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Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
A rare three-peat: Oak Ridge beats state No. 1 Del Oro, claims CIF softball title
Ellison Schroeder knew the plan coming into the 2025 high school softball season. The Oak Ridge Trojans of El Dorado Hills had arguably the best one-two punch in the pitching circle with Schroeder and sophomore Kennedi Freeland looking to carry the program to a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section large-school three-peat and beyond. The two aces were set to share the pitching duties, and with several Division I collegiate commits returning from back-to-back championship runs, axPreps had the Trojans ranked at No. 4 nationally to begin the season. But Freeland, who went 14-4 with a 1.15 earned run average and 169 strikeouts as a freshman, suffered a season-ending injury after just seven appearances. That put the burden on Schroeder to shoulder the brunt of the innings. The Santa Clara commit answered the call in spades with career highs in nearly every pitching category. Entering Saturday's Division I championship game at Sacramento State, Schroeder was 17-3 with a 0.98 ERA, 169 strikeouts and four no-hitters. She was in the circle for the final outs of each of the past two Oak Ridge section championships, and on Saturday against state-ranked No. 1 Del Oro of Loomis, Schroeder once again got the last out. With the potential winning run in scoring position, Schroeder got Abby Davidson, the section's leading home run hitter, to ground out to second for the final out of Oak Ridge's 3-2 win at Shea Stadium and to secure the school's first three-peat at the Division I level. Oak Ridge owns the most softball championships in section history with 12 blue banners. 'I don't know how many people have been able to say that they've completed a three-peat,' said Schroeder. 'So, I think it's awesome, especially to do it my senior year.' Ever reliable, Schroeder went the distance, allowing seven hits and two earned runs while striking out three. 'You can just see the confidence and the composure she plays with,' said Oak Ridge head coach Sam Toy of Schroeder. 'That just gives her defense more confidence. I couldn't be more proud of her.' The Trojan defense played error free behind Schroeder, particularly the middle infield. Senior shortstop Carly Short – headed to North Carolina State – made a few ranging stabs for outs. Sophomore second baseman Gemma Almont threw out a pair of runners at the plate in the late innings to keep Del Oro from tying the score. 'We have a super strong team,' said junior center fielder Emery Glaser. 'The bond we have is incredible. So this team is real special, and I'm super glad to be able to pull it out a third time.' Del Oro struck first when Davidson roped a one-out single, stole second and scored on an RBI double from Avyn Brower to make it 1-0 Golden Eagles after four innings. But in the top of the sixth, Oak Ridge loaded the bases for Glaser, and the Nevada-Reno commit laced a two-run double to left to put the Trojans in front, 2-1. Later in the inning, Carmen Montes de Oca scored from third on a passed ball to extend the Trojans' lead to 3-1 after six innings. Del Oro got one back in the bottom of the sixth as Chloe Champas singled home Caelyn Campos to make it 3-2. Champas had another big hit in the bottom of the seventh, but the lead runner got caught between third and home before a heads-up Almont threw her out at the plate. Schroeder then got the final out for the Trojans' 12th championship. 'Between me, Carmen and Carly, we've just left a lot of great leadership,' Schroeder said. 'I think we've done a really good job of working with the younger girls and kind of being mentors for them. So, I hope that they can take something from us and carry it on for the years to come.' Before the 2025 season, Del Oro players collectively turned in their smartphones for a 30-day digital detox from social media to help improve and raise awareness for mental health and to bond as a team. The off-the-field experiment proved to have a major impact on the field as Del Oro rose to the No. 1 spot in California state softball rankings for the first time in school history. After the 30 days without their electronics ended, several players expressed what they thought was a direct correlation between the digital detox and the success on the field. Before games, the Golden Eagles can be seen dancing in unison to Brooks and Dunn's 'Boot Scootin' Boogie.' Del Oro danced its way to a 28-1 record entering the section finals – its only loss coming against Oak Ridge in Sierra Foothill League play on March 21. Del Oro avenged that loss with a 4-2 win a month later to secure the SFL title and lock up the No. 1 seed in the Division I playoffs. Champas and Davidson each had two hits for Del Oro on Saturday while Mikayla Finn threw all seven innings with six hits and two earned runs allowed and six strikeouts. Both Oak Ridge (24-4) and Del Oro (28-2) qualify for the CIF Northern California Regional championship tournament, which begins on June 3 and culminates with regional finals on June 7. Nick Pecoraro is a sports journalist and host of 'Premier Preps with Nick Pecoraro,' a weekly prep show available on YouTube that recaps games and teams in the Sacramento area each week. Find it at
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Del Oro, Rocklin, Oak Ridge, Whitney among top seeds in softball playoffs
