Long Beach Poly’s softball program is coming off a dream year.
The Jackrabbits won the first CIF Southern Section championship in program history, and boast a roster packed with Division 1-bound talent. It was the type of year that kids and their families remember forever. With so many big-time players returning, it’s the type of year that also asks a question: what’s next?
Longtime Poly coach Elizabeth Sanches said her team isn’t walking around feeling the pressure as far as repeating.
“It’s honestly been the same since CIF,” she said. “We’re having just as much fun now as we did last year at this time. I’m not trying to downplay it–it’s just the memories and relationships are the foundation of our program, so win or lose we’re always going to have a good time. A lot of people don’t understand that or think it’s not the most competitive or practical approach as a coach, but it’s worked so far.”
The only thing stressing Sanches and the Jackrabbits out this Spring is the injury bug, which has taken a big bite out of Poly’s roster. Top national recruit Ki’ele Ho-Ching, an Oklahoma commit, is out for the year with injury, as are Isabella Cisneros and I’Kaika Afamata, all of whom would have been big contributors for Poly this season.
“We want them all back but we have to think about the big picture and protect their lifelong health, not just the February to May health,” said Sanches.
The good news for Poly is that the depth of their program has progressed to a place that most eras of Jackrabbit softball couldn’t have dreamed of. Leading the way for them will be Emoni Lam Sam, a Cal commit who’s a top 50 senior in the nation according to Softball America. Lam Sam is an excellent fielder and a top-tier power bat that was critical to Poly’s playoff run last year, earning her CIF Southern Section Player of the Year honors.
“The way she trains is unlike any other I’ve ever seen, ever,” said Sanches. “Softball is her life and her family’s life–everyone knows that she’s different and special. She trains every day. If it’s raining she’ll find a patch of grass somewhere that’s not underwater to hit.”
Lam Sam said she’s excited for the challenge of her senior year and appreciative of already having left a legacy at Poly with a CIF-SS title as part of a historic senior class.
“It just feels like so many blessings have come my way,” she said. “God’s doing his big one with me–being able to go into my senior year with these same girls I went into my freshman year with, knowing that I have them by my side is heartwarming.”
The relationship between Lam Sam, Ho-Ching, and the other elite players Poly has boasted in the last few years highlights the family atmosphere Sanches hopes to maintain in her family. It’s clear that Poly’s best players root for each other. Anyone who’s been around high school sports for any period of time knows that two top-tier talents don’t always exist in harmony, but Sanches says her players’ selflessness has allowed it to happen.
“If you look at Emoni’s social media, there’s never anything about herself, she’s always hyping everyone else up,” she said. “She’s not just humble on the softball field–she’s almost like the mom of the Polynesian community at Poly. She’s just a loving person and I know she and ‘Ele see each other as real sisters. I love that–I’m sad that this is their last year. I try not to think about it, honestly.”
Lam Sam said she’s never seen any competition between she and her teammates, and emphasized how close she and Ho-Ching are.
“She’s someone I look up to not only as a player, but as a family member and a teammate,” she said. “I can have her back and she has mine.”
Poly’s other major contributors include senior Janelle Morris, another longtime starter who is headed to the NCAA level next year at Southern University. Morris brings another big bat to the Poly lineup. Morris will be behind the dish as she has been for four years; pitching to her will be Tegan Breaux and Bella Correa, juniors stepping into starring roles due to injuries.
Sunnie Vaafuti (first base), Victoria Sepulveda (second), Bailey Holder (short), and Lam Sam (third) will round out the young and talented Poly infield.
In the outfield, Persjah Lam Sam, Alayna Veavealagi, and Bella Correa figure to start with a number of talented freshmen filling into other roles, including utility outfielder Abigail Rodriguez, Elizabeth Marquez, Harper Daniel, and Ariana Nava.
Lam Sam likes Poly’s squad this year, and said the Jackrabbits are excited for the season.
“We were able to make history winning the first CIF championship in program history,” she said. “It gave us the boost of confidence knowing that if we honestly put our heart and soul into this, we can do anything. It’s just a matter of how our team wants to show up and how bad we want it.”
Projected Starters
P: Tegan Breaux (Jr.) / Bella Correa (Jr.)
C: Janelle Morris (Sr.)
1B: Sunnie Vaafuti (Jr.)
2B: Victoria Sepulveda (So.) / Persjah Lam Sam (Sr.)
SS: Bailey Holder (So.)
3B: Emoni Lam Sam (Sr.)
LF: Alayna Veavealagi (Sr.)
CF: Persjah Lam Sam (Sr.)
RF: Bella Correa (Jr.)
