Nogueira is league co-MVP

Marina High senior Mariah Nogueira has been named co-Most Valuable Player of the Sunset League for softball, sharing the honor with Los Alamitos senior Brittney Spalding.

Other first-team members included Marina sophomore Jamie Sullivan, senior Erin Cuevas and junior Shannon Simmons, as well as Edison sophomore Allyson Hecht, seniors Myranda Hoggatt, Jessica Hall and Jordan Malavar, and Fountain Valley freshman Brenda Bott.

Marina senior Taysia Kaufman was named Pitcher of the Year, while Edison freshman Casey Africano was named Rookie of the Year.

Nogueira, a four-year starter at shortstop, batted .371 and led the Vikings with 13 stolen bases and 19 RBIs, helping Marina (22-6) win a share of the league title with Edison (21-6).

Second-team honors went to Fountain Valley’s Rochelle Rivera and Tracy Valdez, as well as Marina’s Chloe Kaneko, Nicolette Lujan, Sandy Simmons and Ari Tedesco.

Jessica Plaza and junior Jessica Reichner earned second-team nods for the Chargers.

Cuevas and Kaufman plan to continue their softball careers on scholarship at Wagner College and Dickinson State, respectively.

For Edison, seniors Hoggatt, Malavar and Stephanie Engle plan to continue playing at Orange Coast College, while Hall has a scholarship to Cal State Dominguez Hills.

— Matt Szabo