ALL-VOL SELECTIONS
• MVP: Eriksen Dickens, Oakdale, senior.
• Offensive Player of the Year: Zack Perugi, Kimball, senior.
• Coach of the Year: Hondo Arpoika, Oakdale.
• First team: P Jake Corn, Manteca, junior; P Bryce Dyrda, Oakdale, junior; P Jordan Kron, East Union senior; C Buddy Reeder, Manteca, junior; IF Nick Ippolito, Oakdale, senior; IF Dakota Conners, Sierra, junior; IF Justin Payne, Sonora, senior; IF Mikey Pereznegron, Lathrop, senior; IF Lucas Vaughn, Manteca, junior; OF Dominic Pisano, Manteca, sophomore; OF Kris Bartlett, Kimball senior; OF Eddie Machado, Oakdale, senior; OF Joseph Collett, Sierra, senior; U Marc Wilson, Sierra, senior.
• Second team: P Justin Nieto, East Union, senior; P Ryan Stevenson, Sonora, senior; C Nick Garza, Oakdale, senior; C Jake Pruitt, Sierra, senior; IF Austin Plunk, Lathrop, senior; IF Colt Parshall, Oakdale, junior; IF Miko Arpoika, Oakdale, senior; IF Jacob Souza, Sierra, sophomore; IF Ezequiel Diaz, Manteca, junior; OF Tanner Morgan, Oakdale, junior; OF Zack Johnson, Kimball, senior; OF Ryan King, Kimball, sophomore.
• Honorable Mention: Jesse Hurtado (WR); Jared Ferrai (WR); James Simerley (WR); Marcus Vega-Tatum (WR); Nathan Van Katwyk (Kimball); Alec Barba (Kimball); Logan Finley (Kimball); Dylan Davis (Kimball); Corbin Lis (Kimball); Preston Rizo (Lathrop); Carlos Estrada (Lathrop); Lucas Garcia (East Union); Andrew Ruiz (East Union); Sean Harrity (Oakdale).; Christian Acosta (Oakdale).; Nick Denning (Oakdale).
Manteca High junior Jake Corn had an astounding season on the bump this spring.
For his efforts – and helping lead the Buffaloes to Game 3 of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV semifinal series – Corn was recognized as an All-Valley Oak League first team pitcher. Corn was one of four Manteca players listed to the first team and one of nine from the area.
“Jake won some very big games for us,” Manteca coach Gene Ballardo said. “He was one of the reasons why we went to the postseason this year. He’s definitely our horse on the mound.”
Corn went 11-1 as a starter, which included his two playoff victories in the division IV tourney. He had a 1.27 ERA and only allowed 31 hits and 14 runs (10 earned). Corn tossed an 83 strikeouts with just nine walks and gave up no home runs for Manteca (10-4 VOL, 18-9 overall).
His last win of the year was Tuesday afternoon during an elimination contest against Central Catholic Modesto, which the Buffaloes won 6-5 and forced the deciding third game of a best-of-three series.
Corn wasn’t the only area pitcher named to the VOL’s first team. East Union’s now-graduated senior Jordan Kron was as well. Kron, who is headed to UC Riverside this fall, led the Lancers to an 8-6 finish in league, 14-11 overall. His ERA was a 1.75 and went 8-2 in his 11 starts. Kron totaled 73 strikeouts and walked 21. He also gave up 20 runs on 36 hits.
Manteca junior catcher Buddy Reeder was also a VOL first teamer, for a second year in a row. Reeder batted .463 with 31 hits and 15 RBIs. He also had six doubles and two home runs.
Buffalo junior Lucas Vaughn (.373) was named to the first team as an infielder, and sophomore Dominic Pisano (.400) was on the league’s first team as an outfielder.
“(Reeder) really turned the corner this year,” Ballardo said. “He had a great postseason for us and he really showed out in those three playoff games. We’re expecting bigger things from him next year.
“Lucas, we are very excited for him next year,” Ballardo added about Vaughn, a Hilmar transfer who started for the Yellowjackets as a sophomore. “At one point this postseason he was 10 for 11 (batting). He was a great addition and a very good kid. It was a blessing for him to transfer over to Manteca High.”
Sierra (9-5 VOL, 16-10-1 overall) had 1/3 of the area’s players on the first team. Senior Joseph Collett (.289) was honored as an outfielder, while fellow senior Marc Wilson was listed as a first-team utility player as he batted .333. Sierra junior Dakota Conners (.282) was on the All-VOL first team infielder.
Lathrop senior Mikey Pereznegron batted for .462 for the Spartans and was the ninth area player listed on the first team.
EU pitcher Justin Nieto made the second team and Sierra’s Jake Pruitt made the list as a catcher. Pruitt’s teammate, sophomore Jacob Souza, was also on the second team as an infielder.
Lathrop’s Austin Plunk (.278) was a second-team infielder. Manteca’s Ezequiel Diaz (.316) was also on the second-team infield.
Weston Ranch’s Jesse Hurtado, Jared Ferrari, James Simerley and Marcus Vega-Tatum were all honorable mentions. Preston Pizo and Carlos Estrada of Lathrop were listed as honorable mentions, as were Lucas Garcia and Andrew Ruiz of the Lancers.
