Yorba Linda officially put itself on the Orange County softball map during the 2013 season.
“To be honest with you, I knew we were good,” Yorba Linda coach Sharon Farrell said. “People just didn’t know that yet.”
Farrell’s comment wasn’t meant to be cocky. She believed in her players from the beginning.
The Mustangs were only in their third year as a varsity program, but she knew they were ready to become a force in the Orange County softball community.
The Mustangs went 24-4, won the Brea Tournament, reached the final of the Carew Classic, finished second in the Empire League, reached the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals and finished the season ranked sixth in the state by Cal-Hi Sports.
Farrell, the only coach Yorba Linda’s young program has known, has been selected as the Register’s softball coach of the year.
Related:
Mission Viejo’s Palomino is 2013 softball player of the year
Pacifica’s Carlson is 2013 softbal pitcher of the year
2013 All-County softball: Second, third teams
“I was surprised and kind of amazed,” Farrell said of receiving the award. “It’s quite an honor to be Orange County coach of the year with so many great people and great talent.”
The Mustangs went 12-12 and finished fifth in the Empire League in 2011. They showed glimmers of what was to come when they went 16-9 and finished third in the league in 2012.
Yorba Linda opened this season by winning its first 10 games, which included an 8-0 victory over Redlands East Valley in the final of the Brea Tournament.
Then came the Carew Classic, and the Mustangs made it all the way to finals. In that tournament they knocked off Amador Valley of Pleasanton, which was ranked No. 1 in the state at the time.
Yorba Linda only had three losses in the regular season and all of them came against league rival Pacifica. The Mustangs’ only other loss came against Santiago of Corona in the Division 1 semifinals.
“It was an extremely awesome year,” Farrell said. “The kids stepped up. We played hard. We bonded together as a team. Everybody was involved.
“It was one of those years where everything clicks.”
