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New Fab 50 Softball Rankings. Sheldon is #1 in USA Today/NFCA and Student Sports Softball.com
Mark Tennis StudentSportsSoftball.com Senior Editor May 15, 2008
Compiled by Mark Tennis
Contributing; Doug Huff, Christine Jinbo, Paul Muyskens
California's No. 1 team is now the No. 1 team in the nation, according to this week's Rivals.com FAB 50 high school softball rankings.
As expected, after previous No. 1 Pembroke Pines Charter of Florida was upset in the Class 4A state final, 5-2, by Naples, previous No. 2 Sheldon High of Sacramento has assumed the top rung in the national pecking order.
It's not even a clear-cut choice, however, that Sheldon should be the No. 1 team in its state. While the Huskies of head coach Mary Jo Truesdale have played their strongest schedule ever and have lost just once to Pembroke Pines in a tense title game of the Nike Faster to First Classic, two other Golden State squads have gone unbeaten heading into the various section playoffs.
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| Scott Kurtz |
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| Sheldon pitcher Jolene Henderson |
In the San Diego Section, unbeaten Escondido, led by Penn State-bound pitcher Lisa Akamine, looks like a possible state and national No. 1 contender should it win a section championship and end up unbeaten. The Cougars also have benefited in the state and national rankings when fellow San Diego Section contender El Camino of Oceanside beat many of the top Southern Section schools at a tournament.
Speaking of the Southern Section, the top-seeded team in its top division, Simi Valley, also is currently unbeaten. The Pioneers could conceivably run the table and win in California's most loaded playoff division. Last year, Valencia did just that and was the final No. 1 team in the nation, although Valencia last year played a much stronger nonleague schedule.
Sheldon, meanwhile, opens the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs on Saturday. Led by University of California-bound junior Jolene Henderson, the Huskies figure to be tested in those playoffs by perhaps two teams from within their very own Elk Grove Unified School District – Franklin of Elk Grove (22-3) and Elk Grove High (24-2). It also should be noted the Sheldon will be playing in a double-elimination style format, which means the team can lose a game but still win its title. Losing even one game in those playoffs, however, would drop the Huskies in the state and national rankings, certainly behind Escondido and Simi Valley if those two keep winning.
Outside of California, the two teams that remain with the best chance of finishing No. 1 in the nation are Klein Oak of Klein, Texas and Broad Run of Ashburn, Va. Klein Oak is facing two-time champion Garland in this week's Class 5A Texas state playoffs. Klein Oak has been No. 1 in the Texas Girls Coaches Association rankings for Class 5A all year but has been mysteriously missing from the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association rankings.
Another significant example of how the FAB 50 is compiled much differently than the USA Today/NFCA rankings is Pembroke Pines. In the FAB 50, Florida's No. 1 team is 10-time state champ Venice, which is the team that beat Pembroke Pines in the state final. In the USA Today/NFCA poll, Pembroke Pines is still considered the No. 1 team in Florida even though it didn't win its state title and in fact is still No. 4 in the nation.
Read below for the new Rivals.com FAB 50 national rankings for softball:
(Listed with most currently reported win-loss record as of May 14)
(Previous FAB 50 ranking in parentheses)
1. Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.) 25-1 (2)
2. Klein Oak (Klein, Texas) 24-1 (3)
3. Escondido (Escondido, Calif.) 27-0-1 (5)
4. Broad Run (Ashburn, Va.) 18-0 (4)
5. Simi Valley (Simi Valley, Calif.) 27-0 (7)
6. Shadle Park (Spokane, Wash.) 20-0 (7)
7. Aledo (Aledo, Texas) 33-1 (8)
8. Sunrise Mountain (Peoria, Ariz.) 34-2 (9)
9. Butler (Charlotte, N.C.) 22-0 (10)
10. Smithson Valley (Spring Branch, Texas) 30-2 (11)
11. Naples (Naples, Fla.) 26-3 (25)
12. Pembroke Pines Charter (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) 30-1 (1)
13. Santiago (Corona, Calif.) 24-3 (12)
14. Kennedy (La Palma, Calif.) 26-3 (14)
15. Canyon del Oro (Tucson, Ariz.) 32-4 (16)
16. Central Davidson (Lexington, N.C.) 24-0 (19)
17. Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) 32-4 (20)
18. Ooltewah (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 41-3-1 (24)
19. Palmetto (Miami, Fla.) 26-3 (34)
20. Garland (Garland, Texas) 28-5-2 (15)
21. Elyria (Elyria, Ohio) 19-1 (17)
22. Brazoswood (Brazoswood, Texas) 33-4 (29)
23. Hueytown (Hueytown, Ala.) 57-5-2 (nr)
24. Norco (Norco, Calif.) 26-5 (30)
25. Burlington Central (Burlington, Ill.) 23-1 (nr)
Softball awards: Franklin, Sheldon honored in respective leaguesThe change in the weather pattern often signifies the start of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs. Hot temperatures are expected this week as the softball playoffs commence for a scheduled eight-hour day tomorrow at the Sacramento Softball Complex.
