Huskies, Monarchs stay 1-2 in this week's state softball rankings after turning back Pleasant Grove and Presentation. Will they be there in the same spots at the Livermore Stampede? This week's rankings also feature a major move for unbeaten Tesoro, the new No. 1 team in Orange County.
By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Steve Brand, Harold Abend
(After games of Saturday, April 4)
(Preseason ranking in parentheses)
1. (1) Sheldon (Sacramento) 12-0
Head coach Mary Jo Truesdale closed the week by taking the team to a local ice cream parlor. The Huskies certainly deserved the treat as they headed into their spring break as the nation's No. 1 team. And while the second game of the week was a 14-1 breather over Monterey Trail, the first game went 13 innings against fellow state-ranked Pleasant Grove before Sheldon won it, 1-0, on an RBI by Kristen Gray. Jolene Henderson was again dominant in the circle with 18 strikeouts. Sheldon's next big games will be played at the Livermore Stampede.
2. (4) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 10-0
The Monarchs' lost four college-level players from last year's WCAL and CCS Div. II champions (three D1, one NAIA) but haven't lost a beat. So far this season their dominance hasn't been tested as of yet, and according to Coach Sarah Thomas the team's big star, Oklahoma-bound pitcher and slugger Keilani Rickets, is just getting into softball shape. Even so, Ricketts' numbers are phenomenal. In the circle, she is 6-0 with a 0.00 ERA and has only given up three hits while striking out 78 batters. With aluminum in hand, she is batting .625. Junior second-sacker Miyuki Navarrete is hitting over .500. The girls were busy last week with five games. They started with two WCAL wins, 5-0 and 4-0 over Notre Dame of Belmont and Presentation of San Jose. Both teams, particularly Presentation, were to be their toughest league opponents this season. They finished up on the weekend with three victories in the first week of the two-week Steinbeck Classic in Salinas. Next up is a Wednesday showdown on the road at Freedom (Oakley) in a game CalHiSports.com will attend.
3. (3) Etiwanda (Rancho Cucamonga) 14-0
After collecting five shutouts in the first six games, the Eagles have managed to continue their winning streak despite being scored on in every game since. Etiwanda scored its second one-run victory of the season but it took eight innings to down upset-minded Alta Loma, 5-4, in Baseline League play as junior Natalee Pulver allowed a season-high 10 hits and but was gold when it counted. It was a completely different story for freshman Melissa Taukeiaho, who got plenty of support while not allowing an earned run in a 15-1 victory over Claremont. Taukeisho leads Etiwanda with a .533 batting average. Pulver and Taukeiaho both have ERAs under 1.00 and will have to be sharp against 10-4 Upland and Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga) this week.
4. (4) Freedom (Oakley) 10-2
Despite three wins to open Bay Valley League play over Antioch, Deer Valley (Antioch) and Liberty of Brentwood by 2-1, 3-0 and 8-0 respectively, the Falcons have no place to move up. That would most certainly change if they can win the big showdown with Mitty on April 8 at home. The flip side is a loss would probably mean a drop. So far, the only losses are a pair of 1-0 setbacks to top-ranked Sheldon and Camarillo. As has been the case all season, the team is led by Fresno State-bound pitcher and slugger Hannah Williams. Last week offensively in the three games she was 6 for 10 with two home runs, four RBIs and two runs scored. In the circle, she gave up no earned runs on 12 hits with 29 strikeouts.
5. (5) Norco 12-2
Once again it was the Teagan Gerhart Show as the future Stanford Cardinal tossed two shutouts while the Cougars dismantled a pair of Big VIII opponents to remain a game behind Poly (Riverside) and hold their No, 5 ranking. Gerhart recorded a 6-0 win over J.W. North (Riverside) where she collected a double before shutting down Roosevelt (Eastvale) 8-0, amassing 11 strikeouts while scattering three hits. She also went 2-for-4 with a double at the plate. Norco is participating in the Michelle Carew Classic, named after the daughter of Hall of Famer Rod Carew, before returning to league action next week.
6. (15) Tesoro (Las Flores) 14-0
The Titans remained undefeated with a pair of impressive wins over Ayala of Chino Hills to jump up nine spots in the rankings from last week. Beating Ayala twice, a team that has been state-ranked this season, also pushed Tesoro to No. 1 this week in Orange County. Kristin Omori knocked in a run as part of a three-run fourth inning and picked up the win as the Titans were victorious by a 3-1 final score. Samantha Pappas then pitched a complete-gaem shutout in the rematch later that day as she allowed just two hits in a 3-0 win.
