Player of the Year

It’s an unwritten rule that Southern Section player of the year awards usually go to the best player on the championship team.

The Division V award in softball was all but conceded to Mackenzie Vandergeest midway through the playoffs.

“How many other players in this division have a scholarship to Arizona?” one rival coach asked while throwing her support to La Reina High’s senior catcher.

In fact, not many players in any division have a comparable resume:

* Four-time All-Ventura County selection by The Times.

* Owner of 15 season and career records at a school that has captured more section titles (five) than any other in the region.

* The region’s home run leader this season with nine.

* A scholarship to one of the nation’s preeminent softball powerhouses.

* The Times’ 2000 Ventura County player of the year.

“People like her come along only once in a lifetime,” said La Reina Coach Don Hyatt.

Vandergeest was the most dominant position player in the region.

Baserunners dared not try to steal against her. Pitchers rarely gave her anything to hit. When they did, they paid.

Vandergeest is at or near the top of every regional statistical category except stolen bases. She finished with a .553 average, 37 runs batted in and 22 extra-base hits.

Her .792 career slugging percentage is among the region’s all-time best, and she ranks among state leaders with 33 career doubles.

As a sophomore, Vandergeest batted .512 with six home runs and 31 RBIs and had some believing she would shatter several region career records before she was done.

“As a junior, I set too many lofty goals and things didn’t work out,” said Vandergeest, who was slowed by injuries sustained in two automobile accidents last season and batted .367 with one home run and 25 RBIs.

This year, there were no goals, no accidents and a healthy Vandergeest. The only crunching of metal came from her potent bat.

If there was any doubt Vandergeest would be selected division player of the year, it was removed when La Reina defeated St. Bonaventure for the section title.

“That was the perfect high school ending,” she said. “All four years were great, but this was the best.”