Keep an eye on these O.C. players in the 2014 season:
Alyssa Palomino, Mission Viejo, Jr.: The toughest out in Orange County. The reigning Register Player of the Year set a county record by blasting 18 home runs a season ago, hitting .522 along the way. The Arizona-committed outfielder can hit for power as easily as she can hit for average. Even scarier? She’s only a junior.
Kaylee Carlson, Pacifica, Sr.: The Register’s Pitcher of the Year last season has been untouchable during her time at Pacifica. Over the past three seasons, the North Carolina-bound Carlson has gone 55-6 with a 0.78 ERA. Last year she posted a 19-1 record with a 0.62 ERA. With any run support, the senior is almost unbeatable.
Tera Blanco, Marina, Sr.: Hitters fear her, and pitchers are afraid of her. Blanco, who has signed with Michigan, is one of the best all-around players in the state. She hit .420 as a junior, and went 25-4 in the circle with a 0.70 ERA. Blanco is the odds-on favorite to win Sunset League MVP again in 2014.
Taylor McQuillin, Mission Viejo, Jr.: In 173 innings last season, the Diablos ace tallied a gaudy 266 Ks. After posting a 25-2 record, McQuillin earned South Coast League co-MVP honors with Palomino. There’s no reason to think the Arizona recruit should be any less dominant this year.
Marshaylee Knighten, Sunny Hills, Jr.: While her sister Marjani is now playing in college for Nebraska, “Shay” Knighten has shown she’s more than capable of holding down the fort at Sunny Hills. The future Oklahoma Sooner has one of the best eyes at the plate, leading to her .527 average in 2013. She also is one of the best defensive shortstops in the county.
Paige Von Sprecken, Yorba Linda, Sr.: Not one, not two, but three. That’s how many no-hitters the Mustangs star tossed a season ago. Von Sprecken was the catalyst for Yorba Linda’s surprising run to the Division 1 semifinals. The senior could go down as the best player to come out of the Mustangs’ relatively young program.
Kolby Romaine, Rosary, Jr.: The Chino Hills transfer is the early favorite to be Orange County’s newcomer of the year. Romaine starred for the So Cal A’s this past summer, helping the powerhouse travel ball squad win its fourth consecutive national championship. Needless to say, the Royals’ newest infielder will fit in just fine in the extremely talented Trinity League.
Sydney Lahners, Laguna Hills, Sr.: An All-County first-teamer a season ago, Lahners hit .471 in 2013. With one of the best bats in the Sea View League, the Pacific commit will need to match her production at the plate as a senior for Laguna Hills to have a shot at competing with Capistrano Valley for league supremacy.
Mackenzie Boesel, Orange Lutheran, So.: Boesel hit .427 with 21 RBI in her debut season. With only two seniors on the Lancers roster, the sophomore shortstop will be looked upon as one of the team’s primary threats. She’ll need another stellar season for Orange Lutheran to compete with Mater Dei and Rosary in the Trinity League.
Morganne Flores, Mater Dei, Jr.: After missing the first eight weeks of the 2013 campaign, the catcher made her presence felt immediately. In her first six games back, Flores went 12 for 19 with a homer and 13 RBI. She finished the season with a .500 batting average. Her performance begs the question – what can she do if she’s healthy for a full season?
*Esperanza’s Hayley Copeland and Brynley Steele, and Pacifica’s Kayley Winegarner are top players we have featured in other parts of our softball preview.
OTHERS TO WATCH
(Alphabetical order)
Amanda Akles, La Habra, Jr.
Nychole Antillon, Mater Dei, Sr.
Samantha Arents, Orange Lutheran, Sr.
Paulina Anasis, Canyon, Jr.
Taryn Atlee, Foothill, So.
Makenna Bailey, San Juan Hills, So.
Brianna Betschel, Canyon, Jr.
Reis Birkett, Edison, Jr.
Kayla Black, San Juan Hills, Fr.
Hannah Boos, Pacifica, Fr.
Hanna Boyd, Orange Lutheran, Jr.
Lauren Brooks, Yorba Linda, So.
Faith Canfield, Pacifica, Jr.
Bryanna Castro, Esperanza, Sr.
Mallory Cleveland, Yorba Linda, Sr.
Jayme Cone, Santa Margarita, Jr.
Jenna Cone, Santa Margarita, So.
Sarah Cwiertnia, Santa Margarita, Jr.
Ivy Davis, Huntington Beach, Fr.
Nicole DeWitt, Pacifica, Sr.
Ally Dickman, Capistrano Valley, Jr.
Lauren Diuco, Capistrano Valley, Jr.
Rochelle Draper, Marina, Sr.
Katya Duvall, Los Alamitos, Jr.
