SoCal LL Regional Pre-Tourney Team

2026 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LITTLE LEAGUE PRE-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Twenty-four players representing all 10 qualifiers earn first- or second-team recognition ahead of Saturday’s tournament opener in Aliso Viejo

By Ramon Scott
East County Sports

ALISO VIEJO — Eastvale’s overwhelming postseason run, Sweetwater Valley’s collection of two-way standouts and Encino’s power-packed lineup are represented at the top of the inaugural East County Sports Southern California Little League Pre-Tournament Team.

ECS Southern California Pre-Tournament First Team

1. Thomas Coleman, Eastvale

Coleman combines elite power with pitching value for the tournament favorite. He hit five home runs during district play and contributes on the mound for a team that has outscored its postseason opponents 99-1.

2. Noah Kirk, Sweetwater Valley

Kirk delivered the strongest documented sectional performance of any individual player in the field. He hit two home runs and drove in five runs against Imperial, went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs against Encanto, and repeatedly dominated on the mound. Kirk struck out six over three and one-third scoreless innings against Encanto and six more in three innings against Fletcher Hills.

3. Asher Sonnier, Encino

Sonnier hit 10 regular-season home runs and added a two-run homer in Encino’s sectional championship victory over Quartz Hill. He is coached by his father, television and film producer Brandon Sonnier, who returned to coaching following a serious on-set accident in 2019. Asher anchors an Encino lineup that outscored its sectional opponents 23-2 and won its final two games by a combined margin of 20-1.

4. Joel Ibarra, Eastvale

Ibarra is one of the central pieces in Eastvale’s remarkably deep lineup. He hit three home runs during district play and enters the tournament as one of the leading performers for a club that swept sectionals by a combined score of 18-1.

5. Isaac Ramirez, Sweetwater Valley

Ramirez joins Kirk as one of the tournament’s premier two-way combinations. He homered and drove in three runs in the sectional championship before striking out eight over four innings. Ramirez also hit a two-run homer against Encanto and completed the opening shutout of Fletcher Hills with a hitless inning and two strikeouts.

6. Jake Daly, Eastvale

Daly matched Coleman with five district home runs, giving Eastvale two of the most productive confirmed power hitters in the tournament. His presence helps explain why opponents cannot simply pitch around Coleman or Ibarra.

7. Benn Hause, Goleta Valley South

Hause has supplied elite two-way production for an unbeaten Goleta team. He allowed three hits and struck out seven over five innings in the district championship. At sectionals, Hause went 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs while pitching a five-hit complete game with five strikeouts against Orcutt National White.

8. Sullivan “Sully” Hamilton, Rolling Hills

Hamilton hit 11 regular-season home runs, the highest confirmed total in the field. He leads a Rolling Hills team that is 6-0 in postseason play with a 61-3 scoring advantage.

9. Jackson Gonzalez, Glendora American

Gonzalez leads the established Glendora power group after hitting four regular-season home runs. Glendora scored 54 runs in five sectional games, including 42 over its final three contests.

10. Ethan Lum, Scripps Ranch

Lum homered during Scripps Ranch’s 5-1 winner’s-bracket victory over San Carlos. He has been one of the leading offensive contributors for a Scripps team that went 3-0 against Rancho Buena Vista and San Carlos and allowed only three sectional runs.

11. William Chung, Golden Hill

Chung doubled, drove in two runs and scored twice during Golden Hill’s 12-1 elimination victory over Villa Park. He then pitched a scoreless sixth inning with two strikeouts to close the sectional championship. That two-way production helped the defending Southern California champions win four consecutive elimination games.

12. Tate Silberberg, Ladera Ranch National

Silberberg has one of the strongest documented offensive résumés among the lower-ranked qualifiers. He collected two hits and two RBIs in Ladera’s combined no-hitter, had three hits and three RBIs against East Anaheim, and doubled home three more runs in the sectional championship.

ECS Southern California Pre-Tournament Second Team

13. Dylan Tondre, Eastvale

Tondre hit three home runs during district play and also contributes to Eastvale’s unusually deep pitching staff.

14. Liam Martinez, Encino

Martinez hit five regular-season home runs and provides significant protection around Asher Sonnier in the Encino lineup.

15. Sebastian Pino, Sweetwater Valley

Pino collected two hits, scored a run and drove in another during Sweetwater Valley’s semifinal victory over Encanto. He provides important lineup depth behind Kirk and Ramirez.

16. Matt Lazo, Encino

Lazo joined Martinez with five regular-season home runs, giving Encino three confirmed hitters with at least five homers.

17. Matthew Marquez, Glendora American

Marquez hit two regular-season home runs and is part of a deep Glendora lineup that demonstrated it could produce under elimination pressure.

18. Brooks Caldwell, Goleta Valley South

Caldwell collected two hits, scored and drove in a run in the district championship before striking out all three hitters he faced to earn the save. He later scored the only run in Goleta’s 1-0 sectional championship victory.

19. Luke Daly, Golden Hill

Daly pitched a complete-game two-hitter with four strikeouts in Golden Hill’s 12-1 elimination victory over Villa Park.

20. Luke Koba, Scripps Ranch

Koba delivered an RBI double in Scripps Ranch’s 5-1 winner’s-bracket victory over San Carlos and is one of the leading offensive contributors for the Section 6 champions.

21. Lucas Morton, Scripps Ranch

Morton drove in a run during the victory over San Carlos and earns the slight local preference as a contributor for an undefeated sectional champion facing the tournament’s most difficult opening assignment.

22. Zachary Mardesich, Rolling Hills

Mardesich hit four regular-season home runs for a Rolling Hills club that hit six district-tournament homers from six different batters.

23. Aiden Magaña, Vineyard

Magaña hit four regular-season home runs and leads the identified power group for a Vineyard team that scored 34 runs during its unbeaten sectional run.

14. Sterling Hartley, Ladera Ranch National

Hartley pitched five and two-thirds hitless innings against Aliso Viejo, striking out six and walking one. Cameron Siderius recorded the final out to complete the combined no-hitter.

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