The field will be trimmed in half by early afternoon because of the single-elimination format in the first round. From there, the format changes to double-elimination for the rest of the playoffs.
Before glancing ahead to the postseason, here’s a look back at regular season awards for the Delta River League and Delta Valley Conference.
Delta River League
Most Valuable Player: Lindsey Ziegenhirt, Sheldon
Facing Ziegenhirt with runners in scoring position is a scary proposition for opposing pitchers. The junior catcher is fourth in the section with 44 RBI.
Only two of her teammates have more than 20.
Ziegenhirt, also one of the top defensive catchers in the section, tied with Jolene Henderson for team honors with five home runs each. Ziegenhirt’s slugging percentage reached .896 at season’s end.
She was second on the team with 29 runs scored and an on-base percentage of .506.
Ziegenhirt had a career-high 9 RBI and hit for the cycle in a 26-0 rout of Florin in the second-to-last game.
She produced 11 multi-hit games this season.
Pleasant Grove catcher Alyssa Tiumalu, who shared the midseason award with Ziegenhirt, deserves recognition for a productive sophomore season. She led the team with a .479 average, 31 RBI and 25 extra-base hits.
Pitcher of the Year: Jolene Henderson, Sheldon
Although remembered fondly for her walk-off, three-run homer last season in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship game against Elk Grove, Henderson is also considered among the top pitchers in the state.
In pitching 151 of her team’s possible 165 innings, Henderson struck out 252 and walked just 24. She had complete games in 22 of her 23 starts, compiling a 23-1 record with 13 shutouts.
Her miniscule ERA of 0.37 is shocking compared to her workload. She allowed just eight earned runs all season.
Henderson struck out a season-high 18 in a 2-0 shutout of Pleasant Grove on Apr. 29. She gave up only five hits in her final five starts combined in the regular season.
Henderson, who verbally committed to Cal-Berkeley, is fourth on the team with a .405 average, proving she is hardly one-dimensional.
Prep softball playoffs: Sheldon has section, national title hopes
By Quwan Spears - qspears@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Sheldon High School is The Bee's No. 1 softball team and top-ranked in the state by Cal-Hi Sports. Now, the Huskies have an opportunity to finish the season No. 1 in the nation.
Pembroke Pines (Fla.), which entered last week as the country's top-ranked team by USA Today, lost to unranked Naples (Fla.) 5-2 in the Florida Class 4A state championship Saturday. Pembroke Pines had been undefeated in 30 games before that loss.
The Huskies, ranked No. 2 in the nation, lost to Pembroke 1-0 in the finals of the Nike Faster to First tournament March 15. They are expected to move up a spot if they can win the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I title without losing a game in the double-elimination tournament.
A look at the divisions:
Division I
Favorite: Sheldon (25-1) pitcher Jolene Henderson and catcher Lindsey Ziegenhirt are key players. Henderson (0.39 ERA) had 191 strikeouts and was The Bee's 2007 Player of the Year. Ziegenhirt is second on the team in batting average (.492) but leads in RBIs (44) and shares the home run lead (five) with Henderson. Those two hope to lead the Huskies to a second consecutive section title and, perhaps, recognition as the best team in the country.
Contenders: Franklin (22-3) has won 11 in a row since losing to Sheldon 2-0. Franklin has the Delta Valley League's third-best hitter in Breanna Lopez (.486). Pitcher Brittany Vacura won a DVL-best 16 games, including a 2-0 decision over Elk Grove to clinch the league title.
Which Elk Grove (23-2) team will show up for the playoffs? The one that won its first 19 games or the one that faltered in two losses to Franklin? Led by Boise State-bound pitcher Allie Crump and center fielder Megan Suitos, the Thundering Herd is looking to avenge last season's D-I final loss to Sheldon.
Teams to watch: Pleasant Grove (17-7), St. Francis (19-9), Napa (23-4) and Fairfield (21-6). All are capable of a big upset, especially St. Francis. Ask Sheldon. The Huskies needed two runs in the sixth inning for a 2-1 victory over the Troubadours on April 24.
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Photos by Bryan Higashino - Sheldon produced only two hits off Pleasant Grove starter Ally Carda, but scored twice on unearned runs in a 2-0 win to complete the season series sweep.
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By John Hull - Citizen Sports Writer 5/1/08
Right after Jolene Henderson’s game-ending blazing fastball popped the mitt of Sheldon High School catcher Lindsey Ziegenhirt, a Pleasant Grove fan was heard above the Lady Huskies’ cheers and applause saying, “That isn’t fair.”
The Lady Eagles had to be thinking the same thing Tuesday afternoon, losing 2-0 to Henderson and the Lady Huskies. Eighteen times the Pleasant Grove batters trotted back to their dugout following a strike three call. The loss put the Lady Eagles (3-4 in the Delta River League) into a must-win situation next week to be certain they will qualify for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs, barely two weeks away.
