SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Softball

Baseball, softball get Olympic axe

Will 2008 Olympics be last hurrah

for America’s ‘Real Dream Team’?

By Phillip Brents

Posted July 27, 2005

The American Softball Association is holding age-group national championship tournaments around the country the first week in August. Some players on these teams are destined to go on to play at the collegiate level, some of them excelling. A select few could even advance to one day play for the United States national team.

But goal-setting for young players could change in the near future after the recent decision by the International Olympic Committee that axed softball and baseball from the lineup of official sports for the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games.

To say that the U.S. women’s national team has dominated the sport is an understatement of the first order. The Americans have won all three gold medals since softball was added to the Olympic roster in 1996, compiling a 24-4 record in Olympic finals competition. The team’s treasure chest also includes seven gold medals in 10 world championship appearances (an intimidating 96-9 record) and six gold medals in seven

Pan American tournaments (a 74-3 record).

The USA women have truly established themselves as America’s real "Dream Team." Its players are role models for the next generation of stars.But where will this nation’s talented girls be playing in 10 years? Certainly not in the 2016 Summer Olympics if the IOC decision is not reversed.

Where will today’s up-and-coming high school players be playing in 2012? Definitely not in the London Games.

Will college careers be enough to aspire to? Or will many players simply now decide to hang up their cleats after their final prep contest? Will the absence of softball as an Olympic sport hurt recruiting efforts at the youth level? Will enrollment numbers drop? Will there even be enough 10-and-under division teams in this country in 2012 to hold a national tournament?

Those are all interesting questions with no immediate answers.

Understandably, many individuals associated with the sport have expressed disappointment at the IOC decision. In fact, spectator interest was strong for the softball competition in the 2005 International Sports Invitational held in June at the United States Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. Besides the current gathering of role models from the United States, also present at the site were the national teams from Australia, Canada and China.

Team USA defeated Australia for the gold medal, with Canada taking the bronze medal.

Many youth teams attended the ISI tournament. The ability of young fans being able to actually "reach out and touch" their role models was a huge motivating tool – something that will now be lost.

While the future may look bleak for America’s future stars, the decision to drop softball from the 2012 London Games hits hardest among the current generation of young standouts, particularly Team USA’s up-and-coming college players. The 2008 Beijing Games will likely be the last for Team USA’s core of veteran players. Much was made of the retirement of the founding core of the U.S. women’s national soccer team at the 2004 Athens Games. The same will likely now be directed at the core of America’s "Real Dream Team."

Lisa Fernandez, who is regarded as the current No. 1 player in the world, is 34. She and her husband Mike are expecting their first child in December. Where will Fernandez be at 41? Where will she be at 45? More than likely tending to a growing family rather than continuing to star in the pitching circle.

Will the 2008 Summer Games thus be the collective "last hurrah" for the U.S. women’s softball team?

Closer to home, what will happen to USA Softball’s long-term use of the Chula Vista OTC, the national team program’s (both men’s and women’s) official west coast training site that features a regulation playing field equipped with lights, four full batting cages, pitcher’s bullpen area, a practice field and warm-up area?

Likely nothing until after the 2008 Beijing Games. Selection camps will still need to be held to name the next Olympic team. In that regard, the push to win an unprecedented fourth Olympic gold medal goes on even stronger now. USA Softball will also continue to need to hold selection camps for the world championships (held every four years) and other high-level domestic and international tournaments. The drive to be the best will remain.

As for 2012?

Jennie Finch turns 25 in September. Fellow standout pitcher Cat Osterman was the youngest player named to the 2004 Athens squad at 19. It reasons they both would be the banner-carriers in 2012 and beyond.

Will Finch now have to settle for a modeling career? Or will that end as well with softball no longer carrying the Olympic brand? What about lucrative endorsement packages for Team USA’s current marquee players?

Will winning the college Women’s World Series be enough to earn a photo on a Wheaties box cover?

The loss of the Olympic brand hurts in several sensitive of places but is not likely a death blow, at least, at the domestic level. But what about in Australia? In Japan? In China? What about countries with smaller market sports federations that depend on the Olympic branding to generate both interest and revenue?

Is the IOC’s decision a death blow to the sport internationally? Will the Americans have anyone to play after 2012?

Has the IOC effectively thrown a curve at American’s rising softball stars? On a political front, can the exclusion of baseball and softball — American mainstays — be seen as an outgrowth of an overall anti-American sentiment at the international level? Would the deletion of "American" sports and the inclusion of European inventions such as rugby and golf be more in tune with the IOC’s heavily-European political thinking? Was a secret ballot a perfect way to express that?

Surprise, indeed.

IOC decision

Baseball and softball were voted out of the Olympic lineup of sports for the Summer Games at the IOC’s 117th session during the first week of July. IOC president Jacques Rogge had first proposed in 2002 that baseball, softball and the modern pentathlon all be dropped and golf and rugby added. However, IOC members resisted Rogge’s suggestion and no formal vote was ever taken.

Baseball joined the Olympics in 1992 and softball in 1996.

After being rebuffed in 2002, Rogge instituted a review of sports after each Olympiad. That review process includes a number of key criteria, such as global participation, spectator attendance, anti-doping policies and which sports actually attract the top athletes to the Olympic stage.

Baseball scored low marks (particularly in the International Baseball Federation’s inability to put the best baseball players on the field, i.e. Major League Baseball players) and its exclusion was expected.

However, the exclusion of softball caught many by surprise. Supporters of softball’s continued inclusion felt that the two American inventions were too closely linked.

IOC German member Thomas Bach expressed surprise at the deletion of two sports, telling the Xinhua News Agency, "If there is any change, one is maximum."

