Meet The Bee’s 2025 Softball Players of the Year and All-Metro teams

Ellison Schroeder thrives on being considered an underdog.

The Oak Ridge High School senior softball star had already shown that she could perform for a championship team. But if there were any remaining doubters coming into this season, they were quickly silenced as Schroeder solidified herself as a big-game pitcher.

After posting career bests in all major pitching categories and leading the Trojans of El Dorado Hills to their third consecutive CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship, Schroeder is The Sacramento Bee Softball Player of the Year for 2025.

“She has been that leader that we’ve needed this season,” Oak Ridge head coach Sam Toy said. “She stepped up and stepped up big. She’s just been a bulldog and has pushed through for the team and I couldn’t be more proud.”

Schroeder was set to share the pitching duties this season with sophomore star Kennedi Freeland and comprise arguably the top 1-2 pitching punch in the section. But after Freeland’s season ended unexpectedly early due to an early-season injury, Schroeder was asked to carry the load.

“I’m honestly a completely different pitcher right now than I was coming into the season,” Schroeder said. “Being in a challenge and knowing that my team’s relying on me has forced me to grow a lot … It was a really good opportunity for me to prove to myself that I can do it and show myself what I’m capable of.”

Schroeder went 22-4 in the circle with a 1.08 earned run average, 188 strikeouts in 169 innings and tossed four no-hitters for the Trojans, who also reached the CIF Northern California Regional Division I championship game for the second straight year.

“She thrives under pressure,” Toy said. “She’s cool, calm and collected under pressure and it helps her defense feel confident behind her. She hits her spot and lets the rest happen.”

Schroeder wants to study business analytics while continuing her softball career at Santa Clara with the goal of one day working in an MLB front office.

“I have a lot of motivation coming in and showing just how good mid-major softball is,” Schroeder said. “My goal in college is just to bring more awareness to our game and excitement around our game in general.”

Del Oro duo are Large School Co-Players of the Year

One had the bat. The other had the arm.

Del Oro erased the memory of a 7-19 season from 2024 by rebounding with a 31-2 campaign and a CIF Division I NorCal championship behind the Bee’s Large School Co-Players of the Year: slugging senior Abby Davidson and slinging sophomore Mikayla Finn.

Davidson, a Utah Tech commit, hit .443 with 42 RBIs and 14 home runs, which was tied for the most in the section.

Finn’s breakout year included a 21-1 record, a 1.13 ERA and 210 strikeouts, all among the section’s Top 10 in the pitching triple crown categories.

“(Davidson’s) bat helps, (Finn’s) arm wins,” said Del Oro head coach Sean Erickson.

Davidson edged out Finn for the Sierra Foothill League MVP by one vote, 121-120, Erickson said. The Golden Eagles grabbed the SFL title with a 13-1 mark among a league that qualified four teams in the CIF NorCal Division I bracket.

But it was Finn who pushed Del Oro to its first regional crown with a complete game victory over Oak Ridge on the final day of the season.

“Abigail Davidson is a huge reason why this team is champion,” Erickson said. “Without that young lady (Finn) in the circle, we would not be as successful as we’ve been.”

Kitchen cooked up 2 section titles for Whitney

If Tylie Kitchen’s first game of 2025 was any indication of how Whitney’s season would go, you could have penciled in the Wildcats for a tremendous year from the jump.

In her first game joining the softball team after basketball season, she went 4-for-4 in an 8-3 win over Elk Grove and followed with a 3-for-4 game with two homers against Bella Vista.

Kitchen is The Bee’s Medium School Player of the Year after leading Whitney to its second section championship in three years, defeating crosstown rival and Sierra Foothill League rival Rocklin in the D-II final.

“I know what it takes to win at the highest level, and it means so much to me to be able to do this with younger people and all my friends,” Kitchen said. “To do it again, it just feels like one of the best things you’ll ever experience.”

