El Camino Real Earns Title Shot With New Cast

For the El Camino Real softball team, the names have changed but the setting is the same: the City Section 4-A Division championship game.

The Conquistadores play San Pedro today at Cal State Northridge with a team that Coach Neils Ludlow considers much more inexperienced than those that won four consecutive City titles from 1983 to 1986.

“I have 10 new players this year and when I say young, I mean very young,” Ludlow said. “They’re not as mature as far as experience is concerned, but they’ve put in the effort.”

El Camino Real (21-4), the West Valley League champion, is led by juniors Lisa Huffaker and Shawna Johns, sophomores Cathy Balint, Alisha Knopf, Cari Silverman and Jenny Fleming, and freshman Emily Gourlay, who is batting .340.

One veteran, however, remains the center of attention: senior pitcher Beth Silverman, who is 18-4.

Last season Silverman sat out much of the season because of a conflict with teammates. But El Camino Real still managed to reach the championship game before bowing to Sylmar, 13-4.