Both baseball and softball now will have to work hard at a makeover to win back spots among the lineup of sports in the 2016 Summer Games.

Five replacement sports have applied to take the place of baseball and softball. They include golf, rugby, karate, squash and roller sports. The Associated Press reported that karate and squash were both nominated but overwhelmingly rejected. If no sports replace the two deleted ones, the number of Olympic sports would drop to 26.

Rogge emphasized the fact that both baseball and softball have only been cut from the 2012 Olympic program, not deleted permanently. "The fact is that they shall not be included in the program of the 2012 Olympic Games, but it does not disqualify them forever as Olympic sports," Rogge was quoted as saying in a report by USA Today.

A two-thirds majority vote by IOC members is needed for a sport to be added to the official Olympic program. On an ominous note, polo was the last Summer Olympic sport to be deleted in 1936. It has not made a return.

IOC members who expressed surprise by the outcome of the exclusion vote said both softball and baseball have the chance to return to the Olympic lineup in 2016 but both needed to "modernize" their approach in regard to current Olympic thinking. However, softball currently brings its best players to the field, so its exclusion vote remains puzzling. Was its international appeal too small? Were the meager crowds in Athens an embarrassment to the IOC?

Or was it simply the prospect of built-in rabid rugby fans and sold-out stadiums in England that turned the switch?

Domestic reaction

When the announcement was made that softball had been deleted from the 2012 Olympics, the U.S. softball team was gearing up for the inaugural World Cup of Softball July 14-18 in Oklahoma City. Whether the ruling had any impact on the morale of the American team is difficult to measure, though Team USA opened the World Cup of Softball with a 2-1 loss to Canada — a team the U.S. squad shut out 3-0 in the opener of the 2005 International Sports Invitational — and fell 3-1 to Japan (the bronze medal-winner in Athens) in the ensuing championship game.

The Americans may be the banner-carriers of the sport worldwide but apparently are not invincible. If parity is closer at hand that some believe, then what better reason to preserve the sport’s Olympic status?

"People need to realize that what happened in 2004 was not by luck. These are really good teams. I laugh every time someone says that there isn’t any competition around the world because it is evident by this result there is a lot of competition," Team USA head coach Mike Candrea said.

To the point:

Reaction from USA Softball, the domestic governing body of the Olympic sport, was immediate, addressing a number of issues and attempting to dispel any myths in a barrage of objections and reactionary rhetoric on its official Web site (www.usasoftball.com):

•"We are shocked by the news softball has been taken off the Olympic program in 2012. The vote by the IOC members is a crushing blow to the millions of young women around the world who dream of taking the field as Olympic athletes in our sport."

•"It’s a sad day for everyone in our sport who has dedicated their lives to getting softball in the Olympic Games. It took over 30 years to get softball on the Olympic program the first time so we are going to do whatever is necessary to see that it is back on the program in 2016."

•"Softball has been recognized as an Olympic sport since 1991 and was included on the Olympic program in 1996. The sport is currently at an all-time high in world- wide participation and television coverage. In an effort to continue the growth of softball, the Amateur Softball Association will be hosting the first-ever World Cup of Softball. The top five teams from the 2004 Olympic Games including the USA, Australia, Japan, China and Canada will compete in this prestigious event. Games from the World Cup will be televised not only domestically but also internationally."

•"The Amateur Softball Association is committed to working with the International Softball Federation in its efforts to regain a spot on the 2016 Olympic program. There is no doubt the leaders within the sport of softball have the resolve and persistence it will take to see this through."

•"It is important to remember that softball is still part of the Olympic Games in 2008 and has an opportunity to demonstrate to the IOC members that it is deserving of a place in the Olympic Games in 2016."

Will softball’s famous "rise ball" become a thing of legend or simply fade into obscurity in the coming years?

A record-setting fourth Olympic gold medal by the Americans would certainly bring tears either way.

USA Softball:

Study in excellence

Olympic Games

Year Record Result

1996 8-1 Gold medal

2000 7-3 Gold medal

2004 9-0 Gold Medal

World Championships

Year Record Result

1965 8-3 Silver medal

1970 8-2 Silver medal

1974 9-0 Gold medal

1978 10-0 Gold medal

1982 7-3 Fourth place

1986 13-0 Gold medal

1990 10-0 Gold medal

1994 10-0 Gold medal

1998 11-1 Gold medal

2002 10-0 Gold medal

Pan American Games

Year Record Result

1979 13-1 Gold medal

1983 10-2 Silver medal

1987 9-0 Gold medal

1991 9-0 Gold medal

1995 12-0 Gold medal

1999 12-0 Gold medal

2003 9-0 Gold medal

2005 Team USA Roster

•Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.)*

•Laura Berg (Santa Fe Springs, Calif.)

•Jaime Clark (Tustin, Calif.)

•Jennie Finch (La Mirada, Calif.)

•Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.)

•Amanda Freed (Cypress, Calif.)

•Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.)

•Alicia Hollowell (Suisun, Calif.)*

•Lovie Jung (Fountain Valley, Calif.)

•Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.)

•Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.)*

•Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.)

•Stacey Nuveman (La Verne, Calif.)

•Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas)*

•Jamie Southern (Clovis, Calif.)

•Jenny Topping (Whittier, Calif.)

•Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.)

•Kellie Wilkerson (Jacksonville, Fla.)

•Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich.)*

•Heather Scaglione (San Diego, Calif.)

•Lindsay Schutzler (Monterey, Calif.)*

•Dana Sorensen (San Diego, Calif.)

•Mackenzie Vandergeest (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)

* denotes players with current collegiate eligibility.