7. (7) Centennial (Bakersfield) 13-1-1
The Golden Hawks have now won six in a row and haven't allowed a run in five straight games after a pair of football like final score wins over South and North of Bakersfield last week. Ensley Gammel and Leah Munden combined for a five-inning perfect game while also doing damage at the plate in a 14-0 win over South. Gammel tossed three perfect innings with seven strikeouts and at the plate had a RBI triple. Munden finished the final two innings with perfect pitching while also knocking in a team-high four runs at the plate. Gammel then pitched the entire game against North and just missed a no-hitter as she allowed one hit while striking out 11 in a 10-0 victory. This week, Centennial has the week free of games and will be sure to rest up for next week when it will head to the Best of the West tournament in Santa Maria.
8. (8) Poly (Riverside) 12-3
Desi Ybarra was on her game, which meant two more wins for the Bears who continue to prove their 1-0 win over Norco was no fluke. Ybarra sent 11 Corona batters back to the dugout after striking out and took full advantage of a near-cycle at the plate by Britney Butler, who homered, tripled and doubled. Ybarra then allowed just two hits and whiffed another 11 batters in a 7-0 win over Centennial (Corona) as Poly remained the only unbeaten team in the league. The Bears take this week off before returning to Big VIII action next week.
9. (9) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) 12-1
Sophomore pitcher Kasey Stanchek tossed a no-hitter and struck out 14 in five innings as the Trojans ended an easy week with a 14-0 triumph over Cordova of Rancho Cordova. She also had a one-hitter in a 6-0 win at Christian Brothers of the Sacramento. Against Cordova, Jodie Richards and Jenessa Jeppesen led the offense as both hit homers. Like many other teams, the Trojans have this week off from games and will be back on the field next week against Vista del Lago of Folsom.
10. (11) Hart (Newhall) 12-2
Coach Steve Calendo's team has not played since going 3-2 at the Nike Faster to First tournament. The Indians, who won their own Hart Classic and remain a popular choice to go far in this year's CIF Southern Section playoffs, will get to play Valencia twice in the Foothill League and also will be in the Thousand Oaks tournament.
11. (12) Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 14-4
After losing a tough 1-0 game in extra-innings to No. 1 Sheldon, the Eagles showed no lingering effects and bounced back with a 1-0 win over St. Francis of Sacramento. Ally Carda doubled to drive in the game's only run and also pitched a one-hitter with 17 strikeouts. One of Pleasant Grove's other losses is to No. 9 Oak Ridge and the team has a win over No. 12 Valencia.
12. (13) Valencia 12-3
The first Foothill League game against Hart will be on April 23. This week, Valencia is playing against top competition at the Michelle Carew Classic in Orange County. The team's last reported action was a 5-1 win over El Modena of Orange at the Nike Faster to First Classic. That game capped a 4-2 showing in that event.
13. (16) Santiago (Corona) 11-2
A four-win week probably has Santiago wishing it wasn't taking off this week. The Sharks remained a game behind Poly (Riverside) in what promises to be an exciting Big VIII League battle by crushing Roosevelt (Eastvale) 14-1 before handing Martin Luther King (Riverside) its first league loss, 2-0, in 12 innings. Jackie Sweet crushed a two-run triple en route to going 3-for-6 to lift the Sharks over MLK. Kamerin May only allowed three hits and struck out 19 batters in the extra-inning affair. Sarah Beeman's home run highlighted a 3-for-3 day at the plate against Roosevelt. Santiago also swept Torrance in a non-league doubleheader last Saturday, 5-2 and 10-0.
14. (14) Canyon (Anaheim) 11-5
Behind the arm of sophomore pitcher Cheyanne Tarango, the Comanches bounced back from their loss to Sheldon of Sacramento in the Nike Faster to First title game with wins last week against Diamond Bar and El Dorado of Placentia. Tarango allowed just two hits and struck out 13 while Lauren Young had a two-run RBI double in the second inning on the way to a 4-0 win over the Brahmas. Tarango once again reached double figures in strikeouts against El Dorado as she struck out 11 and allowed just one unearned run while giving herself run support with a two-run homer in their 5-1 road win over the Golden Hawks. Canyon opens the Michelle Carew Classic this week against Sonora of La Habra.
