Monarch turnaround decades in making

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

SAN DIEGO CIF DIVISION V CHAMPIONSHIP

MONTE VISTA 19, LA JOLLA 9

Monte Vista smashes to first section title in 37 years

By Ramon Scott | East County Sports

LA JOLLA (May 30, 2026) — One year ago, Monte Vista softball endured a season few programs would ever want to revisit.

The Monarchs finished 1-16 in 2025. Most of those losses came by wide margins. Confidence was hard to find, victories were almost nonexistent, and the program appeared buried at the bottom of the CIF San Diego Section softball landscape.

On Saturday afternoon at UC San Diego, the Monarchs completed one of the section’s most dramatic one-year turnarounds in any sport.

Powered by an explosive offense, aggressive baserunning, and a roster that never stopped believing, third-seeded Monte Vista defeated top-seeded La Jolla, 17-9, to win the CIF San Diego Section Division 5 championship.

The title is Monte Vista’s first softball championship since winning 3A crowns in 1987 and 1989.

And fittingly, it was freshman Reena Del Rosario who put the finishing touches on the historic victory.

After helping ignite the offense from the leadoff spot, Del Rosario entered the circle in relief and shut down the Vikings over the final two innings, allowing just two hits and no runs to earn the victory.

For a program searching for a new identity only a year ago, Del Rosario represented exactly what Monte Vista has become.

Young. Fearless. Resilient.

And now, champions.

Fast Start Sets the Tone

Monte Vista wasted little time taking control.

The Monarchs scored four runs in the opening inning despite recording only a handful of hard-hit balls. An error opened the door before senior third baseman Giselle Sanchez delivered a two-run single.

Later in the frame, Mya Jimenez added an RBI hit to make it 4-0.

La Jolla answered with two runs in the bottom half, but Monte Vista kept applying pressure.

The Monarchs added two more runs in the second inning, receiving RBI singles from Olivia Mendham and Kianna Deleon.

By the third inning, the game had become exactly the kind of high-scoring affair Monte Vista had thrived in throughout the postseason.

Julieta Castillo Martinez lined an RBI single down the left-field line, and another Viking miscue helped the Monarchs stretch the lead to 10-4.

Monte Vista never looked back.

The Monarchs scored:

• 4 runs in the first
• 2 runs in the second
• 4 runs in the third
• 3 runs in the fourth
• 1 run in the fifth
• 3 runs in the sixth

By the time the dust settled, Monte Vista had crossed the plate 17 times, despite collecting only 10 hits.

Chaos Creates Runs

The final score suggested offensive domination, but the way Monte Vista generated those runs illustrated the style that carried the Monarchs through the postseason.

Monte Vista combined:

• 10 hits
• 9 walks
• 4 hit batters
• 7 stolen bases
• multiple wild pitches
• six La Jolla errors

The Monarchs constantly forced the Vikings to defend under pressure.

Every inning seemed to feature runners in motion, stolen bases, extra bases taken on passed balls, and opportunities created by putting the ball in play.

The relentless attack eventually overwhelmed La Jolla.

Remarkably, Monte Vista scored 17 runs while being credited with only seven RBIs.

Mendham Continues Stellar Season

Junior shortstop Olivia Mendham, one of the most productive hitters in San Diego County all season, once again sparked the offense.

Mendham finished 2-for-4, scored four runs, drove in another, stole a base, and consistently put pressure on the Viking defense.

Entering the championship game, Mendham carried a .584 batting average and 47 RBIs. She looked every bit like the offensive catalyst who helped drive Monte Vista’s playoff run.

Freshman pitcher Julieta Castillo Martinez also delivered a strong all-around performance.

The starter went 2-for-4, scored three runs, and drove in a run while battling through five innings in the circle before handing the ball to Del Rosario.

Sanchez Leads the Attack

While several Monarchs contributed, Sanchez produced perhaps the biggest offensive afternoon.

The third baseman went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, accounting for nearly one-third of Monte Vista’s hits.

Deleon added an RBI single and scored once, while Del Rosario, Castillo Martinez, and Mendham each collected two hits.

Even players who didn’t record hits found ways to contribute.

Liliah Gorham scored four runs despite going hitless. She reached base via walks, hit-by-pitches, and an error, then used her speed to wreak havoc on the bases.

That depth has been one of Monte Vista’s defining characteristics throughout the season.

Vikings Refuse to Go Away

To La Jolla’s credit, the top-seeded Vikings never stopped battling.

The Vikings pounded out 16 hits, six more than Monte Vista.

Aviv Laska was nearly unstoppable, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs.

