Sun-Star honors top female athletes of the spring for softball, track and swimming

The Golden Valley High softball team had their best season in more than a decade, finally ending a long losing streak to Merced and ending a 12-year playoff drought.

A big reason for the Cougars success was ace Marissa Bertuccio.

The Golden Valley junior, who verbally committed to Sacramento State last year, was named the Central California Conference Pitcher of the Year after compiling a 21-6 record to go along with a 0.64 ERA.

"She did everything for us this year," said Golden Valley coach Ross Cruickshanks after Bertuccio was named the CCC Pitcher of the Year.

Bertuccio is also the Merced Sun-Star Softball Player of the Year.

"This season was really rewarding," Bertuccio said. "We met a lot of our goals that we set out to do. I felt our team was committed. We wanted to be the type of team that played hard. Now looking back at the season, it was just really rewarding."

Bertuccio did more than her share to help turn the Cougars into a winning team.

Bertuccio threw five no-hitters this season, including two perfect games. Her 267 strikeouts this season ranked No. 9 in the state. Her five no-hitters tied for second most and her 21 wins ranked ninth in the state.

She also did damage at the plate in the middle of the Cougars lineup, finishing with a .453 batting average. She led the team with two home runs and 32 runs scored.

Bertuccio says the Cougars really started to pick up steam after beating their crosstown rivals for the first time since 2009.

"Beating Merced gave all of us confidence," Bertuccio said. "We hadn't beaten them in so long. Beating them was a big step for our team this season."

Bertuccio says this group was different than the past two years because there was a different vibe with this team. As the season went on she knew she could trust her defense behind her. She didn't have to be perfect in the circle for the Cougars to win.

"Definitely the trust and confidence grew more and more," she said. "Just playing with my teammates more and more. I trusted my defense as the season went along."

Track

Angelena Williams, Golden Valley

It was a record-breaking season for Golden Valley junior Angelena Williams. The Cougars junior rewrote the school record book this season, putting her name on the top of the list in the 100-meter dash (12.31 seconds), 100 hurdles (14.45) and the 300 hurdles (46.15). She also was part of a 4x100 relay team that set a school record with a time of 48.08.

Williams also finished first in four out of the five times she competed in the long jump, posted a best mark of 17 feet and 3.75 inches in a Central California Conference center meet.

Williams is the Sun-Star Girls Track Athlete of the Year.

"I feel pretty good about my season," Williams said. "I definitely got a lot further than last year because I was hurt. I definitely worked hard before the season and I'm going to need to do that again."

Williams just missed a trip to the CIF State Meet, clipping a hurdle late in the 100 hurdles at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Finals. That mistake will motivate her next year.

"It's going to push me a lot," she said. "It's going to be my senior year. I only have one more chance to make it to state."

Williams is hoping to compete at a Pac-12 school after high school. She is interested in UCLA, Stanford, USC and Oregon.

Williams has shown her ability to excel in multiple events during her high school career, but her favorite event is still the hurdles. Williams also played softball for the Cougars this spring, splitting her time between the softball diamond and the track.

"I like doing different events because it makes me more marketable for colleges," Williams said. "When they see me doing different events they can choose what they want me to do."

Swimming

Erin McBride, Buhach Colony

Buhach Colony junior Erin McBride basically grew up in water. She was swimming by the age of 4 and quickly started swimming competitively.

"My sister (Gwynne) and I have always been in water," McBride said. "That's just the way I am. We're just always out on a pool deck."

McBride took home two individual Central California Conference championships, picking up wins in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events.

McBride is the Sun-Star Girls Swimmer of the Year.

McBride is keeping the Sun-Star honor in the family. Older sister Gwynne won the award last year before departing for Cal State Monterey Bay to play water polo.

"Swimming matters to me," McBride said. "My sister got this award last year and me this year. She's always pushed me because she's been my role model."

A lot of water polo players don't like swimming season. McBride helped lead the Thunder to their first CCC water polo championship in the fall. She was named the Offensive Player of the Year in the conference.

Even though she prefers water polo, she still takes swimming seriously.

"I may always complain during swim season," McBride said. 'Oh, I don't want to practice. I don't want to get in the cold pool.' But I'm usually the first one in the pool and the first one done with our sets. I think deep down I do love it."

As one of the more experienced swimmers on the team, McBride knows she has to set an example for the other younger swimmers in the program.

"I want to motivate my teammates," McBride said. "I want my younger teammates to see me as a role model. This season was really positive for me. I wanted to make sections, get better times and do the best for my team."

This story was originally published June 21, 2018 at 1:30 PM with the headline "Sun-Star honors top female athletes of the spring for softball, track and swimming."