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IZZY POP
Owen headlines local standouts on All-VOL team
SB--All-VOL selections pic 1
East Unions Izabella Owen rambles to third base against rival Manteca during a Valley Oak League contest. The Lancers junior shortstop has been named MVP of the VOL. - photo by HIME ROMERO/The Bulletin

The city of Manteca was rich with softball talent this past season, and that was reflected in the results of the All-Valley Oak League team.

All four major awards went to players from local schools, and Brian Goulart was named Coach of the Year after his Lancers (14-0, 28-5 overall) ran the table in league.

Oregon State commit Izabella Owen enjoyed a breakout junior campaign and was rewarded with the Most Valuable Player honor. Her sister Samantha, now at Pacific, is the 2015 league MVP. 

Izabella, who batted at the top of the order and started at shortstop, led the VOL with 48 runs scored. She also hit for a .530 average while accumulating 14 doubles, five triples, two homers, 21 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.

Senior teammate Alexis Erich picked up where she left off from her outstanding 2015 campaign. She missed all of 2016 with a knee injury. The Liberty-bound center fielder was understandably named Offensive Player of the Year after producing an impressive.620/.681/1.065 slash line with eight home runs, 15 doubles and 51 RBIs.

Two-time All-VOL first-team selection Lindsey Walljasper is the Pitcher of the Year. Last week, she led Sierra (10-4, 16-9) to its fourth Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV championship in seven years. She compiled an 8-3 record with a 0.23 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings in league. Walljasper has committed to Nebraska.

Manteca (10-4, 19-8) has a major award winner in Notre Dame de Namur signee Tawny Deerinck. The standout shortstop had a .969 fielding percentage and committed just three errors en route to earning Defensive Player of the Year honors.

East Union has four players on the all-league first team: senior pitchers Mikayla Bongi (16-4, 0.87, 170 Ks) and Delaney Pamplin (12-1, 0.89, 93 Ks), senior catcher Kristina Mojica (.467, 28 RBIs) and junior right fielder Allie Tajii (.480, 30 RBIs). The Lancers ended the postseason as the SJS Division III runner-up to Benicia. 

Manteca has a trio of all-league selections in senior pitcher Haighley Kissee (17-7, 1.97, 136 Ks; .488 average), senior third baseman Sierra Martinez (.415, 28 RBIs) and junior center fielder Koryn Menasco (.417, two HRs, 29 RBIs).

Sierra freshmen Mia Guevara and Samantha Lorge join four-year starter Legacy Barnes on the All-VOL second team. Also making the second team are Manteca freshman Kaylee MacDannald, Weston Ranch senior Christina Washington and Lathrop seniors Brittany Johnson and Adelina Moreno.