Two-way standout Dustin Hoekstra has been named baseball MVP in the Southern Athletic League, while Joel Van Groningen repeats as MVP for boys volleyball.

Both led their teams to SAL and Sac-Joaquin Section championships.

Hoekstra, a junior, pitched sparingly down the stretch because of elbow soreness, but he was still able to contribute with the bat and defensively at second base as the Knights (12-2 SAL, 23-8

Ripon Christian shares the league crown with Le Grand (12-2, 14-7). RC’s John de Visser and Le Grand’s Aaron Martinez are Co-Coaches of the Year. Carlos Castaneda of Le Grand was named Pitcher of the Year, while Jacob Ogilby of third-place Mariposa (9-5, 12-8) got Offensive Player of the Year.

Hoekstra made nine pitching appearances in league, sporting an impressive 0.41 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings. He was also RC’s second-leading hitter with a .478 batting average, 18 runs, 19 RBIs, seven doubles.

Hoekstra had a four-game stretch in league — against Denair, Waterford and twice versus Delhi — in which he hit 10 for 14 with nine RBIs. He even pitched in three of those games, throwing a three-hitter against Denair and a mercy-shortened one-hitter against Waterford while firing 32 strikeouts in 15 innings.

Senior shortstop/pitcher Eli Terpsma. junior center fielder Grant Sonke, senior infielder Justin Severson and sophomore catcher Josh Buffalow made the all-league team.

Sonke topped all Knights hitters in league with a .500 average, 25 runs, 19 RBIs, four doubles, two triples, two homers and 24 steals.

Terpsma hit .375 with 23 runs, 19 RBIs, two doubles, three triples and a homer but was also a key contributor for the Knights’ deep pitching staff with a 1.21 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings.

Severson immediately solidified Ripon Christian’s infield as a mid-season addition after serving the SJS 30-day sit-out period for his transfer from East Union. He committed zero errors on 19 total chances while splitting time at third base and shortstop. Offensively, he hit .389 with five doubles, a triple and a homer.

Buffalow batted .457 in league and drove in a team-high 20 RBIs along with six doubles.

Senior pitcher/outfielder Micah English received honorable mention.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

The two-time All-SJS Team selection is also a two-time league MVP.

The Dordt-bound Van Groningen overcame shoulder soreness early in the season to help lead the Knights (6-0, 25-6) to another SJS Division IV crown. Kevin Tameling received Coach of the Year.

The 6-foot-4 outside hitter had 17 kills and 16 aces, but his biggest contributions in the six league matches were on defense and passing. Van Groningen saved his arm for higher-profile non-league matches and the playoffs, ending with a season-high 34 kills in Ripon Christian’s five-set defeat to Moreau Catholic in the first round of the NorCal Division II tournament.

Outside hitter Josiah Reif and setter Justin Hofman are All-SAL Team selections for the second time. Reif, who is headed to Cornerstone University, ranked up 78 kills (4.6 per set) and 16 aces, while Hofman chipped in 19 kills, 24 aces and 101 assists.

Sophomore middle Walker Postma (15 kills, three blocks), freshman middle Mason Tameling (29 kills, 23 aces, three blocks) and junior libero Zach Varni also made all-league.

Junior setter Preston Zuidervaart and sophomore middle/outside hitter Josh Miller received honorable mention.