San Diego International

Sports Invitational

Olympic Training Center, Chula Vista

Round-robin standings

Team W L

USA 3 0

Australia 2 1

China 1 2

Canada 0 3

Championship game: USA 9, Australia 0

Third place: Australia 7, Canada 2

2005 International Sports Invitational

Team USA claims gold ... again

By Phillip Brents
Posted June 16, 2005

Photo: Jennie Finch got Team USA off and rolling with an opening-game victory against Canada.

The United States women’s softball team picked up right where it left off at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympiad by easily winning the 2005 International Sports Invitational Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center-Chula Vista. Team USA’s 9-0 victory against reigning Olympic silver medalist Australia has to make many wonder if this team of destiny is not only unbeatable but simply untouchable?

The three-time defending Olympic gold medalist American squad racked up a 34-2 run-differential in going 5-0 in the four-nation tournament that featured two of the top three teams from the 2004 Athens Games. What’s even more impressive is that the USA did not even field its strongest team. Missing were such notables as ace pitcher Lisa Fernandez (medical leave) and Crystal Bustos (pro league commitments).

Cat Osterman, fresh off the Women’s College World Series, entered the pitching circle only for Sunday’s grand finale. In a game shortened to six innings because of the seven-run “mercy rule,” the University of Texas pitcher allowed one hit while striking out 10 batters in five innings in front of a near-capacity crowd (seating capacity at the venue is 1,400 fans).

The closest any team got to Team USA was in its opening game of the tournament on June 9. In the first reunion contest for the Olympic gold medal-winners, the USA shut down Canada by a score of 3-1. The teams battled to a scoreless tie through four innings before the Americans finally cracked the Canadians’ armor in the bottom of the fifth inning when they pushed across all their runs.

In subsequent round-robin games, Team USA dismantled China by a 7-0 score after just two innings and topped Australia also by a 7-0 score. The Americans routed the Aussies, 8-1, in last Saturday’s semifinals.

The offense was spread out in the tournament, with five players hitting home runs, including three by Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo) and two each by Jenny Topping (Whittier) and Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.).

The grand finale featured four home runs to the delight of the fans. Mendoza finished the game with two runs batted in, including one solo home run, while Topping followed with a two-run homer to give Team USA a 3-0 first-inning lead. Flowers slammed a two-run home run to increase the U.S. lead to 6-0 in the fifth inning. Amanda Freed (Cypress) ended the game with a monstrous three-run blast.

Vicky Galindo (Union City) scored on a second-inning single by Mendoza to give Team USA an early 4-0 edge against the Australians. Galindo finished the tournament with an .889 hitting average, two doubles, three walks and a .917 on-base percentage.

Inclusive of her college season, Osterman ran her streak of consecutive games with at least 10 strikeouts to 34.

Team USA head coach Mike Candrea dutifully complimented his players on a job well done. “These players are here for a reason. They are true competitors. Many of them were in the arena in Athens and know what it takes. They love a challenge and are a very special group of athletes. This was a great tournament with strong competitors and a nice way to start the summer,” he said.

The summer will start with this week’s national A and B team selection camp at the OTC-Chula Vista. Four more athletes have been invited to bring the pool of players to 47. The national A team will compete in the upcoming World Cup of Softball scheduled July 14-18 in Oklahoma City. All three medalist teams from the 2004 Athens Games (USA, Australia and Japan) will be present, plus Canada and China.

Heavy hitters
With nine home runs in five games, the U.S. team matched its total from the 2004 Summer Games. The good news: of those who hammered the ball out of the park, none homered in Greece.

In the opening game against Canada, Topping plated two runners with a bases-loaded RBI single after three walks and a hit batter had given the Americans a 1-0 lead. Jennie Finch (La Mirada) allowed one hit while striking out nine Canadian batters. Dana Sorensen (San Diego) closed out the game with three strikeouts to earn the save in her national team debut.

Mendoza was the hitting star in the 7-0 win against China by going 3-for-3 with a solo home run and two RBI while Team USA powered past Australia in the teams’ first meeting on the strength of three home runs in the third inning.
In the semifinal contest last Saturday against Australia, Topping and Natasha Watley (Irvine) plated runs in the first two innings. Laura Berg (Santa Fe Springs) also drove in two runs.

Medal rounds
Australia finished in second place with a 3-3 overall record (all three losses were to Team USA). Australia relegated Canada (1-4) to the bronze medal with a 7-2 win in Sunday’s pre-grand finale contest. Australia grabbed the early lead against the Canadians courtesy of Amanda Doman’s triple to score two runs in the bottom of the first inning. A triple by Fiona Crawford scored two more runs in the fourth inning to hike the Aussie lead to 5-1.

Stacey Porter’s fourth home run of the tournament in the bottom of the fifth inning gave Australia its final two runs. Canada scored its first run on a clutch hit from Sheena Lawrick to trim Australia’s early lead to 2-1.

Australian ace pitcher Catherine Bishop improved to 3-1 in tournament play by allowing one earned run on four hits.
Canada earned a spot in Sunday’s pre-grand finale by picking up its first win of the tournament against China (1-4) in the semifinals. Canada had entered the contest against the Chinese 0-3 after round-robin play, including a 6-1 preliminary-round loss to the Asian squad. But the North American team rebounded at the right time with a 3-0 semifinal victory on the strength of a bases-loaded single by Lawrick after a wild pitch had plated the first run.

TV schedule
The USA-Australia grand finale will be telecast June 25 at 9 a.m. PDT on ESPN and replayed July 2 at 4 p.m. PDT on ESPN2. The softball semifinals will be shown June 17 at 7 p.m. PDT on CSTV.

