One of Ally Shipman’s high-school goals had been to earn All-CIF honors all four years.
She’d gone two for two as a freshman and sophomore, and she hit over .600 this year as a junior, so, understandably, she was a little disappointed when her name wasn’t on the list this time around.
She said Friday that the bad news made her second-team all-state designation by Cal-Hi Sports a little sweeter.
“I was a little bummed out,” she said, “But to get this is really awesome anyway. I’m happy.”
Shipman was joined on Cal-Hi Sports’ second team by Valencia pitcher Shea O’Leary.
Hart’s Kylie Norwood, who led the Southern Section with 64 hits as a senior, was picked as a third-team multi-purpose player, and Saugus’ Cassidy FitzGerald made the third team as a catcher.
The prep sports website also released its all-state underclass teams, with Shipman and O’Leary, both rising seniors, making the first team.
Hart senior Abby Sweet (.415, 29 RBIs) was a first-teamer on the all-state medium, small schools team, with teammate Brooke Marquez (.480, 19 RBIs), a rising junior, making the second team.
Marquez said earlier this year that Hart’s 7-2 loss to Valencia on April 27 had been a turning point in Hart’s season, a campaign that ended in a loss to Murrieta Mesa in the Division 3 title game.
The Indians gained confidence by getting two runs off O’Leary, who finished the year with a 1.22 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 211 2/3 innings.
Shipman said Friday she was proud of the growth she saw in O’Leary.
“She did amazing this season,” said Shipman, who had an equally impressive year.
The Vikings catcher hit .613 with 15 home runs and 39 RBIs. She walked 33 times. Still, the CIF-SS Division 1 All-CIF team didn’t feature multiple players from any one team.
O’Leary was the Vikings’ representative. This week, both players received their due.
