Girls’ Player of the Week : This Time, She Doesn’t Have to Share the Title

Nearly a year of frustration became one evening of determination for Lisa Wehran and the Woodbridge High School softball team.

In 1987, Woodbridge and Laguna Hills played to a scoreless tie in the 2-A final. The game was called after 14 innings because of a time limit.

“None of us knew anything about the time limit,” said Wehran, The Times’ player of the week. “Someone came down (to the dugout) and told us if we didn’t score in the next inning, the game would end in a tie.”

When Woodbridge failed to score and the game was called, Southern Section officials flipped a coin to determine who would receive the championship trophy and patches that night. The loser of the toss would wait for the them to be delivered by mail.

Laguna Hills won the flip.

“They were getting the patches and stuff like they’d won the championship,” Wehran said. “I think they should have split it up. That was something we thought about before playing the championship game this year.”

Wehran and the Warriors corrected that oversight Friday with a 7-0 victory over Laguna Hills in the title game. And Wehran did her part and more.

A .200 hitter on the season, Wehran had two hits, including a three-run triple in the fourth inning that extended Woodbridge’s lead to 6-0. She also had a single and scored in the third inning.

Wehran, a junior shortstop, ended the game by making a diving catch with a runner on third base to preserve the shutout.

“By that point, we knew we had it won,” she said. “Before that inning, in the dugout, we were telling each other who we were going to hug. We didn’t want anybody to be left out.”

Wehran finally had a chance to celebrate a Southern Section championship. She has had several opportunities in Southern Section finals.

Besides settling for a tie last season, Woodbridge lost to Crescenta Vallley in the championship game in 1986. Wehran was called up from the junior varsity as a freshman and started in the championship game.

“I was playing right field and batting ninth, but I was scared to death,” she said. “We were all nervous, we didn’t know how to react.”

Wehran also plays for the Woodbridge basketball team, which reached the Southern Section 2-A final last season but lost to Chino.

“That’s next year’s goal,” Wehran said. “We want to win the basketball title now . . . and another softball championship.”

TOP PERFORMERS

Sheri Bertell of Mission Viejo placed fifth in the 200 meters with a time of 24.93 at the state track and field championships Saturday.

Tiffany Boyd of Woodbridge threw a 2-hitter, striking out 13, in Woodbridge’s victory over Laguna Hills in the 2-A final.

Cheryl Longeway of Kennedy threw a 3-hitter, striking out 7, as the Irish defeated La Mirada, 1-0, Friday in the Southern Section 3-A final.

Jill Young, Chickie Moiso, Laurie Sawin and d’Layne Kerr of Corona del Mar combined to set an Orange County record in the girls’ 1,600-meter relay Saturday in placing third at the state track and field championships. The Sea Kings’ time of 3:48.28 broke the county record of 3:48.89 set two years ago by Mission Viejo.

Lisa Wehran

Woodbridge High

Position: Shortstop

Height, Class: 5-6, Jr.

Last Week: Wehran had a three-run triple in the Southern Section 2-A final. She also made a diving catch to preserve a 7-0 shutout over Laguna Hills. In the semifinal game, Wehran drove in the only run in a 1-0 victory over Arroyo.

Season: Wehran hit .200.