Top 10 teams to watch this season
Experience could pay off this season for Oaks Christian, Sierra Canyon
The high school softball season is underway and teams in the Daily News coverage area are already starting to put themselves at the front of the pack with their early results. Here are 10 area teams, in alphabetical order, that are looking to accomplish big things this season:
Burbank
The Bulldogs were the topranked team in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 preseason poll. Junior Madison Kellogg, a Cal Baptist commit, is 2-0 in the circle and has given up eight hits and recorded 42 strikeouts in 23 innings. She owns a 0.61 ERA.
Senior Belinda Lujano holds a .417 batting average across three games and has hit two home runs. Senior utility player and returning All-Pacific League second-teamer Eliza Bowren could also be a factor for the Bulldogs.
Chaminade
Chaminade started its season on a three-game win streak, including a 14-0 victory over Calabasas. The Eagles have a young team with 11 freshmen on the roster, but have an important group of upperclassmen leading the way.
Aleksandra Albert is in her fourth season as catcher for Chaminade. Senior pitcher Alyssa Jemio owns a 4.44 ERA in addition to a .562 batting average.
Sydney Hogue is a dependable utility player and strong hitter with a .412 batting average, seven hits, six runs and four RBIs in eight games.
El Camino Real
Consistent success is something El Camino Real softball is known for, and this season looks like it will continue that pattern. The Royals' most recent games were a 7-3 win over Mission League team Louisville and an 8-0 shutout of the Foothill League's West Ranch.
All-City Section junior Sarah Delgado and All-West Valley League junior Senia Gutierrez return for the Royals. Delgado has a 5.32 ERA while giving up 31 hits and striking out 19 hitters in 26 1/3 innings. She also holds a .550 batting average. Gutierrez is hitting .389 with two doubles and a triple in seven games.
Granada Hills Charter
The L.A. City Section Open Division runner-up is out to a 7-0 start with shutouts against Cypress, Downey and Culver City. All-City Open Division players Jeniece Jimenez, Jocelyn Jimenez and Addison Moorman are back this season.
Moorman leads the Highlanders in the circle with a 1.08 ERA and has allowed 13 hits while striking out 40 in 26 innings. Senior Jeniece Jimenez is hitting .417 and junior Jocelyn Jimenez is hitting .533 with four doubles and a home run.
Moorpark
Moorpark picked up nonleague wins over Hart, Chaminade and Mater Dei.
Senior pitcher Madison Finnerty has given up 17 hits while striking out 27 hitters while owning a 1.17 ERA. At the plate, she's hitting .524 with three doubles and a home run in six games. Sydney Burckhard and Makenna Cerny are hitting .389 and .308, respectively.
Newbury Park
The Panthers got out to an 8-0 start and shut out Dos Pueblos, Hueneme, Santa Paula and Cleveland after finishing third in the Marmonte League last season.
Sophomore Lily Johnson leads the team in batting average (.545) and on-base percentage (.630) with 12 hits and eight RBIs.
Notre Dame
Last season's Mission League champion held a 6-3 record to start the season and is ranked No. 5 in CIF-SS Division 3. The Knights have added Izzy Mertes, a transfer from Sierra Canyon and a UC Irvine commit. The senior is hitting .480 with 12 hits, four RBIs, three doubles and three home runs in nine games.
The Knights have options in the circle with junior Sarah Jacobs, sophomore Aaliyah Garcia and freshman Gabby Kobliska. Jacobs has a deep arsenal with her rise ball, curve ball, drop curve and newly added screwball and has given up 32 hits while recording 17 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings.
Oaks Christian
Cheyenne Coyle is in her second year as head coach for the Lions, who reached the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals last season. The Lions are ranked No. 11 in CIF-SS Division 1, the only team in the area ranked in Division 1.
Senior and 2023 Daily News Pitcher of the Year Emelia Davis is back, and Oaks Christian seems to have another solid option in the pitching circle with junior Paityn Lavin. Senior Ilove'a Brittingham provides upperclassman leadership and has logged four hits, two RBIs, a double and two home runs in two games. Rylee McCoy and Giabella Otani are two more hitters to watch on a deep Oaks Christian team.
Sierra Canyon
Senior and Duke commit Hailey Shuler is one of the best pitchers in the area. She has been working with catcher Lianna Lara for four years, making Sierra Canyon a formidable Mission League team this season.
Shuler is a true two-way player with a 0.88 ERA and a .600 batting average with four home runs in the first three games of the season. Lara isn't far behind at .556 with two home runs and junior Nina Peyton-Johnson, a Cal commit, is hitting .600 with two home runs.
Westlake
The Warriors tied for second in the Marmonte League last season behind crosstown rival Oaks Christian and have logged three shutouts in their first six games.
Amanda Baldwin, Penelope Yeomans and Samy Gallegos could make an impact as hitters, and All-Marmonte League firstteam pitcher Linden McCarl returns for Westlake.