Event Recap: The 7th Annual PGF Ultimate Challenge Highlighted by a Title Dedicated to a Fallen Teammate

BY Brentt Eads

The Lady Magic – Munoz team repeated as champs at the 14U level and, over the last two years, the Lady Magic organization has won three of the six total titles played at ages 14U, 16U and 18U.

The fall season of club softball play is well underway and will be for the next month or so.

One of the top events this past weekend took place in Salinas, Calif. as the 7^th Annual PGF Ultimate Challenge saw 36 of the best travel ball teams across the West compete Friday through Sunday (Oct. 20-22, 2023) for a chance to earn a PGF Nationals berth for 2024 and also to win a $5,000 check that went to the champs at the 14U, 16U and 18U age division.

By all indications, the event was everything it’s heralded to be and Event Director Bill Sparry expressed his satisfaction on how the Ultimate Challenge played out in 2023.

“Once again the Ultimate Challenge was a great success and was well attended by college coaches of which we were very grateful,” Sparrey said. “Tournament Director Brooke Johnson did a great job filling in for Armando Barragan who is still recovering at Stanford Medical Center and California Storm President Warren Wayland once again was a gracious host.”

Here’s a look at the winners in each of the three age divisions, going youngest to oldest…

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The Lady Magic – Munoz repeated as champs at the 14U level.

14U Champions: Lady Magic – Munoz

The Lady Magic organization has dominated the Ultimate Challenge over the last two years as the Lindsey Munoz-lead 14U team won the title this year at 14U after her squad and the Steve Walling coached 16U team won championships in 2022.

Coach Munoz was impressed with how her team this year has risen to the challenges when situations got tight.

“Our Magic girls had a great weekend,” began. “We had several players step up in clutch situations, and our pitchers threw very well. Kamryn Brannon threw a 7-inning, complete game shut out against a good hitting LTG Buck team for the championship.

Pitcher Kamryn Brannon was the star in the circle for the team, pitching 14 innings with nine strikeouts and an impressive 0.50 ERA. At the plate, Niayli Calvo led the 14U champs with two home runs and nine RBIs. Coach Munoz also praised several other hitters who contributed including Taylor Jennings, Regan Wise and Morgan Carlson.

“Overall as a team we were able to win games with multiple different line up combinations,” the coach continues. “We feel that our team is solid at every position with depth all around the field. The girls are really starting to gel and get into a groove, so we are looking forward to finishing the fall strong. Our next tournament is the very competitive PGF Shootout Invitational in Los Angeles.”

“This was a great, competitive tournament, and we are proud to have won it two years in a row.”

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The Dirtdogs won the 16U title and carry the memory of former player Marissa Cardona with them everywhere.

16U Champions: Dirtdogs – Vazquez

The emotional highlight of this year’s Ultimate Challege had to be the 16U Dirtdogs capturing the title and, in the team picture after the championship, held up a photo of Marissa Cardona, a talented member of the team who was killed last year in a car accident.

“The poster is Marissa and she is at every tournament with our team,” Head Coach Marco Vazquez explained. “This group will always keep her memory with us. #Turn2ForSwaggyP.”

Here is a video detailing the passing of the talented player and how her team is honoring her memory (double click on the video to open it):

On the field, the Dirtdogs got it done in every area to win the title.

“It was just a team effort,”Coach Vazquez continued. “The pitching staff all did their part, we had key timely hits and stayed disciplined at the plate with a combination of being able to minimize errors and play catch.”

The head coach was proud of how his team, though going just 1-2 in pool play on Saturday, rebounded with a perfect 3-0 record on Sunday.

“The competition was steep with all the top teams in Nor Cal and some from So Cal,” he added, “but it was truly the Who’s Who of NorCal. Obviously we are stuck in the middle of So Cal and NorCal, so we just squeeze in wherever! (laughs)”

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NW Bullets – Campos went 6-0 to capture the 18U title.

18U Champions: NW Bullets – Campos

The NW Bullets 18U team has become one of the favorites to win any tournament its in for the 2023-24 travel ball season and it’s not hard to see why.

The team has four senior PGF All-Americans in pitcher Addisen Fisher (UCLA), catcher Sofia Jujica (UCLA), third baseman Alexis Deboer (Washington), and middle infielder Tia Milloy (Oklahoma) plus junior PGF All-American Gianna Ioja, an infielder who just joined the Bullets.

The Bullets, however, didn’t have all of their talented players in the event as Deboer is out for the fall with rotator cuff injury and Milloy also has a rotator cuff injury, but should be cleared to play next month.

Still, the Bullets went 6-0 for the weekend to take the title.

“It was good competition,” Dennis Muir, the org head said after the championship win. “This is the third time we have won this event. One time, in 2018, we were co-champions because we age to catch our flights home!”

“Given this was the first weekend the team has played together, however, we are excited about how we performed.”.

— Brentt Eads / Extra Inning Softball

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Here is the complete list of teams that played in this year’s event:

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Here are the past winners of the prestigious event:

2023 ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS

14U – Lady Magic – Munoz
16U – Dirtdogs – Vazquez
18U – NW Bullets – Campos

2022 ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS

14U – Lady Magic – Munoz
16U – Lady Magic – Walling
18U – LTG Lions – Henderson

2019 ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS

14U – Universal Fastpitch – Faulstich
16U – CA Breeze – Birch
18U – NW Bullets – Campos

2018 ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS

14U – CA Breeze – Fernald
16U – Athletics – Mercado/Greg
18U – CA Suncats & NW Bullets

2017 ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS

14U – Corona Angels – Tyson
16U – CA Breeze – Warren
18U – Corona Angels – Tyson

2016 ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS

14U – OC Batbusters – Campbell
16U – Explosion – Greg
18U – All American Sports Academy

2015 ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS

14U – So Cal Choppers – Fausett
16U – So Cal A’s – McNee
18U – So Cal Choppers – Fausett

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