2005 International Sports Invitational Scoreboard
Softball Scoreboard
(Olympic Training Center-Chula Vista)

Round-robin Standings
Team W-L
USA 3-0
Australia 2-1
China 1-2
Canada 0-3

Thursday, June 9
Australia 8, China 0
USA 3, Canada 1

Friday, June 10
Australia 4, Canada 1
USA 7, China 0

Saturday, June 11
China 6, Canada 1
USA 7, Australia 0
Semifinal: USA 8, Australia 1
Semifinal: Canada 3, China 0

Sunday, June 12
Third place: Australia 7, Canada 2
Grand final: USA 9, Australia 0

2005 San Diego Section Scrapbook

San Diego Section

Divisional Playoffs

Championship games

Division I

(1) Rancho Bernardo (23-5) 4, (2) Mira Mesa (23-8) 3

Division II

(3) Patrick Henry (27-4-4) 4, (1) Escondido (24-6) 1

Division III

(4) Mission Hills (21-7) 8, (2) Valhalla (26-7-2) 0

Division IV

(2) Imperial (19-8) 2, (1) Christian (15-13) 1

Mesa League

All-League Teams

First Team

Alyssa Factuar (Bonita Vista), 11

Eliana Chavez (Bonita Vista), 10

Kylie Randall (Bonita Vista), 10

Kristi Randall (Bonita Vista), 12

Alana Ford (Eastlake), 11

Leila Dolfo (Eastlake), 12

Maile Guerrero (Eastlake), 10

Alexis Coronado (Montgomery), 11

Ashley Fierro (Sweetwater), 11

Pebbles Hammer (Chula Vista) 11

Second Team

Lindsey Carlson (Bonita Vista), 12

Lauren Carlson (Bonita Vista), 9

Mariah Gearhart (Bonita Vista), 10

Angel Arenas (Bonita Vista), 12

Laura Sheffield (Bonita Vista), 11

Autumn Hammer (Chula Vista), 10

Amber Mann (Chula Vista), 9

Brittany Cellery (Eastlake), 10

Jazzy Lopez (Eastlake), 12

Gianina Sanchez (Sweetwater), 11

Player of the Year

Alyssa Factuar (Bonita Vista)

Pitcher of the Year

Leila Dolfo (Eastlake)

Championship Teams

Eastlake Titans (9-1)

Bonita Vista Barons (9-1)

South Bay League

All-League Teams

First Team

Chrissy Pickett (Mar Vista), 10

Chrissy De Cordoba (Mar Vista), 10

Cheyenne Engelhard (Mar Vista) , 12

Amanda Murphy (Mar Vista), 11

Lily Isaacson (Hilltop), 11

Ashley Walkup (Hilltop), 10

Brittnee Villa (Hilltop), 10

Jenna Arana (Castle Park), 12

Brittnay Vela (Marian), 12

Brittnay Benschoter (Marian), 11

Second Team

Jackie Ramirez (Otay Ranch), 11

Valerie Aceves (Otay Ranch), 9

Loren Melero (Hilltop), 12

Alyssa Gonzalez (Hilltop), 11

Alycia Delgado (Castle Park), 12

Chrissy Watley (Mar Vista), 12

Michelle Tomlienson (Mar Vista), 11

Kristina Mora (Mar Vista), 11

Denise Martinez (Marian), 9

Veronica Ramsey (Marian), 12

Honorable Mention

Castle Park: Veronica Ollier, 10; Kami-Rae James, 12

Hilltop: Vanessa Baldividez, 12; Veronica Mejia, 10

Mar Vista: Victoria Russell, 12; Debra Burnett, 10

Marian Catholic: Kerey Locklear, 11; Allison Burges, 9

Otay Ranch: Diana Mirin, 9; Natalie Escalera, 11

Player of the Year

Chrissy De Cordoba (Mar Vista)

Pitcher of the Year

Chrissy Pickett (Mar Vista)

Championship Team

Mar Vista Mariners (9-1)

Mesa League

Final Standings

               League Overall

Team           W-L     W-L

Eastlake       9-1     22-7-1

Bonita Vista   9-1     14-6-2

Chula Vista    6-4     10-11-1

Montgomery     3-7      8-14

Sweetwater     2-7      4-12

Southwest      0-9      0-10

South Bay League

Final Standings

               League Overall

Team           W-L     W-L

Mar Vista      9-1     16-9

Hilltop        7-3     12-12

Marian Catholic 6-4     12-10

Otay Ranch     4-6     6-9

Castle Park    4-6     8-13

San Ysidro     0-10    1-17

Bonita Vista Barons

(Minimum 25 at-bats)

Hitting: Alyssa Factuar .532; Kristi Randall .495; Kylie

Randall .430; Mariah Gearhart .378; Laura Lopez .361;

Angel Arenas .348; Lindsey Carlson .346; Lauren

Carlson .333.

RBI: Kristi Randall 37; Lindsey Carlson 35; Angel

Arenas 25; Alyssa Factuar 23; Laura Lopez 23; Mariah

Gearhart 19; Kylie Randall 15; Lauren Carlson 15.

Home runs: Lindsey Carlson 5; Miariah Gearhart 4;

Laura Lopez 4.

Pitching wins: Eliana Chavez 12-4; Laura Sheffield

10-3.

ERA: Laura Sheffield 2.17; Eliana Chavez 2.55.

Strikeouts: Laura Sheffield 79; Eliana Chavez 51.

Chula Vista Spartans

(Minimum 25 at-bats)

Hitting: Pebbles Hammer .420; Autumn Hammer .382;

Amber Mann .362; Melyssa Lacroix .283.

