By Rick Assad
This could be an incredible season for all three local softball teams as each is fully loaded with talent and ready to claim their respective league banners.
Doug Nicol and Manny Travieso are longtime coaching veterans with a track record of success at Burroughs High and Providence, respectively.
First-year Burbank coach Javier Rojas is looking forward to making a big splash after Melissa Sanchez left her position.
Burroughs is coming off a 21-7 record and 6-1 in the Pacific League for first place but fell to Woodbridge 4-3 in a CIF Southern Section Division III opening-round game.
“This year’s team has a chance to be very successful and it starts with our leaders. We only have three seniors, but all three will make big contributions this year,” Nicol said. “Alyssa Morales and Chloe Centeno are returning first-team All-League players in the Pacific League. They will be at the top of our lineup, and I expect both to continue the success they have had for four years in our program.”
Nicol added: “Valentina Clemons has made incredible improvement since coming into our program last year,” he noted. “She has really embraced our program and put in the hard work required and I am excited to see her contribute this year as well.”
There are sixteen players and include shortstop/outfielder Morales, first baseman/third baseman Centeno and pitcher/first baseman Clemons.
There are five juniors and include first baseman/outfielder Karlee Earl, second baseman/utility Karisma Mendez and utility Eva Acevedo.
The rest of the juniors are second baseman/catcher/utility Neyla Cervantes and pitcher/outfielder Hailey Franco.
There are five sophomores that will see action and include pitcher/first baseman Valentina Reyes, outfielder/utility Chloe Zavala, catcher/outfielder Alissa Cortez, second baseman/shortstop Sophie Rangsiyawong and catcher/utility Sabrina Coto.
The Bears have three freshmen, and they are third baseman/outfielder Claire Simon, third baseman/outfielder Haven Vickers and pitcher/utility Kalani Miramontes.
Burbank finished with a 12-13 record in 2024 and went 5-2 in the Pacific League for fourth place and lost in the opening round of the CIF Division IV playoffs to Paraclete 12-2.
The Bulldogs have fourteen players on their roster and seven are seniors.
They are pitcher Maddison Kellogg, who has committed to play softball for California Baptist University, outfielder Shania Galindo, pitcher/second baseman/shortstop Samantha Cafferty, outfielder Krystal Balderas, first baseman/third baseman/outfielder Charley Barnett, first baseman/third baseman/catcher Olivia Orozco and second baseman/third baseman/outfielder Cristal Quinonez.
Two juniors are on the club and are pitcher/first baseman/third baseman Kayla Orozco and pitcher/second baseman/shortstop Kayla McPherson.
Five are sophomores and include second baseman/outfielder Alyssa Perez, catcher/outfielder Kassandra Kimmer, designated hitter/left fielder/right fielder Isabel Villagran, left fielder/center fielder/right fielder Priscilla Sanchez and outfielder Chloe Updike.
In 2024, Providence carved out a 23-4 mark and captured its second straight Prep League title with a 12-0 record.
The Pioneers defeated Ocean View 6-5 in a CIF Division V first-round game, knocked off South El Monte 8-3 in the next game but lost to Valley Christian 2-0 in the quarterfinals.
“We’re thrilled at the prospect of pursuing our third consecutive league championship in 2025,” Travieso said. “With a roster that features fresh talent and promising young players, we are filled with confidence in our ability to compete at a high level.”
Providence has fourteen players on the team and five are upperclassmen and include catcher/outfielder Delailah Lopez, who will be attending Cornell University and will also play softball, second baseman/shortstop Gloria Galindo, second baseman/outfielder Mia Allinson, Megan Messex and Aaliyah Vitari.
There are two juniors, and they are second baseman/outfielder Evangelina Aleman and first baseman Ariana Benito.
Four sophomores are on the squad, and they are outfielder Stellina Truglio, outfielder Natalia Ojeda, outfielder Siena Hartman and outfielder Siany Cruz.
Three are first-year players and they are outfielder Leah Nieto, second baseman/outfielder Sofia Carrillo and pitcher/first baseman Madelynn Watts.
