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SOFTBALL

SARAH VERTELKA

Jr., Rancho Cucamonga

Then: Backed up Amelia Runyan, who is now at Princeton, and didn’t see much time as a freshman but did pitch the final four innings of an 11-inning loss to eventual champion Irvine Woodbridge in the Southern Section Division I playoffs. Took over workhorse duties as a sophomore and went 20-5 with an 0.58 earned-run average but lost in the playoffs again to the eventual champion, Riverside Poly, 2-0.

Now: Stronger and more confident than she was last season, Vertelka opened with 14 consecutive no-hit innings en route to a second consecutive San Dimas tournament championship with a season-opening perfect game, two no-hitters and a two-hitter. In the championship, a 3-1 no-hit victory over Pomona Catholic, she struck out 18 in eight innings, which runs contrast to her ground-ball nature. “We rely on our defense, and she really pitches to our defense,” Coach Mike Lindensmith said.

Quote: “A kid makes an error, she throws a few more pitches. It doesn’t seem to bother her at all,” Lindensmith said. “There’s a sense of calm about her. There’s no urgency to what she does. She’s one of the most level-headed kids I’ve ever seen on the field.”

-- Martin Henderson

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BOYS’ SWIMMING

ZACH WHITE

So., Rancho Santa Margarita Tesoro

Then: White, a two-sport standout who gave up playing organized basketball on entering high school to focus on aquatics, has seen that decision pay quick dividends. He placed seventh in the 100 freestyle and eighth in the 100 breaststroke in the Southern Section Division II finals as a freshman. Also a fast-improving water polo player, he had 90 goals, 40 steals and 27 assists to earn Pacific Coast League second-team honors as a two-meter offensive standout last fall.

Now: Part of a core group that includes senior Jimmy Hong and juniors Juan Trevilla and Marcus Schlundt-Bodien, White helped Tesoro win all three of the relays he swam, taking the 200 breaststroke in 1:50.80, the 200 medley in 1:41.60 and the 400 individual medley in 3:48.00 as the Titans won their first Capistrano Valley Relays championship two weeks ago after a second-place finish last year. On March 19, he anchored the Titans’ winning 400 individual medley relay at the Southern Section Relays with an impressive 55.6 final leg and helped the breaststroke relay improve on its preliminary time.

Quote: “I can put him anywhere and he’ll win points for us,” Coach Mike Gibson said. “He’s just one of those guys who, if he’s missing, there’s a void.”

-- Lauren Peterson