Pioneer Valley senior Jules Hernandez was a team captain and provided solid leadership for a Panthers team that advanced to the postseason.
Hernandez is the Ocean League women's soccer co-MVP, along with Mission Prep sophomore Isabel Medeiros. Mission Prep senior goaltender Ellie Foster-Adams has been named the league's Goaltender of the Year.
Medeiros had 14 goals and 10 assists for the Royals, who won the CIF Central Division Division 4 championship and qualified for the first round of the Northern California Regional playoffs. Foster Adams made 53 saves on the year. Mission Prep's defense allowed just 26 goals.
Pioneer Valley was eliminated in the first round of the Division 4 playoffs, losing in the shootout stage to top-seeded Reedley.
Veteran Cabrillo coach Derrick Wong's team won the Ocean League championship and advanced to the Division 4 semifinals. Five of his players also play other sports and are on the All-Ocean League first team.
Seniors Gabi Pulido and Bryn Wiley played on the Cabrillo tennis team that won the 2023 Ocean League Championship. So was junior Tobin Jolly. They are all on the Soccer All-Ocean League Women's Soccer First Team. The same goes for junior Kensley Martin, who helped the Cabrillo golf team win the Ocean League championship and came in first in the composite performance category, and sophomore Marie Terrones, who plays for the Cabrillo softball team.
Mission Prep has three players on the All-League First Team, senior Sophia Longman, junior Sarah Connors and freshman Phoebe Jensen. Pioneer Valley junior Yoseline Mendez and sophomore Camila Cordova round out the All-Ocean League first team, along with Nipomo's Ruby Graciliano and Santa Maria's Maydeli Cruz.
Cabrillo and Mission Prep each have four players on the All-Ocean League second team. His four at Cabrillo are juniors Melisa Godoy and Gisele Najera, senior Emily Ramirez and sophomore Brooklyn Foss. The four at Mission Prep are juniors Taylor LaFillette and Kate Kilmer, and sophomores Peyton Pierce and Elizabeth Morton.
Pioneer Valley has two players on the All-League Second Team, senior Alyssa Fuerte and sophomore Melissa Arellano. Nipomo senior Alicia Diaz and Santa Maria junior Stephanie Chavez rounded out the All-Ocean League second team.
Cabrillo junior Eliana Core, Pioneer Valley junior Jolene Mendez, Nipomo junior Kari Crandall and Santa Maria freshman Elsie Hernandez were among the players who received All-Ocean League honorable mention honors.
Kenny Cress is a sports reporter for the Santa Maria Times, covering local sports in northern Santa Barbara County. You can send him information or story ideas by emailing KCress@SantaMariaTimes.com.