SOFTBALL:Fuzzard named MVP

A player who will be taking her game to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga next year, and one who just this year launched her prep career, have earned two of the top honors on the 2007 All-Sunset League softball team.

Marina senior Michelle Fuzzard, a pitcher/first baseman, and one of her teammates, freshman outfielder Shannon Simmons, have been named the league’s Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year, respectively.

In fact, Marina, runner-up to league champion Los Alamitos and a CIF-Southern Section quarterfinalist, garnered three of the league’s top four awards: in addition to the honors bestowed Fuzzard and Simmons, the Vikings’ Shelly Luth was named coach of the year.

Los Alamitos’ Anna Cahn was named the Most Valuable Pitcher.

The all-league team was voted upon by the six league coaches from Marina, Edison, Esperanza, Fountain Valley, Los Alamitos and Newport Harbor.

Fuzzard posted a 14-7 record in her final year for the Vikings.

“I’ve said this all four years that she’s played for me: she’s a quality player and leader,” Luth said. “Michelle is the true epitome of a student/athlete. One of the awesome things about her is that she’s the first at practice and the last to leave. She waters and drags the field all the time. She really is the full package. I’m so happy that she got this honor.

“As for Shannon, she really gets after it. She goes 110-percent, all out and doesn’t stop. She had a great year and there’s plenty more to come from her.”

Also named to the all-league team from Marina were Mariah Nogueira, Alisha Rosen, Erin Cuevas, Ariel Tedesco and Christina Hart.

Edison’s Rachel and Danielle Miller, Monica Bledsoe and Jordan Malavar, also made the squad.

First Team

Second Team