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Softball, baseball players & a boxer named Shasta Family YMCA Athletes of the Week

ethan hanson, redding record searchlight
·4 min read
U-Prep freshman Leigha Wood (top left), Turtle Bay School sixth grader Diego Manzo (top right), Fall River freshman Brodie Ogden (left), West Valley senior Raya Vaughn (right), Burney senior Kalilah Wolfin-Teller (bottom left) and U-Prep senior Mason Cassingham (bottom right) were named Shasta Family YMCA Athletes of the Week for top performances between April 10 and April 16.

Six student-athletes have used mitts, gloves and bats to create personal and team achievements in baseball, softball and boxing.

These six students are being recognized as the Shasta Family YMCA Athletes of the Week for their performances in Redding, Sacramento and Tracy.

Here are the six winners from Fall River, Burney, West Valley, U-Prep and Turtle Bay School.

These athletic accomplishments occurred between April 10 and April 16.

Turtle Bay School sixth grader Diego "El Gallito" Manzo fighting out of Shasta Boxing Club (right) gets his hand raised in victory after defeating Isaac Quintanilla of Jose Morales Boxing Gym (left) on Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Turtle Bay School sixth grader Diego "El Gallito" Manzo fighting out of Shasta Boxing Club (right) gets his hand raised in victory after defeating Isaac Quintanilla of Jose Morales Boxing Gym (left) on Saturday, April 15, 2023.

Diego "El Gallito" Manzo

Sport: Boxing

School: Turtle Bay School

Class: Sixth grade

Team contributions: Manzo hopes to one day lay claim as the first world boxing champion to hail from Redding. The 11-year-old Manzo is becoming recognized in the amateur ranks after winning two bouts at the 2023 Northern California Junior Olympics in Sacramento over the weekend. Manzo won his first bout last Saturday against Isaac Quintanilla of Jose Morales Boxing Academy (Roseville) via split decision. "El Gallito," Spanish for 'the rooster,' won his second bout via unanimous decision against Dominic Hernandez of Tortoise Shell Boxing (Sacramento) last Sunday. Manzo has fought seven times at the 80-pound weight class and trains out of Shasta Boxing Club in Redding.

U-Prep freshman Leigha Wood is a rising catcher who is a balanced batter who can hit for contact and power.
U-Prep freshman Leigha Wood is a rising catcher who is a balanced batter who can hit for contact and power.

Leigha Wood

Sport: Softball

School: U-Prep

Class: Freshman

Team contributions: Wood has become U-Prep's toughest out and morphed into one of the top overall players in the CIF Northern Section. Wood, a catcher, batted 6-of-12 with two triples, a double and five RBI and led U-Prep to three victories against Millenium of Tracy twice last Wednesday and Hillsdale of San Mateo last Tuesday. U-Prep (12-1) has established itself as a top contender to win a CIF Northern Section title after beating Hillsdale, the No. 12 ranked team in the CIF Central Coast Section by maxpreps.com. Wood leads U-Prep with a .524 batting average, four home runs, 23 RBI, .615 on base percentage, eight doubles and an 1.142 slugging percentage. Wood's defensive consistency has matched her impressive offensive output. She has played all 14 games without committing an error, recorded 14 assists and caught four of five attempted base stealers. U-Prep plays West Valley in a three-game series starting Tuesday, a series that will likely determine the Northern Athletic League winner.

U-Prep senior catcher Mason Cassingham is power on both sides of the plate as a switch hitter. He led the Panthers in batting in 2022.
U-Prep senior catcher Mason Cassingham is power on both sides of the plate as a switch hitter. He led the Panthers in batting in 2022.

Mason Cassingham

Sport: Baseball

School: U-Prep

Class: Senior

Team contributions: Cassingham's bat has returned to form after needing time to adjust from a long basketball season. Cassingham delivered hits in all five games against Pioneer Valley of Santa Maria, Lompoc, Cabrillo of Lompoc, St Bernard's of Eureka and Trinity. Cassingham is batting .395 and leads the Panthers with 11 stolen bases. U-Prep (9-10, 4-0 NAL) plays Central Valley at Tiger Field on Monday 4 p.m. and Wynne Price Park on Friday 7 p.m.

West Valley senior catcher Raya Vaughn is a veteran catcher who can pick runners off. Vaughn is also a consistent hitter.
West Valley senior catcher Raya Vaughn is a veteran catcher who can pick runners off. Vaughn is also a consistent hitter.

Raya Vaughn

Sport: Softball

School: West Valley

Class: Senior

Team contributions: Vaughn, a catcher, drove in four runs and went 5-for-9 at the plate to help West Valley sweep a 3-game series against Lassen last Tuesday and Friday. The switch hitting Vaughn is batting .375 with four doubles and 12 RBI this season. West Valley (8-1, 3-0 NAL) clashes with U-Prep (13-1, 1-0 NAL) in a doubleheader at home beginning Tuesday at 3 p.m. West Valley travels to U-Prep on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Fall River freshman infielder Brodie Ogden has been selected as a player to watch by his coaches in 2023.
Fall River freshman infielder Brodie Ogden has been selected as a player to watch by his coaches in 2023.

Brodie Ogden

Sport: Baseball

School: Fall River

Class: Freshman

Team contributions: The freshman shortstop for Fall River is hoping to guide the Bulldogs to greater success on the baseball diamond halfway through the season. Ogden went 4-for-9 during the week and allowed one earned run in six innings against Modoc last Tuesday. Ogden finished the week with five RBI and lifted Fall River over Modoc 11-7 last Friday. Fall River (3-5, 1-3 Shasta Cascade League) hosts Mount Shasta in a doubleheader Friday beginning at 2 p.m.

Burney senior pitcher and third baseman Kailah Wolfin-Teller brings experience and depth in the batting order and as a pitcher after transferring from Fall River.
Burney senior pitcher and third baseman Kailah Wolfin-Teller brings experience and depth in the batting order and as a pitcher after transferring from Fall River.

Kalilah Wolfin-Teller

Sport: Softball

School: Burney

Class: Senior

Team contributions: Wolfin-Teller left her mark on every aspect of the game when Burney traveled to Big League Dreams and played Redding Christian last Friday. Wolfin-Teller pitched a complete game, striking out 17 batters and allowed two earn runs. As a hitter, Wolfin-Teller went 5-for-5 with two doubles, a triple and two RBI to beat Redding Christian on the road 11-3. Burney (2-4-1, 1-0 Five Star League) hosts Portola in a doubleheader Tuesday starting at 2 p.m. and a doubleheader against Chester on Thursday starting at 2 p.m.

Each week, the Record Searchlight selects the girl and boy athletes who stand out based on merits from their performance in the prior week. Profiles highlight their accomplishments on the field or inside the gym and provide a glimpse into who they are as students. To make suggestions for R-S Athletes of the Week, email sports reporter Ethan Hanson at ethan.hanson@redding.com or go to bit.ly/3HuxlfW. 

Shasta Family YMCA Athletes of the Week.
Shasta Family YMCA Athletes of the Week.

Ethan Hanson started working for the Redding Record Searchlight after four years with the Los Angeles Daily News as a freelancer. His coverage includes working the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in South Bend, Indiana, and writing about the St. Louis Rams' move to Los Angeles with the Ventura County Star. He began his career as a play-by-play broadcaster for LA Pierce College from 2011-2017. Follow him on Twitter at @EthanAHanson_RS.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Baseball, softball players and boxer named among top Redding athletes