MaxPreps 2014 All-American Softball Team

Johanna Grauer has been a sensation since she arrived at Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.) as a freshman. She was a sensation for the Swedish National Team last summer, striking out 20 batters in one game. And she's been a sensation for her California summer travel ball team The Sorcerers.

Next stop: UCLA.

But before she arrives in Westwood to become a Bruin, Grauer has added another honor to her resume: 2014 MaxPreps National Softball Player of the Year.

Grauer, a senior pitcher, was unbeaten in leading Amador Valley to MaxPreps' mythical national softball title in 2014. She won 26 games, pitched 14 shutouts and averaged almost two strikeouts per inning. In addition to the MaxPreps honor, Amador Valley won the California Interscholastic Federation North Coast Section Division I title and swept the field at the prestigious Michelle Carew Classic in Orange County. Amador Valley finished the year 27-0.



As a junior, Grauer posted a 22-2 record with 274 strikeouts and a 0.08 earned run average in 152 innings. As a sophomore, she recorded a 25-1 mark, 336 strikeouts and a 0.33 ERA in 172 innings.

Amador Valley coach Teresa Borchard said Grauer's desire to be successful is what drives her work ethic to do extra drills, be they hitting or pitching.

"Johanna is always the first to practice and last one to leave," said Borchard. "She plays softball year-round. When she decides she wants something, she doesn't give up on it. She wants to be the best at whatever she does."

After batting a little over .300 as a junior, Grauer went to Borchard for extra hitting work.

"She wasn't satisfied with her hitting," said Borchard. "I was a little concerned at first because she was already a contributor. She made adjustments quickly and is very coachable. It's not easy to throw all the time, have regular practices and do extra hitting. She works outside of practice. It really speaks to her commitment."

She ended up leading the Dons with a .429 batting average and 39 hits while driving in 20 runs. But pitching is what puts Grauer at the top of her class.



In addition to her 14 shutouts, and 0.51 ERA, opponents batted .097 against her and she fanned 290 in 190 innings pitched. Borchard added that "Grauer is young in nature and does not take everything seriously. She loves the game and it shows. She keeps it fun and laughs at herself."

Tell that to the Polish National Team, which struck out 20 times against Grauer last summer as she pitched for the Swedish National Team that finished seventh in the European Games.

Simply put, Grauer has been sensational.

Coach of the Year

Monte Sherrill of Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.) led his squad to a 35-0 record and another state 4A title. Alexander Central finished behind Amador Valley as the No. 2 team in the Xcellent 25.

"This season was so rewarding because we learned to win in a different style," said Sherrill, 49. "Before, we had Chelsea Wilkinson (Georgia All-American in 2014) and she struck out two of every three batters. She graduated and we had to invent a new style of play – more emphasis on defense, hitting, pick-off plays and baserunning.



"Our baserunning was something to behold," said Sherrill, who has guided Central to four state titles in the last six seasons. "Our baserunning put us on another level."

Central, which set a state record for runs scored (426), will enter the 2015 season riding a 67-game winning streak.

On March 27, Sherrill recorded his 700th win (against just 59 losses). His next coaching victory will be his 722nd.

Sherrill noted that "this team was all about AC (Alexander Central). I am so proud of our two pitchers (Kiana Millsaps and Bailey Rhoney) who shared time without any ego. They worked together and supported one another. It was special to be a part of."

In addition, Sherrill got to share the 2014 season with daughters Bailey Sherrill and Vada Sherrill. Bailey, a senior, earned the MVP award at the state tournament, and Vada, a junior, was the North Carolina Gatorade State Player of the Year.

The All-American Team listed below was selected based on performance on the field and the players' overall contribution to their teams' successes.




First Team

P - Johanna Grauer, Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.), Senior
Grauer, a senior pitcher, was unbeaten in leading Amador Valley to MaxPreps' mythical national softball title in 2014. She won 26 games, pitched 14 shutouts and averaged almost two strikeouts per inning. She is the National Player of the Year as well.

