State Team of the Year Archbishop Mitty leads a group of four squads from the Central Coast Section that gain final writeups as we add 20 more teams with writeups compared to the 20 we usually do. The biggest change is Etiwanda going up to No. 6 from No. 10. Go inside for more and to see how high unbeaten small school powerhouse Sutter finished or if the Huskies made it into the final overall top 40 at all.

Compiled by Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Writeups by Harold Abend, Paul Muyskens, Steve Brand, Ronnie Flores and Mark Tennis

(After all games played during 2009 season)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)

1.  (1)  Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 32-0
Is there anything left to be said about the Monarchs that hasn't already been said? No. 1 in the ESPN RISE FAB 50 and a perfect season just about says it all. So being No. 1 in the state, while a dream come true for most teams, almost takes a back seat for Coach Sarah Thomas and her girls. The real turning point in the season and what really propelled Mitty to the top of both heaps was the championship game of the Livermore Stampede. It was in that game that the term "Ricketted” was born after Oklahoma-bound Keilani Ricketts had a career game and one of the most dominating one-girl performances in recent California history in a 5-2 victory over the then No. 1 team in the nation and state, Sheldon of Sacramento. Ricketts came into the game not having given up an earned run at that point in the season with the team 22-0. When she gave up a first-inning home run to Cal-bound Lindsey Ziegenhirt, Ricketts and the other girls could have begun to fold. Instead, Ricketts blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the first and went on the fan 20 from the circle while only allowing four hits. In the story that appeared on this site, we mused "the way Ricketts pitched and hit on Saturday and the way her teammates slapped the ball effectively, a loss may not get posted on Mitty's ledger for quite some time.” In fact, it did not and the Monarchs ran the table and won their fifth consecutive CCS title.

2.  (2)  Norco 32-2
Although the Cougars were able to get dominant pitching performances from four-year standout Teagan Gerhart, the championship season was greatly aided by a strong lineup of bats one through nine. According to Eric-Paul Johnson of the Riverside Press-Enterprise, coach Rick Robinson got 11 game-winning hits from his team this season. With its 5-1 victory over Big VIII League rival and previous No. 5 Santiago of Corona in the CIF Southern Section Div. I title game, Norco won its second section title in seven years and Robinson's third overall, his first coming at Corona Centennial in 1996. In beating Santiago for the third time this season, Norco not only received a dominant performance from Gerhart, but three timely hits and two runs from junior outfielder Nicole Sappingfield. Norco definitely had a State Team of the Year resume, with a 9-2 win over league foe Poly of Riverside that avenged a 1-0 loss in the sixth game of the season. The only other loss was also a 1-0 setback in a ridiculously tough opening round matchup against No. 7 Freedom of Oakley at the Nike Faster to First Tournament.

3.  (3)  Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 26-5
With sophomore Ally Carda leading the way in the circle all season long, the Eagles not only made their first-ever Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship game but also ended the season with the win as they defeated Sheldon of Sacramento, 1-0, in the finale. After losing two close games to the Huskies earlier in the season, it was the Eagles who won the game that meant the most as Carda allowed just two hits and struck out eight in a complete game shutout. Carda on the year won 25 of their 26 games with a 0.37 ERA and 380 strikeouts while also leading the team with 39 RBI and nine homers. Other key wins this season for the Eagles were back to back victories against Vista Murrieta and Valencia and they twice defeated Elk Grove, who lost just six times all year.

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There were no upsets last week, but one on Monday already this week is certainly a big one. The only major changes from last week were in the aftermath of Valencia beating Hart in the Foothill League.

Compiled by Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Writeups by Harold Abend, Paul Muyskens, Steve Brand and Mark Tennis

(After games of Saturday, May 16)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)

1.  (1)  Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 29-0
It's beginning to sound like a broken record but it sure looks like a juggernaut the way the Monarchs and Keilani Ricketts in particular have been playing. Each week seems to surpass the last one. Last week in the West Catholic Athletic League semifinals they routed Valley Christian, 10-0. Ricketts drove in two, Christina Menjivar drove in two and Miyuki Navarette had a triple that drove in a run. Eight different girls scored in the onslaught. In the title game 2-0 victory over Presentation (San Jose), Menjivar delivered an RBI single in the second, Cal Poly-bound Jillian Anderson did likewise in the third, and Ricketts did the rest. The Oklahoma-bound senior fireballer tossed a one-hitter and struck out 18 as the FAB 50 No. 2 ranked Monarchs added the WCAL playoff championship to their regular season title. They now move into the CCS Division II playoffs as the top seed and have a first round bye. They will meet the winner of the Santa Clara vs. Los Gatos game on May 23. If everything goes as seeded, Mitty would play second-seeded Presentation a fourth time in the finals on May 30 with a chance to tie the current 32-0 unbeaten mark of Ocean View of Huntington Beach. "We would like to get that 32-0,” said Coach Sarah Thomas, whose team scrimmages Wilcox (Santa Clara) on Tuesday, and who acknowledged that she has followed Sutter and knows they are now 34-0 after the Northern Section D4 championship game victory set the new record. She didn't want to take anything away from Sutter but told CalHiSports.com the obvious, "It's against a different talent level.” We assume Coach Thomas and the rest of the Monarchs also have been following the results of FAB 50 No. 1 Klein Oak in the Texas state playoffs. Let's just say there will be a new No. 1 when this week's FAB 50 is released later on Wednesday on the ESPNRISE.com softball page one index.

