STAR-NEWS PRESEASON TOP 10 RANKINGS
1. La Caada
2. San Marino
3. Mayfield
4. La Salle
5. San Gabriel Mission
6. Keppel
7. Temple City
8. Monrovia
9. Marshall
10. Maranatha
By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer
KC Mathews couldn’t help but gush after going down his roster, having nothing but great things to say about each of his players.
That much was expected from the La Caada High School softball coach who points to team speed, defense, hitting and strong work ethic for reasons the Spartans’ season looks pretty bright.
It’s also the reason why La Caada (25-5 last year) is the No. 1 team in the Star-News’ preseason top-10 rankings.
The defending Rio Hondo League champions look to build on last year’s CIF-Southern Section Division 5 semifinal run. That the Spartans boast arguably the best 1-2 combo in pitchers Lauren O’Leary (19-4, 165 strikeouts, 0.61 ERA last season) and Lauren Cox (5-1, 161 strikeouts, 0.55 ERA) are reason enough to make the Spartans the favorite, and Division 5 coaches think as much, voting La Canada the No. 1 team in the CIF-SS preseason top-10 poll.
Then there’s Anna Edwards, arguably the most dangerous power hitter in the San Gabriel Valley. The Northwestern-bound standout received Rio Hondo League co-MVP and first-team All-CIF honors after batting .580 with 35 RBIs, nine home runs, nine doubles, two triples and 15 stolen bases.
Junior Catherine Horner is a defensive specialist at catcher. She batted .365 with 17 RBIs and 12 doubles as a sophomore.
The list goes on and on.
Senior Shirley Drange is a returning outfielder that will be counted on for her senior leadership. Kayla McCue, a slap hitter, has a knack for getting on base. Senior Megan Siepler is back at full strength after being limited most of last season because of injury. Kelsey Drange, a sophomore, will continue providing consistency at the plate in the No. 2 hole.
“I gotta tell you,” Mathews said, “I’m pretty happy with the way we’re playing. I can go on and on down this list.”
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2. San Marino (18-7)
Sophomore standout pitcher Michelle Floyd and junior shortstop Alexis Watanabe will lead the talented Titans who made a quarterfinals run in Division 5 last season.
Watanabe, as a sophomore, batted .552 with 13 RBIs, eight doubles, two home runs and a triple. She struck out only three times, stole 21 bases and scored 21 runs.
Floyd, who helped her travel ball team capture the ASA 16U national championship, turned San Marino into an instant playoff contender. As a freshman, Floyd went 17-7 with a 0.43 ERA and 301 strikeouts in 146 innings. She threw 21 complete games and 10 shutouts. Floyd also batted .371 with 12 RBIs and a home run.
3. Mayfield (20-6)
The expectations remain high for the Cubs, who return seven starters.
The two-time defending Prep League champions are hoping to build off last year’s second-round appearance in the Division 5 playoffs. They’ll look to senior Katie Clancy and sophomores Mireya Hernandez and Jessica Parada.
Clancy was a true threat anywhere she played last year. Voted the Prep League’s most valuable pitcher, Clancy went on to earn first-team All-CIF and first-team All-Area honors after going 19-6 in the circle with a 0.76 ERA and 254 strikeouts in 166 innings. She also threw 24 complete games, including nine shutouts and batted .321 with 26 RBIs and five doubles.
Hernandez batted .464 with 23 RBIs and two home runs while Parada batted .329 with 18 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Senior Lauren Armenta, who batted .303 last season, gives the Cubs considerable speed on the basepaths. She stole 18 bases last season.
It’s no wonder why expectations are high.
“Our goal is to go out and win league again,” Mayfield coach Jennifer Moulden said. “I know everybody has a big target on us because they don’t want us to do it again, but I do expect us to be able to do it and make a deep run in the playoffs.”
No. 4 La Salle (25-6)
The 2010 Division 6 champions won’t get a chance to defend their title.
That’s because the Lancers move from the Camino Real League to the Del Rey League, which competes in Division 3.
