The three Manteca schools are well represented on the all-Valley Oak League team despite not advancing to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs.
Sierra High’s junior ace, Gabby Hawkins, was voted the conference’s Pitcher of the Year, East Union sophomore first baseman Cassie Waggy earned Offensive Player of the Year honors and Manteca senior shortstop/pitcher Trina Solario shares the Defensive Player of the Year award with Oakdale’s Monique Galvan.
The VOL went from four co-champions (Ceres, East Union, Oakdale, Sierra) to one on the final day of regular-season play.
Oakdale, which protested a 2-0 loss from April 22 against East Union, ended up with the outright title and was the runner-up in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs, losing to the now-three-time defending champion Bear River Bruins 2-1 in the finals.
Ceres, which swept Sierra to earn the second postseason berth, was eliminated in the first round via a 3-1 loss to Center.
The protest prevented a four-way coin flip that would have determined which two of the VOL’s top four clubs would move on.
Hawkins’ anchored one of Sierra’s all-time best seasons with a near-spotless 0.65 ERA and 192 strikeouts to 22 strikeouts in 172 innings pitched. She was also among the team’s top hitters, as she held a .324 batting average.
Waggy capped off an impressive sophomore campaign in which she hit for an even .500 average and established herself as one of the best clutch hitters around. She blasted four home runs and drove in an area-best 27 runs while posting an eye-popping .872 slugging percentage.
Solario was one of the league’s top shortstops but often had to pitch for struggling Manteca. The positional change did little to affect her prowess at the plate, where she hit .448 with 22 RBIs from the third-place spot in the lineup.
Other area athletes who made the all-VOL’s first team were: Sierra senior third baseman Heather Scharmann, Sierra senior shortstop Monica Morado, East Union senior second baseman Alicia Cook, East Union junior pitcher Kourtni McCall and Weston Ranch senior pitcher Angelysa Washington.
Earning second-team recognition were: Sierra senior first baseman Karissa Valdez, Sierra senior outfielder Marissa Vallejos, Manteca junior first baseman Chellsee Lee, Weston ranch senior second baseman Sharmaine Calub, East Union junior shortstop Cherie DeJesus, East Union senior third baseman Rochelle Sellers and East Union sophomore outfielder Jillian Goulart.
East Union sophomore catcher Brittany LaMar, Manteca junior second baseman Kayla Campbell, Sierra senior outfielder Emily Silvia and Weston Ranch sophomore shortstop Serena Hernandez are on the all-defensive team.
To contact Jonamar Jacinto, e-mail jjacinto@mantecabulletin.com, or call (209) 249-3538.
Sierra High’s junior ace, Gabby Hawkins, was voted the conference’s Pitcher of the Year, East Union sophomore first baseman Cassie Waggy earned Offensive Player of the Year honors and Manteca senior shortstop/pitcher Trina Solario shares the Defensive Player of the Year award with Oakdale’s Monique Galvan.
The VOL went from four co-champions (Ceres, East Union, Oakdale, Sierra) to one on the final day of regular-season play.
Oakdale, which protested a 2-0 loss from April 22 against East Union, ended up with the outright title and was the runner-up in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs, losing to the now-three-time defending champion Bear River Bruins 2-1 in the finals.
Ceres, which swept Sierra to earn the second postseason berth, was eliminated in the first round via a 3-1 loss to Center.
The protest prevented a four-way coin flip that would have determined which two of the VOL’s top four clubs would move on.
Hawkins’ anchored one of Sierra’s all-time best seasons with a near-spotless 0.65 ERA and 192 strikeouts to 22 strikeouts in 172 innings pitched. She was also among the team’s top hitters, as she held a .324 batting average.
Waggy capped off an impressive sophomore campaign in which she hit for an even .500 average and established herself as one of the best clutch hitters around. She blasted four home runs and drove in an area-best 27 runs while posting an eye-popping .872 slugging percentage.
Solario was one of the league’s top shortstops but often had to pitch for struggling Manteca. The positional change did little to affect her prowess at the plate, where she hit .448 with 22 RBIs from the third-place spot in the lineup.
Other area athletes who made the all-VOL’s first team were: Sierra senior third baseman Heather Scharmann, Sierra senior shortstop Monica Morado, East Union senior second baseman Alicia Cook, East Union junior pitcher Kourtni McCall and Weston Ranch senior pitcher Angelysa Washington.
Earning second-team recognition were: Sierra senior first baseman Karissa Valdez, Sierra senior outfielder Marissa Vallejos, Manteca junior first baseman Chellsee Lee, Weston ranch senior second baseman Sharmaine Calub, East Union junior shortstop Cherie DeJesus, East Union senior third baseman Rochelle Sellers and East Union sophomore outfielder Jillian Goulart.
East Union sophomore catcher Brittany LaMar, Manteca junior second baseman Kayla Campbell, Sierra senior outfielder Emily Silvia and Weston Ranch sophomore shortstop Serena Hernandez are on the all-defensive team.
To contact Jonamar Jacinto, e-mail jjacinto@mantecabulletin.com, or call (209) 249-3538.
