Softball coach Teri Johnson of Union City James Logan (left) celebrates after team won CIF section title. Helix pitcher DeShawn Keirsey, meanwhile, is one of best this week in baseball. Photos: Mark Tennis & EastCountySports.com.
This week’s honor roll includes more insane home run totals for Tannon Snow of Chino Hills, a salute to a softball coach with 600 wins and baseball standouts such as Deshawn Keirsey of Helix and another to watch from Joc Pederson’s alma mater.
As has been customary for many years, we collect the state stat stars in support of the Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book & Almanac. The book has been published seven times (the most recent, though, was 2009) and is as official as a state record book can be since no other exists. To report a State Stat Star of the Week of your own, please email details to markjtennis@gmail.com.
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Items contributed this week by Paul Muyskens, Mark Tennis and CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett. This honor roll is for games played from May 11 to May 15 with some performances from this week also included and a few from earlier weeks.
BASEBALL
Deshawn Keirsey (Helix, La Mesa)
Just one out away from throwing a no-hitter, he ended up with a one-hitter while striking out 10 during a 5-0 win for the Highlanders over Valhalla of El Cajon. It was his second straight shutout and third shutout this season. Keirsey, who has signed with Utah for baseball, also was a standout wide receiver last fall for the Helix football team.
Jacob Hughey (Millikan, Long Beach)
With the Moore League title chase nearing an end, he took the mound and struck out 15 during a 2-1 win over Lakewood. It’s never easy to beat Lakewood and doing it with 15 strikeouts in a big game definitely stands out.
Leonard Grimes (Rosamond)
He went hitless against Central Valley Christian in a CIF Central Section Division V playoff game that Rosamond lost 16-1 that saw Grimes’ section record of hitting in 38 consecutive games come to an end.
Clay Cromwell (El Capitan, Lakeside)
With a football like final score of 17-0, the Vaqueros defeated El Cajon Valley as he went 4 for 5 with three runs scored and seven runs batted in.
Marcus Min (Lowell, San Francisco)
He had the go-ahead RBI on a single in the fourth inning and threw out a runner at the plate to lead the Cardinals in a 4-1 win over Oakland Tech that gave Lowell the TransBay series title. It also was win No. 735 for Lowell head coach John Donohue, who is retiring. Congrats to Coach Donohue on another title and for a memorable coaching career.
Kyle Hatton (Norco)
Named as one of our SoCal/NorCal players of the week, he hit a grand slam home run and pitched a complete game as the Cougars captured the Big VIII championship with a 8-2 win over Centennial of Corona. Hatton has signed with UC Santa Barbara.
Peter Lambert & Tommy Acuna (San Dimas)
Lambert had 15 strikeouts while Acuna hit a big three-run home run late in the game to give the Saints the lead as they finished the regular season undefeated after defeating Hacienda Heights Wilson 3-2.
Ethan Emery (Carlsbad)
It was a tough no decision for this senior as he was nearly perfect during eight innings with just one hit allowed against La Costa Canyon of Carlsbad, one of the top ranked teams in the state. LCC still won the game, 1-0, in 14 innings, but Emery’s outing against that kind of a team was outstanding.
Evan Larsen (Corona del Mar, Newport Beach)
We are fans of players that are multi-threats and Larsen is one of those. He allowed just three hits while striking out seven during a 4-0 win over Northwood of Irvine that also saw him drive in two runs.
Owen Plambeck (Palo Alto)
This junior infielder is a promising prospect from the same school that had Joc Pederson of the Dodgers roaming the outfield just a few seasons ago. In a 14-3 win over Saratoga last week, Owen went 4-for-4 with a homer and three RBI. He’s among the leaders in the CCS this season with 38 RBI.
Reece Berberet (Fallbrook)
He banged out his 10th homer of the season earlier this week and pushed his season RBI total for the season to 42 to lead Fallbrook past Valley Center 11-1. Berberet, a senior infielder, went 3-for-4 and had a double and a triple in the same game. He only came a single short of hitting for the cycle.
