UPPER LAKE — The Upper Lake Cougars dominated their North Central League II opponents this season to claim a second straight league title and junior catcher Ruby Wurm was a big reason why.
In fact, Wurm is one of eight Upper Lake players to earn some type of honor on the 2023 edition of the All-North Central League II softball team as recently selected by the league’s coaches. Wurm tops that list of Cougar honorees as she was named co-most valuable player, sharing the award with Credo senior pitcher Haley Ray.
While the 2023 season was a test of patience for the Cougars who lost nearly their entire preseason to rain/snow, Upper Lake still managed to go 11-3, including 6-0 in league and 1-1 in the North Coast Section Division 5 playoffs that followed. The Cougars beat St. Vincent 7-0 in a first-round game before losing to eventual Division 5 champion St. Helena 10-0 in the quarterfinals. St. Helena, the undefeated NCL I champion, won all three of its section games by shutout.
Wurm was solid behind the plate for the Cougars as well as one of the team’s most dangerous hitters. She was joined on the All-League first team by her battery mate, Upper Lake junior pitcher Nya Marcks, and senior teammates Tristin Rhodes, an outfielder, and shortstop Nathaly Velasco, and freshman second baseman Ashlyn Wurm.
Other first-team selections were juniors Bryn Weigel-Murphy, Jazlyn Fuller and Maya Malone of the runner-up Credo squad, Calistoga senior Grace Galindo, and Tomales sophomore Gillian Alves.
Nine players received honorable mentions, three of them Cougars. They were seniors Maddy Young and Paris Klier and freshman Aimee Schaefers. Credo also had three honorable mentions in junior Tianna Munson, junior Anna Kjeldsen and freshman Harper Malone. Rounding out the list are Calistoga sophomore Xitlali Lopez and Tomales senior Vanessa Martin.
