Ceres High varsity softball star Jode Johnson was named Valley Oak League Offensive Player of the Year on Tuesday, May 18 in Oakdale, marking the second consecutive season she's won one of the conference's top awards.
Johnson earned MVP honors as a junior.
Four other Bulldogs also garnered VOL recognition this year, including Kaycee Creek, Ryan Norton, Cierra Hammons and Jessica Ellsworth.
Jode, a senior shortstop, ranked third in home runs (2) and stolen bases (5) in league play, fourth in triples (3), fifth in hits (23) and runs (20), sixth in on-base percentage (.556), eighth in RBIs (12), ninth in slugging percentage (.681) and 10th in batting average (.489) .
She committed just two errors on defense.
"She (Johnson) had a good year all the way around," Bulldogs head coach Donnie Donaldson said. "Obviously, she's going to be missed in the years to come because of her talent level. She was a leader on and off the field."
Creek and Norton received first-team, all-conference honors for the second straight year.
Kaycee, a sophomore pitcher, ranked first in shutouts (5), and second in wins (9), complete games (11) and strikeouts (64).
She led the VOL in doubles (7), and ranked second in triples (4), third in RBIs (23), fifth in hits (23), seventh in slugging percentage (.760), ninth in runs (12), 11th in batting average (.460) and 13th in on-base percentage (.491) while hitting cleanup on offense.
"She (Creek) could have done better in the circle," Donaldson said. "Offensively, her season was unreal. She was very consistent. She didn't have a lot of O-fer games."
Ryan, a junior centerfielder, batted .500 (30-for-60) with two triples, two doubles, 21 runs, nine RBIs, five stolen bases and a .508 on-base percentage.
"She had a really good season," Donaldson said.
Cierra, a sophomore catcher, made the VOL second team. She batted .457 (21-for-46) with one triple, one double, 11 RBIs, eight runs, three stolen bases and a .500 on-base percentage.
Hammons had a 1.000 fielding percentage.
"She worked her butt off behind the plate," Donaldson said. "Offensively, she did really well. She's a future leader of the team."
Jessica was selected to the all-defensive team. The sophomore utility infielder accumulated 40 putouts, 13 assists and four errors. She batted .333 (16-for-48) with one homer, one triple, one double, 12 RBIs and nine runs.
"She (Ellsworth) played both positions with very few mistakes," Donaldson said.
Central Valley's Amandah Fleming, Jessica Berndt and Breonna Bejaran garnered all-VOL accolades as well.
Amandah made the VOL first team. The senior pitcher/centerfielder posted a .276 batting average and drove in five runs.
"She hit the ball well," Hawks head coach Manny Bejaran said. "She was pretty good defensively. She worked harder than most of the girls that were out there. She was a team leader."
Jessica, a junior first baseman, earned second-team honors. She hit .276 with four RBIs.
"She's a hard worker as well," Manny said. "She's a great kid."
Breonna, a freshman catcher, was named to the all-defensive team. She batted .429 and collected four RBIs.
Fourth-place Ceres High (11-5) finished nine games ahead of Central Valley (2-14) in the VOL standings.
Johnson earned MVP honors as a junior.
Four other Bulldogs also garnered VOL recognition this year, including Kaycee Creek, Ryan Norton, Cierra Hammons and Jessica Ellsworth.
Jode, a senior shortstop, ranked third in home runs (2) and stolen bases (5) in league play, fourth in triples (3), fifth in hits (23) and runs (20), sixth in on-base percentage (.556), eighth in RBIs (12), ninth in slugging percentage (.681) and 10th in batting average (.489) .
She committed just two errors on defense.
"She (Johnson) had a good year all the way around," Bulldogs head coach Donnie Donaldson said. "Obviously, she's going to be missed in the years to come because of her talent level. She was a leader on and off the field."
Creek and Norton received first-team, all-conference honors for the second straight year.
Kaycee, a sophomore pitcher, ranked first in shutouts (5), and second in wins (9), complete games (11) and strikeouts (64).
She led the VOL in doubles (7), and ranked second in triples (4), third in RBIs (23), fifth in hits (23), seventh in slugging percentage (.760), ninth in runs (12), 11th in batting average (.460) and 13th in on-base percentage (.491) while hitting cleanup on offense.
"She (Creek) could have done better in the circle," Donaldson said. "Offensively, her season was unreal. She was very consistent. She didn't have a lot of O-fer games."
Ryan, a junior centerfielder, batted .500 (30-for-60) with two triples, two doubles, 21 runs, nine RBIs, five stolen bases and a .508 on-base percentage.
"She had a really good season," Donaldson said.
Cierra, a sophomore catcher, made the VOL second team. She batted .457 (21-for-46) with one triple, one double, 11 RBIs, eight runs, three stolen bases and a .500 on-base percentage.
Hammons had a 1.000 fielding percentage.
"She worked her butt off behind the plate," Donaldson said. "Offensively, she did really well. She's a future leader of the team."
Jessica was selected to the all-defensive team. The sophomore utility infielder accumulated 40 putouts, 13 assists and four errors. She batted .333 (16-for-48) with one homer, one triple, one double, 12 RBIs and nine runs.
"She (Ellsworth) played both positions with very few mistakes," Donaldson said.
Central Valley's Amandah Fleming, Jessica Berndt and Breonna Bejaran garnered all-VOL accolades as well.
Amandah made the VOL first team. The senior pitcher/centerfielder posted a .276 batting average and drove in five runs.
"She hit the ball well," Hawks head coach Manny Bejaran said. "She was pretty good defensively. She worked harder than most of the girls that were out there. She was a team leader."
Jessica, a junior first baseman, earned second-team honors. She hit .276 with four RBIs.
"She's a hard worker as well," Manny said. "She's a great kid."
Breonna, a freshman catcher, was named to the all-defensive team. She batted .429 and collected four RBIs.
Fourth-place Ceres High (11-5) finished nine games ahead of Central Valley (2-14) in the VOL standings.