Meanwhile, Sheldon (22-1, 7-0 in the DRL) just kept on rolling behind their junior hurler’s no-hit, two-walk performance, which gave her a season-total of 215 strikeouts. Her ERA dropped to a miniscule 0.39.
“I had games where I struck out everybody, but they were five-inning games,” Henderson said afterwards. “I guess I just came out ready to play because we were ready to win.”
Her father, Joe, is an assistant coach on the Lady Huskies and Jolene said last night he made zucchini for dinner. “Every time I have something (to eat) unusual, I usually feel better the next day,” she said.
But, on the other side Tuesday, Ally Carda did a decent job for the Lady Eagles, striking out 10 Sheldon batters and allowing only two hits.
Both Lady Husky runs were unearned.
Sheldon got on the board in the first inning when Carda hit leadoff batter Morgan Otto, then Alexa Rivera’s bunt to the left side was misplayed by Pleasant Grove shortstop Riley Voelkel to put runners on first and second.
Ziegenhirt bunted back to the Carda to move the runners up a base. Otto later scored on Henderson’s groundball out.
The best-hit ball of the game came in Sheldon’s third inning when Rivera doubled to right-center field. Ziegenhirt then hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Rivera tagged and went to third but right-fielder Kirsten Willmon’s throw was wide of the base, went to the fence and Rivera sprinted home for Sheldon’s second run.
Henderson then retired the final 13 batters in a row, striking out all but two.
Pleasant Grove head coach JT Tiumalu said the umpire’s strike zone aided both pitchers.
“Both pitchers got a generous corner (of the plate),” he said. “Both pitchers are very good and both took advantage. Our team played well (Tuesday) and our defense played well. It was a good game.”
Now, Tiumalu knows his Lady Eagles have their work cut out for them the next week-and-a-half.
“We didn’t help ourselves by losing to Folsom last week, but if we can squeak out a win Thursday (against St. Francis) it will put us in a really good spot.”
Sheldon head coach Mary Jo Truesdale isn’t as concerned about qualifying for the section playoffs. The Lady Huskies are inching closer to a league title and No. 1 seed.
“I think we’re really coming together right before the playoffs,” she said. “(Pleasant Grove pitcher) Ally Carda really threw well against us. We did have a few good, hard-hit balls. That’s what we look at – are we hitting good, hard-hit balls? If we are then we’re doing okay.”
With just two more games for the Lady Huskies in the league season, they will use the final week of the regular season as preparation for the playoffs beginning May 17.
“We’ll be focusing on our hitting the next couple weeks,” Truesdale said. “In the playoffs there’s a lot more hitting that goes on because by then everyone has faced the good pitchers a few times and they’re hitting the ball a little better.
“On ‘Suicide Saturday’ (single elimination opening round of the playoffs) anything can happen,” she added. “Sometimes it’s just the bounce of the ball. It doesn’t matter where you’re ranked. All the teams that go into the playoffs are very, very good teams. The playoffs make it a really level playing field.”
SacramentoSportsPage.Com 4/30/2008 8:02:46 PM
Sheldon Huskies junior pitching sensation Jolene Henderson gave up no hits, two walks, and struck out 18 of the 24 batters she faced in her seven complete innings in the circle, to spark the Huskies to a 2-0 Delta River League win over the Pleasant Grove Eagles.
Henderson recorded her third no-hitter of the season and improved her overall record to 19-1.
The Huskies put pressure on the Eagles right away with a run in the first inning. Leadoff batter Morgan Otto got on base after being hit by a pitch thrown by Eagles starter Ally Carda. Sheldon senior Alexa Rivera followed Otto with a successful bunt to put runners at first and second with no out. Lindsey Ziegenhirt moved runners to second and third after a sacrifice bunt, and then Henderson helped her own caused with an RBI groundout to first scoring Otto for the 1-0 lead.
In the third, Rivera (2 for 3) picked up her second hit of the game with a one-out double to the left-center gap. Ziegenhirt then hit a fly ball to right field to advance Rivera to third, but when the throw to third by Eagles third baseman Brianna Jacoby Jordan, Rivera took off for home and scored for the second Huskies run of the game.
Ziegenhirt’s fly ball to right was the first of 14 straight outs recorded by Carda and the Pleasant Grove defense, but the Eagles offense simply couldn’t solve the speed of Henderson who allowed just three base runners (two walks and an infield error) for the game.
Carda finished the game allowing just three hits and struck 10 batters.
First baseman Dejanee Moore had Sheldon’s only other hit which was a single to center in the second inning.
Sheldon, now 7-0 in league and 22-1 overall, appears on their way to another DRL title with three games left to play that include at Monterey Trail (5/1), home against Florin (5/6), and then at Florin (5/8).