P - Taylor McQuillin, Mission Viejo (Calif.), Junior
On the year she went 25-1 with a 0.72 ERA and 316 strikeouts with just 17 walks in 164 innings. She threw two perfect games, two no-hitters and five one-hitters. McQuillin finished the season with 16 straight games of at least 10 strikeouts. In her five playoff appearances, she struck out 72 batters and scattered only seven hits for a 10-to-1 strikeout-to-hit ratio. McQuillin, who was the Orange County Register's Pitcher of the Year, was named Gatorade's National Player of the year and has committed to Arizona.

P - Stephanie Thomas, Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), Senior
Thomas went 31-2 with a 0.40 ERA, 21 shutouts and recorded 294 strikeouts in 193 innings (she walked 17). She also batted .532. She is the state's all-time winningest pitcher with 113 wins and was named New Jersey's Gatorade State Player of the Year. Thomas will play collegiately at Lafayette.

P - Taran Alvelo, Bloom-Carroll (Carroll, Ohio), Junior
Alvelo, 27-3 on the season, limited opponents to 45 base hits in 182 innings and posted a 0.46 ERA. In seven postseason games, she threw five shutouts (including 91 strikeouts in the final five games). She finished the season with 378 and has a career mark of 1,111. She finished the year with 10 no-hitters and 16 shutouts. She also batted .455 with 32 RBIs and seven home runs. Alvelo has committed to Washington.

P - Allyson Frei, High Point (Sussex, N.J.), Senior
The Boston College-bound standout finished the year with 471 strikeouts and a 29-2 record as High Point won the state title. Frei's the New Jersey career leader in strikeouts (1,426). Three times this season she struck out more than 20 in a game, including a perfect game in which she struck out all 21 batters. She walked only 27 batters and allowed just nine earned runs in 2014. She also had a team-high 32 RBIs to go with a .374 batting average.



P - Meghan King, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Senior
King led St. Thomas Aquinas to its second-straight 7A state title when she went 20-2 with a 0.25 ERA while striking out 226 and allowing only 19 walks in 142 innings. The Gatorade State Player of the Year will attend Florida State this fall.

P - Devin Durando, Indian Hills (Oakland, N.J.), Senior
In 2014, Durando was 32-0 leading Indian Hills to a state title and unbeaten season (34-0). She fanned 377 batters in 215 innings with an ERA of 0.61. Overlooked was her batting average of .436 with 21 doubles and 35 RBIs. Durando was named the Star-Ledger's State Player of the Year.

P - Miranda Viramontes, Chino (Calif.), Senior
Viramontes won 23 games with a 0.28 ERA and 298 strikeouts in 174 innings while hitting .415 with 10 homers and 36 RBIs to lead Chino to the CIF Southern Section title game against Mission Viejo (a 1-0 loss in nine innings). She will attend Utah.

P - Katie Donovan, South Salem (Ore.), Senior
Donavan pitched 20 shutouts and was 26-1 with a 0.29 ERA in leading the Saxons to the state 6A title. She was named The Oregonian's 6A Player of the Year. The winner of Oregon's Gatorade honor, she struck out 280 in 168 innings. She will attend Utah.

P - Kaylee Carlson, Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.), Senior
Carlson went 22-3 with 220 strikeouts, 14 shutouts and a 0.55 ERA in leading Pacifica to the CIF Southern Section D-1 title. The North Carolina-bound righthander threw five straight shutouts in the playoffs, and ended her career tossing 46 consecutive shutout innings.

P - Randi Rupp, Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas), Senior
Rupp was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year and helped Barbers Hill go 32-1, with its only loss coming in the state 4A semifinals. She had a 27-1 record with a 0.45 ERA, 303 strikeouts and 27 walks in 170 innings. She will attend Texas State.

C - Gwen Svekis, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Senior
A perennial all-state catcher, Svekis hit .479 with 12 home runs and a 1.692 OPS in leading St. Thomas Aquinas to its second-straight 7A state title. She will play at Oregon.



