A late December forecast of a competitive WBAL season was on the money. While Pinewood didn’t give up its throne entirely, it had to make room on it for upstart Crystal Springs. The two were co-champs at 9-1. Menlo, Priory and ND Belmont shared third at 4-6 and Harker trailed the field.
The WBAL’s all-league honors suggest terrific things are in store next year. Pinewood senior Ava Uhrich was an extremely deserving player of the year. Remarkably, everyone else on the first and second teams will be back.
Besides Uhrich, the first team has two juniors (Pinewood’s Alex Facelo and Crystal’s Jemma Lacap), three sophomores (Menlo’s Ruiqi Liu and Karen Xin, and Pinewood’s Jolyn Ding) and a freshman (Priory’s Ugreat Daniels). The second team is two juniors (Crystal’s Maile Bateman and Raelyn De la Cruz), two sophs (Harker’s Izzy Lo and ND Belmont’s Sophia Kwan) and three freshmen (Addy Chan from Priory, Caitlyn Kramer from Crystal and Lita Fakapalea from Pinewood).
At a glance, with four returning all leaguers, Crystal should be tough to be beat. But Pinewood returns three (as well as an honorable mention) and will add three talented transfers who sat out the entire year. Menlo’s pair of first teamers took them all the way to the D4 Norcal finals. And the top squad may actually be Priory who will welcome back 6’2 senior Carmela Fontes from an injury. Should be another fun one.
Congrats to all of the honorees and their teams on a memorable year.
The WBAL’s all-league honors suggest terrific things are in store next year. Pinewood senior Ava Uhrich was an extremely deserving player of the year. Remarkably, everyone else on the first and second teams will be back.
Besides Uhrich, the first team has two juniors (Pinewood’s Alex Facelo and Crystal’s Jemma Lacap), three sophomores (Menlo’s Ruiqi Liu and Karen Xin, and Pinewood’s Jolyn Ding) and a freshman (Priory’s Ugreat Daniels). The second team is two juniors (Crystal’s Maile Bateman and Raelyn De la Cruz), two sophs (Harker’s Izzy Lo and ND Belmont’s Sophia Kwan) and three freshmen (Addy Chan from Priory, Caitlyn Kramer from Crystal and Lita Fakapalea from Pinewood).
At a glance, with four returning all leaguers, Crystal should be tough to be beat. But Pinewood returns three (as well as an honorable mention) and will add three talented transfers who sat out the entire year. Menlo’s pair of first teamers took them all the way to the D4 Norcal finals. And the top squad may actually be Priory who will welcome back 6’2 senior Carmela Fontes from an injury. Should be another fun one.
Congrats to all of the honorees and their teams on a memorable year.