Pleasant Grove is now 3-4 in league (14-7 overall) and one game back of Folsom which currently holds the third place spot in the division. Three teams from the DRL will make it to the Division I Sac-Joaquin section playoffs this season making the final three regular season games critical for the Eagles. Games at St. Francis (5/1), home against Monterey Trail (5/6), and at Florin (5/8) still remain for Pleasant Grove.
Current standings:
Sheldon (7-0)
St. Francis (5-2)
Folsom (4-3)
Pleasant Grove (3-4)
Monterey Trail (2-5)
Florin (0-7)
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Sheldon junior Jolene Henderson struck out 18
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Alexa Rivera ropes a double to the left-center gap.
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Calhisports new top 20 State Rankings - 4/26/08
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| Alexa Rivera provides No. 1 Sheldon with versatile talents and leadership in the infield. |
1. (1) Sheldon (Sacramento) 21-1
It took two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for the Huskies to push past St. Francis of Sacramento, 2-1, in their closest game since the Livermore Stampede. Jolene Henderson kept her cool in the circle for Sheldon and finished with 14 strikeouts. "I was very proud of the way we remained in control throughout the game and made the necessary adjustments," head coach Mary Jo Truesdale said. "As I told them, the closer we get to the end of league and playoffs, the better every opponent will play against us. It only helps us be an even better ball club." The Huskies, who won their other game last week 10-0 in five innings vs. Florin of Sacramento, have two weeks left in their regular season. They also are still No. 2 in the nation, according to the Rivals.com FAB 50, and will need Pembroke Pines of Florida to lose in that state's Class 4A playoffs, which have already begun, in order to move up.
By John Hull - Citizen Sports Writer 4/29/08
Those aged 50 or older probably grew up with the phrase, “Almost counts only in horseshoes and hand grenades.”
Last Thursday afternoon, St. Francis High School almost shocked nationally ranked and Delta River League-leading Sheldon in varsity girls’ softball. Like the old saying, there is no such thing as “almost” in that sport, either.
The Troubadours had a 1-0 lead on Jolene Henderson and the Lady Huskies going into the sixth inning before Morgan Otto’s triple and Lindsey Ziegenhirt’s sacrifice fly let Sheldon come from behind to win, 2-1, in the second and final regular season meeting between the two schools.
St. Francis opened the game at Sheldon High School with Shannon O’Brien’s single off Henderson. Mya Romero laid down a sacrifice bunt that Henderson picked up and gunned to second to cut down O’Brien. But, Christina Montyoa drilled a double to score Romero and give the Troubadours the early lead.
Henderson then turned up the readings on the radar guns and was popping Ziegenhirt’s glove with fastballs and making St. Francis batters lean into the dirt with a wicked change-up.
“She started out a little shaky,” Sheldon head coach Mary Jo Truesdale said, “but I could see after that double she became totally focused and really took control.”
Henderson struck out the next six batters and ended up striking out 14 for the game. She hit one batter and didn’t have a base on balls.
Now that the Lady Huskies are playing their Delta River opponents a second time, Truesdale said they needed to make a few adjustments.
“We looked at our pitching charts and saw how we pitched at certain hitters and how it worked and then made adjustments the second time,” she said.
On the other side, Carlie Nicodemus kept her pitches down in the strike zone and held Sheldon to just one hit through the first 4 /23 innings. At one point, she retired 11 Lady Huskies in a row.
Truesdale pulled her batters together in the fifth inning to get the offense going.
“I told them they need to make it happen,” she said. “They need to have confidence and continue to have a plan and they just can’t wait. They have to look for a good pitch to hit and get on the plate.”
Dejanee Moore responded with a double to center just beyond the center fielder’s mitt. She went to third on Ali Valdez’ groundball out. Cheyenne Cathey then stroked a groundball up the middle that appeared to beat the shortstop’s throw to first, but the base umpire saw it differently and called Cathey out, much to the groaning objections of the Lady Husky fans.
St. Francis nearly added to its slim lead in the sixth inning when, with one out, Romero’s low liner was scraped off the ground by Otto, but Troubadours’ coach Al LoGuidice claimed the ball hit the ground and Otto short-hopped the ball.
That appeal to the umpires didn’t work.
The next batter, Montoya, blooped a single to center that Kristen Gray almost caught off the grass tops that would have likely been an RBI, but wasn’t. Katie Konigsfeld flied to Cathey in left to end the inning.
Then, the Troubadours’ defense finally broke down when Gray led off the inning with a routine groundball that was dropped by Natalie Halstead. Otto came to bat to bunt Gray to third, but fouled off one and missed the next pitch.
“I knew I had put myself into a hole,” she said. “I just had to have the right mindset with two strikes and got it done.”
The triple down the left-field line tied the game at 1-1 and left Otto in position to tag and score on Ziegenhirt’s high flyball to center.
Henderson then retired the side in the seventh to pick up her 19th win of the season and give Sheldon its 21st victory. The Lady Huskies are now 7-0 in the Delta River League.
With the loss, St. Francis dropped to 4-2 in league and 15-8 overall.
