The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
You might expect the Long Beach Poly softball program to be feeling some pressure. The Jackrabbits haven’t won a Moore League title since 2006 and have never won a CIF-SS title, and expectations are high this year with the top recruit in the country at shortstop leading a talented group of returners. Instead, the Jackrabbits are laughing, listening to island music, and staying loose. It’s a formula that’s worked well for head coach Elizabeth Sanches since she took over in 2017.
“They’re fun, this is a really fun group,” she said. “I played on the most intense travel team in the country–playing with my cousins and friends in high school was the breath of fresh air that revived me, and that’s what I want our program to be. We see them as humans before anything–I’m a teacher first, and I’m with them more off the field than on it.”
Those players may be fun off the field, but they’re super-talented on it. Ki’ele Ho-Ching, the Jackrabbits’ junior shortstop and reigning Moore League Player of the Year, was recently named the No. 1 recruit in the nation in the junior class by Prep Softball. Ho-Ching committed to Oklahoma over the offseason, and is far from the only college-bound talent on the team. Third baseman Emoni Lam Sam is committed to Cal, and senior outfielder Kween Tauala recently signed with Bethune-Cookman. Junior catcher Janelle Morris is another returning all-Moore League player for the Jackrabbits with a big bat.
“We’ve never had depth like this in our life,” said Sanches. “When we’ve had pitchers we haven’t had the bats, or when we’ve had the offense we’ve been rolling with one or one and a half pitchers.”
This year the Jackrabbits have a different feel. In addition to the high-octane offense and experienced defense around the field, they also have legitimate depth in the circle. Transfer Star T. Sepulveda was a first-team All-Moore League pitcher for Lakewood last year, sophomore Tegan Breaux is a big talent, as are returners Ari Wilson and Isabella Correa, both of whom missed time with injury last year. Freshman Isabella Cisneros is part of a talented frosh class that includes second baseman Bailey Holder and Victoria Sepulveda, all of whom will make an immediate varsity impact.
“It’s really fun this year, it feels like if someone gets hurt there’s always someone behind them,” said Ho-Ching. “Everyone is really comfortable with each other, no one is afraid to make mistakes, we just all have each other’s backs.”
Ho-Ching said the culture of the team stems from their head coach, who she holds in high regard.
“She’s as much of our mom as our coach, to be honest, she’s very understanding and she makes the environment really comfortable,” she said. “She’s the only female coach I’ve ever had and I think that’s part of it. She’s such a sweet soul, and she makes sure we’re having fun.”
Sanches says her team’s depth will allow her to ride hot hands with whoever’s hitting well in some different positions. She also expects it may take Poly some time to round into form with a couple of sit-out period transfers in Tauala and Sepulveda, as well as several players returning from flag football or other sports recently.
“Emoni might be our only one-sport athlete, all these girls play flag football, volleyball, whatever it is,” said Sanches. “We want them to enjoy their high school experience.”
Ho-Ching didn’t shy away from stating her goals for the season–she and her teammates want to make history this year.
“I believe that we will win league this year, and honestly CIF too,” she said. “We’re a good team. I feel strong.”
For Sanches, the goal isn’t to focus on other teams–it’s for her girls to focus on themselves.
“I never think about who we’re playing, who their coach is, who their mascot is,” she said. “We have great expectations–but we are playing against ourselves. We’re playing against how we played yesterday in practice. If we want to be great, we gotta beat the best version of ourselves.”
Long Beach Poly Starting Lineup
P – Star T Sepulveda, Sr. / Tegan Breaux, So. / Ari Wilson, Jr. / Bella Correa, So. / Isabella Cisneros, Fr.
C – Janelle Morris, Jr. / Sunni Vaafuti, Jr.
1B – Sunni Vaafuti, Jr. / Kween Tauala, Jr.
2B – Bailey Holder, Fr. / Isabella Cisneros, Fr. / Persja Lam Sam, Jr. / Victoria Sepulveda, Fr. / Alayna Veavealagi, Jr.
3B – Emoni Lam Sam, Jr.
SS – Ki’ele Ho-Ching, Jr.
OF – Kween Tauala, Sr.
OF — Persja Lam Sam, Jr. / Bailey Holder, Fr. / Victoria Sepulveda, Fr. / Isabella Cisneros, Fr.
OF – Tegan Breaux, So. / Brooklyn Bernas, Sr. / Neela Bagley, Jr.
