SANTA MONICA – What better way to fill the shoes of a legendary coaching predecessor than to be named the Ocean League coach of the year? That’s how Coach Marybell Moreno culminated her first year at the helm of the Santa Monica High School (SaMoHi) Lady Vikings’ varsity softball team.
In what ended as a bittersweet year for the Lady Vikings who went 10-0 in league and then lost their first game in the CIF playoffs, Coach Moreno took her first steps in the shoes of Debbie Skaggs, who held the position for the previous 23 years, by winning the Ocean League and being named Coach of the Year.
In addition to the coach’s honor, SaMohi softball players earned league accolades for their play on the field. Junior Kelly Ricard was named the MVP of the Ocean League having moved from second base to catcher this year and becoming an excellent backstop for the Vikings, while hitting .352 with 3 home runs, 20 runs scored and 18 RBI.
Other First Team All Ocean League selections from SaMoHi were senior Natalie Abel, senior Meghan Bradley and freshman Sara Garcia.
Second Team selections were senior Kelsey Hom, senior Amanda Delgadillo, sophomore Marissa Padilla and sophomore Jamie Hom.
Other conference softball selections from the area came from the St. Monica Lady Marinersin the El Camino League. Senior Shaina Hernandez was named the MVP of the league and selected for the first team along with junior Alex Villa and senior Alex Wolansky. Second Team included senior Stephanie Baghai, freshman Katie Grimm and sophomore Christina Locke.