As Truesdale was handing out her post-game marbles (dark red and yellow, the colors of St. Francis) for winning, she was glad to have her girls play in a close ballgame.
“It gives the girls confidence they can come from behind and win,” she said. “It lets them know they can do it.”
This week, the Lady Huskies played at Pleasant Grove yesterday and travel to Monterey Trail tomorrow.
“At Pleasant Grove they have a pretty fast pitcher,” Truesdale commented. “We’re going to hit off live pitching (in practice), rather than the pitching machine to get ready for that.”
Otto said the Lady Huskies will be ready next week with the opportunity to wrap up the league title if they win two.
“I take it upon myself as a team captain to get everyone fired up,” she said. “I’m glad we had the test (Thursday) and came from behind because we may need it later down the line.”
Lady Huskies reach 20-win milestone
Ziegenhirt’s homer sparks 10-0 rout of Folsom
By John Hull - Citizen Sports Editor 4/24/08
Head coach Mary Jo Truesdale does something that’s almost quirky after each Sheldon High School varsity softball victory. She hands out to each player a marble and usually in the colors of the opponent they just defeated.
“It’s something I’ve been doing since I was coaching at Elk Grove,” she said. “Our motto is, ‘We’re going for all the marbles.’”
Truesdale was handing out red, white and blue marbles after smearing Folsom, 10-0, in a five-inning blowout. It was the 20th marble each of the Sheldon players took home this season. One game - a March loss to Pembroke Pines Charter from Florida - the marbles stayed in the bag.
“I’ve had out-going seniors re-gift them back to me in a jar,” she explained. “Other seniors keep them and I’ll hear back from them, ‘Hey, Coach, I still have my marbles.’ It’s kind of a special thing.”
This season, the Lady Huskies are keeping the marble in a decent sized jar. There’s going to be several more collected if they continue to hit like they did in a 10-hit attack against the Lady Bulldogs.
Senior catcher Lindsey Ziegenhirt hit her second homer of the season, a two-run shot in a four-run fourth inning.
“She had a rise-ball spin on her pitches, but that one flattened out. It was a mistake pitch and I took advantage of it,” she said.
The Lady Huskies scored in all four at-bats.
Morgan Otto was hit-by-a-pitch from Folsom losing pitcher Kiersten Snyder in the first inning and, after Ali Valdez’ sacrifice bunt, Otto scored on Danielle Henderson’s single to make it 1-0.
Otto then had a two-run single in the second inning for a 3-0 lead.
The Lady Huskies added three more in the third, mainly on a misplay by the Folsom left fielder on Henderson’s towering fly ball at the fence and a pop fly in the infield that dropped between two Bulldog infielders, letting a run score.
After Ziegenhirt’s homer in the fourth inning, Jolene Henderson doubled and then scored on a Folsom error. Dejanee Moore then tripled in a pair of runs and scored on a sacrifice fly by Valdez for the 10-run margin.
Jolene Henderson mowed down the Lady Bulldogs with 10 strikeouts and walked only one.
Ziegenhirt says it’s fun to catch Henderson.
“It’s really pretty easy,” she said. “I know where (the pitches) are going and she rarely misses.”
“We were great on the bases,” Truesdale told her players afterwards. “We’ve made good box adjustments and are becoming good hitters. I’m really pleased because you’re learning what to let go and what to go after.”
Yesterday, the Lady Huskies hosted St. Francis to complete the season series between the two teams and initiate the second half of the Delta River League schedule.
“We’ll need to be focused,” said Truesdale, after Sheldon improved to 20-1 overall and 5-0 in the DRL. “They’ll be ready for us.”
State Rankings after 4/22/08 Calhisports. Mark Tennis
1. (1) Sheldon (Sacramento) 19-1
Unlike baseball, the softball top 20 is more steady as most top teams are currently winning easily in league games. Sheldon certainly did that last week as it cruised past Monterey Trail of Elk Grove, 10-2, and then Florin of Sacramento, 18-0. In the first game, Dejanee Moore scored four times and collected three hits with her bat. Alexa Rivera had three hits as well. Against Florin, sisters Jolene and Danielle Henderson both smacked home runs while Cheyenne Cathey added four hits. This week, head coach Mary Jo Truesdale's team plays Folsom and St. Francis of Sacramento. St. Francis usually has teams that are among the best in town so that one might not be that one-sided.
Ranking dip doesn’t bother Sheldon in showdown
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Photos by Bryan Higashino - Sheldon shortstop Morgan Otto elevates to snag and throw and tries to tag out the runner on her way down. The Lady Huskies’ defense was sharp for the most part in a 7-1 win over Pleasant Grove. |
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Lady Huskies move to No. 2 despite quality win over PG
By John Hull - Citizen Sports Writer 4/16/08
Now, the Sheldon High School softball team knows the frustration the BCS college football program have to go through in watching the polls.
Despite victories last week over two quality opponents in St. Francis and Pleasant Grove, Sheldon has dropped to No. 2 in the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association/USA Today poll.
