ALL-CENTRAL COAST SECTION
Player of the Year LAUREN LOPEZ, ARCHBISHOP MITTY
By HAROLD ABEND Prep2Prep
As the top player on the top team and inaugural Central Coast Section Open Division champions, Lauren Lopez of Archbishop Mitty gets the biggest marble of all after being named the Prep2Prep Central Coast
Section Player of the Year.
“I’m so proud of her and she’s very deserving of the award,” said Mitty coach Joe Gron, who has seen Lopez develop in his two years at the Monarchs’ helm. “She was the first one at practice and the last
one to leave. Her work ethic and senior leadership were second to none.”
The Concordia-bound Lopez is a centerfielder who was a catalyst as the Monarchs' leadoff batter, defensive specialist, and a threat to get into scoring position by her ability to get on base and
advance herself with her speed.
“She’s the one that got the offense going,” Gron remarked. “Five out of 10 times she was on base getting things started, and she was outstanding defensively.”
On the season, Lopez batted .469 on 45 hits with a .491 on-base percentage. She scored 27 runs and was successful on 28 of 29 base-stealing attempts. She even increased her power with two doubles
and a triple. In the outfield, her fielding percentage was 1.000 on nearly 60 chances, and for a centerfielder to not commit an error all season against top-notch competition is rare.
One of the two-base hits came in the Monarchs’ 9-5 CCS Open Division title-game victory over Saint Francis, when she went 3-for-4 and scored after hitting the two-bagger.
During the three-game CCS Open Division playoffs, Lopez was at her best. She was 6-for-12 with a triple, double, an RBI, two runs scored, and two stolen bases.
Others considered for this award include: Carlmont's Cameron Kondo, Archbishop Mitty's Rebecca Ortiz
Coach of the Year MIKE OAKLAND, ST. FRANCIS
Mike Oakland is Prep2Prep's CCS Coach of the Year.
By HAROLD ABEND Prep2Prep
It wasn’t exactly a slam dunk, or a grand slam for that matter, as there were several coaches deserving of the honor. However, even though he was only in his first year at Saint Francis coach Mike
Oakland has been named the Prep2Prep Central Coast Section Coach of the Year.
“Wow, that’s awesome. I appreciate it very much,” said Oakland when told he was being honored.
When the softball coach at Saint Francis left at the end of the 2016 season and Oakland said he wanted to come over from coaching the Lancers baseball team and take over the softball program, it had a lot
people scratching their heads. Over the past few seasons not only was Oakland one of the most successful baseball coaches in the West Catholic Athletic League and the CCS, but the entire state.
Besides winning the CCS Open Division baseball championship in 2015 and 2016 and the Division I title in 2013, in 11 seasons at the Lancers helm Oakland compiled a 273-78-1 record and sent multiple
players on to major D1 colleges and professional baseball.
This past season there were lukewarm expectations for a pretty young Lancers softball team. However, under the guidance of Oakland they went from not having a winning season in 10 years and 0-12 last
year in the West Catholic Athletic League to 9-1 this season, including two wins in league over Archbishop Mitty.
The result was the first WCAL softball title for Saint Francis since the league began championships for women’s sports over 20 years ago.
“We always had the talent here at Saint Francis but the girls never believed they could win until Coach Oakland took over the program,” said a Lancers parent. “He brought a new attitude and started from scratch.”
“At the beginning of the season I wasn’t sure there would be a high level from this group,” Oakland said. “But as the season progressed they showed they were a group of girls that could do
some pretty good things – and they did.”
The Lancers didn’t complete the sweep of Mitty after losing in the CCS Open Division title game but they did finish No. 2 in the final Prep2Prep CCS rankings to complete what was still a dream season for
Oakland and his girls.
Actually, coaching girls is really something that comes natural to Oakland, is something he has experience in doing, and was a big reason he moved to softball. First off, he has three daughters, an
incoming eight-grader, an incoming fourth-grader, and an incoming second-grader, and all but the youngest plays softball.
