By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Manteca’s Elon James is VOL Co-Offensive POY
All-VOL Softball
Manteca's Elon James follows through on her swing in a non-league game at Lathrop. - photo by Wayne Thallander

Manteca corner infielder Elon James highlights area players named to the All-Valley Oak League Team, earning Co-Offensive Player of the Year honors.

She helped the Buffaloes (7-5 VOL, 20-8-1 overall) reach several milestones this past spring, as they set what is believed to be a program record for most wins in a single season, hosted a postseason game for the first time and won it. They also snapped a 14-game skid against rival East Union. Manteca placed third in the VOL behind co-champions Central Catholic (11-1, 27-4-1) and Oakdale (11-2, 26-3-1).

James was often in the middle of Manteca’s biggest moments. The junior slugger finished tied for third in the Sac-Joaquin Section with 47 RBIs, which was good for No. 30 in the state. She also held a .418 batting average, and clubbed a team-high six home runs.

Her biggest game of the season came against Sierra, Manteca’s other cross-town rival. James went 4 for 4 with a homer, three runs and six RBIs in a surprisingly one-sided 22-0 victory.  She had a .486 average and 18 RBIs in 11 league games.

Other Buffaloes making all-league were junior catcher Jessica Almeida, senior infielder/pitcher Mohrgen Kissee and sophomore pitcher Nayellys Torres.

Almeida was Manteca’s leading hitter with a .463 overall average to go with a team-best 11 doubles, two triples and 10 RBIs. The versatile Kissee capped her four-year varsity career, hitting .312 with 18 RBIs. In the pitcher’s circle, she went 3-0 in 10 appearances, registering a 1.88 ERA and 23 strikeouts over 22 ½ innings. Torres was the workhorse hurler, finishing with a 3.00 ERA, a 14-7 record and 151 strikeouts in 119 innings.

Sierra (3-9, 5-12) has two all-league selections in senior shortstop Erica Tovar and sophomore catcher/outfielder Breanna Tyler. Tovar hit .365 with four doubles, two triples and eight RBIs. Tyler had a .373 average with two doubles, a triple, a homer and eight RBIS.

Junior first baseman Kylee Gann is the lone all-league selection for East Union (4-8, 10-11-1). She hit for a .439 average with seven doubles and nine RBIs.

Making the All-VOL second team from the area: freshman outfielder Aubree Gann (.433, 14 RBIs) and junior pitcher/third baseman Layla Molina (seven HRs, 18 RBIs; 4.63 ERA) of East Union; senior outfielder Jessenia Beltran (.308) and senior third baseman Angelinah Olivarez (.396) of Sierra; sophomore infielder Baylee Willenbrink (.378, 33 runs, 14 steals) of Manteca; and senior first baseman Solei Marriott and senior shortstop Elenor Allieu of Weston Ranch.

East Union catcher Mackenzie Nervis, Sierra second baseman Anna Dickinson and Manteca outfielder Ariana Lowery are part of the All-VOL Defensive Team.

Two-way standout Randi Roelling of Central Catholic was voted MVP. Oakdale’s Delainey Everett is Pitcher of the Year, while third baseman Danny Romo received Defensive Player of the Year. Kimball junior Sophia Coronado shares Offensive Player of the Year with James. Central Catholic’s Sam Nichols is Coach of the Year.