The Pembroke Pines Charter High School team from Florida that beat the Lady Huskies, 1-0 on March 15, has grabbed that top spot in the poll.
Last Thursday, three unearned runs gave Sheldon (17-1) a 7-1 win over Pleasant Grove in a game played at Sheldon High School before a crowd jammed into the small facility on the east side of campus.
The difference came in the bottom of the fourth inning when a two-out pop fly in the infield was dropped by the Pleasant Grove second baseman. Cheyenne Cathey and Alexa Rivera, both running on the pitch, scored easily to stretch a tight 2-1 game to a 4-1 margin.
Sheldon catcher Lindsey Ziegenhirt then followed with double down the left-field line off Eagle pitcher Ally Carda to score Morgan Otto for a 5-1 lead.
Sheldon tacked on two more in the fifth when Carda walked Danielle Henderson to lead off the inning. After Dejanee Moore singled, Ali Valdez laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third.
Cathey followed with a single to center to knock in both runners.
Meanwhile, junior hurler Jolene Henderson continued her dominance. She struck out 13, walking one, hit one batsman and gave up only a pair of hits to Alyssa Tiumalu.
Henderson’s given up only eight runs in her 17 games pitched and has an incredible 0.31 ERA with 10 shutouts.
She attributes her blazing fastball to hard work during the offseason.
“I worked out a lot with David (older brother who is playing baseball for Pleasant Grove) and Danielle (younger sister, also playing for Sheldon) and I run many miles to get my legs strong,” she said.
Henderson combines her fastball with a riser, a curve and a change-up that is thrown about six inches off the ground. She fanned many Lady Eagles on the change in the dirt Thursday.
“I did get a few out today with the change, but I challenged most of the them with my fastball,” she said.
Henderson is also one of the Lady Huskies’ top hitters. She’s batting .326 and bats cleanup.
Pleasant Grove’s lone run came on an unusual situation in the fourth inning. Following a walk to Carda, Tiumalu doubled to left. Then with one out, Brianna Jacoby-Jordan hit a fly ball down the right-field line.
The Sheldon bench hollered to right-fielder Aleisha Brown to let the ball drop in foul territory. She caught the ball instead, which allowed Carda to tag up and score from third.
Sheldon coach Mary Jo Truesdale defended her player’s decision to catch the fly ball.
“She’s new and we really haven’t been there. That will be something she’s learned. And we talked to the infield about that, too, they needed to be instructing her,” she said.
Not a big deal considering Sheldon has been so dominate all season. Thursday, the Lady Huskies’ bats rapped Pleasant Grove pitching for eight hits.
“Even a lot of our balls that went to their defense were hit well,” Truesdale said.
With the loss, the Lady Eagles dropped to 1-1 in the Delta River League and 12-4 overall. The loss snapped Pleasant Grove’s seven-game winning streak.
They hosted St. Francis yesterday and travels to Monterey Trail tomorrow.
The Lady Huskies hope to keep their streak going with a game yesterday with Monterey Trail and Thursday at Florin.
New State Rankings as of 4/16/08. Calhisports. Mark Tennis
1. (1) Sheldon (Sacramento) 17-1
Since the Huskies left the Nike Faster to First Classic back in March, they've only given up two runs, one which came last week in a 7-1 win over Pleasant Grove of Elk Grove. Pleasant Grove also has been ranked high in the Sacramento Bee's rankings, but only came up with one hit and had 13 strikeouts facing Sheldon ace Jolene Henderson. The Husky offense, meanwhile, was clicking behind Lindsey Ziegenhirt (3-for-4, triple) and Cheyenne Cathey (three RBI). Sheldon, which is No. 2 in the Rivals.com FAB 50 national rankings, plays Monterey Trail and Florin in this week's games.
Sheldon Huskies visit the studios of Ch 31. 4/12/08
The Huskies, ranked second in the country, soundly beat Pleasant Grove in softball.
By Quwan Spears - qspears@sacbee.com Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, April 11, 2008
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C8
Bryan Patrick / Sacramento Bee Aleisha Brown (5) and her Sheldon softball teammates dealt a blow to third baseman Brianna Jacoby-Jordan and Pleasant Grove on Thursday. See additional images
After further review, the Sheldon High School softball team was downgraded from No. 1 to No. 2 in the national rankings earlier this week. Still, that didn't prevent the host Huskies from playing like the top-ranked team in the country Thursday against Delta River League rival Pleasant Grove.
Taking advantage of Eagles errors, the Huskies, ranked first in the state by Cal-Hi Sports and in the Sacramento area by The Bee, cruised to a 7-1 victory.
No explanation was given for Sheldon's demotion in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association weekly Top 25 poll. But Huskies coach Mary Jo Truesdale said she understood it: The Huskies lost 1-0 to the new No. 1 team, Pembroke Pines Charter of Florida, in the final of the prestigious Nike Faster to First tournament March 15 in Huntington Beach. The Jaguars (23-0) previously were ranked 12th.
