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Caratachea, Gomez garner top All-TVL awards
All-TVL spring
Ripon standout Kharime Caratachea delivers a pitch during a Trans-Valley League game against Livingston. - photo by SEAN KAHLER

Kharime Caratachea and Anthony Gomez headline Ripon High’s All-Trans-Valley League spring sports honorees, as they’ve earned top awards for their respective sports.

Caratachea has repeated as All-TVL softball MVP, while Gomez is Most Outstanding player for boys volleyball. In baseball, Dawson Downs and Isaac Sandoval are going out as three-time all-league selections.

Joining Caratachea at the top of the All-TVL softball team is outfielder Jaycee Wilmshurst, who is Co-Defensive Player of the Year. They’re two of the Indians’ three seniors this past season, and they led the club to an undefeated record in league and 17-6 overall.

Signed to San Francisco State, Caratachea went 9-0 in the TVL with a tidy 0.44 ERA. She also struck out 103 batters in 64 innings while allowing just 30 hits and five walks. Fifteen of those strikeouts came in a seven-inning perfect game against Hughson.

Caratachea shined in other facets, finishing with a perfect fielding percentage while hitting for a .346 average. It’s the third consecutive season that she garnered one of the major awards in league. As a sophomore, she was named Pitcher of the Year.

Wilmshurst had just one error in 11 chances in the outfield. She also produced offensively with a .414 average and seven steals.

Junior third baseman Alana Hernandez earned all-league honors for a third time, leading Ripon in league with a .514 batting average, 18 hits, 10 runs, three homers and 14 RBIs.

Catcher Izabelle Spurzem (.441, 10 RBIs), shortstop Addison Naranjo (.300, 12 runs, 13 steals) and first baseman Chloe Lautenslager (.440) are second-time selections. Second baseman Addyson Wilmshurst received her second honorable mention. All four were sophomores.
Ripon’s Tanner Jordan is Co-Coach of the Year.


Boys volleyball

Coach Tara Maruyama guided the Indians (22-10) to their most successful season, which

All-TVL spring
Anthony Gomez sets the ball for Ripon in a Trans-Valley League match with Escalon. - photo by Wayne Thallander
included a share of their first TVL championship.

Gomez anchored Ripon with his all-around play. The senior setter tallied 31 kills, 21 aces, six blocks, 27 digs and 117 assists. He and senior libero Marquell Marshall (110 digs, 25 aces) are two-time all-league selections.

Also getting all-league spots are sophomore outside hitter Alex Alvarellos (93 kills, 11 blocks), senior setter Martin Raygoza (59 digs, 25 aces, 83 assists) and sophomore middle Trent Olmo (54 kills, 16 blocks).

Junior defensive specialist Leo Barrera earned honorable mention.


Baseball

All-TVL spring
Ripon third baseman Dawson Downs reaches down to grab the ball barehanded at Escalon. - photo by SEAN KAHLER
Downs and Sandoval spearheaded the Indians’ third-place finish in the TVL. They finished 17-10 overall.

The 2023 MVP and 2022 Offensive Player of the Year, Downs is back on the first team after registering team-highs of four homers, 14 runs and 15 RBIs in league play. The senior third baseman also hit .355.

Sandoval was Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. The senior shortstop was again a spark plug in the attack, pacing the team with a .455 in league with 15 hits, 13 runs, four triples, 10 RBIs and 13 steals.

Making honorable mention: senior pitcher/third baseman Joseph Brizuela, senior pitcher/UTIL Nate Dorn, senior outfielder/pitcher Brady Hunt and senior first baseman/pitcher Owen Wilbur.