene Henderson. On the year, she hit .482 with 11 homers and 35 RBI while also hitting five doubles and six triples. Lindsay was named the Delta River League Player of the Year as she led the league in average and homers while falling four runs batted in shy of winning the triple crown. She also was recently named to the EA SPORTS All-American Second Team and is regarded by college coaches as one of the top catchers and hitters in the nation.

Pitchers

Teagan Gerhart (Norco) Sr.
The honors continue to pour in for Gerhart, who not only led the Cougars to the prestigious CIFSS Div. I title, but was named CIFSS Div. I Player of the Year. Gerhart, the Los Angeles Times and Riverside Press Enterprise Player of the Year, was also named MVP of the rugged Big VIII League over some worthy candidates such as best friend Kamerin May of Corona Santiago. In the title game against Santiago, she didn't allow a walk and allowed seven scattered hits in a complete game 5-1 victory over May and Santiago. Gerhart, bound for Stanford, finished the season 30-2, with a 0.35 ERA and 339 strikeouts in 223 innings. She was also a valuable hitter, stroking four home runs to go along with a .323 batting average.

Jolene Henderson (Sheldon, Sacramento) Sr.
Her numbers in the circle and at the plate are already impressive on their own but once you look into how tough of a schedule the Huskies played the numbers are even more impressive. At the Nike Faster to First tournament, Henderson didn't allow a single run in five games as the Huskies captured the title. She was a Ms. Softball state player of the year finalist after going 28-2 with 352 strikeouts and a 0.29 ERA. At the plate, the Cal-bound senior hit for a .388 average and was named an EA SPORTS All-American for the second year in a row.

Marissa Ibarra (San Benito, Hollister) Sr.
In the 4-3 Central Coast Section Division I title game win over Tri-County League rival Gilroy, San Francisco State-bound Ibarra pitched a complete game victory, just like she did in CCS title games as a freshman, sophomore and junior. Ibarra finishes her final Haybaler season with a 27-3 record, an ERA of 0.64 ERA and 226 strikeouts in 184.2 innings pitched. This is her second straight year of being selected first team all state and last year she was all state underclass as well. Once her final career totals are turned in, Ibarra should rank high on several all-time state lists.

Kamerin May (Santiago, Corona) Sr.
For the past four seasons, May has been the workhorse of coach John Perez's pitching staff and she finished her career with a Riverside County record 98 career wins. Before this season, only four pitchers in state history had recorded 100 or more pitching wins to give you an idea of what kind of select company May finds herself in. She also finished with 1,233 career strikeouts, the No. 2 total on Santiago's all-time list behind only Taryne Mowatt (1,282). In her senior season, May batted .525 with six home runs and 46 RBIs and compiled a 27-5 pitching record with 351 strikeouts in 218 innings for the CIFSS Div. I runner-ups. She was the wining pitcher in the 2006 Div. I title game as a freshman and in this year's title game, Perez displayed supreme confidence in his ace, who eventually worked herself out of a few early inning jams before succumbing to Norco and best friend Teagan Gerhart.

Jessica Moore (Sutter) Sr.
She has already been named our small schools player of the year, was in the running for Ms. Softball and now earns first team all-state honors to the list. Moore was unbeatable this season as she led the Huskies to a 34-0 record and an end of the season No. 1 ranking in our Division IV rankings. Over half of her 34 wins came in no-hit fashion as she tossed 18 games without allowing a hit and recorded 29 shutouts as she ended with a 0.17 ERA. In 210 innings, she allowed just 24 hits and struck out 504 which is good enough for a top 10 ranking in our state record book for strikeouts in a season. Showing she can also swing the bat, she hit .505 with eight homers and 44 RBI while scoring 39 times. Moore will next take the field as a Duck at Oregon.

Natalie Pulver (Etiwanda, Rancho Cucamonga) Jr.
Her shutout of nationally-ranked Vista Murrieta in the CIFSS Div. II championship was a textbook example of throwing to spots, keeping hitters off-balance and control. Pulver ended the season with a 21-2 record with a 0.71 ERA. Opponents also hit just .172 against her. After leading the Eagles to their championship and a 29-2 record, Pulver was selected as the Inland Valley player of the year and the CIFSS Div. II player of the year.