RBI: Autumn Hammer 12; Melyssa Lacroix 10; Stefany

McCoy 10; Angel Gilroy 8; Pebbles Hammer 8.

Pitching wins: Melyssa Lacroix 4-5; Pebbles Hammer

3-0; Stefany McCoy 2-5.

ERA: Amber Mann 2.33; Stefany McCoy 2.08; Melyssa

Lacroix 3.70.

Strikeouts: Melyssa Lacroix 44; Stefany McCoy 28.

Eastlake Titans

(Minimum 25 at-bats)

Hitting: Leila Dolfo .563; Maile Guerrero .477; Brittany

Cellery .459; Alan Ford .446; Adrianne Lopez .422;

Amanda Perley .333; Jaime Smith .327; Lianna Davis

.319.

RBI: Leila Dolfo 27; Alana Ford 16; Adrianne Lopez 14;

Brittany Cellery 12; Maile Guerrero 11; Amanda Perley

10.

Home runs: Maile Guerrero 9; Alana Ford 5; Leila Dolfo

3; Amanda Perley 2.

Pitching wins: Leila Dolfo 7-2; Brittany Cellery 6-2.

ERA: Leila Dolfo 1.68; Brittany Cellery 2.27.

Strikeouts: Leila Dolfo 72; Brittany Cellery 67.

Hilltop Lancers

(Minimum 25 at-bats)

Hitting: Lily Isaascson .391; Britnee Villa .328; Marissa

George .290; Loren Melero .286; Veronica Mejia .279;

Ashley Walkup .260.

RBI: Brittnee Villa 21; Loren Melero 18; Lily Isaacson

14; Vanessa Baldividez 11; Marissa George 8; Ashley

Walkup 8; Alyssa Gonzalez 8.

Home runs: Lily Isaacson 4.

Pitching wins: Brittnee Villa 9-10; Jackie McElyea 3-2.

Strikeouts: Brittnee Villa 73; Jackie McElyea 26.

Mar Vista Mariners

(Minimum 25 at-bats)

Hitting: Chrissy Decordoba .370; Kristin Pickett .359;

Debbie Burnett .324; Chrissy Whatley .270; Tori Russell

.261; Michelle Tomlinson .259; Amanda Murphy .258.

RBI: Debbie Burnett 21; Chrissy Decordoba 19; Chrissy

Whatley 13.

Home runs: Debbie Burnett 3.

Pitching wins: Kristin Pickett 13-4; Carrie Hudson 3-4.

ERA: Kristin Pickett 0.86; Carrie Hudson 3.04.

Strikeouts: Kristin Pickett 121; Hudson 57.

All-San Diego Section Teams

Division I

First Team

Gina Leomiti (Mira Mesa), 12

Melissa Tillett (Mira Mesa), 10

Suzy Ellquist (Rancho Bernardo), 12

Melissa May (Rancho Bernardo), 12

Kelly Bence (Vista), 12

Melissa Andrews (Rancho Buena Vista), 12

Mary Episcopo (Torrey Pines), 10

Jennifer Ellenbeck (Poway), 11

Danielle Kinley (Carlsbad), 12

Jace Williams (La Costa Canyon), 10

Second Team

Katie Nelson (Rancho Buena Vista), 12

Jennie Auger (Rancho Bernardo), 10

Jessica Smith (La Costa Canyon), 10

Brooke Petty (Vista), 10

Charnel Zetsch (Granite Hills), 11

Crystal Ramos (Mira Mesa), 11

Lindsey Carlson (Bonita Vista), 12

Leila Dolfo (Eastlake), 12

Alana Ford (Eastlake), 11

Felicia Reifschneider (Morse), 9

Player of the Year

Gina Leomiti (Mira Mesa)

Pitcher of the Year

Melissa May (Rancho Bernardo)

Championship Team

Rancho Bernardo Broncos

Division II

First Team

Donna Kerr (Patrick Henry),10

Brenda Langston (Escondido), 11

Sarah Akamine (Escondido), 11

Janae Portugal (Westview), 11

Mara Thornton (West Hills), 11

Amber Flores (EC Southwest), 11

Erin Floros (Mt. Carmel), 12

Kasey Mytinger (West Hills), 12

Melissa Lerno (El CentroSouthwest), 12

Chelsie Tysdal (Scripps Ranch), 12

Second Team

Kristin Pickett (Mar Vista), 10

Chrissy DeCordoba (Mar Vista), 10

Katie Sigler (Scripps Ranch), 10

Raylene Asman (Escondido), 11

Jessica Ziegler (Westview), 11

Danielle Bryan (Patrick Henry), 12

Nicole Cordova (El Centro Southwest), 12

Amy Johnson (West Hills), 12

Tori Gross (Ramona), 12

Player of the Year

Kasey Mytinger (West Hills)

Pitcher of the Year

Donna Kerr (Patrick Henry).

Championship Team

Patrick Henry Patriots

Division III

First Team

Lacey Wilson (Valhalla), 12

Kim Hayden (Valhalla), 12

Taylor Kelly (Santana), 11

Erica Coelho (Clairemont), 11

Whitney Orellana (Mission Hills), 10

Shae Bass (Santana), 10

Samantha Beasley (Steele Canyon), 10

Jessica Fedder (Mission Hills), 11

Tracy Dean (USDHS), 11

Courtney Heinen (San Dieguito), 11

Second Team

Katie Thomas (Santana), 11

Taryn Proctor (Santana), 11

Alyc Kalamaha (USDHS), 11

Danielle Balough (Santana), 10

Heather Link (Clairemont), 10

Kristin Medrud (Santana), 11

Kyrsten Gemar (Clairemont), 12

Krissey Vesey (Valhalla), 11

Stephanie Murray (Brawley), 12

Serena Pierce (Clairemont), 11

Player of the Year

Kim Hayden (Valhalla)

Pitcher of the Year

Lacey Wilson (Valhalla)

Championship Team

Mission Hills Grizzlies

East County softball players counted among section’s elite

Grossmont Conference softball teams stood tall at the end of regular season play. Santana, which shared this year’s Grossmont North League title with West Hills, received the top-seeded position in this year’s San Diego Section Division III playoffs while West Hills (Division II) and Grossmont South League co-champion Valhalla (Division III) both earned second-seeded positions in their respective divisional playoff brackets.

