STOCKTON — Ben Atad and Christina Martinez showed Stagg softball that it can be a winning program again.
Atad, a former Delta King and the team’s first-year coach, and Martinez, a senior slugger, propelled Stagg to its first winning season in at least 12 years. The Delta Queens missed qualifying for the postseason by one game, but were rewarded for their efforts.
Atad is the head coach of the North team for the 26th annual Baseball and Softball All-Star Classic today at Delta College. Joining Martinez on the player roster are Stagg teammates Ariana Dutra, Selena Rivas and Corrina Rivera.
“When (Atad) told me he was coaching, I was relieved,” Martinez said. “He knows me and I know him, so we can work with each other.”
Atad was Stagg’s frosh-soph coach in Martinez’s first year of high school, but she played varsity. For two years, Atad led Chavez’s varsity team, and then returned to his alma mater to run the program. Martinez had an exceptional high school swan song, batting .519 with five home runs, 19 doubles, two triples and 41 RBI.
She posted a slugging percentage of 1.000 — a number that would make Babe Ruth blush.
It’s been a fruitful year for the Atad brothers in general. Matt Atad, also a Stagg alumnus, guided the Edison boys basketball team to its first league championship since 2006-07.
“Man, we’re each others’ worst critic. We’re always talking about each other, we’re always pushing each other,” Ben Atad said with a smile after Wednesday’s all-star practice. “He’s done a great job. I just try to follow in his footsteps, and he tries to follow in mine.”
Joining Martinez on the North all-stars are Amador’s Claudia Koll, Bear Creek’s Makayla Altheide, Champane Flores, Stephanie Ruelos and Allison Watkins, Bret Harte’s Carley Herndon, Chavez’s Victoria Forrester and Eryn McWhorter, Edison’s Mikaela Leach, Franklin’s Gale Tolentino, Elliot Christian’s Ashley Johns, Haylie Juelch and Bradi Kooyman, Lincoln’s Jessica Castellon, Linden’s Rachael Carpenter and Marisa Peters, Lodi’s Dani Stallings, McNair’s Maileya Luna, St. Mary’s Taylor Mamola and Hannah Russell and Tokay’s Taelor Ford and Mariah Mendoza.
The South All-Stars include East Union’s Alejandra Rascon, Escalon’s Natalie Arnold and Cindy De Freitas, Kimball’s Samantha Sarmiento, Los Banos’ Haley Quintana and Melanie Silva, Millennium’s Elisa Deras, Alexandra Ramirez and Amy Wise, Los Banos-Pacheco’s Kayla Valdez, Ripon’s Karla Calderon and Taylor Jauqez, Tuolumne-Summerville’s Shelby Conklin, Tracy’s Ali Davis and Hannah Hylton, West’s Taylor Burns, Hailey Martin, Brittney Reyes and Janae Sims andWeston Ranch’s Pudi Garcia Hernandez. Kimball’s Alicia Honnoll is the head coach.
Lincoln quartet, coach bid adieu
Lincoln coach Paul King heads the North baseball team, and four of his graduated seniors are on the roster in Keegan Wallen, John Yancy, Jordan Olson and Dezmond Gaines. The Trojans were Tri-City Athletic League runners-up, earned the No. 5 seed in the Division I South playoffs and knocked off Stagg in the first round.
Joining those Trojans on the North squad are Bear Creek’s Ryan Cortez and Will Rios, Brookside Christian’s Jared Holzer, Chris Maes and Philip Patrick, Calaveras’ Trace Durham, Chavez’s Rex Boots, Mario Gomez, Gabriel Rodriguez and Gabriel Sanchez, Delta Charter’s Jeremiah Burrell, Franklin’s Cam Romo, Linden’s Anthony Lucchetti and Owen McGrattan, Lodi’s Wyatt Mims, Bronson Sandvik and Cameron Schubert, McNair’s Nick Chapman, Emmanuel Zaragoza and Chris Rowland, St. Mary’s Isaiah Bettencourt, Anthony Galindo, Michael Mendonca and Nick Swanson, Tokay’s Nick Dentoni and Venture Academy’s Josiah Harrison.
The South stars include Argonaut’s Travis Andrews, East Union’s Marco Gonzales, Edison’s Joaquin Escobar and Omar Escobar, Escalon’s Jackson Bennett and Robby Rickman, Kimball’s Nate Ambriz, Lathrop’s Keenan Donatelli, Albert Flores and Santiago Kantun, Millennium’s Clayton Sobrero, Nick Yanke and Nathan Cabral, Ripon’s Angelo Baciocco, Nick Price and Travis Waara, Ripon Christian’s Michael Cummins and Connor McGovern, Sierra’s Anthony Arredondo, Tanner Peterson and Steven Rios, Summerville’s Brad Tyler, Tracy’s Thomas Greely and Kevin Saenz, West’s Alonzo Perez and Weston Ranch’s Josh Dilg and Jordan Severin.
Ripon’s Jon Manrique is the South head coach.