"They beat us earlier in the season. Plus, they played more games and are undefeated," Truesdale said of the Jaguars' rise.
Unable to control the events in the national poll, the Huskies (17-1, 2-0) focused on their first-place showdown against the Eagles (12-4, 1-1), ranked third by The Bee.
With another solid performance by junior pitcher Jolene Henderson, the Huskies dominated and won their 11th consecutive game. Henderson, The Bee's 2007 All-Metro Player of the Year, pitched a two-hitter and struck out 13.
"The plan was to work the count early and see what pitches they liked to hit," Henderson (16-1) said. "Once discovered what they like, we made the adjustment."
At the plate, Lindsey Ziegenhirt was 3 for 4 with two doubles for Sheldon, and Cheyenne Cathey hit a two-run single in the fifth.
The Huskies also were opportunistic. They broke the game open in the fourth, scoring three runs on a hit and an error by the Eagles' Kirsten Willmon. Normally a reliable second baseman, Willmon dropped a potential inning-ending pop fly by Morgan Otto and allowed two runs.
"We gave up five unearned runs," Eagles coach JT Tiumalu said. "But no excuses. We got beat by a better team. You can't make mistakes against a good team like Sheldon."
Correction: You can't do that against a Huskies team regardless if it's ranked No. 1 or No. 2.
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| File photo/Bryan Higashino - Sheldon improved to 16-1 overall after an 8-0 shutout of St. Francis in the Delta River League opener. |
Not only did the Sheldon High School varsity softball team make a statement Tuesday by opening the Delta River League with a convincing 8-0 win over St. Francis, the Lady Huskies are flying high with news that the National Fast-Pitch Coaches’ Association have ranked them No. 1 in the nation, along with the most recent USA Today Top 25 poll.
Sheldon is now 16-1 after Tuesday’s impressive win, showing their ability to pitch, play defense, hit the ball and run bases – basically everything a top-ranked team needs to demonstrate to earn lofty rankings. Equally impressive is that Sheldon has allowed only seven runs in its 17 games.
That means quality pitching, but also the infield defense has proved to be one of the strengths for this year’s team, according to head coach Mary Jo Truesdale.
“I have two seniors up the middle and two freshmen on the corners (of the infield),” Truesdale said. “And they are all really quick and Jolene (Henderson) is the best fielding pitcher in the state. It doesn’t matter whether (the opponent) hits at her or bunts at her, she will make the play. And, Lindsey (Ziegenhirt) as a catcher knows how to keep runners off the base.”
Ziegenhirt proved that early in the game when she fired a bullet to second base to pick off a St. Francis base runner wandering too far away.
Meanwhile, Henderson kept the Troubadours at bay throughout the contest, striking out 11, walking three and allowing just three hits. St. Francis has now lost three in a row, five of its last six in dropping its record to 11-7.
The junior hurler, according to Truesdale, may have the hardest fastball in the area.
“The last couple of years she’s learned how to vary her speed,” Truesdale said. “She’s now hitting spots. She’s taken her pitching to another level. Last year, Jolene and Lindsey verballed to (Cal-Berkeley) as sophomores because those coaches saw something special in both girls.”
Sheldon first got on the scoreboard in the third inning when Kristen Gray led off with a single to left. Alexa Rivera’s bunt was fielded cleanly but thrown out of the reach of the first baseman and it allowed Gray to get to third.
Morgan Otto followed with a single to center to score Gray.
The Lady Huskies added three more runs in the fourth.
Danielle Henderson, Jolene’s younger sister, led off with a double to the centerfield fence. Then, Dajanee Moore beat out a bunt, sending Henderson to third. Ali Valdez then beat out a bouncing ground ball to score Henderson for a 2-0 lead.
During the next at-bat, Valdez took off for second and the catcher’s throw was high and into centerfield. That allowed Moore to score and put Valdez on third base for a three-run cushion. Valdez later scored on Gray’s groundout to make it 4-0 after the top of the third.
Sheldon added three more in the fifth and one more in the seventh.
Truesdale said her defending Sac-Joaquin Section champions have really strong hitting.
“All nine of my hitters got a hit (Tuesday),” she said. “Whether it’s in the top or the bottom of the order, all batters can hit. Our short game is pretty darn good, too.
“Our real strength is that, according to the situation, we can do what is needed,” she continued. “We just don’t go up there and hit. Our girls have learned to go to the (batters’) box with a plan. They’ve learned how to be patient.”
The Lady Huskies hosted Pleasant Grove yesterday in the first of two showdowns between two expected playoff candidates. Sheldon stays home for a date with Monterey Trail on Tuesday.
Both games start at 4 p.m.
By Quwan Spears - qspears@sacbee.com Published 4:01 pm PDT Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Sheldon coach Mary Joe Truesdale, right, celebrating with her top player, Jolene Henderson in 2007, said her team's No. 1 national ranking is fine, though it adds some pressure. Lezlie Sterling / Sacramento Bee
Sheldon softball coach Mary Jo Truesdale is fairly understated in her response to the recent news that her team has been ranked No. 1 in the season's first nationwide poll.