Valhalla advanced as far as the Division III championship game, placing second to upstart Mission Hills. Santana and West Hills both advanced as far as the division semifinals. Granite Hills advanced to the Division I quarterfinals to give the eight East County teams that qualified for this year’s section playoffs nine victories in 17 games.

Christian received the top seed in the Division IV playoffs, placing second to Imperial, while Mountain Empire received the third seed in the Division IV field, advancing to the semifinals.

Grossmont (Division II) and Steele Canyon (Division III) also earned berths in this year’s section playoffs.

Valhalla, which shared the Grossmont South League title with Granite Hills, defeated University of San Diego High School, 1-0, in 11 innings in the Division III quarterfinals to meet third-seeded Clairemont in the semifinals. The Norsemen (26-7-2) turned back the Chieftains by an 8-2 score to face Mission Hills in the title game, with the first-year Grizzlies (21-7) scoring an 8-0 upset win.

Mission Hills had eliminated Santana, 2-0, in the semifinals after the Sultans (26-5) had squeezed past Steele Canyon, 2-1, in an eight-inning quarterfinal contest. Steele Canyon, which topped Madison by a 4-1 score in the opening round, finished 14-13.

West Hills (26-7) edged Ramona, 4-3, to advance to the Division II semifinals but fell 1-0 to third-seeded Patrick Henry in the next round. Patrick Henry went on to crown itself division champions by defeating top-seeded Escondido 4-1.

Christian advanced to the Division I championship game by virtue of 3-2 and 7-3 wins against Palo Verde (quarterfinals) and La Jolla County Day (semifinals), respectively. However, the Patriots ended their season at 15-13 after suffering a narrow 2-1 loss to second-seeded Imperial in the title matchup. Imperial defeated Mountain Empire, 2-1 in eight innings, in the semifinals.

Granite Hills (17-12) advanced to the Division I quarterfinals with a forfeit win against La Costa Canyon, losing 4-0 to eventual runner-up Mira Mesa (23-8). The Eagles had to be complimented on their turnaround season that saw them tie Valhalla with a 9-1 league record after an exceptionally slow start to the 2005 season.

West Hills and Santana tied for the Grossmont North League championship with 10-2 league records. Granite Hills’ lone league loss came against Valhalla while Valhalla’s lone league loss came against Granite Hills. Santana, West Hills and Valhalla all hovered near the top of the regular season section rankings before settling in the bottom five rungs of the final season top 10 rankings following the playoffs.

Valhalla finished sixth in the final top 10 section rankings, followed by Santana (seventh) and West Hills (10th). Rancho Bernardo, which defeated Mira Mesa by a 4-3 score in the Division I championship game, finished the season as the section’s top-ranked team with a 23-5 record. Division II champion Patrick Henry (27-4-1) finished as the section’s second-ranked team while Division II runner-up Escondido (23-6) was ranked fourth overall behind Mira Mesa (23-8). Division III champion Mission Hills rounded out the top five ranked teams.

Westview (22-6) and Rancho Buena Vista (19-9-1) rounded out the season’s final top 10 rankings in eighth and ninth place, respectively.

Divisional championship games were played May 28 at UC San Diego.

Grossmont North League

West Hills senior outfielder Kasey Mytinger earned honors as the Grossmont North League Player of the Year while Wolf Pack junior teammate Mara Thornton was named the league’s 2005 Pitcher of the Year.

Mytinger hit .437 with 11 home runs and drove in 44 runs this season while Thornton compiled a 12-4-1 record, 1.29 ERA and struck out 154 batters in 119 innings.

Joining Thornton and Mytinger on the Grossmont North League First Team were Santana sophomores Shae Bass (Santana) and Danielle Balough, West Hills sophomore Melissa Hill, West Hills senior Amy Johnson, Santana juniors Taylor Kelly, Taryn Proctor and Katie Thomas and Grossmont sophomore Cammi Moore.

All-Grossmont North League Second Team selections included West Hills sophomore Sharlana Burner, Grossmont juniors Monique Gonzalez, Michelle Miranda and Jill Timmer, El Capitan junior Ashley Hart, Santana juniors Jen Krismer and Kristen Medrud, West Hills juniors Nancy Larson and Brittany Swanson and Santana freshman Kelsey McIlonie.

West Hills’ Mytinger earned further honors as a member of the All-San Diego Section Division II First Team while Wolf Pack teammate Johnson was named to the All-San Diego Section Second Team.

Santana had two players selected to the All-San Diego Section Division III First Team: Kelly and Bass. The Sultans had three players named to the All-Division III Second Team: Thomas, Proctor and Balough.

Grossmont South League

Helix senior Sipau Lee-Noa earned Grossmont South League Player of the Year recognition while Valhalla senior Lacey Wilson was awarded honors as the league’s Pitcher of the Year.

Wilson finished with a 22-4 record this season after compiling a 24-1 mark last year. This year, she struck out 226 batters in 193 innings while fashioning a 0.69 ERA with 15 shutouts.

