Jadyn Shinn’s scoring production for the top team in the Valley Oak League is enough to substantiate her claim as Most Valuable Player for a second straight year.
Sierra coach Manuel Pires said that’s only half the story.
Shinn will graduate as a Sac-Joaquin Section champion and Sierra’s all-time leading scorer. One of just four seniors on the team this past winter, she also goes out as an important mentor to the next generation of Timberwolves.
“She was definitely the MVP not only because of how she led on the field, but also how she led this young group of girls off the field,” Pires said. “Knowing that we were going to have a lot of young players, she reached out to help them and the girls definitely learned a lot from her.
“It’s pretty amazing for someone to have this kind of talent still be humble enough to reach out to her younger teammates. That’s just the way she is.”
Pires was named Coach of the Year, and Sierra has four all-league first-team selections after finishing 11-0-1 for its third straight VOL championship. The Timberwolves also compiled a 28-3-2  overall record — that’s the most single-season wins in the program’s decorated history — and captured their fifth SJS banner.
The Cal-bound Shinn was a big reason for their success. She capped her senior campaign with 47 goals and 23 assists, and the 117 points is fourth most in the state, according to MaxPreps. Shinn totaled 154 goals and 73 assists in her four-year varsity career — not bad for a natural defensive midfielder.
Pires saw her potential as a scorer during her freshman year, and she stuck as the team’s striker.
“We’ve had a lot of great players in our program and she’s definitely one of the best ones we’ve ever had,” Pires said. “She’s also one of the hardest working players I’ve ever had, and she was always willing to help out the team any way she can.”
Sierra’s other two senior captains made the All-VOL list — midfielder Yasmin Ballew (14 goals, nine assists) and midfielder-turned-goalie Callie Crain (14 goals, 14 assists). They’re joined by sophomore forward Tiana Cello (36 goals, 16 assists) and junior defender Bella Castro.
Second-place East Union (9-1-2, 16-3-3) has the most representation with six all-leaguers. The Lancers were led by senior forwards Jasmine Mejia (33 goals, eight assists) and Natasha Honore (nine goals, five assists). Junior midfielder Taylor Campbell (12 goals, 11 assists), sophomore midfielder Hailey Sims (seven goals, nine assists), sophomore defender Taylor McMahon (seven goals, two assists) and sophomore keeper Malia Allen (3.8 saves per game, 1.3 goals allowed) also made the cut.
Junior forward Kaley Miller (14 goals, five assists), freshman midfielder Caitlynn Wong (nine goals, nine assists) and sophomore defender Mia Treacy made all-league for Manteca (5-4-3, 9-9-5). Senior defender Paola Aguila is the lone all-league selection for Weston Ranch (0-12, 1-20).
The All-VOL second team includes Sierra freshmen Kaitlyn Berdiago, Zoe Wilson and Juliana Rodriguez along with East Union senior defender Mariana Huizar.
Earning honorable mention: Manteca’s Jordan Silva and Isabella Pires; Sierra’s Michaela Bitle and Jenna Villanueva; Weston Ranch’s Montserrat Ruiz Perez.