Plus, Oakland coaches the oldest as the coach of the San Jose Nuggets travel ball team, and she will be coming to Saint Francis to play for her father for the 2019 season after she enrolls in the fall of 2018.
“The job was open and I figured whoever takes it won’t give it up for a while and I was looking at the possibility of coaching my daughters,” Oakland said. "Without question it was a much different
experience than coaching baseball but it was the same level of enjoyment and completeness."
The Saint Francis community is certainly happy Oakland took the job and the result was not only a terrific season for the Lancers but also selection by Prep2Prep as the top softball coach in the Central Coast Section.
Others considered for this award include: Notre Dame-Salinas' Tom Cardinale, Archbishop Mitty's Joe Gron, Silver Creek's Aaron Noriega, Santa Teresa's Laureen Ramirez, Watsonville's Scott Wilson.
FIRST TEAM ALL-CCS
Holly Azevedo, Pioneer
Position: Pitcher
Year: Senior
The Prep2Prep Senior of the Year capped off a great career that despite injuries saw her finish with 23 strikeouts in a 10-inning heartbreaking 1-0 CCS DI semifinal
loss to eventual champion Watsonville. She was 10-4 with a 0.27 ERA and had 197 strikeouts and only 15 walks in 104 innings pitched. At the plate she hit .438 with
three home runs and a 1.252 OPS this past season.
Grace Garcia, Half Moon Bay
Position: Pitcher
Year: Junior
The Peninsula Athletic League Pitcher of the Year went 20-3 with a 1.31 ERA and 215 strikeouts in 150 innings pitched. She
had a season-high 19 strikeouts in a win over Soquel and was in double digits for strikeouts 10 times. Opposing batters hit .177 against her with a .260 on-base percentage.
As a batter she hit .295 with 14 RBIs and 15 runs scored.
Jordan Schuring, Saint Francis
Position: Pitcher
Year: Sophomore
The Prep2Prep Sophomore of the Year snags one of the three pitching positions on the first team after leading the Lancers to their first WCAL softball title. In the
circle the WCAL Pitcher of the Year was 14-6 with a 1.71 ERA on only 32 earned runs, and 78 strikeouts and 39 walks in 130.2 innings pitched. At the plate Schuring
hit .359 with three home runs a triple, seven doubles and 22 RBIs.
Kacey Zobac, Valley Christian
Position: Catcher
Year: Sophomore
A finalist for Prep2Prep Sophomore of the Year the Warriors' backstop was chosen as the West Catholic Athletic League Player of the Year after hitting .536 on 37 hits
with a .640 on-base percentage, six home runs 27 RBIs and 30 runs scored in one of the state’s toughest leagues. She also had 27 stolen bases in 28 attempts and
the 27 thefts were second in the league – and for a catcher that’s a feat. Zobac threw out six runners trying to steal and had a 1.000 fielding percentage on 128 total chances.
Hannah Damore, Saint Francis
Position: Infielder
Year: Sophomore
Another of the plethora of sophomores in the Central Coast Section that were both first-team all-league - in this case the West Catholic Athletic League - and first-team all-BANG.
This past season Damore hit .373 on 38 hits with seven home runs 11 doubles, 42 RBIs and 28 runs scored. She also only struck out once every three games and had five stolen bases.
Cameron Kondo, Carlmont
Position: Infielder
Year: Senior
The Scots Cal-bound first-baseman was a finalist for Prep2Prep Senior of the Year and a member of the Peninsula Athletic League first team. Last season she
hit .494 on 40 hits with nine home runs, two triples, nine doubles, 43 RBIs and 40 runs scored, a .987 slugging percentage and a 1.547 OBS. In the field she
only made four errors in 224 total chances. Highlights of her three-plus year varsity career include a .420 batting average with 101 runs batted in.
Dominique Monteon, San Benito
Position: Infielder
Year: Sophomore
The Balers shortstop was firstt-eam all-Monterey Bay League–Gabilan Division despite missing seven games, and with her numbers and sparkling play in the field
Monteon was still a finalist for Prep2Prep Sophomore of the Year and gets one of the four infield spots on the first team as well. On the season she hit .571 on 36
hits with two home runs, nine doubles, 19 RBIs and 21 runs scored with 13 stolen bases. On defense she had a .985 fielding percentage.