15. (6) Buchanan (Clovis) 14-1-1
This team's 13-0-1 start was cooled off last week by a 1-0 loss to Clovis West of Fresno. Last Saturday, the Bears then opened up play in the Clovis Easter Classic and posted wins over El Diamante of Visalia (3-2) and Redwood of Visalia (8-3). They have already dropped a game early this week to Hanford West, a result that will be reflected in next week's rankings.
16. (10) Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 12-2-1
The Monarchs seemed to be well on their way to opening last week's play with a win over Rosary of Fullerton with five runs in the third inning to take a 5-2 lead. Rosary, however, outscored Mater Dei by 5-0 the rest of the way for a 7-5 win. Amber Freeman and Caila Chirichigno each had their lone hits of the game result in two RBI in the five-run third inning. In the next game, Mater Dei trailed JSerra Catholic 1-0 after the first inning but the Monarchs' offense exploded for the game's next 10 runs on the way to a 15-5 win. Karina Cervantes was one of six Monarchs to knock in multiple runs as she went 3-for-5 with a double and four RBI.
17. (18) San Benito (Hollister) 15-2
The only blemishes the Tri-County League leaders have on their record is a 1-0 loss to Notre Dame of Salinas and a 4-1 loss to Piedmont Hills (San Jose) in the Charlie Miguel tournament where four starters were out for testing, including star pitcher Marissa Ybarra. Ybarra is currently 15-1 with nine shutouts. Leadoff batter J.C. Clayton leads the Haybaler girls with a .630 batting average. Other standouts include sophomore Jessica Steigelman who leads the team in home runs and RBIs with four and 17, respectively. Another girl playing well, according to Coach Scott Smith (who also missed the Piedmont Hills game), is sophomore shortstop Jessica Vest, last year's catcher. She is hitting .389 with a .550 on base percentage.
18. (nr) Los Alamitos 13-3
Former Pacifica of Garden Grove coach Rob Weil is now directing the Griffins and guess which team they are opening up with at this week's Michelle Carew Classic? Los Al avenged one of its losses last week with a 7-2 win in a Sunset League game against Esperanza of Anaheim. The team's two other losses are to Norco and Mater Dei and it has a win over state-ranked Riverside Poly.
19. (17) Presentation (San Jose) 17-3-1
The Panthers took their second loss after Loyola Marymount-bound Molly Medeiros was outdueled by Mitty's Keilani Ricketts in a 4-0 defeat. They then took a 7-0 loss to Live Oak (Morgan Hill) before winning two games in the three they played in the Mission City Tournament this past weekend. With the tournament games reported late, the Panthers will take the loss in next week's rankings, which will probably drop them out.
20. (20) M.L. King (Riverside) 12-3
Losing a 12-inning game to higher-ranked Santiago is no disgrace and certainly no reason to drop the Wolves out of this week's top 20. Amanda Baun lost her duel with Santiago's Kamerin May but it was the quiet Wolves bats that could not push across a run. Earlier in the week, Baun no-hit Centennial (Corona) for four innings before resting up for the Saniago showdown as MLK went on to easily win, 12-2. Baun and the rest of the Wolves will take a week off from games, currently standing just one game out of first, with a showdown with Norco coming on April 16.
Dropped Out:
Previous No. 19 Vista Murrieta (Murrieta).
On the Bubble:
Ayala (Chino Hills) 11-5, Camarillo 8-8, Clovis West (Fresno) 12-9-1, Foothill (Pleasanton) 7-2, Rodriguez (Fairfield) 5-4, Simi Valley 8-5, Torrey Pines (San Diego) 12-2, Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) 9-3, Westmont (Campbell) 12-4-1.
For corrections or comments or to send in information about a team for the next installment of the state top 20, email mark@studentsports.com. Be sure to leave a comment as well so others can check out what you have to say about these rankings.
Posted by Deputy Editor Mark Tennis
*Player of the Year JESSICA SPIGNER (pictured) of California and Coach of the Year ED STEELE of Virginia headline 30-player first team; 30 players also selected to second team.