Destiny Rodino (Hart, Newhall) Sr.
As a result of holding opponents to a .151 batting average, the UCLA-bound senior went 26-5 with a 0.75 ERA. As the workhorse of the Indians' staff, she pitched 214 innings and struck out 277 batters. On the year, she had 14 games where she recorded double digit strikeout totals and after ending the regular season with a shutout followed it up in the playoffs with three straight shutouts before an end of the season loss to Norco. In limited plate appearances, she also hit .250 with a double and five RBI. She was named first team All-CIFSS Division I along with teammate and catcher Jessica Shults.

Infielders

Barthinia Bates (Victor Valley, Victorville) Sr.
Bates wasn't named the Desert Sky League's Player of the Year, but that looks like a case of sour grapes. That, or the league coaches must have suffered from a temporary heat stroke out in the blazing Mojave Desert. She led Victor Valley to the DSL championship by batting .758 (tops in the state for schools that report stats to MaxPreps) to go along with an on-base percentage of .800 and a 1.288 slugging percentage. She might not have played the competition some of the other SoCal all-state picks faced on a weekly basis, but her numbers are just too dominant to ignore. B.B. cemented her status as one of the state's best players by earning Victorville Daily Press Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season and securing a scholarship to UCLA.

Cassidy Bell (Liberty, Bakersfield) Sr.
The Penn State-bound Bell was the top position player in the CIF Central Section. As a batter, she knocked out 58 hits and a .509 average. She also had 10 doubles, eight homers, 41 RBI and scored a whopping 58 runs. Bell, also an honor roll student, is a four-time member of the Bakersfield Californian's All-Kern County team. She also was recently the MVP of a local all-star game and can be seen this summer playing for the renowned Orange County Batbusters club team.

Courtney Ceo (Bear River, Lake of the Pines) Jr.
The Bruins became the first Division IV softball team to win three straight Sac-Joaquin Section championships with the junior Ceo arguably in charge. With the section championship game all tied at one apiece, she showed why she played in the Under Armour All-American game with a blast to right for the championship winning run. On the year, she hit .578 with 22 RBI and scored 47 times. She has already committed to Oregon and on the year she showed off her incredible speed with 35 stolen bases while being caught just four times and also used her speed to make some incredible plays at shortstop as she finished the season with 51 putouts.

Kellie Fox (Mt. Carmel, San Diego) Jr.
The slick-fielding Fox also carried a big stick for the Sundevils, who collected their third consecutive CIF San Diego Section Division II title. Fox committed just six errors in addition to batting .490 with a .571 on-base percentage and .971 slugging percentage for the 28-6-1 Sundevils. She also hit 10 homers and was 12-of-12 on stolen bases.

Katie Keller (Livermore) Jr.
This Louisville-committed junior was the team leader of a Cowgirls' squad that won their first-ever NCS championship. In the 2-0 Division I title game victory over Freedom of Oakley, Keller led off the game with a single and came home on Kaitlyn Taylor's home run for all the runs scored in the game. She later doubled off all-state honoree Hannah Williams. On the season, Keller led the team with a .385 average, a .456 on-base percentage and a .560 slugging percentage. In 91 at-bats, she had 35 hits and scored 19 runs with 11 doubles, two triples and one home run. Plus, she only struck out three times in a 25-2 season. Keller also sparkled from the shortstop position, committing only four errors in 99 chances for a .960 fielding percentage. She also helped turn 16 double plays.

Baillie Kirker (Crescenta Valley, La Crescenta) Sr.
In the year of the slugger, Kirker was one of the best, blasting two home runs in the final three playoff games to finish her senior season with 15 home runs. For her career, she finished with 52 round trippers, one shy of the all-time state record set by L.A. Crenshaw's Alia Williams. All season long, the slugging duo moved ahead of one another and although Williams ended the race on top, Kirker had a great all-around season in her own right against stronger competition. An all-CIFSS Div. III pick, Kirker hit .506, drove in 46 runs and scored 47. Kirker, who also made the all-star teams of the Los Angeles Times and the L.A. Daily News, was constantly helping Crescenta Valley produce runs with a .648 on-base percentage and a 1.234 slugging percentage.

Maia Monchek (Notre Dame, Belmont) Sr.
The top hitter and shortstop for the CCS Division III champion Tigers had a phenomenal season at the plate and was outstanding in the field as well. On a team that went 27-8 and hit a collective .344, Monchek led the way. She batted .550 and her 55 hits were amongst the state leaders and tops for any girl whose team won a section title. Her 45 RBI and 42 runs scored were also among the state leaders as well. Monchek also collected three home runs, five triples, 13 doubles, and 12 stolen bases and had an on-base percentage of .615 and a slugging percentage of .870.

