SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis head swimming coach Brian Nabeta earned Co-Coach of the Year while a total of 16 Troubadours won a total of 16 first-team honors, as the spring sports All-Delta League awards were announced by commission Rick Spears' office Monday.
Nabeta, who shared the honor with Jesuit head swim coach Mike Solander, guided the Troubies to their first Sac-Joaquin Section title since 2011, and the first Delta League crown since 2015. The team went on to post a program-best sixth-place finish at the state championships, while picking up dual wins against such programs as Davis and Carondelet during the regular season. The 2023 season marked Nabeta's second year at the SF helm.
The varsity event winners at the league championships for track & field and swimming & diving also garner All-Delta League distinction. From Nabeta's swim program, senior Ava Chavez captured both the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly events, while sophomore Erica Jaffe won the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke at the championship meet at American River College on April 21. Junior diver Sinclair Yadao also picked up an all-league patch her for winning 397.05 total in the 1-meter springboard competition at Rio Americano two days earlier.
From track & field, junior Grace Dunham bested the field in the 1,600 meter run while joining teammates Kelsey Sutch, Kayla Towne and Daphne Witherell for the inaugural league title in the 4x800 relay. The Troubies finished fourth at the league championships and seventh at the SJS Division I meet. Dunham, the 4x800 relay and senior pole vaulter Maddie Pelfrey each qualified for the state championships at Buchanan High this Friday and Saturday.
In the remaining team sports, all-league honors are determined by a vote of the coaches at or near the conclusion of their respective regular seasons.
St. Francis, Davis and Vista Del Lago each dominated the lacrosse All-Delta League rolls with five honorees each. Representing the Troubies were junior Elizabeth Barger (27 GBs, 16 CTs, 27 DCs, 21 goals), junior Brynley Hodge (school-record 70 goals, 78 DCs, 18 CTs, 29 GBs) sophomore Karly Okamoto (33 goals, school-record 52 assists, 21 GBs, 10 CTs), junior Jane Tattersall (school-record 70 goals, 25 assists, 19 GBs, 11 CTs, 21 DCs), and sophomore Cami Zucker (29 GBs, 14 CTs). St. Francis finished fourth in the SFL/Delta tournament and earned a berth in the North Coast Section playoffs.
The Troubie softball team matched champion Pleasant Grove with a league-high four first-teamers, with senior Jazzy Basquez (.397/.480/.470), junior Francesca Guerrera (.396/.441/.582), junior Alex Garcia (.427/.457/.573) and sophomore Claire Krotine (.373/.427/.546) receiving such honors. St. Francis overcame an 0-6 start to go 16-13 for the season, a share of second place in the tough Delta League, and a semifinal berth in the SJS Division II championship tournament.
The all-league awards are determined by coaches' vote and/or championship events throughout the final weeks of the spring; however, the league office does not officially announce the awards until all teams have concluded their SJS postseason participation. Pleasant Grove softball, the top seed in the Division I playoff bracket, was the last Delta League team standing in 2023.
What follows is a sport-by-sport breakdown of All-Delta League awards plus team honors that were announced at the teams' respective season banquets:
TRACK & FIELD
All-Delta League: Grace Dunham - 1,600 Meters
All-Delta League: Grace Dunham, Kelsey Sutch, Kayla Towne, Daphne Witherell - 4x800 Relay
Distance MVP: Kayla Towne
High Jump MVP: Abbey Pavelchik
Horizontal Jumps MVP: Maddison Sundermier
Pole Vault MVP: Maddie Pelfrey
Sprints MVP: Sarah Charles
Throws MVP: Lauren Riley
SOFTBALL
All-Delta League: Jazzy Basquez
All-Delta League: Alex Garcia
All-Delta League: Francesca Guerrera
All-Delta League: Claire Krotine
Most Valuable Player: Francesca Guerrera
Most Inspirational Players: Isabelle Vela & Olivia McFarland
Most Improved Player: Claire Krotine
Most Valuable JV Player: Deanna Richardson
SWIMMING & DIVING
All-Delta League: Ava Chavez - 200 Freestyle
All-Delta League: Ava Chavez - 100 Butterfly
All-Delta League: Erica Jaffe - 200 Individual Medley
All-Delta League: Erica Jaffe - 100 Backstroke
All-Delta League: Sinclair Yadao - 1-Meter Diving
Most Valuable Diver - Sinclair Yadao
Most Improved Diver - Maya Hamilton
Most Valuable Varsity Swimmer - Ava Chavez
Most Improved Varsity Swimmer - Mia Hill, Jordyn Larson
Most Dedicated Varsity Swimmer - Sydney Glenn, Marissa Recio
Most Spirited Varsity Swimmer - Teaghan Brostrom
Varsity Swimming Coaches Award - Erica Jaffe
Most Valuable JV Swimmer - Isabella Schmid
Most Improved JV Swimmer - Rose Haag
Most Dedicated JV Swimmer - Abigail Benavidez
Most Spirited JV Swimmer - Piper Brostrom
JV Swimming Newcomer of the Year - Olivia Charles
JV Swimming Coaches Award - Alexis DeAngelis
LACROSSE
All-Delta League: Elizabeth Barger
All-Delta League: Brynley Hodge
All-Delta League: Karly Okamoto
All-Delta League: Jane Tattersall
All-Delta League: Cami Zucker
Varsity Lacrosse Player of the Year: Brynley Hodge
Varsity Lacrosse Offensive MVP: Jane Tattersall
Varsity Lacrosse Defensive MVP: Cami Zucker
Varsity Lacrosse Leadership Award: Abby Gillum
JV Lacrosse Best Leadership: Chloe Tanner
JV Lacrosse Most Improved: Erin Feguis
JV Lacrosse Most Positive: Ava Jack
