To be honest I’m not surprised by the selection of Johanna Grauer (Amador Valley) and Zoe Marrott (Campolindo) being selected to the California player of the year list. I’ve worked with these athletes for years now and seen what they are capable of. I’m very proud of what they have accomplished and I am grateful that Gamespeed can play a part in their training and preparation. The high school season only ended a couple weeks ago and their already back in the gym getting ready to put it on the summer competition. Believe me there will be more to come.
CalHi Sports.com
More State Softball Players of the Year
By Harold Abend | Published: June 21, 2013
Johanna Grauer from Amador Valley of Pleasanton has gained the top junior honor in the state following similar status she had as a sophomore.
State Junior of the Year
Johanna Grauer (Amador Valley, Pleasanton)
As the only junior of the eight finalists for Ms. Softball, it was pretty much a lock that Grauer would repeat as her class winner after capturing State Sophomore of the Year honors for last season.
Despite the fact she got hit a bit at the Michelle Carew Classic, every softball analyst that saw her and offered input agreed she is the best pitcher in the state, and possibly the nation.
Going into the CIF North Coast Section playoffs, she remained a leading candidate for overall Player of the Year. She even finished the East Bay Athletic League season by pitching a mercy-shortened perfect game.
Unfortunately for her and the Dons’ faithful, a freak accident in which she stepped in a gopher hole shagging fly balls in the outfield ended her season the day before they were to open play in the Division I quarterfinals, a game they lost to end the season with Grauer only able to watch from the dugout.
Before injuring her ankle, the Arizona State-committed Grauer was pitching her best. She ended up 22-2 with a 0.08 ERA and only two earned runs given up and 39 hits allowed in 152 innings pitched that saw her strike out 274 batters.
Besides pitching the one perfect game this season, Grauer pitched three no-hitters and eight one-hitters. As a batter, after struggling with a BA below .200 until midway through league, she ended up at .328 on the season. According to Amador Valley head coach Teresa Borchard, Grauer has recovered and will take her place on the Swedish National team as the youngest member when play begins in early July.
State Freshman of the Year
Zoe Marrott (Campolindo, Moraga)
There were quite a few freshmen that could have won the honor, but the early Arizona State-committed third-sacker got the award for four reasons.
First, she was the top player and leader of an underdog team that won a section title, in her case the CIF North Coast Section Division III title, and second she was instrumental in that victory (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) on both offense and defense.
The third reason is her numbers in comparison to the competition she and her rivals faced are among the tops, and last, the Cal-Hi Sports Caravan saw her in the NCS final, and there’s a good reason ASU offered early, and like Johanna Grauer, she accepted.
Marrott is, in fact, among the best freshmen we’ve seen in many years. She plays with precision and displays a kind of maturity that allows older girls to follow her. On the season, she hit .484 with a .590 on-base percentage, three home runs, 23 RBIs, 18 runs scored, a .726 slugging percentage, only seven strikeouts, and seven stolen bases.