2.  (2)  Sheldon (Sacramento) 26-1
The Huskies rode the powerful right arm of Jolene Henderson through the opening rounds of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs as she struck out 29 batters in their first two wins. Henderson tossed a no-hitter in a 7-0 win over Beyer of Modesto in the first round and then matched zeroes with Lodi's Tori Shepard before the Huskies scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull out a 2-0 victory. Before we could even get the new rankings out and written, however, the Huskies have been upset in the Monday game by Elk Grove for the second year in a row. The 2-1 loss sent Sheldon to the loser's bracket, but they are still alive for a section title after defeating Buhach Colony just hours later. The loss to Elk Grove would drop Sheldon behind Norco in the final rankings if Norco were to win its section title because the Cougars would have to do that with no losses whatsoever.

3.  (3)  Norco 27-2
The Gerhart triplets made sure the top-seeded Cougars entered the Southern Section Division I playoffs next Tuesday on a high note with a pair of impressive shutout wins to close out the regular season. Teagan Gerhart fired a no-hitter and sister Whitley drove in a run, along with Kelli Frye, as Norco stopped M.L. King (Riverside), 2-0. Teagan went five more innings and all three sisters got in the act as the Cougars stopped Centennial (Corona), 7-0, to make it 21 straight wins heading into the postseason. Teagan and Kelsey Gerhart each drove in a pair of runs while Whitley was going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored as a five-run first inning pretty much decided matters early. Although the Cougars only have a pair of 1-0 losses to Freedom (Oakley) and Poly (Riverside), there is nowhere to go as the two teams above them also continue to win, although Sheldon did finally drop one on Monday of this week.

4.  (4)  Freedom (Oakley) 21-3
The Falcons rolled into the CIF North Coast Section Division I playoffs as the top seed after going undefeated in Bay Valley League play, finishing 15-0 after 12-0 and 6-0 victories last week over Antioch and Liberty of Brentwood, respectively. Against Antioch, Fresno State-bound Hannah Williams hurled a mercy-shortened four-hitter with eight strikeouts, and hit her sixth home run of the season, a three-run blast. Against Liberty it was a three-hitter with six fanned. Chrissy Stalf had the big bat in that game, going 3-for-3 with a triple and four knocked in. Coach Jeff Jonas' girls now have a first round bye and await the Liberty at Castro Valley winner in a May 23 second round contest.

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Vista Murrieta's view is now from the top five while going up into the top 10 this week is Canyon of Anaheim and Livermore. The only newcomer is a team with a baseball counterpart already among state's best.

(After games of Saturday, May 2)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)

Compiled by Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Writeups by Harold Abend, Paul Muyskens, Steve Brand and Mark Tennis

1.  (1)  Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 25-0
The Monarchs continue to roll after two wins last week but believe it or not someone has finally scored on Mitty in WCAL play after Valley Christian (San Jose) scratched out a run in a 3-1 Monarch victory. They may have scored on her but Kealanl Ricketts made the Warrior girls pay by smacking two home runs (seventh and eighth) and driving in all three runs. Earlier in the week in a non-league matchup of state-ranked teams, Ricketts threw a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts and was 2-for-4 from the plate against No. 19 Notre Dame (Salinas) in a 1-0 victory. Coach Sarah Thomas' girls wrap up league play with home games against St. Ignatius (San Francisco) and Notre Dame of Belmont, then it's on to the playoffs as Mitty continues to chase the mythical national title, currently coming into the week at No. 2 in the FAB 50.  

2.  (2)  Sheldon (Sacramento) 21-1
Another week and another two wins for the Huskies as they defeated St. Francis of Sacramento and Pleasant Grove behind two shutouts by Jolene Henderson. Henderson was a walk away from a perfect game against the Troubadours as she didn't allow a hit and struck out 15 in the Huskies' 3-0 victory. The last time the Huskies played the state-ranked Eagles it took 13 innings before the Huskies were able to pull off a 1-0 win but there was no need for extra innings last week in the rematch as Sheldon scored the only runs of the game in the fifth inning for a 2-0 win. Henderson struck out 16 and allowed just one hit and one walk, both to Ally Carda. The Huskies should end the regular season with two wins this week as they play Monterey Trail and Florin, which they both defeated by a 14-1 margin earlier this season.

