Local prep talent blossomed during spring season

Normally, I limit the listings of notable or dubious athletic accomplishments in my end-of-season columns to those I personally observe. This policy will no longer apply. Now, the envelopes, please.

BASEBALL

Outstanding Pitching

Tokay pitcher Stephen Malcolm's clutch performances against St. Mary's, West, Stagg and Lincoln down the stretch in the closing weeks of the baseball season.

"Malcolm has just been clutching up for us in big games all year long," Tokay head coach Aaron Misasi said.

Worst Baseball Moment

Tokay third baseman Tim Doyle's serious facial injury against West, followed by a four-plate, 15-screw surgical repair.

"Forget baseball. I just hope he comes out of it OK just as my son and as a person," Tokay assistant coach and Tim's father Pat Doyle said.

Outstanding Defense

Called up to the varsity due to Doyle's injury, Tokay sophomore second baseman Jordan Sharp played tough, get-your-uniform-dirty defense in knocking down hard smashes and throwing runners out at first.

"Sharp did everything we asked of him," Misasi said.

SOFTBALL

Outstanding Hitting

Lodi's Amanda Schatz, Acacia Alvarez and Katelyn Heinrich; Tokay's Jessica Dobretz, Lauren Rivers and Corinne Alexander; Galt's Bailey Diehl and Kim Briggs; Elliot's Alaina Shull, Marlene Brandon and Kaitlyn Atkins. All 11 players were the hitters the Flames, Tigers, Warriors and Eagles counted on for most of their offense.

Outstanding Pitching

Lodi's Tori Shepard; Tokay's Sam Poteet and Katie Fuhrman; Elliot's Alaina Shull; Galt's Elyse Fry. With the exception of the senior Fuhrman, the rest are underclassmen expected to again terrorize batters in 2008.

SOCCER

Outstanding Performances

Tokay's Sara Ordaz and Gigi Terlouw and Lodi's Kortney Agdeppa and Hannah Weisman. The foursome made life hard for opposing defenders and attackers.

TRACK and FIELD

Outstanding Performances

Section high jump winner Ray Nizkat of the Flames and Galt hurdler Nimrod Piggee, who placed second in the 110 hurdles.

Both leapers had outstanding years jumping over obstacles on their way to qualifying for the state meet.

SWIMMING

Outstanding Performances

Lodi's Alex Daneke, Pieter den Hartog and Haley and Tyler Ring and Galt's Lauren Peterson and Mercedes O'Brien. All six swimmers stand as a testament to the strength of the local aquatics programs, which churn out talent every year.

Outstanding Diving Performance

Tokay's Erica Kwiatkowski winning her third consecutive Sac-Joaquin South Subsection title.

ALL-AROUND

Worst Snubs

Tokay pitcher Sam Poteet and her impressive 1.85 ERA making only honorable mention on the All-Tri-City Athletic League softball team.

Worst Blown Calls

Tokay vs. Lincoln at Billy Hebert Field in the opening round of the baseball playoffs. Lincoln's phantom catch and obvious dropped fly ball in left field missed by the plate umpire and the bizarre dead-ball call by the base umpire on Malcolm's wild pitch with the ball still in the playing field. The latter call nullified Tokay catcher Joe Bernazzani's highlight-reel peg nabbing the potential go-ahead score at third base. Given new life at second base, Lincoln scored the eventual winning run that booted the Tigers out of the playoffs.

Best Coaching Job

Elliot baseball coach Brad Bauer took a team of unknowns to the Division VII section championship final, where a decimated Eagles squad missing its two best players fell to rival Brookside Christian 3-1.

Athlete of the Year

Elliot senior Matt Davis, who was a league MVP in football, an all-league forward in basketball and a league champion in track and field in the 100 and 200. Davis was recently named a winner of the prestigious CIF Student Athlete Award with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.