Following every sports season, Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) coaches assemble county-wide teams that showcase outstanding players from each sport. These teams are called MCAL All-League and typically have first team, second team, honorable mention and Player of the Year components. When creating the teams, rules vary depending on the sport, but the process remains similar, except for golf and cross country. Every MCAL coach nominates a certain number of players from their team, placing them into the drawing pool. All MCAL coaches then assemble in a meeting where the teams are selected. Coaches cannot vote for their athletes to ensure the teams remain fair during the selection, with the exception of Player of the Year. After coaches vote, the MCAL athletic commissioner Susie Woodall finalizes the teams and posts them when finished. This fall, 50 Redwood athletes were selected for the MCAL All-League teams.
FIELD HOCKEY
Field Hockey had a highly successful season, culminating in an MCAL championship. The contributions of six athletes helped lead their team to this exceptional accomplishment — our program houses Samantha Haan, who was Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Georgia Bender earned a well-deserved spot on the first team, showcasing her outstanding performance. Natalie Poncet and Isabella Wagner also garnered honorable mention distinctions, reflecting their valuable contributions. The Giants' goalkeeper, Caroline Muller, also received recognition on the honorable mention team.
“It’s extraordinary to be recognized. It’s my second year [getting this award]. It would be pretty tough to try to live up to that again. I had that in mind going through the season, but it was a cherry on top of just winning as a team. That was the most special thing to me because we all worked so hard as a team and getting individual recognition was special too,” Haan said.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
The girls’ varsity volleyball team had a tremendously successful season, placing second in MCALs. They had four members on the All-League rosters, including junior Ella Moran and senior Jaden Hendrickson, who both were placed on the first team. Moran is the libero for the Giants and Hendrickson is an outside. Hendrickson will continue her volleyball career at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo next year. In addition, freshman Madeleine Wagner made the second team, while junior Neeva Gaine earned honorable mention.
GIRLS WATERPOLO
For water polo, each coach nominates 15 opponents and two goalies. The first vote is for the Player of the Year, where coaches can vote for their players – followed by first, second and honorable mention votes. Each team has a maximum of six players and one goalie. Within our girls' varsity water polo team, two exceptional athletes, Giselle Orson and Katherine DeForrest, earned well-deserved placements on the first team, showcasing their outstanding performances throughout the recent season.
BOYS WATERPOLO
Both boys' and girls' water polo follow the same guidelines when creating the MCAL All-League roster. Boys’ varsity water polo had three players recognized in the MCAL All-League roster: Sawyer Goldberg, Ossie Joplin and Andrew Wallace, all of whom led their team to an MCAL championship. Sawyer Goldberg and Ossie Joplin were on the first team and Andrew Wallace was an honorable mention.
FOOTBALL
Football All-League teams showcase outstanding players in various categories, including the Most Valuable Offensive Player, Most Valuable Defensive Player and Most Valuable Lineman. The offensive lineup includes five linemen, two receivers, one tight end, one quarterback and two safeties. The defensive front features four linemen, four linebackers and three defense backs. Lastly, both teams include one kicker and one punter. All three teams, first, second and honorable mention, follow the same structure.
Football has a total of 12 players on the All-League rosters. The first team defense proudly features Ronan Ralston and Jackson Feinberg, while the second team includes Jackson Walker and Miles Harrison. Wilson Schwartz, Colby Yoslov and Augustus Blackwell are on the honorable mention defense team. On the offensive side, Antony Lazarenko and Dante Rivera made second team offense. Meanwhile, the honorable mention offense team recognizes the contributions of Jackson Walker, Dante Davis and Jack Mckemey.
GIRLS GOLF
The determination of the Golf MCAL All-League follows a distinctive process. The first and second All-League teams are determined by the average stroke over the course rating method known as the season-long net average. They must have participated in at least ten league matches to qualify for All-League. Averages from the season are calculated and the player with the lowest average is Player of the Year. Then, the following six lowest averages plus ties will be first team All-League. The following six inferior players and ties will be second team All-League. Additionally, each coach adds one player to honorable mention.
In the latest Golf MCAL All-League announcements, Taylor Bridges, Katherine Lim and Katelyn Van Dusen emerged among the top performers, earning well-deserved spots on the All-League first team. Three more Redwood athletes – Chloe Branson, Imani Katiriya and Ainsley Gallagher – showcased their skill and dedication on the second team. Finally, Nicole Azar was honored with an honorable mention, adding to the recognition of Redwood's golf excellence.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Cross County employs a distinctive approach in determining its MCAL All-League teams. The traditional coach voting system is no longer used, as they now rely on the MCAL final results. The method is straightforward: first place is MCAL Runner of the Year and the first ten finishers automatically secure spots on the first team, while the subsequent ten claim positions on the second team.
In the 2023 season, the top echelons of the race featured four remarkable runners who helped Redwood place second in MCALs. Redwoods' first-place finisher Ethan Werner crossed the finish line with an impressive time of 15:30.4 after running 3.1 miles — a testament to his exceptional speed and endurance, earning him MCAL Runner of the Year.
Justin Shern, Gabriel Cavanagh and Gunner Niemi followed Werner's extraordinary finish. Shern showcased his prowess by securing sixth place in the finals. Immediately on his heels was his teammate Cavanagh, claiming the seventh spot. Completing the first team was Niemi as he clinched the 10th position.
GIRLS' CROSS COUNTRY
The boys’ and girls’ Cross Country teams adhere to a shared method for determining the MCAL All-League teams, ensuring a consistent and fair process.
Five standout athletes secured positions on the first and second teams, underlining the team's outstanding performance. They all contributed to their overall performance of first place in MCALs. Coming in fifth for the Giants was Erin Stolte. Following closely behind was Marley Nacco. Nacco claimed the seventh spot, while Kate Kozubik secured the eighth. These three outstanding athletes were placed on the first team.
On the second team, two more athletes further solidified the team's standing. Beatrice Nass showcased her talent by securing 13th place. Josephine Perlov followed closely behind, claiming the 15th spot. Their noteworthy performances added depth to their team's achievements, displaying their talent.
GIRLS' TENNIS
The girls' tennis team has seven exceptional athletes who have earned coveted spots on the MCAL All-League team. A standout among them is junior Jordan Marotto, who was recognized as Player of the Year – an incredible accomplishment that reflects her outstanding skills on the court.
Following Marotto, Ella Povio was recognized on the first team singles team, showcasing her skill in individual play. The first team doubles team also features three outstanding athletes: Annesley Krawitt, Lindsay Reed and Gwenn Ricordel. Julia Povio secured a spot on the second team singles and Livia Klompus was on the honorable mention doubles. These awards further emphasize the depth of talent of the team.
To be eligible for nomination, these dedicated athletes must actively participate in at least half of their team’s league matches. The selection process yielded six players for the first and second doubles and singles teams. Only two players are selected for the honorable mention spot for both singles and doubles. This achievement highlights individual excellence and underscores the team’s collective strength in girls' tennis.