The Sierra Foothill League has towered over the greater Sacramento region as a super league for high school athletics. Football has been king in that league for years, and it has been the best collection of teams locally in girls and boys basketball in recent seasons. And of course, there is softball. The CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs start at home sites next Tuesday for Division VII, the smallest enrollment schools, and on Wednesday for Divisions I through VI. SFL teams are dotted across the top divisions. SFL members earned the No. 1 seeds in Division I (Del Oro) and Division II (Rocklin), with Oak Ridge named the No. 2 seed in D-I and Whitney the No. 2 seed in D-II. A two-time defending section champion in different divisions, Destiny Christian Academy of Sacramento is the top seed in D-IV. The school formerly known as Capital Christian is led by prep All-American and two-time Sacramento Bee Player of the Year Ayla Tuua, a national recruit headed to LSU. She is among several area players in the postseason who are in the running for Bee Player of the Year honors. The junior leads the Lions (19-2) in batting average (.500), slugging percentage (0.914) and RBIs (22) and with an 0.24 ERA as the ace pitcher, sporting a 9-0 record. State-ranked 10th, DCA only played 21 games, mostly because of early-season rain outs that could not be rescheduled. Oak Ridge chose to forfeit a nonleague game this week against the Lions, citing a need to rest and prepare for the playoffs. Oak Ridge won section D-I banners in 2023 and 2024 and 12 overall, and the Trojans of El Dorado Hills started this season Bee-ranked No. 1. The team is state-ranked No. 5 by Cal-Hi Sports and is led by junior Washington Huskies commit Brooklyn Paratore (.500 average); senior ace Ellison Schroeder, who is 14-3 with a 1.02 ERA; and North Carolina commit Carly Short, a star infielder. Sophomore pitching star Kennedi Freeland has missed most of the season due to injury. Del Oro of Loomis entered the playoffs as the top-ranked team in the section and in the state, according to Cal-Hi Sports. A nine-time section champion over the decades, Del Oro is state-ranked No. 1 for the first time, rolling along at 24-1. A close-knit team, the Golden Eagles went on a team-wide, 30-day cellphone digital detox in an effort to improve and raise awareness for mental health. The Golden Eagles won the SFL and are riding a 14-game winning streak heading into a playoff opener against No. 16 Turlock. The lone Del Oro loss was a 5-1 decision at Oak Ridge in SFL play on March 21. Del Oro won the rematch 4-2 on April 23. The Golden Eagles can pitch, play defense and smash the ball. Del Oro has one of the top 1-2 pitching combinations in the state with sophomore Mikayla Finn (15-1, 1,01 ERA) and senior Ava Messina (10-0, 1.59). They have combined for 204 strikeouts. Chloe Champas and Abby Davidson lead Del Oro in batting average at .479 and .440, respectively. Committed to Utah Tech, Davidson has 13 home runs and 39 RBI. Del Oro has clubbed a section-leading 38 home runs. Rocklin, the top seed in D-II and ranked 15th in the state, is led by Nevada-Reno commit Katie Wetteland (.500 average, 11 home runs, 37 RBI, 30 runs) and ace Payton Prior, who is 17-3 with a 1.52 ERA. Second-seeded Whitney is ranked 19th in the state. The Wildcats could meet Rocklin in an all-Placer County finale of in-town rivals. Section champions in 2019 and 2023, Whitney is led by San Diego State commit Tylie Kitchen (.467 average, five home runs, 25 RBI). Kitchen has won section titles in basketball and softball, and is her school's all-time career rebounding leader. ▪ Complete softball brackets and ticket information are available on the CIF section website. Divisions I-VI games on Wednesday, May 14. Division VII games on Tuesday, May 13. Division I No. 16 Turlock at No. 1 Del Oro No. 9 Davis at No. 8 Mountain House No. 12 McClatchy at No. 5 Sheldon No. 13 Lincoln-Stockton at No. 4 Pleasant Grove No. 14 Gregori at No. 3 Tracy No. 11 Enochs at No. 6 Franklin No. 10 Monterey Trail at No. 7 Folsom No. 15 Stagg at No. 2 Oak Ridge Division II No. 16 Golden Valley at No. 1 Rocklin No. 9 Laguna Creek at No. 8 Inderkum No. 12 Bella Vista at No. 5 Elk Grove No. 14 Rodriguez at No. 3 Woodcreek No. 11 Atwater at No. 6 Lodi No. 10 Kimball at No. 7 Granite Bay No. 15 Cosumnes Oaks at No. 2 Whitney Division III No. 16 Johnson at No. 1 Central Catholic No. 9 Dixon at No. 8 Vista del Lago No. 12 Bear Creek at No. 5 Oakdale No. 13 Armijo at No. 4 Manteca No. 14 Antelope at No. 3 Ponderosa No. 11 Patterson at No. 6 Merced No. 10 West Park at No. 7 Roseville No. 15 Christian Brothers at No. 2 Vanden Division IV No. 16 Nevada Union at No. 1 Destiny Christian No. 9 Rio Linda at No. 8 River Valley No. 12 Oakmont at No. 5 Placer No. 13 Los Banos at No. 4 Ceres No. 14 Lathrop at No. 3 Yuba City No. 11 Wood at No. 6 East Union No. 10 Twelve Bridges at No. 7 Beyer No. 15 Del Campo at No. 2 Pioneer Division V No. 16 Union Mine at No. 1 Casa Roble No. 9 Ben Holt at No. 8 Hughson No. 12 Sutter at No. 5 Wheatland No. 13 West Campus at No. 4 Liberty Ranch No. 14 Venture Academy at No. 3 Livingston No. 11 Woodland Christian at No. 6 Ripon No. 10 Orestimba at No. 7 Calaveras No. 15 Lindhurst at No. 2 Linden Division VI No. 9 Bret Harte at No. 8 Bear River No. 12 Summerville at No. 5 Hilmar No. 13 Colfax at No. 4 Amador No. 14 Golden Sierra at No. 3 Buckingham Charter No. 11 Stone Ridge Christian at Big Valley Christian No. 10 Mariposa County at No. 7 Millennium No. 15 Bradshaw Christian at No. 2 Le Grand Bye: No. 1 Argonaut Division VII No. 8 Esparto at No. 1 Foresthill No. 5 Valley Christian at No. 4 Leroy Greene No. 6 Vacaville Christian at No. 3 Delta Charter No. 7 Elliot Christian at No. 2 Denair