C - Stephanie Abello, Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.), Junior
Abello led Benet Academy to a 30-3 record as she hit 22 home runs and drove in 63 runs. She batted .481 and was named the Naperville Sun's Player of the Year. She needs seven home runs to set the state record. She has committed to Illinois.

C - Kristin Hoover, Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.). Senior
Hoover had big numbers – .612 average, 43 runs, 30 RBIs, 16 home runs, 1.597 slugging percentage, 2.276 OPS. – to lead Berkeley Prep. Her career totals include a .570 batting average. She has signed with California.

IF - Victoria Vidales, La Porte (Texas), Senior
The Texas A&M signee hit more home runs than she made outs this season – and finished with a .750 batting average. A shortstop, she hit 18 home runs and helped La Porte beat rival and eventual Class 5A champion Deer Park for the first time in her four-year career. In 25 games, she drove in 56 runs, scored 49, walked 23 times and had 116 total bases. She was named the Houston Chronicle's Hitter of the Year.

IF - Vada Sherrill, Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), Junior
The state's first "60-60" player with 60 hits and 60 runs scored, Sherrill led Central to another state title, a 35-0 record and a No. 2 national finish in MaxPreps' final Xcellent 25. She also stole 51 bases and was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year.

IF - Jenna Lilley, Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), Senior
The Oregon signee led Hoover to a fourth-straight D-I state title by hitting .482 this season with 17 doubles and 31 walks. She batted over .500 for her career.

IF - Kayli Kvistad, Columbia (Lake City, Fla.), Senior
The Sun's Large School Player of the Year, Kvistad batted .553 and drove in 41 runs. Her four-year average at Columbia was .601 with 164 runs, 193 hits and 179 RBIs. She will attend Florida.

IF - Alyssa Angel, La Grange (Texas), Senior
A shortstop, Angel was named the Texas Small School Softball Player of the Year after leading La Grange to a 40-2 record and Texas Class 3A state championship. She batted .578 with 13 home runs, 71 RBIs, a .636 on-base percentage and a 1.164 slugging percentage. She also was perfect in 39 steal attempts, scored 71 runs and is headed to Texas.

IF - Vanessa Shippy, Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho), Senior
Shippy batted .612 with seven homers, 41 RBIs and 31 stolen bases. Bound for Oklahoma State, she was Idaho's Gatorade State Player of Year. In the last two seasons, she collected 133 hits, scored 129 runs, drove in 71 and stole 86 bases in 57 games.



IF - Aidan Falk, Our Lady of Mercy (Rochester, N.Y.), Senior
Falk set a state record with 19 home runs this season and holds the state career mark with 45. She batted .646 with an on-base percentage of .750, knocked in 52 RBIs and scored 41 runs in only 21 games. Falk's OPS was 2.427. She will play at Michigan.

IF - Brianna Tautalafua, Carson (Calif.), Junior
Named the Waves Newspaper Group's Player of the Year for the second-straight year, Tautalafua once again put up big numbers: 19 homers, 60 RBIs, .561 average and 63 runs in 33 games. She had a .669 on-base percentage, a 1.402 slugging percentage and a 2.071 OPS. She has committed to UCLA.

IF - Nicole DeWitt, Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.), Senior
The CIF Southern Section's Player of the Year, DeWitt batted .400, scored 30 runs and drove in 22 for CIFSS D-1 champion Pacifica. She has signed with national champion Florida.

IF - Kristen Cuyos, Pearland (Texas), Senior
Cuyos batted .539 and drove in 42 runs while playing highlight-film defense. A perennial Texas 5A all-state selection, Cuyos will attend Texas A&M.

IF - Jazmyn Jackson, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), Senior
Jackson, who was named the San Jose Mercury News Player of the Year, led Mitty to a 30-1 record and a high national ranking. She hit .538 with a team-leading 49 hits that included 14 doubles, seven triples and eight home runs. She also stole 19 bases and scored 44 runs. She will attend California.

