Auburn Journal girls athlete of the year: honorable mention

While there can be only one Auburn Journal Athlete of the Year, several players deserve recognition for their achievements in the 2024-25 school year. Here is the honorable mention list: Delaney Osborne – Del Oro (flag football, basketball, softball) How's this for a senior year? Osborne quarterbacked the Golden Eagles to a second consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section championship in flag football, passing for 67 touchdowns and more than 4,200 yards. In softball, she hit .400 and was the lone senior on the CIF NorCal Regional championship team. Both teams finished ranked nationally and went a combined 53-4. She was also a member of the girls basketball team that placed top three in the SFL. Sora Lasko – Placer (flag football, wrestling, track and field, swimming) Lasko played four sports in her senior year, but she goes down in history as the first five-sport girls athlete in Placer history. She helped lead the Hillmen to the FVL title in wrestling and competed in the CIF State Championships in Bakersfield. She was a member of the 4x100 team in track and field that placed top 15 in Division III. Taryn Cleek – Bear River (volleyball, basketball, softball) A star in every sport she played, Cleek will go down as one of the top Lady Bruins of all time. She amassed more than 100 aces and 1,000 assists last season in volleyball. Cleek holds the school record for most career aces with 247. She averaged 13.3 points per game in basketball and hit .607 with 28 RBIs and 17 extra-base hits in softball. Cleek hit .563 over her high school career as a four-year varsity starter. Bella Von Seipler – Del Oro (flag football, girls basketball) Von Seipler will go on to play at the University of San Diego next season after averaging 15.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game for the Lady Eagles. She transformed into a dominant receiver in flag football with 11 touchdown catches and 815 yards receiving, led Del Oro with 84 tackles and snagged 10 interceptions. Juliette James – Colfax (flag football, volleyball, girls basketball) James was part of a dominant senior trio at Colfax that graduates with 121 wins, four PVL titles, three section championships and two NorCal crowns in girls basketball. James battled an injury last fall but still managed to nab an interception and secure five tackles in flag football. In basketball, she was one of the top bigs in the section with 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. She will play at Chico State next season. Maya Smiley – Colfax (flag football, soccer, basketball) Don't let her 5-foot-7 frame fool you, Smiley is a force in the post on the hardwood and a scoring threat in soccer and flag football. She totaled 757 yards and seven touchdowns on 28 catches in football and netted 15 goals in soccer. Smiley grabbed 79 rebounds as well for the Lady Falcons as a sophomore. Sydney Nitta – Placer (flag football, softball) Nitta was a major reason why Placer softball snapped its 34-game losing streak dating to 2022 and helped lead the Hillgals to the Division IV section semifinals. She hit .426 with 23 RBIs and had a 4.08 ERA, striking out 117 in just under 130 innings. Nitta went 17-7. Amy Saxelby – Foresthill (flag football, basketball, soccer, track and field) Saxelby averaged a double-double in basketball, leading the Lady Wildfires with 11.8 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. Also a force on the defensive end, averaging almost two blocks per game. She had four touchdown catches and three sacks in flag football. Saxelby led Foresthill with 15 goals and was third on the team with five assists in soccer. Also placed top five in the CVCL in the shot put and discus. Payton Hyde – Del Oro (flag football, basketball, soccer) Dominant in every sport she played. Hyde had eight touchdown catches and 19 interceptions, helping lead Del Oro to a section title, 22-2 record and No. 11 national ranking. She was a defensive force in basketball as well with 136 rebounds and 67 steals. The scariest part? Hyde's best sport is soccer, which she plays at the club level for Placer United. She will play at Eastern Washington with twin sister Ella next season. Laurlyn Massick – Colfax (flag football, volleyball, basketball) Another member of Colfax's big three seniors, Massick was an instrumental piece to the Lady Falcons' postseason success the last three years. She scored 256 points and grabbed 146 rebounds last season, winning her third straight section title along the way. Massick was also a member of the flag football and volleyball teams. Maddy Marquez – Foresthill (flag football, volleyball, basketball, soccer) Another multi-sport star for the Wildfires, Marquez had a stellar junior year with 28 kills, 22 aces, 56 digs and 28 assists as a setter on the volleyball team. She also racked up 334 yards receiving and seven interceptions in flag football. Marquez was a dynamic guard in basketball with 69 steals and 47 assists. In soccer, she scored two goals and had three assists. Gabby Sams – Bear River (volleyball, basketball) Just a sophomore, Sams showcased her athletic abilities for the Bruins and helped lead the volleyball and basketball teams to the postseason. She had 130 kills and 73 aces in volleyball and earned first-team all-PVL in basketball, averaging 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game.