Lee-Noa stood out on a Highlanders team that finished 9-18 overall and failed to qualify for the section playoffs.

Joining the two standouts on the All-Grossmont South League First Team were Granite Hills junior Charnel Zetsch, Steele Canyon sophomore Samantha Beasley, Valhalla senior Kimmi Hayden, Granite Hills sophomore Nicole Rivera, Mount Miguel sophomore Rosie Gonzales, Monte Vista junior Alyssa Parker, Helix freshman Alyssa Dronenburg and Valhalla freshman Kelley Seitz.

Second Team All-Grossmont South League selections included Helix freshman Terese Diaz, Valhalla freshman Jodie Schmehr, Granite Hills freshman Jessica Schatz, Granite Hills freshman Amanda Omahen, Monte Vista junior Ashley Miller, Steele Canyon senior Christine Barrios, Valhalla junior Kristen Vessey (Valhalla). Monte Vista senior Alysha Daigle, Valhalla senior Allison Johnson and Steele Canyon senior Amanda Jones.

Hayden, a catcher who hit .364 with 19 RBI, capped the season as the Division III Player of the Year while Wilson was named the Division III Pitcher of the Year.

Granite Hills’ Zetsch earned selection to the All-Division I Second Team.

Christian senior Melissa Owens, who earned honors as a member of the All-Eastern League First Team, struck out 282 batters this season while recording a sterling 0.35 ERA. She concluded her career (she has committed to play at SDSU next year) with 796 strikeouts, 32 shutouts and eight no-hitters. She batted .567 at the plate this season and finished her career with a cumulative .473 average.

Christian sophomore Sarah Seymour earned selection to the All-Eastern League Second Team.

Falcon Fiesta Tournament

West Hills finished runner-up in the Falcon Fiesta Tournament after dropping a 3-2 contest in innings to Patrick Henry in last Saturday’s finals at Torrey Pines High School.

Patrick Henry pitcher Donna Kerr struck out 22 batters in the game to earn the tournament’s MVP honors.

Both the Wolf Pack (15-4) and Patrick Henry (13-2-1) entered the game ranked among the top 10 teams in the San Diego Section.

Wolf Pack starting pitcher Mara Thornton seemed to match Kerr through most of the game by allowing one hit through six innings. But the Patriots managed to get some clutch hits on the brink of elimination to prolong the game into extra innings.

Hilltop Invitational
Bonita Vista clinched the championship of the Hilltop Invitational by defeating previously undefeated West Hills, 6-5, in final round action March 19. The Barons engineered a three-run seventh inning rally to produce the victory. Tournament MVP Angel Arenas had game-winning hit during the seventh-inning rally while also making a superb catch to start a game-ending double play.

Bonita Vista improved to 6-0 with the championship game victory. The Barons topped previously undefeated Santana, 3-2, in the semifinals. The Sultans were coming off a 7-2 elimination victory against tournament host Hilltop on the strength of two home runs by Kelly Taylor.

Besides Arenas, the all-tournament team also included Bonita Vista teammates Eliana Chavez and Kristi Randall as well as West Hills’ Kasey Mytinger and Mara Thornton, Santana’s Laurie Lindow and Kristen Medrud and Mission Hills’ Vanessa Perez and Whitney Orellana.

West Hills eliminated Castle Park, 7-1; Mission Hills shut out Mira Mesa, 4-0; and Bonita Vista routed Morse, 11-0, in other quarterfinal-round play while West Hills topped Mission Hills, 3-1, in the other semifinal game.

2004 Metro Conference All-League Teams

Metro Conference Spring Sports Parade of Champions

Mesa League

First Team

Lindsey Carlson (Bonita Vistsa), 11

Laura Lopez (Bonita Vista), 11

Angel Arenas (Bonita Vista), 11

Kristi Randall (Bonita Vista), 11

Alana Ford (Eastlake), 10

Leila Dolfo (Eastlake), 11

Maile Guerrero (Eastlake), 9

Alexis Coronado (Montgomery), 10

Ester Andrade (Sweetwater), 10

Raeann Garcia (Chula Vista), 12

Player of the Year

Lindsey Carlson (Bonita Vista)

Pitcher of the Year

Leila Dolfo (Eastlake)

Championship Team

Bonita Vista

Second Team

Laura Sheffield (Bonita Vista), 10

Kylie Randall (Bonita Vista), 9

Mariah Gearhart (Bonita Vista), 9

Autumn Hammer (Chula Vista), 9

Steffany McCoy (Chula Vista), 11

Melyssa LaCroix (Chula Vista), 10

Jen Vargas (Sweetwater), 10

Dana Hurley (Eastlake), 11

Lianna Davis (Eastlake), 9

Brittany Cellery (Eastlake), 9

League Standings

School W-L

Bonita Vista 12-1

Eastlake 11-2

Chula Vista 8-5

Sweetwater 3-10

Montgomery 1-12

South Bay League 2004 All-League Teams

First team
Amanda Padilla (Hilltop), 12
Jessica Cien-Mayer (Hilltop), 12
Jessica Castaneda (Hilltop), 11
Brooke Kohl (Hilltop), 12
Erika Rangel (Castle Park), 11
Becky Galindo (Castle Park), 9
Alycia Delgado (Castle Park), 11
Brittney Vela (Marian Catholic), 11
Monina Uribe (Marian Catholic), 12
Chrissy Decordova (Mar Vista), 9

Athlete of the Year: Jessica Cien-Mayer
Pitcher of the Year: Amanda Padilla
Championship team: Hilltop

