Scotts Valley High junior Taylor Wilson earned the league’s top honors as the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League’s Player of the Year for the 2024 season.
“This award means a lot to me because it was my goal from the beginning of the season and I am so grateful that I was selected in the end,” said Wilson via text message. “It makes it really special that I could stand out enough to all of those coaches and people for them to recognize me.”
The Falcons’ star player batted a .508 average (31-for-61) with three triples, seven doubles, nine RBIs, 25 runs scored and 20 stolen bases. She was also a stalwart on defense as the Falcons’ third baseman, recording 35 assists and eight putouts with just two errors in 45 total chances, according to statistics on the MaxPreps website.
“My work ethic really isn’t that special, I don’t like doing bad,” she said. “I also love playing softball, so it isn’t hard for me to go out and practice a lot.”
Taylor helped lead the Falcons to an SCCAL softball crown for the first time since 2017.
In the 2024 season, Scotts Valley finished 13-2 in league play and 14-7 overall, earning a trip to the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs.
“There were a lot of fun moments this season and I loved playing with this group of girls,” Wilson said. “It was just a fun moment when we won league because that was something new for all of us and I hope that we can do it next year.”
Scotts Valley coach Jeremy Wilson said having her daughter win the league’s top accolade is a huge honor for her and the softball program.
“There are some talented girls in this league, and to be recognized as the player of the year is pretty special,” he said. “What made it even more special is that she was nominated by another coach in the league, and not by me.”
Jeremy Wilson added that Taylor works hard at her craft and believes this award will help push her game to the next level.
The Falcons’ second-year coach also went home with some hardware after Jeremy Wilson was named the SCCAL’s Coach of the Year. He said it was an honor to be recognized by his peers within the league and owes it to the players on this year’s squad.
“They are the ones that work so hard to put the coaching into action on the field,” he said. “I owe that accolade to them.”
Other top award winners include Aptos High senior pitcher Mileena Carbajal, who recently committed to Indiana Institute of Technology on a softball scholarship.
Carbajal had a 1.65 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings pitched for the Mariners in 2024.
Aptos coach Phil Rojas said Carbajal was well deserving of the award, especially after having the best season in her four years with the Mariners.
“[Carbajal] developed her screwball that made her tough to hit this year,” Rojas said. “Mileena was determined to be the best. I was so proud of her. Her strikeouts were definitely up.”
Harbor High senior Morgan Devilries earned the Heart & Hustle award.
Scotts Valley junior infielder Gracie Delgado, junior pitcher Sofie Seese and freshman outfielder Chloe Kent each earned All-SCCAL First Team honors.
Delgado batted a .397 average (23-for-58) with a team-best four home runs, two triples, five doubles, 15 RBIs, 20 runs scored and five stolen bases.
Seese had a 1.13 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 86 2/3 innings pitched, going 9-7 overall in the circle this season.
Kent also looked impressive with 35 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings pitched for the Falcons. She batted a .367 average (22-for-60) with three doubles, one triple, eight RBIs and 14 runs scored.
San Lorenzo Valley senior outfielder Alyssa Struthers, junior infielder Angie Fulkerson and senior catcher Olivia Renouf each earned All-SCCAL First Team honors.
Struthers tallied 32 hits, including seven doubles, two triples, two home runs and 13 RBIs for the Cougars, who finished with a 15-11 overall record and placed third in the SCCAL standings going 11-4 record in league play.
Fulkerson had 26 hits, including five doubles, one triple, one home run and 18 RBIs, while Renouf finished with 26 hits, including five doubles and 16 RBIs.
SLV junior pitcher Abby Krepelka, senior infielder Ali Reger and junior outfielder Cheyenne Owen, and Scotts Valley junior infielder Abby Howell and junior outfielder Jazzy Doubek each earned All-SCCAL Second Team honors.
Jeremy Wilson is expecting to have his starting nine players—most of them playing together since they were eight years old—return for the 2025 season.
Wilson said it was an amazing feeling to win a league title and hang a banner in the gymnasium for this year’s group of girls.
“Looking forward to seeing what this group can accomplish next season,” he said.
2024 All-SCCAL Softball
Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player: Taylor Wilson (Jr.), Scotts Valley
Pitcher of the Year: Mileena Carbajal (Sr.), Aptos
Heart & Hustle Award: Morgan Devilries (Sr.), Harbor
Coach of the Year: Jeremy Wilson, Scotts Valley
First Team
Emma Burgueno (Fr.), Aptos
Bailey Fulton (Jr.), Aptos
Regan Fulton (Sr.), Aptos
Angie Fulkerson (Jr.), San Lorenzo Valley
Olivia Renouf (Sr.), SLV
Alyssa Struthers (Sr.), SLV
Gracie Delgado (Jr.), Scotts Valley
Chloe Kent (Fr.), Scotts Valley
Sofie Seese (Jr.), Scotts Valley
Emma Niizawa (Fr.), Soquel
Second Team
Kalani Aguayo (Jr.), Aptos
Lanies Nunez (So.), Aptos
Malibu Dominguez (Jr.), Harbor
Ella Dunton (Fr.), Santa Cruz
Makayla Norman (So.), Santa Cruz
Abby Krepelka (Jr.), SLV
Cheyenne Owen (Jr.), SLV
Ali Reger (Sr.), SLV
Jazzy Doubek (Jr.), Scotts Valley
Abby Howell (Jr.), Scotts Valley
Honorable Mention
Cara Allshouse (So.), Aptos
Lilly McGee (Jr.), Aptos
Nova Neu (Fr.), Aptos
Addison Schaefer (So.), Harbor
Juliet Ray (Jr.), Harbor
Miranda Navarro (So.), Harbor
Jori Fields-Rapley (Jr.), SLV
Fallyn Lachmund (Sr.), SLV
Grace Purscher (Fr.), SLV
Amaris Gonzalez (Jr.), Santa Cruz
Leah Serna (So.), Santa Cruz
Izzy Fetke (Fr.), Santa Cruz
Ava Eagle (Sr.), Scotts Valley
Natalie Murry-Skalland (Fr.), Scotts Valley
Nick Powell (Jr.), Scotts Valley
Katie Niizawa (Fr.), Soquel
Mallely Valdez (So.), Soquel
Lucy Federspiel (So.), Soquel