Pitching duo picks up All-CIF first-team award
GLENDALE — Erin Ashby and Denise van der Goot showed the local audiences throughout the season how dominating they each can be while standing in the circle.
Their respective bodies of work also gained recognition outside the area, as well, after each turned in fine senior seasons.
Crescenta Valley High’s Ashby and Flintridge Prep’s van der Goot closed out their high school careers with All-CIF Southern Section first-team accolades. The prestigious honors were unveiled Monday with Ashby being tabbed in Division III and van der Goot in Division VI.
At the plate, the Stanford-bound Ashby hit .636 with 47 runs, 43 runs batted in and 10 home runs. In the circle, the right-hander went 15-3 with a 2.02 earned-run average and 124 strikeouts in 97 innings.
“It’s great to be a part of All-CIF,” said Ashby, who was named the Pacific League Most Valuable Player after helping the Falcons share the league crown with Burroughs. “It just shows all of the hard work I’ve put in.
“You have to take league first before you can think about anything else. I’m proud that I could help represent my league.”
Crescenta Valley Coach Dan Berry said the Falcons turned to Ashby to get things started, whether pitching or batting leadoff.
“She got a lot done pitching and with the bat,” Berry said. “She once again proved to be an outstanding leader for us.
“It’s well deserved for her [to get All-CIF]. She’s worked hard throughout her four years with the program and it was great for the way Erin represented CV.”
Like Ashby, van der Goot had a stellar overall campaign, going 11-2 in 16 appearances with a 1.18 earned-run average. The right-hander struck out 190 and allowed 13 walks en route to helping Flintridge Prep gain a piece of the Prep League championship with Mayfield for the first time since 1995.
The Brown-bound van der Goot, who held opponents to a .174 batting average, said it wasn’t a goal of hers to pick up the impressive accolade.
“I just wanted to go out there and have a good year by helping the team win,” van der Goot said. “I’m very flattered and grateful to get All-CIF.”
Flintridge Prep Coach Julie Jaime said van der Goot could be counted on to come through throughout the season for the Rebels.
“She put in the work needed to get to that level,” Jaime said. “I’m happy for her because she showed how good she is.
“I’m excited for her because All-CIF is an elite group of people and she showed she could be amongst the best in league and the division.”
Other area players securing All-CIF honors were sophomore infielder Katie Hooper of Burbank and seniors Lauren O’Leary and Anna Edwards of La Cañada.
Hooper earned a spot on the Division III team. O’Leary, a senior pitcher, was named the Division V Player of the Year after helping the Spartans win their first CIF championship since 1995. Edwards, a senior infielder, was named to the first team.
La Cañada Coach KC Mathews was named Coach of the Year.
