Softball: San Pedro's Tony Dobra awarded state coach of the year

Cal-Hi Sports has awarded San Pedro coach Tony Dobra State Coach of the Year. Dobra has led the San Pedro softball program to 13 L.A. City Section championships in his 23 years of coaching at his alma mater, claiming nine of the last 10. 

Going into the 2009 season, Dobra graduated his all-state pitcher Taylor Petty (Long Beach State), talented leadoff hitter Korin Cuico (UNLV), and all-state catcher Perelini Koria (Arizona).

His team recovered in a big way, boasting eight come-from-behind victories this season, finishing with a 28-4 record and a No. 15 final rating.

"This is my 13th title and it was a very unique one," remarked Dobra, who has
won more reported section titles than any other coach in state history. "While
there are always a couple of kids on the team from the year before, I was
thinking, 'We're not going to be able to replace them (Petty, Koria, etc.).' I
didn't know what to expect this season to tell you the truth."

With his selection, Dobra becomes only the second coach from the L.A. City
Section softball ranks to earn the state's top honor.

-- Melissa Rohlin

Softball: Norco wins Division I title

Norco defeated Corona Santiago, 5-1, in the Southern Section Division I softball championship at Barber Park in Irvine.

The winning pitcher, Teagan Gerhart, had eight strikeouts, scattered seven hits, and no walks for the Cougars. Corona Santiago's ace pitcher, Kamerin May, had 11 strikeouts, gave up 10 hits, and had five walks for the Sharks.

This is Norco's first championship since claiming the Division II title in 2003, and Corona Santiago's first championship-game appearance since winning the Division I title in 2006.

-- Melissa Rohlin

Softball: Saturday Southern Section championship scores

Division I
Norco 5, Corona Santiago 1

Division III
Tesoro 4, Glendora 0

Division V
Whittier Christian 3, San Dimas 2 (8)

Division VI
Marymount 3, La Salle 2

Softball: Norco takes a 4-0 lead at top of the fifth inning

Emily Lockman and Jordan Emanuele had RBI singles for Norco, and the Courgars scored two more runs off of a wild pitch and an error on the catcher to take a 4-0 lead over Corona Santiago in the fifth inning of the Southern Section Division I softball championship game at Barber Park in Irvine.

-- Melissa Rohlin

Softball: Still scoreless

Norco loaded the bases at the top of the third and fourth innings, but the Cougars have not managed to score a run on Corona Santiago. The Southern Section Division I championship at Barber Park in Irvine remains scoreless after four innings.

-- Melissa Rohlin

Softball: Division I championship is a pitchers' duel

Kamerin May of Corona Santiago and Teagan Gerhart of Norco have three strikeouts apiece after two innings of play in the Southern Section Division I Championship at Barber Park in Irvine. Neither team has scored a run, and Kelli Frye of Norco had the only hit of the game.

-- Melissa Rohlin

Softball: Division I championship game about to begin

Top-seeded Norco is about to face-off against Big VIII league rival Corona Santiago for the Southern Section Division I title at Barber Park in Irvine in front of over 700 fans.

This game features two of the top pitchers in the nation in Stanford-bound Teagan Gerhart of Norco and San Diego State-bound Kamerin May of Corona Santiago.

Norco has defeated Corona Santiago twice this season, and Corona Santiago Coach John Perez said, "This will be the most challenging game of my 35-year coaching career."

The two teams have split the results of eight games over the last three seasons.

-- Melissa Rohlin

Softball: Friday Southern Section championship scores

Division II
Etiwanda 4, Vista Murrieta 0

Division IV
North Torrance 5, El Segundo 3

Division VII
Rosamond 2, Hesperia Christian 1

Softball: Southern Section championship schedule

Championships, at Barber Park (Irvine)
Friday
Division VII: #1 Hesperia Christian (24-1) vs. #2 Rosamond (21-7), 2 p.m.
Division IV: North Torrance (21-13) vs. #2 El Segundo (29-3), 4:15 p.m.
Division II: #1 Vista Murrieta (27-4) vs. #2 Etiwanda (28-2), 6:30 p.m.

Saturday
Division VI: #1 La Salle (25-5) vs. #3 Marymount (24-4), 10 a.m.
Division III: Tesoro (26-4) vs. Glendora (22-4), 12:30 p.m.
Division V: San Dimas (25-4) vs. Whittier Christian (23-6), 3:30 p.m.
Division I: #1 Norco (31-2) vs. Corona Santiago (27-4), 6 p.m.

Softball: Tuesday Southern Section semifinal scores

DIVISION I
Semifinals, Tuesday
Norco 2, Hart 0
Corona Santiago 5, Riverside Poly 1

DIVISION II
Semifinals, Tuesday
Vista Murrieta 5, Los Osos 0
Etiwanda 1, Redlands 0

DIVISION III
Semifinals, Tuesday
Tesoro 8, Los Altos 0
Glendora 3, Chino Hills 0

DIVISION IV
Semifinals, Tuesday
North Torrance 1, La Quinta 0 (12)
El Segundo 1, Paloma Valley 0

DIVISION V
Semifinals, Tuesday
San Dimas 2, Village Christian 0
Whittier Christian 2, Heritage 0

DIVISION VI
Semifinals, Tuesday
La Salle 3, South El Monte 2
Marymount 8, Maranatha 0

DIVISION VII
Semifinals, Tuesday
Hesperia Christian 1, Kern Valley 0
Rosamond 17, Victor Valley Christian 2