Outfielders

Emily Allard (Deer Valley, Antioch) Sr.
Although she was an excellent pitcher throughout her high school career, Allard makes this team as an outfielder, and in fact centerfield is where the ESPNU Softball No. 9 ranked young woman will play at Northwestern. Tremendous athleticism and blazing speed are Allard's trademarks. The long-legged 6-footer can cover the outfield like a cat, and she reportedly was clocked at 2.7 seconds from home to first. This past season she hit .459 and was 25-of-25 in stolen base attempts. She also played center and just about every other position on the Wolverines' basketball team and was the team and Bay Valley League MVP.

Jillian Andersen (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) Jr.
The Monarchs' leadoff hitter was only surpassed in proficiency at the plate on the team only by Keilani Ricketts in a season that saw the young squad finish 32-0 and No. 1 in the nation and California. The diminutive 5-2 slapper batted .423 with 41 hits in 104 plate appearances, four triples, three doubles, 28 runs scored and 20 RBI. One of Anderson's most amazing stats is only striking out twice all season from the No. 1 spot in the order. Along with fellow junior Miyuki Navarrete the Cal Poly-committed Anderson will be looked upon to lead a team that only loses four seniors.

Nicole Sappingfield (Norco) Jr.
The offensive catalyst for the CIFSS Div. I champions, Sappingfield is one of the best underclass players in the state and has already given a verbal commitment to Michigan. She led the Cougars with team-highs in hits (50), runs (22), and batting average (.442). She also tied for the team high in RBIs with 22. In the championship game against league rival Santiago, Sappingfield led the way for Norco with three hits and on the season she consistently put herself in scoring position with 17 steals in 18 attempts. The all-CIFSS Div. I choice also made the all-star squads of the Los Angeles Times and the Riverside Press Enterprise.

Hallie Wilson (Foothill, Tustin) Soph.
The Orange County Register's Player of the Year was an off-the-charts leadoff hitter and outfielder for the Knights. Wilson came through for a .526 batting average and had eight homers and 31 RBI. She also had 11 doubles and 42 runs scored. She led her team to the Sea View League title and already has given a verbal commitment to NCAA power Arizona.

Multi-Purpose

Ally Carda (Pleasant Grove, Elk Grove) Soph.
Already named as our State Sophomore of the Year, Carda led the Eagles to a Sac-Joaquin Section championship over Jolene Henderson and the Sheldon Huskies. In the championship game against Sheldon, she allowed just two hits and struck out eight as the Huskies were shutout for the only time all year. On the year, she struck out 380 batters with a 0.37 ERA to win 25 games. At the plate, she hit .430 with 39 RBI and scored 29 runs. She twice struck out 20 batters in a game and tossed two perfect games. Carda, the Sacramento Bee Player of the Year, committed to attend UCLA after her freshmen season.

Molly Medeiros (Presentation, San Jose) Sr.
The Loyola Marymount-bound Medeiros was also a force at the plate as well as being one of the CCS's top pitchers. She went 23-5-1 with 16 shutouts, a perfect game, three no-hitters and eight one-hitters. She struck out 259 batters in 192 innings with an ERA of 0.65. At the plate, Medeiros batted .407 with 44 hits, 12 doubles, three triples and two home runs. She had 27 RBIs and 22 runs scored. Of her five losses pitching, three were to Mitty and the other two were to state-ranked San Benito and Notre Dame of Belmont.

Sam Pappas (Tesoro, Las Flores) Sr.
Earlier this season, we honored her as an athlete of the week and now she earns a first-team all-state selection after leading the Titans to the CIFSS Division III championship. She took the circle for almost every inning of play this season as she pitched in 198 1/3 innings and struck out 230 batters and held the opposition to a .156 batting average. On the year, she picked up every decision but one as she went 26-4 with a 0.92 ERA. Pappas was also the team's leading hitter as she hit .438 and had 22 runs batted in with five homers. She has been named the Southern Section Division III Player of the Year and will be headed to the University of Oregon.

