Jesuit's Sam Blachly celebrates with her teammates following their state playoff win over Roseburg. Blachly was the Metro League's Player of the Year in 2025. (Ric Getter/Valley Times)

With the 2024-25 school year behind us, it’s now time to celebrate the best of the best from the Metro League’s baseball and softball diamonds.

While Jesuit won the league baseball title, it was Sunset who tasted the ultimate spoils, winning the state championship, defeating Grant 6-5 in the state title game early in June.

But while the Apollos walked away with the big prize, Jesuit gathered the most hardwood from the Metro League’s list of all-league honorees announced after the season.

The Crusaders had 14 players honored, with eight of those earning first team accolades, including Kainoa Santiago who was the league’s Player of the Year, while earning first team honors as both a relief pitcher and outfielder.

Joining Santiago on the first team was senior first baseman Carter Stewart; junior shortstop Jake Rolling; senior outfielder Trey Cleeland; junior catcher Ryder Listy; senior designated hitter Dillong Garg; senior pitcher Johnny Ingalls.

Additionally, Jesuit junior infielder Henry Vanderhoff, sophomore outfielder Kyle Goodwin, and pitchers Chase Kelly and Calvin Martinez earned second team honors, while Dylan Ruchaber and Dylan Lipp were honorable mention.

Sunset’s all-leaguers were highlighted by senior pitcher and first baseman Kruz Schoolcraft who was the league’s Pitcher of the Year.

Schoolcraft is committed to attend and play baseball for the University of Tennessee in the fall, but is also projected as a first round draft pick in the upcoming Major League Baseball Draft.

Schoolcraft earned first team honors as both a pitcher and first baseman, and was joined on the first team by teammates; senior outfielder Gabe Coltman; and senior infielder Dakota Chun.

The Apollos had 12 players honored overall, with second-teamers including infielder Luke Sullivan; Catcher Kyle Gresham; designated hitter Gavin Riley; and Chun who earned the honor as a relief pitcher.

Also, Sunset’s Marcus Pollard, Max Waldrip, Parker Raubuch and Will Slater earned honorable mention.

Beyond the league’s top two teams, Beaverton, Mountainside and Westview put two players on the first team, while Aloha placed one.

Additional first-teamers included Aloha’s Jayden Nakamura; Westview’s Nathan Kim and Maxwell Stuart; Beaverton’s Chase Austin and Dax Teixeira; and Mountainside’s Cole Crossley and Kellen Wood.

Aloha put four players on the second team, including Sunny Corpus, Achilles Garcia (catcher and outfield) and Hayden Grot, while Mountainside claimed three spots (Hudson Gruginski, Kai Franco and Landen Sigler), Beaverton two (Dax Teixeira and Landon Wight), and Westview two (Caleb Bailie and Maxwell Stuart).
Others earning honorable mention included Mountainside’s Kyle Schmidt, Calvin Huynh and Connor Manning; Beaverton’s Yandel Salas, Tate Westhaver, Vincent Worley and Jaxon Berry; Westview’s Taisei Sasaki (infielder and relief pitcher), Maddox Nichols and Greg Bologoff; Aloha’s David Hoskins (catcher and relief pitcher) and Dez Garcia; and Southridge’s Dominic Eddins and Jadon Nash.

Jesuit’s Colin Griffin was the Coach of the Year.

In softball, league champion Sunset was joined by Aloha with three players on the league’s first team, followed by Jesuit, Beaverton, Mountainside and Southridge who put two apiece on the list.

The league champion Apollos’ list of honorees was highlighted by freshman Sydney Arnold who was the league’s Pitcher of the Year.

Arnold was joined on the first team by teammates, senior outfielder Jordan Pena and junior infielder Keana Cooper.

Apollos earning second team honors included sophomore Shelby Townsend, while Sofia Santana, Daja Paz and Kaia McKenna were honorable mention.

Jesuit finished 25-6 overall and advanced to the state semifinals where they fell to eventual champion Sherwood.

The Crusaders’ list of honorees was highlighted by Player of the Year, senior Sam Blachly, who was joined on the first team by freshman designated hitter Liz Jacobs.

Jesuit also put four on the second team, Olivia Hildreth, Aubrey Rhodes, Berkleigh Tuck and Selah Green, while Riley Smith was honorable mention.

Mountainside was third in the league and had an overall record of 16-11, and boasted first-teamers Ainsley Arbow and Aliz Penning, while Olivia Patterson and JoJo Appling were second team.

The Mavericks’ Audri Kruhm and Libby Wilson were honorable mention.

Aloha was fourth in the league and advanced to the state playoffs’ second round before losing to Jesuit.

Avery Dimeo, Abby Dimeo and Brooklyn Sweatman all earned first team honors, while Sophia Rider and Izzy Wagner made second team, and Chiyori Brumley and Nellie Foust were honorable mention.

Southridge’s Mollia Basset and Sierra Llamas, along with Westview’s Ana Pule Fifita rounded out the league’s first team, while the Skyhawks’ Kylan Rhinehart and Sloane Swenson were the last of the second-teamers.

Westview’s Alexander Zamora and Natalie Muth were honorable mention.

Sunset head coach Montana Evens was the Coach of the Year.