In addition to being a two-time softball champion, Kitchen also helped bring a pair of girls basketball titles to Whitney as the program’s all-time leading rebounder. The San Diego State commit led the Wildcats with a .452 average, seven homers, 33 RBIs and 42 hits. She hit .396 with 23 long balls in her four-year varsity career at Whitney.

“All these past four years have been like a push to get me to where I am today and where I’m going,” Kitchen said. “To feel like I’ve been seen and heard and taken into consideration is a blessing. I wouldn’t be here without my teammates and coaches, but this is a big one for me because it makes me feel like my hard work has paid off.”

Tuua continued two-way dominance

Already a two-time Bee Player of the Year entering 2025, Destiny Christian Academy of Sacramento ace Ayla Tuua is making her case as an all-time area great.

After winning the overall Player of the Year as a freshman and Medium School Player of the Year as a sophomore, Tuua caps her junior season as the Bee’s Small School Player of the Year.

“Each year is a new year, and just how hard I work really shows through these awards,” Tuua said. “Each time, it’s just a great feeling. I also am realizing just how blessed I am to continue to play the game.”

Tuua plays the game seemingly at another level from her competition. She hit an even .500 this year with six homers and 26 RBIs. But she’s at her most dominant in the circle, with a 12-0 record, 163 strikeouts in just 75 2/3 innings and a section-best 0.46 ERA.

On March 20, Tuua recorded all 21 outs via strikeout in a one-hitter against Rio Linda. She also homered that night and left the Knights players awestruck and singing Tuua’s praises in the postgame handshake line.

Destiny Christian finished 23-3 overall with a 14-0 Golden Empire League title and the D-IV section championship, its second blue banner in three years.

Tuua enjoyed playing for her mother, Shannon Tuua, in her first year as Destiny’s head coach. Shannon Tuua (formerly Brooks) also won Bee Player of the Year honors while at Sheldon High in 2002.

“I’ve learned a lot of humility through my mom,” Ayla Tuua said.. “She’s really pushed that this is my journey, and she’s always encouraging me to work as hard as I can and be the best I can each day because it’s all going to come to an end at some point.”

Tuua’s playing days won’t end after high school. She’s committed to play at LSU, but she’s still got her senior year ahead of her. Tuua also was named the California Gatorade Player of the Year. Despite all the individual accolades, Tuua insists that her biggest motivation is her teammates.

“I play for each one of them,” Tuua said. “I give it my all so we can succeed as a team.”

Knight led East Nicolaus to 1st NorCal crown

East Nicolaus senior Stevie Knight is The Bee’s Smallest School Player of the Year after helping continue the Spartans’ dominance over Northern Section competition in Sutter County.

Knight, who is headed to Abilene Christian University, set the tone for the Spartans both in the circle and at the top of the lineup. At the plate, she hit .541 with 14 extra-base hits and 24 RBI, tallying 150 career hits. She also posted a 15-4 record with a 0.80 ERA and a career-best 197 strikeouts, giving her more than 400 for her four-year varsity career.

“I feed off of the other team’s emotions,” Knight said. “If I throw a ball and they’re chanting about it, I’ll just laugh it off and strike out that batter.”

Knight and the Spartans bagged their sixth straight Northern Section championship and 15th overall. During the past four title runs, Knight drove in at least one run in each of her first three section finals, and she followed with a four-hit shutout and 14 strikeouts in the clinching game of her senior year.

East Nicolaus earned the top seed in the Division IV NorCal bracket, where the Spartans captured their first regional title behind Knight’s 4-for-4 day at the plate in a 4-0 shutout with her in the circle against San Leandro.

“We talked about it and said, ‘I know this team can win state,’” Knight said. “If we work hard, be loud, work together and be a team, flowing as one. And when we got the No. 1 seed, I just had a gut feeling that everything was aligning into a path that we needed.”