Adrianna Noriega, Silver Creek
Position: Infielder
Year: Sophomore
The daughter of Coach of the Year finalist Aaron Noriega was one of several outstanding sophomores of one of the surprise San Jose public schools. As a result she
gets the nod for one of the first team infield spots. She hit .398 on 33 hits with three home
runs, four triples, six doubles, 23 RBIs and 32 runs scored. She also was 9-for-9 on stolen bases and only made six errors in 78 chances at second base and shortstop combined.
Myka Hughes, Saint Francis
Position: Outfielder
Year: Senior
One of two runners-up for Senior of the Year, an all-WCAL selection, the Lancers centerfielder didn’t have the biggest numbers on the team but
it was her overall play and senior leadership that stood out on a team that exceeded most everyone’s expectations. At the plate the Lancers leadoff batter hit .382
on 34 hits with 33 runs scored and only five strikeouts in 105 plate appearances. She also stole 29 bases and had no errors in the outfield in 40 total chances.
Lauren Lopez, Archbishop Mitty
Position: Outfielder
Year: Senior
The Prep2Prep CCS Player of the Year and Monarchs centerfielder obviously gets top billing in the outfield on the first team after leading Mitty to the inaugural
CCS Open Division championship. “We wanted this extremely bad and it made it so much better because everyone doubted us,” Lopez told Prep2Prep after going 3-for-4 with a
double, stolen base and a run scored in the Mitty 9-5 Open title-game victory over Saint Francis. There’s no longer any doubt about Mitty and Lopez in particular
after she’s piled up the post-season honors.
Brittnee Rossi, San Benito
Position: Outfielder
Year: Senior
The Balers centerfielder led the team in home runs (5), triples (6), runs (37), was tied with fellow first-teamer Monteon for first in hits (42), and was second to
Monteon in average at .494 and tied her for second in RBIs with 22. The Monterey Bay League–Gabilan Division MVP had a .994 fielding percentage after making only
one throwing error all season and she also stole 14 bases.
Mailey McLemore, Carlmont
Position: Utility
Year: Junior
The Prep2Prep Junior of the Year and Peninsula Athletic League Player of the Year was a terror both as a pitcher and hitter. On the season from
the circle McLemore went 14-2 with a 1.73 ERA and 86 strikeouts, and opposing batters hit below .200 against her. As a batter the UC Santa Barbara-commit hit .479
with five home runs 37 RBIs, 11 doubles, four triples and 36 runs scored.
Rebecca Ortiz, Archbishop Mitty
Position: Utility
Year: Senior
Mitty's regular shortstop earns a spot at utility for her ability to play second and third base. On the season the all-WCAL first-team selection and Monarchs' No. 3 hitter
batted .402 on 33 hits with a home run, and team-highs of 10 doubles, 27 RBIs and 31 runs scored. Ortiz was 6-of-6 on stolen bases and had a solid .975 fielding
percentage for a shortstop.
Juliana Wilson, Watsonville
Position: Utility
Year: Sophomore
The versatile Wilson earns a sport on the first team, as Watsonville's primary catcher also played third and first base on a Wildcatz team that won the CCS Division I
title for the first section championship in school history. Wilson led the team in every statistical category after batting .608 on 45 hits with eight home runs, six triples,
11 doubles, 43 RBIs, 35 runs scored, and she amazingly only struck out twice all season. She had a .659 on-base percentage and a stratospheric slugging and OPS percentages
of 1.243 and 1.902, respectively.
SECOND TEAM ALL-CCS
Vanessa Gonzales, Notre Dame-Salinas
Position: Pitcher
Year: Junior
Gonzalez was the winning pitcher in the Spirits' record 16th CCS championship when she gave up no earned runs and only three hits with nine strikeouts in the 4-2 Division II title-game
victory over Hillsdale. On the season the MBL-Gabilan first-team selection was 21-1 with a 2.05 ERA and 175 strikeouts in 170.1 innings pitched. Opposing batters had a .208
average against Gonzales.