OF - Alyssa Palomino, Mission Viejo (Calif.), Junior
Palomino led Mission Viejo with 17 home runs, 36 runs and 34 RBIs to earn her a second-straight Orange County Register Player of the Year honor. With 42 career home runs, she sits four shy of tying the Orange County record set by El Toro's Lauren Chamberlain. She has committed to Arizona.



OF - Amanda Lorenz, Moorpark (Calif.), Junior
Lorenz is ranked as the No.1 junior prospect in the nation by StudentSportsSoftball.com. In 30 games this spring, she hit .642 with eight home runs, 22 doubles and collected 68 base hits. She scored 48 times and had base hits in all but two games. She has committed to Florida.

OF - Nicole Pendley, Rio Rancho (N.M.), Senior
Pendley led the Rams (28-4) to the Class 5A state championship, compiling a 21-2 pitching record and a 2.01 ERA, along with a .582 batting average, 14 home runs and 50 RBIs at the plate. A three-time first team all-state selection, she also had 14 doubles, seven triples and 22 stolen bases. She also won the state discus title and will attend Oklahoma.

OF - Faith Lowry, Gibbs (Corryton, Tenn.), Junior
You want runs? Lowry scores them - 84 to be exact, in 55 games, as Gibbs went 50-6 on the season. She batted .604 and collected 113 base hits. She also stole 74 bases in 75 attempts.

OF - Trysten Melhart, Snohomish (Wash.), Senior
In being named the Everett Herald Player of the Year, Melhart batted .658. She will attend Washington.

U - Kayla Ober, Cinco Ranch (Katy, Texas), Senior
Ober batted and pitched Cinco Ranch to a 29-3 season with 28 wins (223 strikeouts in 197 innings) and a 1.07 ERA. She batted .465 with 38 RBIs and 21 extra base hits. She has signed with Texas A&M.





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Second Team

P - Jess Cummings, Northern (Owings, Md.), Senior
The 2014 season wasn't as magical as 2013 when Northern won the MaxPreps mythical national title and Cummings went unbeaten. However, she led Northern to another state title and won 21 games with a 0.52 ERA. She struck out 260 in 142 innings. Her next stop is Penn State.

P - Tera Blanco, Marina (Huntington Beach, Calif.), Senior
A perennial all-CIF Southern Section selectee, Blanco has signed with Michigan. She went 22-5 with 228 strikeouts and a 1.14 ERA. Blanco hit .446 and finished with 23 RBIs and drew 32 walks to finish with a .622 on-base percentage.

P - Breanna Macha, Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.), Senior
The senior led Red Mountain to four state titles and was the winning pitcher in the championship game each year. This year she went 22-5 with a 1.02 ERA with 256 strikeouts in 186 innings and hit .365 with a .563 slugging percentage. She has signed with Arizona.

P - Monique Garcia, Coronado (Lubbock, Texas), Senior
Named the Texas Sportswriters' Large School Player of the Year, Garcia led Coronado to the state semifinals. She was 25-2 and batted .420. She will attend North Texas.

P - Taylor Weaver, Romeo (Mich.), Senior
Weaver lost just six games in her high school career (winning 95) and went 25-2 as a senior. She struck out 275 in 178 innings and posted a 0.67 ERA. She was named Michigan's Gatorade State Player of the Year. The MLive Player of the Year, she will play at Central Michigan.

P - Alexis Osorio, King (Riverside, Calif.), Senior
Osorio recorded 358 strikeouts in 205 innings while compiling a 21-4 record and 0.44 ERA (her team only scored one run in her four losses, including the 12-inning D-2 title game loss to Pacifica in which she had 16 strikeouts). She was a finalist for California's "Ms. Softball." She will attend Alabama.



P - Katie Brignac, Curtis (River Ridge, La.), Senior
Brignac went 22-2 with a 0.28 ERA and led Curtis to the 3A state title. She struck out 294 in 148 innings with only 39 hits allowed all year and was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year. She batted .544 with six home runs, 41 RBIs and an .823 slugging percentage. She has signed with Memphis.

