Team Fuego falls one game short of state crown

    SEAWOLVES POWER—The Major Team A Seawolves were the District 25 TOC champions. The coaches were Alec Whitten, and assistants Bill Lamb and Troy Brown. Photo courtesy of Sally Ghattas

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    CC All-Stars lose softball title game, but the journey was remarkable

     

    When the Culver City Little League Majors All-Star girls returned home recently from Palmdale, they weren’t sporting the prize they coveted — the state softball title. That trophy went to their opponent, Burbank, which defeated the local team 11-0 in the championship game.

    Assistant coach Henry Matthews said his team did not play to its capabilities. The CC all-stars had a lot at stake, and its defense was lacking on this day.

    “We made a few errors here and there,” Matthews said. “That contributed a little to Burbank’s run total.”

    Culver players agreed their defense was a sieve.

    “We could have beaten (Burbank) if we had a little more confidence and a bit more defense,” pitcher Emily Mendez said. “They had good pitching and that had us struggling a bit to get on base and score.”

    Mendez added that while her team was flat in the title game, she still believes Culver City was the better team overall. Her sentiments were echoed by battery mate, Samantha Ruvalcaba.

    “It really was not our day in that game,” Ruvalcaba said. “Their defense was really good, but their hitting was not so good. We really just gave them those hits on (our) mistakes.”

    But one game does not sum up a terrific season.

    Culver City, nicknamed “Fuego,” was the District 25 champs going into the state tournament. The Major girls (ages 11-12) dominated Aviation in two sectional games: 17-0 and 24-0.

    In the double-elimination state tourney, Culver City outdueled Hesperia 13-6 on July 6. Pitcher Anyah Francis pitched a complete game and used her blistering speed to overwhelm Hesperia batters. The next day, Fuego met Burbank in the first of two matchups — losing 4-2.

    Sporting a 1-1 record and facing elimination, Culver City used an all-around effort to cruise past Hesperia, 9-4, in its rematch on Monday, July 8.

    “(Starting pitcher) Anyah Francis pitched the whole game against Hesperia,” parent Sally Ghattas said.  “Her speed was unmatched for the team and the defense was backing her up. The excitement for the team to win and move on was so intense, that night the parents were cheering extremely loud. You could feel the energy in the air, everyone was excited and hungry to win.”

    Leading the defense vs. Hesperia was the left side of the infield, with Ashlyn Ito at second base, Lina Onofre at third base and Xochil Romero at shortstop.

    The energy and focus prevalent in the Hesperia game were missing versus Burbank in the title contest on Tuesday, July 9. Burbank took a 3-0 lead after two innings. Then, a triple by a Burbank player at the top of the third sparked a 6-run inning that gave the opponents a 9-0 lead. Burbank added two more runs, as Fuego errors led to 5 unearned runs in this inning. Culver all-stars could never find its groove.

    “After the playoffs (Championship run), I was a little sad, but also elated and proud,” coach Matthews said. “I was sad because, of course, I

    wanted our team to really win. But I was elated and proud of the ‘Never Give Up’ attitude that the girls displayed, even being down.”

    The all-stars was a team assembled from Culver City Major Team A, which sported a regular-season record of 17 wins and 10 losses, and Major Team B, which was 16-5. Comprised of athletes primarily age 11, the Major All-Stars final 12-player roster was impressive: Anyah Francis, Emily Mendez, Lina Onofe, Haley Couch, Lauren Fuller, Tessora Gould, Xochil Romero, Ashlyn Ito, Cambria Boulanger-Jewell, Natalie Kiatono, Cyan Matthews and Samantha Ruvalcaba.

    “This team was special (because) it was composed of all 2017 returning Culver City little league players with lots of experience and determination to win,” All-Star head coach Rick Onofre said.

    Coach Matthews agreed and said this group of all-stars was tough and disciplined and took well to coaching.

    “When there was real adversity, the girls seemed to step it up a notch, physically and mentally,” Matthews said. “Our players really are good ‘Sponges.’ They absorb all the coaching, either through practice or during a game, and applying it for the successful run we made.”

    “Team” became synonymous with “family,” the players said.

    “What makes the team special is all of the love and support we have from the coaches, parents and most of all, the players for one another,” Ruvalcaba said. “We all love and have a passion for softball. I think the impact that was made on us was just to play better next time and to come back with the same energy we had before. The best memory was getting to the last game of the whole competition!”

    Others also believed the championship game loss could not dampen a great season.

    “I was excited to show everyone what Culver City could do and prove that we earned our spot,” Cyan Matthews said.

    “My emotion during the game was just to give it my best and even if we did lose, I was so proud we had gotten so far,” Romero said.

    Lina Onofre shared that she will always cherish the experience of the 2019 season.

    “My best memory of the season was I got to get closer the to my teammates and we had a lot of fun playing ball together,” she said.

    The experience of “camaraderie and competition” has left an indelible mark, one parent said.

    “One of the most noticeable characteristics was how quickly the team came together in support of each other,” parent Cardamon Couch said. “This team was not about a core group of girls, in fact, this team was the core group. Each lady came to the park with no ego.  They showed the coaches what they had to offer and allowed the coaches to use them however they saw fit. In some ways, the team was bonded by their shared experience in this run.  It was apparent the individual players brought their unique personalities and quickly bonded, genuinely encouraging and cheering for each other. Even when the play did not go their way, they would rally around each other in support and encouragement.”

    Coach Matthews said the players have a right to be proud of their personal growth, as much as their on-field play.

    “The entire team showed the greatest improvement, not just one, or a few individuals, but the whole squad,” Matthews said. “Our girls grew up a little during their run. Everyone experienced some sort of growth, from our first practice together, to a not-too-shabby second place in the state of California! Wow. What a transformation.”