Brittany Prock, Homestead
Position: Pitcher
Year: Senior
The SCVAL–De Anza Division MVP was on the short end of a 3-1 loss to Watsonville in the CCS Division I championship game. Despite
that heartbreaking end to her high school career, Prock gets the nod as a second team pitching selection after finishing 20-11 for the Mustangs with a 1.60 ERA and
152 strikeouts in 197.1 innings pitched. At the plate she hit .530 with a CCS-leading 53 hits with 23 RBIs.
Jessica Rodriguez, Watsonville
Position: Pitcher
Year: Sophomore
Rodriguez was a finalist for Prep2Prep Sophomore of the Year and the MBL-Gabilan Pitcher of the Year just misses first team as the No. 4 pitcher in the pecking order.
But with two years to go don’t be surprised to see her as a first-teamer at some point. On the season she was 22-4 with a 0.80 ERA and a CCS-leading 253 strikeouts. She
was in double digits for strikeouts 10 times, including 14 in the 3-1 win over Homestead for the CCS DI title. Rodriguez also batted .538 in limited plate appearances.
Amber Rodriguez, San Benito
Position: Catcher
Year: Sophomore
It was a tight choice for the top three backstop spots but after things shook out the Balers RBI leader (30) and doubles leader (12) that tied first-teamer Rossi
for the hits lead (42), had the kind of resume on an CCS Open Division team that was 4-0 against the CCS DI and DII winners, Watsonville and Notre Dame-Salinas, respectively,
to snag second team honors. Rodriguez also hit .457 with a home run, triple and 20 runs scored. Behind the plate she only had two errors and threw out 15-of-17
runners attempting to steal.
Annika Briski, Los Gatos
Position: Infielder
Year: Junior
The SCVAL–De Anza Division first-team selection had some extraordinary numbers for a Wildcats team that had its best season in over 10 years. She hit .448 on 43
hits with two triples, 13 doubles, 24 RBIs and 19 runs scored. Briski also stole six bases and had no errors in the field in 70 total chances.
Ally Sarabia, Half Moon Bay
Position: Infielder
Year: Senior
The Peninsula Athletic League first-teamer didn’t have the biggest numbers on a young Cougars team but the senior leader was the
complete package. At the plate she hit .389 on 35 hits with 12 doubles, 18 RBIs and 23 runs scored, Amazingly she only struck out one time all season. Sarabia also had a .919
fielding percentage.
Elizabeth Skotz, Presentation
Position: Infielder
Year: Senior
The WCAL all-league first-teamer and Panthers senior leader had solid numbers at the plate where she hit an even .400 on 30 hits with two home runs, a triple, seven
doubles, 20 RBIs and 20 runs scored. She also had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage on 230 total chances.
Julie Davis, Homestead
Position: Outfielder
Year: Senior
Davis pounded out 55 hits in a whopping 127 plate appearances to lead the CCS in both categories, and that was enough to earn her the SCVAL-De Anza Division Most
Valuable Offensive Player award. On the season she hit .490 with 41 runs scored and 17 runs batted in.
Madison Greco, Santa Teresa
Position: Outfielder
Year: Junior
The Saints centerfielder and all-BVAL–Mt. Hamilton Division first-team selection hit .400 on 38 hits with three home runs, nine doubles 23 RBIs and 23 runs scored.
In the outfield she only made one error in 38 total chances. In the Saints' 7-5 win over San Benito in the CCS Open Division Greco had two hits including a two-run home run.
Sarah Starks, Christopher
Position: Outfielder
Year: Sophomore
The MBL-Gabilan first-teamer had one of the biggest bats in the CCS with a .447 average on 38 hits and a section-leading 11 home runs, two triples, eight doubles, 37 RBIs,
32 runs scored, and .976 and 1.506 slugging and OPS percentages, respectively. Starks also handled 121 total chances in the field without an error.
