Two of this week’s NorCal/SoCal Players of the Week are senior shortstop Osiris Johnson from Encinal of Alameda and senior run-scoring ace Carly Lucchetti of Linden. Photos: PGAll-American/perfectgame.org & recordnet.com.
How does five homers and 20 RBI for one week sound? That’s what Montebello’s Jose Macias did last week to earn our SoCal Player of the Week selection. The big first baseman has done more in the last three seasons, though, to gain recognition than just pounding the ball against weak competition. We also have honorees this week from Jurupa Hills, Alameda and Linden.
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Note: For these honors, we consider CIF Central Section players for Northern California. To nominate someone by 12 noon on most Mondays, email markjtennis@gmail.com.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Baseball Player of the Week
Osiris Johnson
(Encinal, Alameda) Sr.
For our Northern California baseball award winner, we go to a school on the Island City of Alameda that is steeped in a tradition of fine baseball players with Johnson being the latest to play for retiring longtime and very successful head coach Jim Saunders.
Hall of Famer Willie Stargell was a Jets’ star before Saunders took the helm in 1991, but the school’s left-field fence is festooned with the retired numbers of two of his players, 2003 National League Rookie of the Year Dontrelle Willis and All Star shortstop Jimmy Rollins.
Now, Johnson, who is a second cousin of Rollins, is the Jets’ shortstop and the one making the plays and tearing the cover off the baseball for the 17-6-1 winners of the West Alameda County – Shoreline League where Osiris was named the league’s Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
“He shows signs of Jimmy every game where he’ll make some spectacular plays – and with his bat he’s doing the same thing,” said Saunders in comparing Johnson to Rollins.
Last week, the Jets lost two games off the schedule due to an opponent forfeiting, but in an 8-0 win over Eureka the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Johnson had another day at the office after going 3-for-4 with an RBI double and a run scored. In the previous game, and after a 4-2 loss to San Lorenzo at home where Osiris had three hits, he got Encinal even in the home and away series with host San Lorenzo by going 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double, five RBI and three runs scored.
On the season, Johnson is hitting .548 with five home runs, two triples, 13 doubles, 21 RBI and 28 runs scored. Plus, he’s only struck out five times in 82 plate appearances, has a .986 slugging percentage and has stolen 16 bases in 17 attempts. His fielding percentage is .900 and that’s not bad for a shortstop. Osiris has even taken the mound for four relief appearances and got the win in a 3-2 victory over Bishop O’Dowd of Oakland.
Last season, Johnson hit .481 with five home runs, five triples, eight doubles, 27 RBI and 33 runs scored, plus he had 20 stolen bases.
“I believe Osiris will be a high draft choice and whoever gets him will be real happy because the kid has a ton of talent,” Saunders remarked.
It appears Johnson will be rewarded in the upcoming baseball draft but for now he has the Northern California Baseball Player of the Week award in hand.
Cal-Hi Sports Northern California
Softball Player of the Week
Carly Lucchetti
(Linden) Sr.
It’s Carly for our NorCal softball honoree as we go 10 miles east and slightly north of Stockton on Highway 26 towards the Mother Lode Country, to a small town known for the Linden Cherry Festival held each summer. And of course a certain baseball player for the New York Yankees.
While they may have some mighty fine cherries in Linden, they also have one of the top small-school softball players in Northern California playing shortstop for the 21-6 Lions, and we’re pretty sure the Linden faithful feel real lucky to have had Lucchetti playing for them.
In two Mother Lode League games last week, a 6-5 loss to arch-rival Calaveras and a 13-1 win over Amador, Carly had her bat ready after going 5-for-8 with a home run, two RBI and four runs scored.
Lucchetti has already started the playoffs on the right foot for the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division V No. 2 seed. On Monday, in a 6-0 win over Bear River of Grass Valley, she was 2-for-4 with a triple, one RBI and two runs scored.
On the season, Lucchetti has some outstanding numbers and recently she’s been red hot with the bat. Carly is hitting .619 on 60 hits with five home runs, four in the last eight games, two triples, both in the last four games, 14 doubles, 27 RBI and 56 runs scored. The 56 runs scored is the No. 3 reported mark in the state on MaxPreps and the 60 hits are top 10 in the state as well.
For her four-year varsity career, Lucchetti is three hits away from the magic 200 hits mark, and if the Lions can get to the CIFSJS D5 title game she could have three or four games remaining to add to that number which could get her a spot in the Cal-Hi Sports Record Book.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Baseball Player of the Week
Jose Macias
(Montebello) Sr.
Downtown Las Angeles is less than five miles away from where Macias has been launching baseballs recently, and last week our Southern California baseball honoree was more like a one-man wrecking crew in three blowout Almont League wins over San Gabriel.
There is no mercy rule so each of the games went the distance.
In a 19-2 victory to start the week, and the closest of the three games, Macias was 4-for-4 with a home run, double, six RBI and a run scored. In the second shellacking of San Gabriel, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Oilers’ first-baseman was 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double, five RBI and four runs scored. In the third drubbing, Macias was only 3-for-4, but once again he had two home runs and a double, and he drove in nine runners and scored six times himself. Jose also walked four times in the three games and never struck out.
It isn’t just for the three blowout wins that enticed us to write about Jose. So far this season, Macias is seeing the ball to the tune of a .494 batting average with nine home runs, two triples, 13 doubles, 51 RBI and 35 runs scored. The 51 he’s driven in is one behind the reported state leaders. Plus, Macias has only struck out five times in 103 plate appearances and has a 1.050 slugging percentage. The big guy has also stolen five bases.
For his career, the three-year varsity standout is hitting .433 and only needs to drive in six more runners to reach the 100 career RBI mark. He was one of Montebello’s top players two years ago for a league title team and contributed this year in three significant non-league wins against Crescenta Valley, Loyola of Los Angeles and Chino Hills.
Cal-Hi Sports Southern California
Softball Player of the Week
Isabel Rocco
(Jurupa Hills, Fontana) Jr.
For our Southern California softball award winner, we go 50 miles east of Los Angeles and just off the Interstate 10 where it can get pretty hot, but no softball player out in the Inland Empire and San Bernardino County has been hotter than Rocco.
Last week was pretty much like another week at the office for the Spartans’ third-sacker as she helped her team get to 20-3 overall and 14-1 to capture the San Andreas League title heading into the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs.
Rocco started the week going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in an 11-1 victory over Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World. In the second game against Rim of the World, Isabel was blasting away. Rocco went 3-for-3 with a grand slam home run, five RBI and three runs scored.
So far this season, Rocco is batting .618 with 11 home runs, including two grand salamis, a triple, nine doubles, 52 RBI and 42 runs scored. The 52 RBI is a top 15 reported mark in the state. Also, Isabel has only struck out once in 83 plate appearances and has an sky-high 1.264 slugging percentage.
In a very solid three-year varsity career, Isabel has had no problem answering the bell for head coach Scott Cartzdafner. Rocco is hitting .595 on 157 hits with 33 home runs, 158 RBI and 125 runs scored. With the upcoming playoffs and another season to go, Rocco is already close to making the career hits and RBI lists in the Cal-Hi Sports Record Book.
On a final note, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention Rocco’s senior teammate India Kelly. The Spartans’ left-fielder is hitting .610 with five each of home runs, triples and doubles, and has 34 RBI and 45 runs scored.
Harold Abend is the associate editor of CalHiSports.com and the vice president of the California Prep Sportswriters Association. He can be reached at marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @HaroldAbend