Torrance, Calif. - It's been two years in a row that Southern California's Valencia High has had a legitimate national player of the year candidate in softball. A year ago, record-breaking pitcher Jordan Taylor just missed out because the player that was selected was a standout as a pitcher and a hitter. This year, doing both so well is the difference in Viking standout Jessica Spigner getting the top honor and today she has been named as the EA SPORTS National Player of the Year.
Spigner is one of 30 players who have been chosen as first team 2008 EA SPORTS All-Americans. Seven others from California also are on the first team with seven more from the Golden State on second team. Arizona was another state that did especially well this year with five first team EA SPORTS All-Americans and three on second team.
In addition to the players, Ed Steele from Broad Run High of Virginia, which was No. 1 in the final Rivals.com FAB 50 national rankings, has been chosen EA SPORTS National Coach of the Year.
"We're proud to honor these young women and are looking forward to seeing these players continue to compete at a high level as they move on in their softball careers," said Brian Movalson, EA SPORTS Director of Sports Marketing. "The EA SPORTS All-American honor is becoming one of the best in high school athletics because of the way they are done and because of the people who do the research behind the scenes. These student-athletes truly represent the best in the game in high school athletics."
Spigner, who already has been named CalHiSports.com's Ms. Softball State Player of the Year, was the reported state leader in pitching wins with 29. She also had a 0.62 ERA with 222 strikeouts, 12 shutouts and one perfect game. She was at her best in the CIF Southern Section Div. I playoffs with a two-hit shutout of unbeaten Simi Valley in the championship game, which prevented Simi Valley from finishing No. 1 in the nation.
In the semifinal round of those playoffs, Spigner was the winning pitcher and hit two home runs when Valencia downed nationally-ranked Santiago of Corona, 3-2. Valencia's title was its second in a row and the team ended at No. 9 in the final FAB 50.
As a junior, Spigner was an infielder playing behind Taylor, a senior pitcher who went 32-0. With those two, the Vikings ended up at 32-1 and were No. 1 in the nation. After Taylor departed to the University of Michigan, Spigner returned to her pitching roots and by the end of the season there may not have been a better pitcher in the nation.
Spigner's mostly known for her hitting and fielding, not pitching . As a hitter this year, the two home runs in the playoff game gave her 12 for the season. She also had a .480 average with 38 RBI and 37 runs scored. In the playoffs alone, she reached base 15 times out of 18 plate appearances, primarily because she was walked so frequently.
In addition to her softball exploits, Spigner was equally talented in the classroom. She had a 4.2 GPA during her senior year and had an overall GPA of 3.91 through her four years of high school. She has been named the CIF Southern Section Scholar Athlete of the Year.
Steele has been the guiding force behind a Broad Run program that has gone 83-1 over the last three years and won back-to-back Virginia state crowns. This year's team also improved its winning streak to 57 games and did not give up a run, earned or unearned, in its last 160 consecutive innings. Steele has been the head softball coach for the Spartans since 1992. Assistant coach Dave Morris also was instrumental in the success of this year's team.
FIRST TEAM
2008 EA SPORTS SOFTBALL ALL-AMERICANS Catcher -
Brittany Arredondo (Smithson Valley, Spring Branch, Texas) Sr.
The San Antonio area player of the year also wrapped up her high school career as a four-time super all-state selection. She batted .508 with 42 RBI and scored 52 runs. Arredondo also stole 21 bases while only being caught once. She will head to Tennessee where she plans to play shortstop.
Catcher -
Amanda Chidester (Cabrini, Allen Park, Mich.) Sr.
University of Michigan recruit was a first team All-American last season and repeats that honor. Her team finished as the Division 3 state runnerup, after winning two straight Division 4 state titles, with a 37-3-1 record. Chidester batted .440 with eight home runs and 34 RBI but was walked 47 times and had .991 fielding average. Foes pitched around her after she hit .730 with 16 homers and a national record 90 RBI as junior.
Catcher -
Ashley Hansen (Corona del Sol, Tempe, Ariz.) Sr.
Named as the Arizona Republic's big schools state player of the year, Hansen led her team to a runner-up finish in its division of the state playoffs this season. On the year, she hit .636 with 32 of her 77 hits for extra bases. She also scored 57 times, had 42 RBI and hit seven homers in her final season. Hansen was a USA Junior Olympics player last summer and tried out for the U.S. Olympic Team. She will head to Stanford next year.