Hannah Edwards, Archbishop Mitty
Position: Utility
Year: Sophomore
The all-WCAL first-team selection was 11-2 as a pitcher with a 1.62 ERA and also had a no-hitter against St. Ignatius. At the plate she hit .391 with two home runs, seven
doubles and 22 RBIs. In the CCS Open Division 9-5 title-game victory over Saint Francis, Edwards was 2-for-3 with an RBI double and she scored twice.
Jaide Vidal, Silver Creek
Position: Utility
Year: Senior
The Raiders' all-BVAL-Santa Teresa Division first-team selection played catcher and in the outfield and hit .444 on 32 hits with 23 RBIs and 17 runs scored – and she only
struck out twice all season. Vidal was 11-for-11 on stolen-base attempts. Behind the plate she threw out 10-of-13 runners attempting to steal and her overall fielding was
1.000 on 93 total chances.
THIRD TEAM ALL-CCS
PITCHERS
Kayla Dominguez (Valley Christian), Madison Earnshaw (Notre Dame-Belmont), Amada Moisa (San Benito), Lexi Parish (Sobrato), Savanna Smith (Mitty), Cayla Williams (Santa Teresa)
CATCHERS
Kaeli Bush (Notre Dame-Salinas), Angelina Heredia (Watsonville), Rani Lauwers (Mountain View), Katherine Steffen-Brune (Saint Francis), Chloe Stogner (Notre Dame-Belmont)
INFIELDERS
Ashley Donaldson (Branham), Lauren Garcia (Pioneer), Aly Gomonet (Notre Dame-Salinas), Alexis Kaiser (Santa Teresa), Brooke Niewoehner (Pioneer), Savanna Quintana (Watsonville)
OUTFIELDERS
Alohi Apalla (Silver Creek), Chloe Cortez (San Benito), Claudia Costello (Saint Francis), Ashley Trierweiler (Carlmont)
UTILITY
Kerissa Deeds (Pioneer), Abby Gunter (Santa Catalina), Angelina Heredia (Watsonville), Jessell Lewis (Silver Creek)
HONORABLE MENTION:
ALVAREZ:
Melissa Belnas, Stephanie Vasquez, Irene Villa
APTOS:
Ashley Del Colletti
ARAGON:
Jen Horita, Amanda Lovell, Kayleigh Puccinelli
ARCHBISHOP MITTY:
Lauren Lozano, Julia Lucas
BRANHAM:
Ashley Harris, Jessica Donaldson
BURLINGAME:
Nicole Condon, Haley Crowell, Chloe McNamara
CAPUCHINO:
Karina Chavarria, Eimear Cunningham, Luseane Tutoe
CARLMONT:
Sidney Adair, Amanda Kondo, Abby Lan
CARMEL:
Jocelyne Bruno, Anna Buzan, Rachael Carroll, Ashlyn Davis
CASTILLEJA:
Jolie Kemp
CHRISTOPHER:
Christopher – Haley Berube, Antonia Martinez
CRYSTAL SPRINGS UPLAND:
Prisilla Sanchez
CUPERTINO:
Kiera Marquez, Jocelyn Pino
DEL MAR:
Alexis Paris
EL CAMINO:
Mikaela Pelesauma
EVERGREEN VALLEY:
Loralei Lira, Daisha Simon
FREMONT:
Mya Galindo
GILROY:
Annabelle Gonzalez, Makena Weiler
GUNDERSON:
Aiyanna Cruz, Kiya Sandoval
GUNN:
Emily Kim
HALF MOON BAY:
Riley Donovan, Chloe Moffitt, Lilly Moffitt, Marissa Terra
HARKER:
Kristin LeBlanc
HILLSDALE:
Kealani Kaufusi, Bridget Nasir, Brianna Santos
HOMESTEAD:
