Seventeen of the area’s top baseball and softball standouts will converge at the San Joaquin Delta College sports complexes this Friday.
They’ll compete in the 28th annual High School All-Star Baseball-Softball Classic, which highlights recently-graduated student-athletes representing more than 35 schools in San Joaquin County and other Central Valley areas.
It’s a fitting end for three four-year varsity starters who each earned a Sac-Joaquin Section title during their decorated careers. Manteca second baseman/pitcher Kyle Rachels is one of 10 area players selected to the South all-star team. Also a two-time section champion in football, Rachels will continue playing baseball for Simpson University.
East Union graduate Izabella Owen and Shay Furtado of Ripon, both shortstops, will join forces for the South softball all-stars. The Oregon State-bound Owen is the 2017 All-Valley Oak League MVP and 2018 All-VOL Offensive Player of the Year. Furtado helped Ripon earn its first section championship for softball in 2016 and will next play for San Jose State.
Other notable all-stars include Weston Ranch’s Rylan Tinsley and Manteca’s Gino Campiotti. Tinsley is the reigning All-VOL Baseball MVP and headed for Stanislaus State. Campiotti was a three-sport star for the Buffaloes. Friday’s game is likely his last on the diamond — he’ll play quarterback for Northern Arizona.
East Union will have the largest contingent of all-stars among area schools. Outfielder Ally Roberts will play alongside Owen one last time in the softball game, while first baseman Brayden Hardcastle, outfielder Mason James and shortstop Daniel Marquez are on the South baseball roster.
Pitcher/outfielder Jacob Peterson and center fielder Chase Sperbeck are all-star selections after leading Sierra to second place in the VOL and third place in the SJS Division III playoffs.
Rounding out area all-stars: Lathrop’s Shawn Cummings, Samantha Sales and Annalisa Garcia; Manteca’s Koryn Menasco and Vanessa Lopez; and Weston Ranch’s James Peavey.