Catcher -
Perelini Koria (San Pedro, Calif.) Sr.
One of six finalists to be state player of the year in California, Koria is going to national powerhouse Arizona after setting the state record for career home runs. She hit 13 homers this year after ripping 17 as a junior and put her new state record total at 45. She also had a .463 batting average with 44 hits, 44 RBI and was walked 18 times. Her team at San Pedro won the CIF L.A. City Section title.
Pitcher
- Kirsten Allen (Ryle, Union, Ky.) Sr.
University of Oklahoma recruit had 34-3 record with 29 shutouts, 11 no-hitters and four perfect games this season. She struck out over 400 batters. In her career, she set six state records, including 41 no-hitters and 15 perfect games. Allen's four other records were for career strikeouts with 1,838, career wins with a 142-22 total, and career shutouts with 110.
Pitcher -
Whitney Canion (Aledo, Texas) Sr.
It's hard to argue that Canion isn't worthy of being named All-American when she didn't lose all year and ended with a jaw dropping 0.10 ERA. She won 23 games along with a tie in the circle and struck out 281 batters. With her in the circle, Aledo won the Class 4A state title and was No. 3 in the final Rivals.com FAB 50 with a 38-1-1 record. Canion has been named the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Player of the year and will head to Baylor next season.
Pitcher
- Lindsey Dunlap (Hueytown, Hueytown, Ala.) Sr.
State's Miss Softball honoree led 61-5-2 record Golden Gophers to third state title in four years, and first in largest Class 6A, while earning second class MVP honor. The left-handed Mississippi State recruit had 442 season strikeouts and 1,646 in career and was 41-1 this season. In 31 tournament innings, she struck out 59 batters.
Pitcher -
Dallas Escobedo (St. Mary's, Phoenix, Ariz.) Soph.
Escobedo didn't quite throw every single inning of the Knights' season like she did last year but still threw in all but two games for a total of 229.2 innings. She ended with a 0.52 ERA, striking out 479 compared to just 26 walks. Escobedo also threw six no-hitters and a perfect-game in her first nine outings of the year in the circle. At the plate, she also hit .379 with 47 RBI and eight homers. In a span of three games she threw 25 innings without allowing a hit with back-to-back nine-inning no-hitters followed by a perfect game. Despite her young age, Escobedo already has committed to NCAA champion Arizona State.
Pitcher -
Rachele Fico (Masuk, Monroe, Conn.) Jr.
Masuk High's all-star finished the season with 12 no-hitters and seven perfect games in the circle. One of those no-hitters came in the pressure-packed state championship game against Naugatuck, where Fico took the 1-0 win and earned Most Valuable Player honors. Just a junior, the hurler had an impressive 486 strikeouts in 195 innings and an ERA of 0.07. Fico also contributed at the plate with a .424 batting average, 21 runs scored and 20 RBI in 27 games.
Pitcher -
Kenzie Fowler (Canyon del Oro, Tucson, Ariz.) Jr.
Fowler picks up another award to go with Southern Arizona player of the year and Gatorade National Player of the Year honors. She led the Dorados to the Class 4A Division I championship as she went 24-1 on the year with a 0.28 ERA. In 148.2 innings, she struck out 309 and had four no-hitters on the year. At the plate, she hit .448 with 33 RBI and scored 14 times. Fowler is perhaps the most inspirational player on this team as she bounced back from life-threatening surgery and eight days spent in intensive care last spring.
Pitcher -
Jolene Henderson (Sheldon, Sacramento, Calif.) Jr.
The state junior player of the year in California led Sheldon to a second straight CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I title and No. 4 spot in the final Rivals.com FAB 50 national rankings. Henderson, a two-time player of the year by the Sacramento Bee and already committed to Cal, went 30-1 with a 0.41 ERA and struck out 326 batters. She also batted for a .400 average and had five homers with 31 RBI.
Pitcher -
Brittany O'Donnell (Red Bank Catholic, Red Bank, N.J.) Jr.
O'Donnell dominated the circle this year finishing 25-2 with a 0.11 ERA, not to mention 353 strikeouts in 179 innings. She completed her junior season having thrown 11 no-hitters and two perfect games. The last game she threw was a tight one in the state championship against Immaculate Heart, which she won 1-0. She also provided quite a bit of offense for Red Bank, hitting .469 on the season with 17 RBI. The New Jersey player of the year already has committed to Notre Dame.