Elena Murray, Carinne Peterson
INDEPENDENCE:
Jessica Delgado, Haile Landrum, Sara Nielsen
JAMES LICK:
Marissa Diaz, Raelynn Fontaine, Keonna Raguini
LEIGH:
Marissa Diaz, Raelynn Fontaine, Keonna Raguini
LELAND:
Hannah Angileri, Michele Calcasny-Blair, Grace Ramey, Alyssa Tom
LINCOLN:
Victoria Guzman, Kalea Kaui, Starr Lopez
LIVE OAK:
Maddie Gallagher, Kaylie Lowery
LOS GATOS:
Shelby Copper, Macie Manion, Sarah Storton
LYNBROOK:
Kasey Chaung
MARINA:
Vivian Valencia
MENLO-ATHERTON:
Miranda Calderon
MERCY-BURLINGAME:
Alexis Luciano, Kaylyn Sterling
MERCY-SAN FRANCISCO:
Macie Sato
MILLS:
Aubrie Businger
MILPITAS:
Jasmine Balderas, Clara Dela Cruz, Noellani Trujillo, Liberty Walker
MONTA VISTA:
Danielle Koontz
MONTE VISTA CHRISTIAN:
Drew Barragan, Gianna Vanni
MONTEREY:
Jenna Servi
MOUNTAIN VIEW:
Emma Bice, Ilona Sullivan
NORTH MONTEREY COUNTY:
Erica Furtado, Michaela Galli, Nicole Garcia
NOTRE DAME-BELMONT:
Bianca Magnani, Carlee Miller, Bella Parks, Chloe Stogner
NOTRE DAME-SALINAS:
Reimal Rachel
NOTRE DAME-SAN JOSE:
Simrin Bhargava
OAK GROVE:
Lauran Innerst, Stephanie Madrigal
PALO ALTO:
Sophie Frick, Mckenzie Glassford, Maggie Renteria
PIEDMONT HILLS:
Miranda Cabanyan
PINEWOOD:
Ellery Mitchell
PRESENTATION:
Gabby Forbes, Vanessa Moore, Carolyn Skotz
PROSPECT:
Keelin Spencer
SACRED HEART CATHEDREAL:
Clara Ayon, Marissa Fujimoto, Gabrielle Garlow
SALINAS:
Naveah Pinin, Leslie Romero, Jessica Stewart, Kayla Stone, Josephine Villarreal
SAN BENITO:
Noelle Chavaria, Ayla Gabriel, Riley Robertson
SAN JOSE:
Daniela Velazquez
SAN LORENZO VALLEY:
Maddie Johnson, Ashley Welch
SAN MATEO:
Isabelle Borges, Kylie Gaela, Monet Scheller, Jada Walker
SANTA CATALINA:
Jessica Clements
SANTA CLARA:
Rosie Quezada
SANTA TERESA:
Briana Avalos, Adele Braun, Taylor Siri
SARATOGA:
Hannah Beine, Rachel Davey, Eryn Lee, Natasha Ramarkrishnan
SCOTTS VALLEY:
Lauren LaHood, Casson Rasmussen
SEASIDE:
Jordan Olivares, Maila Visesio
SEQUOIA:
Emily McAdams, Grace Weber
SILVER CREEK:
Alexxis Eugene, Atalia Quenga
SOBRATO:
Megan Perron
SOLEDAD:
Celeste Canchola
SOQUEL:
Alissa Rezdendes
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO:
Shelby Baxter, Karizma Bergesen, Janessa Cayabyab, Natalya Cerecedes
ST. FRANCIS CCC:
Miranda Jansich
ST. IGNATIUS:
Madison Augusto, Kelly McGuigan, Marjoelle Palacio
TERRA NOVA:
Tori Jaques, Kela Kapuniai
THE KING'S ACADEMY:
Sara Lasher, Malaya Street, Kenzie Yamakoshi
TRINITY CHRISTIAN:
Chris Wright
VALLEY CHRISTIAN:
Daisy Bradanini, Lauren Hendrickson, Korie Thomas
WILCOX:
Deena Pederson
WILLOW GLEN:
Melissa Carrasco
WOODSIDE:
Paige Blackwell
YERBA BUENA:
Selena Maldonado
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