Dylan De La Montanya (Sonoma Academy)
In a 6-0 win over Upper Lake, De La Montanya went 2-for-4 with a double and also struck out eight batters in three hitless innings on the mound. For the season, De La Montanya has a whopping 118 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched and is hitting .324.
SOFTBALL
Tannon Snow (Chino Hills)
The numbers are getting to be astronomical for Snow. Already this week in her first CIFSS playoff game, Snow hit two homers (including a grand slam) in a 16-6 win by the Huskies over Vista Murrieta of Murrieta. She now has the state single-season home run record with 28 (breaking the previous mark of 27) and has raised the state career home run record to 60. Snow also has obliterated the state record for season RBIs with 88.
Mia Camuso (Shasta, Redding)
One of the leading home run hitters in the state, she now has 16 home runs on the season after a home run earlier this week following a three home run performance with five runs batted in during a 7-6 win over Paradise last week. It was Camuso’s fourth multi-homer game but first time this season she has hit more than two home runs in a game.
Rachel Garcia (Highland, Palmdale)
Antelope Valley of Lancaster had a tough time simply putting the ball in play in two games against her last week as she struck out 13 and pitched a five-inning no-hitter during a 24-0 win and then allowed just one hit and struck out 14 during a 20-1 win. Earlier this month, she had her second three-homer game of the season while driving in eight runs during a 24-0 win over Eastside of Lancaster.
Katheryn Navarro (Loara, Anaheim)
Homering twice, she drove in six runs during a 12-0 win over Santa Ana that let the Saxons tie for first place in the Golden West League with Segerstrom of Santa Ana.
Meehra Nelson (Westlake, Westlake Village)
While it wasn’t the 19-strikeout performance from earlier this season, it was her third time this year striking out 17 in a game as she allowed just one hit during a 5-0 win over Thousand Oaks.
Bayleigh Heineman (North, Bakersfield)
She ended her four-year career with 199 hits, tied for eighth best in CIF Central Section history, according to section historian Bob Barnett. She also had 25 career triples for a section record. Teammate junior Kristen Ponce also tied a section record with 23 doubles for the season.
Madison Aurin (Centennial, Bakersfield)
Like Heineman, Aurin ended her four-year career with 199 hits, tied for eighth best in section history. She also hit 15 home runs for the season (third best) and 29 career home runs (fifth best).
Hailey Dolcini (Fortuna)
The NorCal Player of the Week went 4 for 5 with her first home run of the season and two runs batted in during a 9-0 win over Eureka. She also pitched the complete game shutout allowing just four hits and striking out 14.
Reyna Carranco (Oxnard)
One of our Cal-Hi Sports Players of the Week, she went 4 for 4 with two home runs and a double as the Yellowjackets clinched a share of the Pacific View League championship with a 3-0 win over Rio Mesa.
Samantha Owen (East Union, Manteca)
This junior captain homered and drove in five runs during a 19-0 win over American Canyon last week during the Lancers playoff run that ended earlier this week with a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division III championship.
Lauren Espalin (Luthern, Orange)
Helping the Lancers keep their hopes of a Trinity League championship alive, this sophomore catcher had a triple, two run-home run and drove in three runs during a 3-1 win over Rosary of Fullerton.
TERI JOHNSON EARNS 600th WIN
California has another softball coach who has reached the 600-win total after Teri Johnson from James Logan of Union City won her 600th with her team’s 10-0 triumph over American of Fremont.
Johnson, who is in her 30th season, becomes the 12th softball coach in state history to achieve the 600th win. Earlier this season, Mike D’Amato from Garces of Bakersfield won his 600th game. Johnson also is the first on the list from the CIF North Coast Section.
“It’s exciting,” Johnson told the Contra Costa Times. “I never thought we’d ever get to 600, that’s for sure. A big milestone.”
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
