KING CITY — King City High graduate Raylie Moore and her fellow softball teammates set one goal prior to the start of the 2025 spring season: Qualify for a spot in the Central Coast Section playoffs.
One month and a Division V championship later, the Mustangs found themselves as the No. 3 seed in one of just five California Interscholastic Federation NorCal Regional D-V title games. However, their historical postseason run came to an end following a heartrending 4-2 loss to top-seeded Biggs in the D-V finals on June 6.
“It sounds pretty insane. We haven’t done this in school history,” Moore said. “Since it’s my senior year, it definitely is a huge experience for me and my teammates. Even though we already won CCS, NorCal is our next option. It’s definitely a huge accomplishment for all of us.”
King City was riding the ongoing wave of momentum it gained after capturing the program’s first-ever CCS D-V title in an 11-4 win against South San Francisco on May 31.
The Mustangs began the NorCal Regionals in front of their home crowd with a resounding 11-1 victory in five innings against No. 6 Torres of Madera. Moore had a pair of hits, including one double, three RBIs and scored two runs.
“It’s big to play here at home and the experience of the whole community behind,” said King City head coach Art Carrillo. “A lot of people coming out to watch and support the girls, it’s a good feeling for them. I’m glad that these girls got to experience that. It’s been a long time overdue. I think softball down in King City is kind of the feel right now of overtaking everything and what we’re doing right now.”
Amity Hearne, a senior, had one triple and scored a pair of runs for King City, while teammates junior Kaylin Arvizu and sophomore Alizah Carrillo each had one base hit and one RBI.
Sophomore pitcher Alizah Carrillo tossed a gem in the circle after she surrendered just one earned run on one hit while tallying seven strikeouts.
Paramo set the tone right away in the Mustangs’ 14-4 decisive win in five innings over No. 7 Balboa in the NorCal D-V semifinals on June 5. She smacked a three-run triple in the bottom of the first inning, finishing with four hits, including two doubles, three RBIs and scored three runs.
“It’s good to see a kid like that come out and be in this type of game, and still kind of not faze [Paramo],” Art Carrillo said. “The future is looking bright for this program and that she’ll be here for part of it for longer.”
Moore finished with three hits, including a towering three-run home run over the left field fence in the bottom of the fourth inning that gave the Mustangs a commanding 11-0 lead.
“When the pitch was coming toward me it was like a huge meatball, my eyes widened huge,” Moore said. “I sat back, waited on it and just made solid contact. Once that contact was there, I just knew.”
Hearne had one double and four RBIs, while sophomore Avery Munoz scored three runs for the Mustangs. Alizah Carrillo allowed four runs on six hits while recording five strikeouts.
King City finished with a 20-12 overall record, and placed fourth in the Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division with a 10-6 record in league play this season. “It means the world to me to be able to get this far into my season with my favorite sport,” Moore said. “I’m just so grateful for everybody on my team that is supporting us, all our fans that came out to watch us for our NorCal games and our CCS games. This season just means the world.”