Second Team
Sara Mendivil (Hilltop), 12
Ashley Walkup (Hilltop), 9
Cynthia Guzman (Castle Park), 10
Jenna Arana (Castle Park), 11
Dalia Cruz (Castle Park), 12
Christina Mora (Mar Vista), 10
Carrie Hudson (Mar Vista), 10
Amanda Murphy (Mar Vista), 10
Brittney Benschotter (Marian Catholic), 11
Josie Soto (Marian Catholic), 12

Honorable Mention
Veronica Mejia (Hilltop)
Loren Melero (Hilltop)
Jessica Kohl (Hilltop)
Naudia Rangel (Castle Park)
Kate Barandes (Castle Park)
Stephanie Fernandez (Marian Catholic)
Veronica Ramsey (Marian Catholic)
Wendy Plata (Marian Catholic)
Kristin Pickett (Mar Vista)
Cheyanne Engelhard (Mar Vista)

All-CIF Metro Teams

Division I

Second Team

Lindsey Carlson (Bonita Vista), 11

Leila Dolfo (Eastlake), 11

Division II

First Team

Jessica Cien-Mayer (Hilltop), 12

Second Team

Amanda Padilla (Hilltop), 12

Chrissy DeCordoba (Mar Vista), 9

Division IV

First Team

Brittany Vela (Marian Catholic), 11

Second Team

Monina Uribe (Marian Catholic), 9

Brittney Benschoter (Marian Catholic), 10

South Bay League 2003 All-League Teams

First Team

Norma Barba, 12, Marian Catholic
Jessica Cien-Mayer, 11, Hilltop
Krystal Guerrero, 12, Hilltop
Elysia King, 12, Hilltop
Andrea Marin, 11, Marian Catholic
Amanda Padilla, 11, Hilltop
Crystal Sanchez, 12, Castle Park
Claudia Sevilla, 12, Mar Vista
Monina Uribe, 11, Marian Catholic
Roni Vega, 12, Castle Park

Second Team
Jenna Arana, 10, Castle Park
Krista Cartier, 12, Marian Catholic
Jessica Castro, 12, Marian Catholic
Dalilah Cruz, 11, Castle Park
Carlene Garcia, 12, Hilltop
Cynthia Guzman, 9, Castle Park
Carrie Hudson, 9, Mar Vista
Brooke Kohl, 11, Hilltop
Amanda Murphy, 9, Mar Vista
Brittany Vela, 10, Marian Catholic

Honorable Mention
Kristen Ayala, Marian Catholic
Nina Funt, Marian Catholic
Stephanie Fernandez, Marian Catholic
Nallely Torres, Castle Park
Alycia Delgado, Castle Park
Cheyanne Engelhard, Mar Vista
Rachel Murphy, Mar Vista
Jessica Castenada, Hilltop
Liz Diaz deleon, Hilltop

Player of the Year
Krystle Sanchez (Castle Park)

Pitcher of the Year
Andrea Marin (Marian Catholic)

Championship teams

Castle Park, Hilltop (co-champions)

Mesa League 2003 All-League Teams
First Team
Alana Ford, 9, Eastlake
Jennifer Bigbee, 12 Eastlake
Leila Dolfo, 10, Eastlake
Stephanie Dow, 12, Eastlake
Savahanna Viorato, 12, Eastlake
Emily Turner, 12, Bonita Vista
Paige Powell, 12, Bonita Vista
Kristine Minter, 12, Bonita Vista
Dionne Lopez, 12, Bonita Vista
Laura Lopez, 10, Bonita Vista

Second Team
Kimmy Girard, 12, Eastlake
Lindsay Adler, 12, Eastlake
Stephany McCoy, 10, Chula Vista
Kristina Villanueva, 12, Chula Vista
Maleek Turner, 12, Chula Vista
Marina Rojero, 11, Chula Vista
Tamara Carrera, 12, Bonita Vista
Kristi Randall, 10, Bonita Vista
Veronica Juarez, 11, Sweetwater
Danielle Torres, 11, Sweetwater

Player of the Year: Emily Turner (Bonita Vista)
Pitcher of the Year: Jennifer Bigbee (Eastlake)
Championship teams: Bonita Vista, Eastlake (co-champions)

South Bay League 2002 All-League Teams

First Team

Andrea Marin (sophomore), Marian Catholic

Claudia Sevilla (junior), Mar Vista

Krystle Sanchez (junior), Castle Park

Lauren Aguirre (senior), Castle Park

Vianney Campos (junior), Eastlake

Leila Dolfo (freshman), Eastlake

Stephanie Dow (junior), Eastlake

Jennifer Bigbee (junior), Eastlake

Vivian Carrillo (senior), Hilltop

Elysia King (junior), Hilltop

Player of the Year

Krystle Sanchez (Castle Park)

Pitcher of the Year

Leila Dolfo (Eastlake)

Second Team

Melissa Madigan (senior), Mar Vista

Maricurz Corona (sophomore), Castle Park

Nayelli Torres (sophomore), Castle Park

Crystal Armas (sophomore), Castle Park

Kimmy Girard (junior), Eastlake

Savahanna Viorato (junior), Eastlake

Katie Rolf (junior), Eastlake

Lindsey Adler (junior), Eastlake

Krystle Guerrero (junior), Hilltop

Jessica Cien-Mayer (sophomore), Hilltop

Honorable Mention

Marian Catholic: Monina Uribe; Jessica Castro; Norma Barba.

Mar Vista: Rachel Murphy; Marly Salcido.

Eastlake: Kate Malandres.

Castle Park: Karla Rubio; Roni Vege.

Hilltop: Cristina Arellanes; Brooke Kohl.