Jenna Rich (El Segundo) Sr.
In the circle, the Stanford-bound Rich went 20-3 with a 0.50 ERA as she led the Eagles to a CIFSS championship game appearance. In 154 innings this year in the circle, she struck out 139 and walked just 18 on her way to being named our medium schools player of the year. At the plate, she hit for a .441 average with four homers and 22 RBI while showing off her speed to steal 22 bases. She finished her high school career with a 63-14 overall record with 613 strikeouts and just 75 walks. She has been selected the Daily Breeze Player of the Year and finishes with 78 career RBI and 23 homers.

Keilani Ricketts (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) Sr.
This year's just named ESPN RISE/EA SPORTS Ms. Softball USA and the CalHiSports.com Ms. Softball State Player of the Year was just as dangerous from the batter's box as she was from the circle where she only gave up two earned runs all season. Both came against Sheldon in a 5-2 victory where she struck out 20 and also hit a three-run home run. After that performance by the 6-2 Oklahoma-bound fireballer, the term "Ricketted” was coined. The Monarchs finished 32-0 and Keilani "Ricketted” 22 of the opponents. She finished with an ERA of 0.10 and 347 strikeouts. From the batters box, Keilani hit .456, with nine home runs, four triples, six doubles, 36 RBI, an on-base percentage of .537 and a slugging percentage of .975, all in only 79 at-bats and against as tough a league and non-league schedule as anyone in California.

Hannah Williams (Freedom, Oakley) Sr.
Very few girls are as proficient from both the pitching circle and the batter's box as this Fresno State-bound hurler and slugger, including her sister, Amanda, the 2006 Ms. Softball State Player of the Year who didn't bat. From the circle, Williams, who throws in the mid-to-high 60s, pitched every game this season and finished 23-4 with a 0.30 ERA and 269 strikeouts in 188.1 innings pitched. Opponents hit a paltry .135 against her with only 87 hits in 690 at-bats. She also averaged less than one walk per game. As a batter, Williams hit .390 with six home runs and 25 RBI, a .473 on-base percentage, a slugging percentage of .649 and only five strikeouts in 93 plate appearances.

Laura Winter (Rancho Bernardo, San Diego) Jr.
Down the stretch in the San Diego Section there was no one better as Winter did not allow a run in her final 27 innings to lead the Broncos to the CIFSDS title. In the 1-0 championship game against El Camino of Oceanside, she hit the game-winning homer and had a perfect game for five innings before settling for a two-hitter. On the season, she had 240 Ks in 141 innings with a 19-4 record and 0.70 ERA, including 18 complete games. Winter also batted .512 with 21 extra base hits.


2009 ALL-STATE SOFTBALL
SECOND TEAM OVERALL

Like the first team, all players in the state were eligible for consideration to this team regardless of school size or year in school.

Catchers

Nicole Kuykendall (Pinole Valley, Pinole) Jr.
Rushael Lawley (Buchanan, Clovis) Sr.
Amy Moore (Valencia) Sr.
Holly Stevens (San Pedro) Sr.
Alyssa Tiumalu (Pleasant Grove, Elk Grove) Jr.

Pitchers

Michelle Gascione (Benicia) Sr.
Amye McIntyre (Parker, San Diego) Sr.
Cheyenne Tarango (Canyon, Anaheim) Soph.
Jessica Varady (Livermore) Sr.
Justine Vela (Stockdale, Bakersfield) Soph.
Dana Waldusky (Glendora) Sr.

Infielders

Lauren Chamberlain (El Toro, Lake Forest) Soph.
J.C. Clayton (San Benito, Hollister) Sr.
Cheyenne Cordes (Rodriguez, Fairfield) Soph.
Maggie Doremus (Mt. Carmel, San Diego) Sr.
Kailyn Johnson (Esperanza, Anaheim) Sr.
Breana Kostreba (Aptos) Soph.
Stephany LaRosa (Diamond Bar) Soph.
Alena Murgatroyd (Quartz Hill) Sr.
Skylar Segura (Chino Hills) Sr.
Jackie Sweet (Santiago, Corona) Sr.
Jordan Wallace (Fairfield) Sr.
Alia Williams (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) Sr.

Outfielders

Amanda Carpenter (Santana, Santee) Sr.
Ashley Carter (Bloomington) Sr.
Kristin Scharkey (Esperanza, Anaheim) Sr.
Megan Susoy (Soquel) Sr.
Kayla White (Piedmont Hills, San Jose) Sr.

Multi-Purpose

Caitlin Breen (Burlingame) Sr.
Tori Shepard (Lodi) Jr.

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