Maddie Dwyer, Orange Lutheran, Fr.
Kaylee Ellebracht, Los Alamitos, Jr.
Kaitlyn Eveland, Loara, Jr.
Alysha Everett, Mission Viejo, Sr.
Caroline Figueroa, Santa Margarita, Jr.
Maddison Flores, Mater Dei, Fr.
Alex Formby, Mater Dei, Sr.
Andie Formby, Mater Dei, Sr.
Amanda Gjertsen, Capistrano Valley, So.
Kira Griswold, Beckman, Sr.
Desiree Hagberg, Marina, Sr.
Ashlyn Hankla, San Juan Hills, Jr.
Lauren Hartman, Trabuco Hills, Sr.
Noelle Hee, Orange Lutheran, Fr.
Celeste Hernandez, Santa Ana, Jr.
Sara Higa, Mission Viejo, Sr.
Hailey Hilburn, Canyon, Jr.
Megan Hillman, Valencia, Jr.
Jenna Holcomb, Los Alamitos, So.
Allie Holbrook, San Juan Hills, Fr.
Mary Iakopo, Los Alamitos, Fr.
Sarah Ingegneri, San Juan Hills, Sr.
Kristina Inouye, Huntington Beach, So.
Sarah Jackson, Pacifica, Sr.
Madison Killebrew, Dana Hills, Jr.
Courtney Kim, Laguna Hills, So.
Jessica Kim, Beckman, So.
Anna Kufta, Huntington Beach, So.
Payton Lawton, Rosary, Sr.
Kat Lee, Capistrano Valley, Sr.
Brooke Marquez, Pacifica, Sr.
Melissa Martene, Whittier Christian, Sr.
Arlene Martinez, Los Amigos, Sr.
Nicole Martinez, Yorba Linda, Fr.
Priscilla Martinez, Mater Dei, So.
Jordan Matthews, El Dorado, Fr.
Shannon McCasland, San Clemente, Sr.
Sydney McCollum, Marina, Jr.
Brook Miko, San Juan Hills, Sr.
Adriana Millan, Orange Lutheran, So.
Mackenzie Miller, San Juan Hills, Sr.
Victoria Minor, Brea Olinda, So.
Meghan Mondragon, Trabuco Hills, Jr.
Hope Moreno, La Habra, Sr.
Madisyn Moynihan, Saddleback Valley Christian, Sr.
Deja Mulipola, Pacifica, So.
Riley Nahrwold, Sunny Hills, Sr.
Ryne Nakama, Woodbridge, Sr.
Emili Olague, Marina, Jr.
Kiana Pancino, Edison, So.
Jacqui Pasqual, Huntington Beach, Sr.
Molly Pelkofer, Rosary, Sr.
Brisa Pennington, Fullerton, Jr.
Jenavee Peres, Garden Grove, Sr.
Allie Prukop, Santa Margarita, Sr.
Jordan Quinn, Capistrano Valley, So.
Ashley Ramirez, Segerstrom, Sr.
Melissa Rochford, Mater Dei, Jr.
Ashley Ross, Cypress, Jr.
Viviana Ruiz, Sunny Hills, Sr.
Alexa Schultz, Los Alamitos, Fr.
Annika Seedborg, Rosary, Sr.
Rachel Sellers, Los Alamitos, Sr.
Emily Sklencar, Esperanza, Sr.
Devan Sperry, Santa Margarita, So.
Maria Steadmon, Huntington Beach, Jr.
Taylor Stephen, JSerra, Jr.
Sammy Swancoat, Beckman, Jr.
Taylor Swearingen, Canyon, Sr.
Liz Talataina, Edison, Sr.
Cali Thies, Laguna Hills, So.
Jordan Townsend, Yorba Linda, Jr.
Samantha Vandiver, Huntington Beach, Sr.
Amanda Vargas, Tesoro, Sr.
Angie Vasquez, El Modena, Sr.
Micaela Vierra, Huntington Beach, Sr.
Kiana Waller, Capistrano Valley, So.
Lindsey Ward, JSerra, Jr.
Ali Wester, Edison, Jr.
Emma Willenborg, Beckman, Sr.
Kassidy Williams, Valencia, Jr.
Kaley Winegarner, Pacifica, Jr.
Lea Wodach, Tesoro, Sr.
Allie Wood, Cypress, Sr.
Kristin Worley, Savanna, So.
Camryn Ybarra, Mission Viejo, Fr.
Shianna Ybarra, Mission Viejo, Sr.
Taryn Young, Canyon, Fr.
Victoria Zamora, El Modena, Sr.
MORE OF THE 2014 SOFTBALL PREVIEW:
Esperanza has eye on the postseason