Knight is the third straight East Nicolaus player to earn the Bee’s Smallest School Player of the Year, following Adriana Nebuloni in 2024 and Meika Lauppe in 2023.

Coach of the Year: Denny turned Placer program around

The 2025 Bee Coach of the Year, Brent Denny, is proof that you don’t need to win a section championship to make a monumental impact from the dugout.

The first-year varsity head coach at Placer High in Auburn only had one year of junior varsity coaching experience under his belt before this season. He mostly helped coach his own kids throughout little league. But as the new skipper at his old stomping grounds – he spent three years at Placer before graduating from Del Oro – Denny helped the Hillgals turn a complete 180, reversing the misfortunes of back-to-back 0-15 seasons, which included a 34-game losing streak over a span of four different years.

“The goal was to change the dynamics and change the energy that followed Placer varsity softball,” Denny said. “It was always, ‘We can’t win games. We’re not competitive.’”

Denny stepped in and instantly made changes to the varsity culture. Early workouts, clear team goals and developing a mentality that allowed the team to take a punch and still fight back. The result: an 18-7 campaign, its first home playoff game since 2017 and ultimately a spot in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV semifinals.

“They started coming together as a team,” Denny said. “Take your at-bats with intention, trust the process, put in the work, be competitive and have the right mindset and good things will come.”

The Bee’s 2025 All-Metro Softball Teams

Player of the Year

Ellison Schroeder, Oak Ridge, P, Sr.

Large School Players of the Year

Abby Davidson, Del Oro, OF, Sr.

Mikayla Finn, Del Oro, P, So.

Medium School Players of the Year

Tylie Kitchen, Whitney, 3B, Sr.

Small School Player of the Year

Ayla Tuua, Destiny Christian, P, Jr.

Smallest School Player of the Year

Stevie Knight, East Nicolaus, P, Sr.

Coach of the Year

Brent Denny, Placer

FIRST TEAM

Pitchers

Jia Beebe, Pioneer, Sr.

Micah Kennedy, Sheldon, So.

Madeline Lawson, Pleasant Grove, Sr.

Maryn MacNeil, Woodcreek, Sr.

Payton Prior, Rocklin, So.

Infielders

Marisa Bryson, Pioneer, Jr.

Niayli Calvo, Vanden, So.

Carly Short, Oak Ridge, Sr.

Katie Wetteland, Rocklin, Sr.

Outfielders

Cat Alston, Rocklin, So.

Chloe Champas, Del Oro, Jr.

Gabby Sotelo, East Nicolaus, Sr.

Catcher

Hayden Kyne, Vacaville, Sr.

Utility

Micayla Arlotto, Franklin, Sr.

Kwinci Brown, Sheldon, Sr.

Paige Denniston, Placer, So.

Alyssa Flindt, Whitney, Sr.

Zaria Gee, Casa Roble, Sr.

Teagan Hayes, Woodland Christian, Sr.

Kate McCartney, Ponderosa, Fr.

Molly McFarland, Ponderosa, Sr.

Carmen Montes de Oca, Oak Ridge, Sr.

Emily Morris, Dixon, Jr.

Brooklyn Paratore, Oak Ridge, Jr.

Brooklyn Steele, Whitney, Jr.

SECOND TEAM

Pitchers

Taylor Cordell, Whitney, Fr.

Isabella Cueva, Vanden, Sr.

Sydney Nitta, Placer, Sr.

Chasidy Sills, Wheatland, Sr.

Kiera Waggoner, Rio Linda, So.

Infielders

Laila Dean, Vacaville, Jr.

Chloe Gomes, Oakmont, Sr.

Emma Johnson, Del Oro, Fr.

Savannah Lorenzini, Rocklin, Sr.

Outfielders

Emery Glaser, Oak Ridge, Jr.

Brooklynn Nordquist, Ponderosa, Sr.

Delaney Osborne, Del Oro, Sr.

Catcher

McKayla Fulmer, Destiny Christian, Jr.