Ella Pearl finished 3-for-4 and fell just a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.

Jacey Taylor, one of the county’s most dangerous hitters all season, added two hits and drove in another run.

La Jolla trailed 13-6 after four innings and continued chipping away, but each time the Vikings threatened, Monte Vista answered.

The Monarchs’ ability to score in six different innings ultimately proved decisive.

Del Rosario Slams the Door

With the game still within reach entering the late innings, Del Rosario took over in the circle.

The freshman allowed only two hits over the final two innings while striking out one and walking one.

Her performance stabilized a game that had featured offense from both sides all afternoon.

When the final out settled into a glove, the celebration began.

Players streamed from the dugout, championship hardware soon followed, and the Monarchs completed a journey that seemed impossible only 12 months earlier.

From a 1-16 Record to Champions in One Season

Perhaps no statistic better captures Monte Vista’s accomplishment than the transformation from last season to this one.

The Monarchs entered 2026 determined to erase the memory of a one-win campaign.

Under first-year head coach Fili Tavarez, the program embraced a new culture built around accountability, family, and belief.

The results were immediate.

Monte Vista finished 19-13, fought through the Division 5 bracket, survived the loser’s bracket, and won consecutive postseason slugfests to reach the championship game.

Then came the final statement.

A 17-run outburst on the section’s biggest stage.

A championship plaque.

And a place in school history.

For a program searching for a fresh start, Saturday delivered something even better.

A new era.

Championship Box

CIF San Diego Section Division 5 Championship

Monte Vista 17, La Jolla 9

Monte Vista Leaders

• Giselle Sanchez: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 runs
• Olivia Mendham: 2-for-4, 4 runs, RBI
• Julieta Castillo Martinez: 2-for-4, 3 runs, RBI
• Reena Del Rosario: 1-for-5, 2 runs; Winning pitcher (2 IP, 0 R)

La Jolla Leaders

• Aviv Laska: 4-for-5, 2 RBI
• Ella Pearl: 3-for-4, 2 runs
• Jacey Taylor: 2-for-4, RBI

Final Records

• Monte Vista: 19-13, CIF Division 5 Champions
• La Jolla: 16-13, Division 5 Runner-Up

Monarch Titles

Championships Won

• 1987 — CIF 3A Champion
• 1989 — CIF 3A Champion
• 2026 — CIF Division 5 Champion

Years Between Titles: 37 years

Saturday, May 30, 2026 — UC San Diego

The Monarchs’ Juliana Manley was awarded the CIF Sportsmanship Award at the championship game.

Player             AB R H RBI
Del Rosario cf/p    5 2 1 0
Gorham              3 4 0 0
Castillo Martinez p 4 3 2 1
Mendham ss          4 4 2 1
Sanchez 3b          4 2 3 2
Deleon lf           3 1 1 2
Rodriguez 1b        3 0 0 1
Manley c            3 0 0 0
Jimenez rf          1 0 1 1
Mayo 2b.            1 1 0 0
Tapia.              1 0 0 0

TOTALS           32 17 10 7

LA JOLLA (16-13)

Player    AB R H RBI
Putnam cf  5 1 1 0
Pearl p    4 2 3 0
Taylor 1b  4 2 2 1
Laska c    5 2 4 2
Ehlert 2b  3 1 2 1
Thomson 3b 3 0 0 2
Smith ss   4 0 2 1
Hernandez  1 0 1 0
Carnes     2 0 0 1
Quach lf   4 0 1 1

TOTALS   35 9 16 9

MONTE VISTA 17, LA JOLLA 9

Monte Vista   424 313 0 — 17 10 2
La Jolla      202 023 0 —  9 16 7

WP—Reena Del Rosario (13-3)
LP—Ella Pearl

2B—MV: Mendham.
3B—MV: Del Rosario.
2B—LJ: Laska 2, Pearl, Taylor.
3B—LJ: Pearl, Smith.

Leaders

Monte Vista

• Olivia Mendham: 2-for-4, 4 runs, RBI
• Julieta Castillo Martinez: 2-for-4, 3 runs, RBI
• Giselle Sanchez: 3-for-4, 2 RBI
• Reena Del Rosario: Winning pitcher, 2 scoreless innings

La Jolla

• Aviv Laska: 4-for-5, 2 doubles, 2 RBI
• Ella Pearl: 3-for-4, double, triple
• Jacey Taylor: 2-for-4, RBI

Related Posts

• 
  East County girls shine at state meet
• 
  CIF Championships: Baseball Scoreboard
• 
  CIF Championships: Patrick Henry wins on game for the ages