3.  (3)  Norco 23-2
Teagan Gerhart had a little company in the spotlight this week as she combined with Emily Lock to blank Corona, 8-0, on just one hit before shutting down J.W. North (Riverside), 6-1, all by herself. Gerhart hurled the first four innings, striking out nine, before Lock came in and had just as much success. One game later, Gerhart was in charge as the Cougars made it 17 straight. This week will be the Kam May-Gerhart showdown, Part II, when Norco faces new No. 6 Santiago (Corona) on Thursday. The last time these two took the circle, Norco was able to walk away with a 2-1 victory and plenty of respect for the Sharks. The Cougars are hoping to give Teagen a little rest the first game of the week, a practice that has worked well in recent outings.

4.  (4)  Freedom (Oakley) 18-3
It was two more shutouts last week for Hannah Williams after 11-0 and 2-0 blankings of Brentwood's Liberty and Heritage, respectively. Williams now has five consecutive shutouts. Liberty was a one-hitter with eight strikeouts in a five-inning mercy affair where she faced the minimum 15 batters. Heritage was a two-hitter where she fanned 10 and hit a batter. To top it off, in the Liberty game, Williams had two three-run home runs (five homers on season) and knocked in six runners. Senior Susan Robertson also was 2-for-2 against Liberty with a double and an RBI. The Falcons have two road games this week. First they've got Pittsburg and then it's a rematch with Emily Allard and Deer Valley of Antioch. 

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Pleasant Grove moves up into the top 10 while this week's newcomers include Bullard of Fresno and El Camino of Oceanside. Mitty, Sheldon and Norco still rolling, meanwhile, in the top three slots.

(After games of Saturday, April 25)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)

Compiled by Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Writeups by Harold Abend, Paul Muyskens, Steve Brand and Mark Tennis

1.  (1)  Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 23-0
The question right now is not when someone in the West Catholic Athletic League will beat the Monarchs, but when someone will score on them. Last week, they dropped St. Francis (Mountain View) and St. Ignatius (San Francisco) by 13-0 and 6-0 scores, respectively. That means Mitty is now 6-0 against teams in their league and have outscored league foes by 46-0. In fact, only five teams have scored on the Monarchs all season, and only one, Sheldon of Sacramento, has been able to score more than one run in a 5-2 Mitty victory in the Livermore Stampede title game. All told, they Monarchs have outscored opponents 150-6. For their efforts, Coach Sarah Thomas's girls didn't get the nation's top spot in last week's ESPN RISE FAB 50 rankings but they did move up from No. 4 into the second spot. Next up is a non-league game with Notre Dame of Salinas and a WCAL matchup across town at Valley Christian. The girls from Salinas are one of the five teams to score on Mitty in a 3-1 Monarchs victory on April 11 in the Steinbeck Classic's championship game.

2.  (2)  Sheldon (Sacramento) 19-1
The Huskies may not be the No. 1 ranked team in the state or nation anymore after their first loss of the season to Archbishop Mitty, but they made sure they wouldn't pick up a second loss last week as they defeated Florin and Folsom. Alexis Cooper got the call to be in the circle and gave up just one hit and struck out 10 while driving in two runs in the Huskies' 14-1 win over Florin. Lindsey Ziegenhirt led the offense with a triple and three RBI. Jolene Henderson took the ball against Folsom and allowed just one hit and struck out 11 in a 3-0 win over the Bulldogs. Sheldon will host St. Francis of Sacramento and then in what should be another classic game will host state-ranked Pleasant Grove, which was defeated earlier this year by a 1-0 final score in 13 innings.

3.  (3)  Norco 21-2
Neither of those top two teams better falter because the Cougars are ready to pounce. Last week Norco impressively avenged one of its two losses with a 9-2 win over Poly (Riverside) that allowed the Cougars to jump into first in the rugged Big VIII. Naturally, Teagan Gerhart, she of the 0.37 ERA, was the leader as she scattered five hits while fanning 13 Poly batters. With Teagan also going 2-for-3 with a triple, Norco scored three runs in the second, two in the third and four in the fourth, making Poly's two runs in the seventh meaningless. Earlier in the week Teagen pitched two perfect innings but was able to rest up for the Poly game as Norco outscored Centennial (Corona), 13-6. Norco, which has now won 15 in a row, stays in league for games against Corona and North (Riverside).

4.  (4)  Freedom (Oakley) 16-3
The second team from the Bay Area in the state's top five and the ESPN RISE FAB 50 had a three-win week to improve to 9-0 in the Bay Valley Athletic League. Fresno State-bound Hannah Williams started the week off by out-dueling Deer Valley of Antioch's Northwestern-bound Emily Allard. In an eight-inning 1-0 home victory, Williams threw a no-hitter with nine strikeouts. The only base-runner reached on an error. Besides Williams' heroics, Melanie Padilla had the big bat for Freedom. The sophomore center-fielder was 4-for-4 and ended the game with her first home run of the season. Williams had two other shutouts with 10-0 and 3-0 wins over Pittsburg and Antioch, respectively. Pittsburg was a one-hitter with 14 strikeouts and Antioch got three hits and fanned 13 times. On tap this week in league play are home games with Brentwood's Liberty and Heritage.   

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