Sierra’s Kendelle Messersmith and East Union sophomore Alexis Erich finally get their due.
They’re two of four players from Manteca to be named to the MaxPreps Medium Schools All-State Team on Monday, joining East Union stars Cherish Burks and Samantha Owen.
East Union head coach Brian Goulart also gets a nod, earning the MaxPreps Medium Schools Coach of the Year a month after getting the same honor from Cal-Hi Sports. He guided the Lancers to a 30-3 record, a second straight Valley Oak League crown, their third overall Sac-Joaquin Section championship and first-ever mythical state title as the Cal-Hi Sports Division III State Team of the Year.
Taft is the MaxPreps Medium Schools team of the Year, while UCLA-bound Rachel Garcia of Highland (Palmdale) captured Player of the Year honors.
Owen is the 2015 Manteca Bulletin All-Area MVP. The Pacific commit was already named to the FloSoftball All-American second team, MaxPreps underclass All-American team and is on several Cal-Hi Sports all-state lists. Burks, heading to Oregon, made the MaxPreps Medium Schools All-American second team and Cal-Hi Sports first team.
Erich was a pitching whiz as a freshman, but an arm injury forced her to concentrate on hitting this past spring. That helped lead a breakthrough season offensively while batting behind Owen from the cleanup spot. Only Erich rivaled Owen’s astronomical stat line, as she finished with a .644 batting average, 10 home runs and 59 RBIs.
Messersmith was the outstanding shortstop for the SJS Division IV champion Timberwolves (19-5). She hit for a .574 average and 29 RBIs in 20 regular-season contests.
MaxPreps names Goulart states medium schools coach of the year
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