"We think it's pretty cool," she said. "As a result, we're very pumped about the situation.
"Of course, there is a little more added pressure. But we're taking it in stride. This is what we wanted. But we realize every team will be gunning for us and playing as if it's their championship game."
The Huskies are at the top of the first USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association High School Top 25, released late last week. The ranking puts them squarely in the hunt for an unofficial national championship.
The Huskies are ranked No. 1 in the state by Cal-Hi sports and top ranked in the Sacramento area by The Bee. They opened ranked No. 4 in in Rivals.com's preseason Fab 50
Sheldon, carries a 15-1 record into today's Delta River League game against St. Francis. On Thursday, the Huskies play host to Pleasant Grove, ranked No. 3 by The Bee.
The Huskies proved deserving of the status with a second-place finish in the prestigious Nike Faster to First tournament in Huntington Beach in early March.
The 26-team event featured nine squads ranked in the national top 20, including preseason No. 1 Kennedy of La Palma. The Huskies lost 1-0 in the championship game to then 19th-ranked Pembroke Pines-Florida, now ranked 12th nationally by USA Today.
Later, the Huskies won the competitive Livermore Stampede in late March.
They are led by junior pitcher/first baseman Jolene Henderson, The Bee's 2007 Player of the Year, who has committed to attend Cal.
Sheldon also features two All-Metro first-teamers in senior infielder Alexa Rivera, headed to Pacific next fall, and junior catcher Lindsey Ziegenhirt, also committed to Cal, as well as senior shortstop Morgan Otto, who going to San Jose State next season.
Sheldon High School varsity softball coach Mary Jo Truesdale is constantly smiling.
She smiles in the dugout. She smiles while coaching third base. She smiles after her traditional handoff to the starting pitcher at the mound between innings.
And she even smiles when questioning disputed calls with the umpires.
With Sheldon off to a 15-1 start, Truesdale has countless reasons for her jovial demeanor.
The defending Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champions are ranked No. 1 in the most recent USA Today Top 25 poll.
The Lady Huskies’ lone loss came in a 1-0 setback to Pembroke Pines Charter of Florida at the Nike Faster to First Tournament in Huntington Beach last month.
Pembroke Pines Charter is 19-0 overall this season.
Despite the national recognition, Truesdale says her team doesn’t shy away from the pressure.
“It’s harder. This type of pressure makes it more difficult,” she admitted. “It’s still fun. We talk about the pressure. The players get tight. Coaches get tight. We’ve given ourselves permission to lose. You’ll have more failures than positives in this game. That’s just the way it is, so we try not worry about it.”
Sheldon, which has allowed just seven runs all season, extended its winning streak to eight straight after sweeping three Delta Valley Conference members last week. They outscored Kennedy, Franklin and Valley by a combined margin of 27–0.
The biggest threat of the week came in a grinding 2-0 win over Franklin, the 2006 Division I section champions.
While Sheldon is recognized as one of the most talented softball teams in the country, Franklin is hardly a pushover itself. The Lady Wildcats are 12-3 overall and, aside from Elk Grove, appear to be the only other viable Delta Valley Conference contender.
 
Franklin, which shared the league title with Elk Grove last season, captured the school’s first-ever section title in 2006 while beating Sheldon twice in the playoffs, including a 2-1 win in the Division I championship game.
Still, Franklin is often perceived as a program destined for the future.
Head coach Jill Sanchez realizes that.
“We are kind of a quiet team,” she explained. “We want as much respect as any team. We understand that’s probably not the case. But we want to be respected just the same as everyone.
“A lot of people look at us like we’re rebuilding,” Sanchez added. “This is probably one of the best teams we’ve had in the seven years I’ve been here.”
Franklin already had Sheldon’s respect prior to last Wednesday’s preseason showdown, but that seemingly
Friday, November 28
Alexa Rivera signs with UOP and Moran Otto signs with San Jose Sate University.
ALEXA RIVERA AND MORGAN OTTO SIGN NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT TO D1 SCHOOLS!
Pictured is Alexa Rivera with her parents Lisa & Sal Rivera. Alexa will be joining University of the Pacific come 2009.
Morgan Otto is pictured with her parents Tina and John Otto. Morgan will be joining San Jose State University.
They did it. Lex and Mo sign their letter of intent to UOP and San Jose State.
Lex and Mo supported by Sheldon Husky coaching staff.
See the Elk Grove Citizens complete writeup on Lex and Mo. Click here.
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CIF Playoffs 5/17 to 5/21
Work Day with Sheriff
Softball Awards Event
Welcome to the Sheldon Husky Softball web site. The goal of Sheldon softball is to provide young student-athletes, through competitive softball, the opportunity to develop the personal attributes of commitment, dedication and integrity, and life long skills of leadership, sportsmanship and teamwork that are needed to be successful adults.