“We’re in that conference where every two years one team goes up and one team goes down,” La Salle coach Rich Diaz said. “But we’re looking forward to playing those schools like Bishop Amat and St. Joseph’s.”
Leading La Salle is senior shortstop Sterling Shuster who batted .385 with 44 RBIs, eight doubles, a triple and a home run.
The Lancers return seven starters, including second baseman Victoria Baltazar and first baseman Colleen McWilliams, an All-Area first-team pick who as a sophomore hit .436 with 25 RBIs, six doubles and three triples.
Katie Smither, who as a freshman went 3 for 3 with a home run and five RBIs in the championship game last season, is the starting center fielder.
Sophomore Rachel Albright, who has three pitches in her arsenal, will start in the circle with Baltazar coming in for relief.
5. San Gabriel Mission (20-4)
Reigning Star-News Coach of the Year Jaime Preciado is high on the Pioneers and hopes to build on last year’s remarkable run and deepest in school history, ending in the semifinals at the hands of eventual Division 6 champion La Salle.
San Gabriel Mission returns four starters, including junior pitcher Nicole Holguin, who went 10-1 with a 1.03 ERA. She went on to earn second-team All-Area honors.
Also returning is standout sophomore shortstop Priscilla Hernandez who batted .560 with 20 RBIs and 27 stolen bases.
Amanda Garcia, who batted .476, switches from third to first base while Miranda Tijerina is at second base.
Preciado has to replace an entire outfield that is now playing Division II college softball. He brought up Brandie Holguin, a sophomore, to play center field.
6. Keppel (18-3)
Two-time Almont League Pitcher of the Year Alashanee Medina returns for her junior season.
“That’s saying a lot because Schurr has a really good pitcher and so does Alhambra,” Keppel coach Bobby Madrid said. “She’s definitely our Division I prospect and already getting a few offers.”
The second-team All-Area selection hopes to build on last year’s success that saw the Aztecs lose to only two teams all year, twice to Schurr and in the first round of the Division 5 playoffs against Cerritos Valley Christian.
Keppel will start two freshmen: left fielder Amanda Martinez and second baseman/outfielder Melissa Valdez.
“I expect them to contribute right away,” Madrid said. “This is going to be a talented but experienced young team.”
7. Temple City (14-15)
Coach Bob Ellingsworth is feeling optimistic with a group that returns six starters, including North Dakota-bound Jessica Loicano.
The shortstop who batted .379 with 25 RBIs, eight doubles, three triples and five home runs will see more time pitching this season.
Senior Jessica Flores will play shortstop mostly when Loicano is pitching, and catching will be junior Sami Jakeway.
“After our scrimmage I feel pretty good,” Ellingsworth said. “It depends on our pitching. If it’s better than last year we’ll be stronger, but they have a lot of potential.”
8. Monrovia (11-12)
The Wildcats return five starters, including all-league selections Kelly Williams and Schae Simpson.
Monrovia has a transfer in Emmy Orozco, a senior who played freshman and junior varsity at South Hills.
The Wildcats will start four freshmen this season: center fielder Elise McCarthy, pitcher Adrienne Guerra, left fielder Shelbi Zernickow and utility Sammy Saucedo.
Monrovia will have played 10 games (Downey, Charter Oak Tournament) by the time Rio Hondo League play begins.
9. Marshall (14-11-1)
The Eagles return seven starters, All-CIF shortstop Amy Zeronian and pitcher Cierra Newton among them.
Zeronian batted .532 with 28 RBIs, four home runs, four triples and four doubles. Newton went 10-6 in 16 appearances.
10. Maranatha (18-12)
The Minutemen’s season took a blow before it ever began.
Annie Sommers, the Boston College-bound standout, tore her right ACL with two weeks left in the soccer season. Maranatha coach Scott Sommers said she will play two games before undergoing surgery next week. Sommers was the Minutemen’s offensive catalyst, leading the team in batting average (.505), on-base percentage (.553) and slugging percentage (.723).
Seniors Heather Wilson and Katie Czuchaj will be counted on for leadership.
Katelyn Thordarson, Elysha McAllister and Lauren Cruz are the other returnees.
miguel.melendez@sgvn.com
