Upstart Granada Hills Bids to Stop El Camino Real’s Streak in Softball

City Section softball and El Camino Real High have been almost synonymous for the past decade.

The Conquistadores, three-time defending City 4-A Division champions, will make their 10th consecutive appearance in the 4-A title game today when they meet upstart Granada Hills (13-2) at Cal State Northridge at 5 p.m.

El Camino Real (16-6) has won seven championships in the past eight years.

“At the beginning of the year, I didn’t expect to be in the final,” El Camino Real Coach Neils Ludlow said. “You’re always hopeful, but when you look at it realistically, we had eight new position players in the field.”

Nine players graduated from the 1990 championship team, including the entire infield and ace pitcher Chrissy Peck. Because of those losses, Ludlow thought that title games would be something his young team could look forward to--sometime in the distant future. Much to Ludlow’s surprise, however, the future is now.

“We’re playing as well as we’ve played all year,” Ludlow said. “If we could put one more (win) together, it would be a great thrill for them.”

Erin McGuire, a junior shortstop, is one of four returnees who will be trying to help El Camino Real win a fourth consecutive title. McGuire, the leadoff batter, leads the team with a .378 average, followed by left fielder Heather Gibson (.353) and third baseman Heidi Crocker (.344). Jessica Dinaberg (.275), Carrie Ruelbach (.265) and Crocker lead the team with eight runs batted in.

Freshman right-hander Jennifer Gould (16-6), who threw a two-hitter to beat Sylmar, 4-0, in the semifinal round, will start against Granada Hills.

The Conquistadores’ worthy opponent is one of two teams to beat El Camino Real in Northwest Valley Conference play. Granada Hills beat the Conquistadores, 1-0, on April 1 behind Brandy Brennan’s one-hitter. It was the only meeting between the teams this season.

El Camino Real won the West Valley League title for the 10th consecutive season and Granada Hills claimed its first outright North Valley League championship with a 10-0 record.

Brennan (13-2), a sophomore, has struck out 120 in 81 innings. Brennan also is the team’s leading hitter with a .404 average.

Granada Hills last won a title in 1981, in its most recent championship-game appearance.