Utility

Caelyn Campos, Del Oro, Fr.

Chloe Gonzales, Yuba City, Jr.

Tori Hernandez, Yuba City, Sr.

Adison Huiskens, Woodland Christian, Sr.

Lexy Jacques, Inderkum, Sr.

Aliyah Lomuljo, Whitney, Sr.

Savanna Newman, Destiny Christian, Sr.

Chloe Preuss, Woodcreek, Jr.

Carly Rice, Placer, Fr.

Molly Roseen, Davis, Fr.

Shealynn Stinson, Pleasant Grove, Jr.

Leilani Terrazas, Granite Bay, Sr.

HONORABLE MENTION

Bear River: Taryn Cleek, Sr.

Bella Vista: Hailey Shiflet, Sr.

Colfax: Sabrina Williams, Sr.

Davis: Gracie Martinez, FR; Isabella Trask, So.

Del Oro: Avyn Brower, So.; Kate Brown, JR; Ava Messina, Sr.

Destiny Christian: Sophia Fountaine, Sr.; Mia Jimenez, Fr.; Roxanne Sardo, Jr.

Dixon: Dakota Gaball, Fr.

East Nicolaus: Makinze Massey, Jr.

Elk Grove: Izianah Castillo, Fr.

Folsom: Shay Sacay, Sr.

Foresthill: Lynnsey Drove, Fr.; Brianna Miller, Jr.

Granite Bay: Sami McKown, Jr.

Johnson: Angelene Gonzales, Jr.

Kennedy: Kira Griffin, Sr.

Liberty Ranch: Bella Granata, Jr.

Lindhurst: Ashlynn Wheeler, Jr.

McClatchy: Madelyn Ogata, Fr.

Monterey Trail: Aniyah Whipper, Sr.

Oakmont: Maria Gonzales, SR; Addison Turner, Sr.

Pioneer: Sofia Hernandez, SR; Abril Parker, Sr.

Rio Linda: Nakayla Williams, Sr.

River Valley: Claudia Dudek, Sr.

Rocklin: Sammie Snell, Fr.

Roseville: McKenna Patterson, So.

Sheldon: Madison Chapman, Sr.

St. Francis: Claire Krotine, Sr.

Sutter: Ayla Moon, Sr.

Vacaville: Makayla Morgan, SO; Paige Witte, Sr.

Vanden: DJ Evans, So.

Vista del Lago: Ella Dossey, FR; Riley Dossey, Sr.

West Park: Jolene White, So.

Whitney: Emma Rabe, Sr.

Woodcreek: Nicole Fonti, SR; Camryn Kelley, Sr.

Woodland Christian: Morgan Sanders, Sr.

The Bee’s final Top 20

1. Del Oro (31-2)

2. Oak Ridge (26-5)

3. Whitney (24-10)

4. Destiny Christian (23-3)

5. Vanden (22-5)

6. Rocklin (22-7)

7. Pioneer (23-6)

8. Woodcreek (23-6)

9. East Nicolaus (24-6)

10. Vacaville (18-9)

11. Sheldon (19-10-1)

12. Ponderosa (16-9)

13. Elk Grove (17-12)

14. Pleasant Grove (15-6)

15. Liberty Ranch (20-6)

16. Placer (18-7)

17. Yuba City (18-9-1)

18. Franklin (17-12-1)

19. Casa Roble (17-7-1)

20. Rio Linda (21-9)

▪ How these teams were picked: The Bee’s All-Metro teams were selected through personal observation, statistics inputted by coaches on MaxPreps, and local coach and media input with a heavy emphasis on postseason success.

Nick Pecoraro is a sports journalist and host of “Premier Preps with Nick Pecoraro,” a weekly prep show available on YouTube that recaps games and teams in the Sacramento area each week. Find it at youtube.com/@PremierPreps.

This story was originally published June 12, 2025 at 5:00 AM.