Finishing on a high note

Editor's Note: The Independent looks back on the 2011-2012 high school season. Below is the third of three parts, focusing on the spring season.

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The softball season saw several local teams turn in successful runs.

Edison ran up a program-record 26 victories and reached the CIF Southern Section Division 1 semifinals. The Chargers had their season end with a 6-4 loss to defending-champion Santiago of Corona, which a week later lost to Norco in the title game.

Ocean View won the Golden West League title and the ninth-ranked Seahawks reached the second round of the Division 4 playoffs. There, they were edged by sixth-ranked La Habra, 5-4.

Marina and Fountain Valley both advanced from the Sunset League to the CIF playoffs. The Vikings, the No. 3 team from the Sunset, dropped a first-round game to Etiwanda and the Barons lost a wild-card game to Rosary.

Edison junior Sammy Cordova (25-5) was named Pitcher of the Year and freshman Ali Wester was named Rookie of the Year on the 2012 All-Sunset League Softball Team. Cordova also was named to the All-CIF Division 1 first team.

In the Golden West League, Ocean View junior Brittany Hitchcock was named Pitcher of the Year.

On the baseball field, Marina (17-11) and Huntington Beach (20-9) got to the second round of the CIF Division 1 playoffs, where both fell to Century League opponents.

Marina, the No. 2 team from the Sunset League, fell, 2-0, to Century champ Esperanza, and Huntington was defeated, 6-1, by El Dorado.

"In the playoffs, there is only one team out of 32 going home happy," said Huntington Coach Benji Medure, whose team played each of its postseason games on the road. "It is very tough to win the whole thing, especially with the quality of baseball in Division 1."

Edison, the No. 3 team from the Sunset League, and Ocean View, the No. 2 team from the Golden West League, also were in the playoffs. The Chargers (13-14) beat Chaparral, 2-0, in a wild-card game, but lost a first-round game at defending Division 1 champion J.W. North. The Seahawks (13-14) traveled to Whittier and fell, 5-4. Senior Timmy Robinson hit his 12th home run of the season in the loss.

The All-Sunset League Baseball Team was headed by MVP Timmy Lopes of Edison. Marina junior Jake Bauers was named Rookie of the Year.

Ocean View senior Timmy Robinson was named MVP of the Golden West League.

Huntington Beach High and Ocean View turned in strong seasons in boys' volleyball.