With a final 20-10-1 record, the West Hills High School softball team definitely posted a highly successful spring season with a league championship and runner-up finish in the San Diego Section divisional playoffs.
Few teams could better that, and members of the 2025 Lady Wolf Pack squad have to take an immense pride in what they achieved into the summer months, and into next season for the returners.
“We really did have such a magical season as a team,” West Hills head coach Angelina McGuire said. “The girls completely bought into the idea that we could compete with anyone, as long as we kept moments small, played within ourselves, and played for one another.
“And that’s exactly how we played softball for four months. I believe we all knew how special and rare that dynamic was.”
There were some obstacles to overcome.
“Despite it being our first year in the Grossmont Hills League, winning league was a goal I boldly stated after we came back from Spring Break,” McGuire said. “No real strategy behind it … just something I felt we could do given how we had been playing.
“After that, we did our homework, prepared for each opponent intentionally at practices, and put our girls (we called them ‘divas’) in the best position each time to come out on top of each game. For the exception of Steele (1-0 and 6-3 setbacks), it seemed to work out!”
The Lady Wolf Pack finished 8-2 in league play ahead of Steele Canyon, El Capitan, Santana, Granite Hills and Valhalla.
“Winning League was very exciting for the girls; it’s nice when hard work pays off!”McGuire said. “It very much felt like a stepping-stone into playoffs, and the divas were ready to put in the work to extend this magical season we were having.”
“We stuck to our game plan in playoffs too: keep the moments small, play within ourselves, and play for one another. It kept us present, and it kept us competitive. And before we knew it we were going to SDSU to compete in the Division II championship.
“To be on that stage was a true blessing. It was great for our program, great for our seniors, and great for the sport of softball. We were to proud to be there.”
West Hills received the No. 2 seed in the divisional playoffs and waltzed through its opening three games by defeating 10-seeded Helix (7-1 in the first round), No. 3 Escondido Charter (7-6 in the second round) and No. 6 Sage Creek (3-2 in the fourth round).
The Lady Wolf Pack drew No. 1 Point Loma in the championship game on May 30.
West Hills drew first blood with one run in the second inning to get out of the gate with a 1-0 lead. The Lady Pointers rolled across two runs in the top of the fourth inning to go up temporarily, 2-1, on the scoreboard.
The Lady Wolf Pack countered with a run of its own in the bottom of the frame to tie the score two-all.
But Pt. Loma was persistent and tacked on another run in the top of the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead. West Hills was unable to score in its final three at-bats and the championship game ended with a one-run Lady Pointers victory.
Freshman Kiara Rabaya and senior Kristina Deal (double) each drove in one run while freshman Amber Foley scored twice. Sophomore Lili Leija led the Grossmont Hills League champions with two hits.
Sophomore L MacPherson keyed the division champions with two RBI while freshman S Balistreri (double) drove in one run. MacPherson delivered two of her team’s six hits in the contest.
West Hills totaled four hits with one error.
Seniors Gianna Burgin and Ava Goodman logged time in the pitching circle for the Lady Wolf Pack. Burgin pitched four innings with five hits allowed, three runs (two earned) and seven strikeouts. Goodman pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
“It was a great game full of ups and downs, but Point Loma ultimately came out on top,” McGuire said. “The Point Loma coach said it best: ‘If we play each other 10 times, we each win five.’ It really was such a good match up.
“We’ll be back … that’s for sure.”
West Hills players certainly have no reason to hang their heads after the Lady Pointers (28-6-1) went on to defeat Legacy, 4-1, to capture this year’s Southern California
Division III regional championship title.
It takes an overall team effort to be successful at any level and in any sport. The Lady Wolf Pack had its share of contributors.
“Along the way, we had some standout individuals who contributed greatly to the team’s successes.,” McGuire said.
“Senior Kristina Deal played shortstop and led off for us all season. She was a first team all-league selection, an all-star game participant and a second team all-CIF selection.
“Junior Katy Spargo was our catcher and No. 3 batter all season. Katy was selected as player of the year in our league (first team) and was also named first team all-CIF.”
Spargo paced the team with a prodigious 0.534 hitting average with 41 RBI, 12 doubles and five home runs. Deal hit 0.422 with 20 RBI, 14 doubles and seven home runs.
Rabaya hit 0.326 with 12 RBI while Burgin notched a 0.300 hitting average with 13 RBI.
As a team, the Lady Wolf Pack posted a 0.305 hitting average with 43 doubles and 13 home runs.
Burgin finished 11-3 in the pitching circle with one save, a 1.90 earned-run average and 138 strikeouts in 107 innings. Goodman finished with a 7-6 record, 2.70 ERA, one save and 95 strikeouts in 106.1 innings.
West Hills was recognized with four all-league selections: two on the first team (Deal, Goodman) and two on the second team (juniors Haley Kai and Madeline Aylesbury).
Spargo earned honors as the league’s player of the year while Burgin received honors as co-pitcher of the year.
The section ended its 2025 season with an East vs. West all-star game June 9 at SDSU.z