Pitcher -
Sam Skillingstad (Shadle Park, Spokane, Wash.) Sr.
Despite ending her prep career with her only loss of the season in the state championship, Skillingstad still was named Seattle Times Class 4A Player of the Year and Gatorade State Player of the Year. On the year, she went 28-1 with a 0.39 ERA while pitching every game for the Highlanders, who finished 28-1. Skillingstad also hit .417 with 37 RBI and was a three-time all-state selection. She finished her high school career 97-7 and will now head to the University of Oregon.
Pitcher -
Jaclyn Traina (Naples, Fla.) Soph.
Traina was an express line to victory for Naples this season, especially in the Class 4A state final when she led her team past Pembroke Pines Charter and denied Pembroke the mythical national title. Traina, the Gatorade State Player of the Year, led Naples to a 28-3 record. She went 21-3 in the circle with a 0.35 ERA. She also had 253 strikeouts in 138 1/3 innings.
Infield -
Katelyn Boyd (Horizon, Scottsdale, Ariz.) Sr.
Boyd's numbers in Arizona were simply off the charts. The scholarship recipient to NCAA champ Arizona State set eight single-season school records. She hit .690 on the year and had an on-base percentage of .780. Boyd also scored 59 runs, walked 37 times and had 61 RBI. Despite walking as much as she did, she still had 58 hits and 12 homers.
Infield -
Felecia Harris (Kentlake, Kent, Wash.) Sr.
Harris could have been named multi-purpose, but fit in best as an infielder where she played earlier in her high school career and where she probably will play in college. She was named to the All-State softball first team after a standout season of hitting, pitching and fielding, and will be headed to the University of Washington next season. Harris, who was her league's MVP in all four years of her Kentlake career, holds school records for home runs, RBI, strikeouts and wins.
Infield -
Trina Harrison (Oceanside, Calif.) Sr.
One of the best pure hitters and power hitters nationally, Harrison was pitched around frequently this season but still tied the CIF San Diego Section record for home runs with 17 and had a .639 average with 40 RBI. She also pushed her career home run total to 41, which would have been a new state record except that fellow EA SPORTS All-American Perelini Koria finished with an even higher total. She didn't go more than two straight games without homering all season long.
Infield -
Stephanie Kirkpatrick (Plainfield Central, Plainfield, Ill.) Sr.
Although Plainfield fell to Naperville Central in the finals, Kirkpatrick led her team all the way to the title game with her offense this season. She rewrote the record books her four years at Plainfield Central and graduated as the career leader in hits and runs scored. She batted .513 on the season with a .631 on-base percentage and a 1.094 slugging percentage. On top of that she drove in 23 runs and scored 44 for the Wildcats. Kirkpatrick will play next at the University of Michigan.
Infield -
Kelly Saco (Palmetto, Miami, Fla.) Sr.
While Jackie Traina of Naples was the top honoree in the Gatorade State Player of the Year selections, Saco won the vote among the state's media to be called this year's Miss Softball. Saco was a part-time pitcher and part-time first baseman for Palmetto, but was a full-time standout. She pitched in the team's biggest games, leading it to the Class 6A state title with a 16-2 record, 168 strikeouts and a 0.40 ERA. Saco also was dangerous with the bat as she ended with a .338 average with seven homers and 30 RBI.
Infield -
Jessica Spigner (Valencia, Calif.) Sr.
University of Tennessee-bound player is the 2008 EA SPORTS National Player of the Year. She didn't play in the infield this year as a pitcher-hitter, but she did for three years previously and will be a third baseman for the Volunteers. Listing her as an infielder was simply a way we could get more top pitchers or top pitcher-hitters the national recognition they deserved.
Outfield -
Caitlin Bayley (Xavier Prep, Phoenix, Ariz.) Sr.
Legging out 14 triples in a single season is among several impressive feats that Bayley turned in this spring. The all-state pick by the Arizona Republic also had a .561 batting average and piled up 69 total hits. Bayley, who has signed with the University of Arizona, also led Xavier to the Class 5A Division I state semifinals.
Outfield -
Andrea Harrison (Pacifica, Garden Grove, Calif.) Sr.
