Ventura to Put Best on Display : High school softball: Top seniors will play today in county’s first all-star game.

Ventura County high school softball coaches gathered earlier this season and decided to organize an all-star softball game to showcase the area’s best senior players.

And they picked a good year to put the plan in motion. County teams Camarillo and Simi Valley highs advanced to the Southern Section Division I semifinals this year, and Simi Valley (26-1-1), ranked No. 2 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports, won the Division I title by beating Los Alamitos, 1-0, in the championship game last week.

The Ventura County Coaches Assn., which was formed this year, is hoping tonight’s inaugural all-star game at 7 p.m. at Borchard Park in Newbury Park will start a softball tradition.

“We thought it was time we did something to recognize the seniors in the county like they do in the (San Fernando) Valley,” Simi Valley Coach Suzanne Manlet said.

The game pits East against West and will feature several blue-chip players from 14 county schools.

The West, which includes 14 players from Buena, Camarillo, Channel Islands, Fillmore, Rio Mesa, Santa Paula and Ventura, is coached by Darwin Tolzin of Camarillo and John Velasquez of Rio Mesa.

The West’s pitchers are Camarillo’s Laura Richardson, who will pitch for San Luis Obispo next season, and Buena’s Nichole Suel.

The East team, made up of 19 players from Agoura, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Royal, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Westlake, will be coached by Manlet and Don Hyatt of La Reina.

Carrie Russell of Thousand Oaks and Natalie Gutierrez of Royal will pitch for the East.