Following in the footsteps of older sister Monica to UCLA, Andrea enjoyed a banner season and was named the Orange County Register player of the year. The first-team all-state pick had a .397 batting average with 13 homers and 44 RBI. She also scored 34 times and had 21 extra-base hits.
Outfield -
Jamia Reid (Kennedy, La Palma, Calif.) Sr.
One of the best leadoff hitting prospects ever from Orange County (which is the home of the No. 1 and No. 2 batters for the current U.S. National Team), Reid had a .532 batting average for the season and led Kennedy to a 29-4 record. She had 50 hits, 28 runs scored and 20 stolen bases. Reid also went 18-for-24 over her last six games. She'll now head with twin sister Elia to the University of California.
Outfield -
Kelli Wheeler (Lassiter, Marrieta, Ga.) Sr.
With a .585 batting average, .664 on-base percentage, 50 runs scored and 40 RBI, Wheeler led the Trojans to the Class 5A state championship this season. The centerfielder ended her high school career as the Class 5A state player of the year and was the Gatorade State Player of the Year. Wheeler, who also carried a 4.32 GPA, is playing next at the University of North Carolina.
Multi-Purpose -
Lisa Akamine (Escondido, Calif.) Sr.
The CIF San Diego Section player of the year had a 0.20 ERA in the circle and dropped just one decision, although that one was in the playoffs and denied Escondido its chance of perhaps finishing No. 1 in the state. She also averaged two strikeouts per inning and with the bat hit for a .420 average with 26 RBI. Akamine is headed in the fall to Penn State.
Multi-Purpose -
Audrey Broyles (Pembroke Pines Charter, Pembroke, Fla.) Sr.
Broyles started strong this year, helping her team to the NIKE Faster to First tournament championship, and she continued to carry her team for 30 straight games. The lone loss was to Naples in the Class 4A state final, but that doesn't take away from the year that Broyles had on the mound and offensively. She finished with a 0.39 ERA and 156 strikeouts. At the plate she hit .449 with 25 RBI. Her pitching and hitting efforts together earned her the South Florida Sun-Sentinel Class 6A-5A-4A Player of the Year honor.
Mulit-Purpose -
Caitlyn Delahaba (Broad Run, Ashburn, Va.) Sr.
You could have asked for a lot from Delahaba before the season started but it would've been crazy to ask her to put up the numbers she did. The Broad Run standout went 27-0 in the circle and didn't allow an earned run. Delahaba threw 10 no-hitters and in 181 innings she struck out 421. She also finished the season with 23 straight shutouts and 160 consecutive scoreless innings to set a state record. At the plate, Delahaba, who is headed to Villanova this fall, hit .361 with 19 RBI.
Multi-Purpose -
Tomi Garrison (Garland, Texas) Sr.
The Sam Houston State signee was named District 10-5A MVP and Player of the Year in the Dallas area after going 25-4-2 with a 0.72 ERA while striking out 243. Garrison also led Garland to another appearance in the Class 5A final four after the Owls took home state titles in her sophomore and junior seasons. Without their top three hitters from last year, Garrison was relied on even more on offense and responded by hitting .456 with 16 doubles and 46 RBI. She finished her high school career at 97-12-4.
Multi-Purpose -
Kamerin May (Santiago, Corona) Jr.
The Riverside County player of the year and first team all-state pick was tough as nails in every game. As a pitcher, May went 26-4 with a 0.73 ERA and had 17 shutouts. May, who also struck out 311 batters, batted .400 and had six homers with 30 RBI. She won three head-to-head matchups vs. Norco and best friend Teagan Gerhart. If Gerhart and Norco had won at least one of those games, she would have been on the first team as well. It's just about a lock that both will be All-Americans plus national and state player of the year candidates next year.
Multi-Purpose -
Constance Orr (Butler, Matthews, N.C.) Sr.
After losing All-American pitcher Ashton Ward to the University of Tennessee, many thought this would be a down year for Butler. Those thoughts were put to rest as Orr stepped up and led the team to its third state championship in a row. She was a force to be reckoned with in the circle, never losing a game the whole year. Her ERA was a staggering 0.02. It stood at 0.00 until the playoffs. Orr also was among the unbeaten team's leaders in just about all offensive categories. She will play next at the University of North Carolina.
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