P - Dale Ryndak, Downers Grove North (Ill.), Senior
With a 22-2 record, 219 strikeouts in 159 innings, a 0.52 ERA, 17 shutouts, one perfect game, one no-hitter, five one-hitters and only 10 walks allowed, Ryndak was named MySurbanlife Newspaper Group's Softball MVP. She also batted .446 with 10 home runs, 41 RBIs, 15 doubles and 22 walks. She has signed with Arizona State.

P - Korina Rosario, West Florida (Pensacola, Fla.), Senior
Rosario, who will play collegiately at Florida State, had a state-best 323 strikeouts (183 innings) to go along with a 0.19 ERA and a 28-1 record. She had four no-hitters, 18 shutouts and 25 complete games. She batted .564 and compiled 41 RBIs and 37 runs scored. She failed to reach base in only one game all year.

P - Aleshia Ocasio, Harmony (Fla.), Senior
Ocasio pitched Harmony to the 7A state final with a 24-3 record, a 0.60 ERA and 250 strikeouts with only 18 walks in 152 innings. The Florida commit also hit .432 with seven homers and was 15-for-15 in steals. She batted .565.

P - Hayley Copeland, Esperanza (Anaheim, Calif.), Senior
Another elite pitcher from Orange County, Copeland struck out 283 and went 23-4 as Esperanza won its fourth-straight league title. She will attend South Carolina.

C - Maddie McCracken, Olathe North (Kan.), Junior
It was a tough year for North (10-11), but McCracken committed just one error and batted .590 with 40 RBIs.



C - Jenavee Peres, Garden Grove (Calif.), Senior
Peres batted .662, drove in 49 runs and belted 14 home runs to earn second team All Southern Section honors. She was the top player in the Garden Grove League and named to the Orange County Register's All-Area team. She will attend San Diego State.

C - Ari Samaniego, Desert Edge (Goodyear, Ariz.), Junior
Samaniego once again put up major stats: 16 homers, 15 doubles, 66 RBIs, .682 batting average, 1.582 slugging percentage and 2.299 OPS. With numbers like that, it's easy to understand why the Scorpions were 22-6.

IF - Tannon Snow, Chino Hills (Calif.), Junior
Snow collected 61 hits and drove in 58 runs to lead Chino Hills to a 30-win season. She scored 43 times and had 21 doubles and 14 home runs. She has committed to Washington.

IF - Julia Hollingsworth, Ennis (Texas), Junior
Named the Dallas Morning News Player of the Year, Hoillingsworth scored 83 runs in 44 games and batted .638 with 45 RBIs as Ennis reached the state 4A finals. She also stole 56 bases and has 101 steals in two seasons. She has committed to Tulsa.

IF - Kylee Perez, Alhambra (Martinez, Calif.), Senior
A five-tool player considered one of the top defensive infielders in the country, she also did it at the plate hitting .481 with six home runs for a 25-2 team that won the North Coast Section Division II title. She's signed with UCLA.

IF - Julia DePonte, Vacaville (Calif.), Senior
DePonte led the Bulldogs to a 29-1-1 record, CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D-I title and a MaxPreps national ranking by hitting .516 with 39 RBIs, 33 runs, seven triples and seven home runs. She has signed with Washington.



IF - Courtney Clayton, Glencoe (Hillsboro, Ore.), Senior
Clayton was named the Oregon 6A Player of the Year for the second time when she batted over .600 for the second-straight season. She will play at Texas-El Paso.

IF - Heather Bowen, Centennial (Las Vegas), Senior
A four-time all-state shortstop, Bowen led the Bulldogs (30-8) when she batted .558 with 12 home runs, 59 runs scored and 54 RBIs. She was the Gatorade State Softball Player of the Year as a sophomore and again as a senior when she had 20 doubles and a slugging percentage of 1.141. She has signed with Utah.

IF - Taylor Wike, Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), Senior
The UNC recruit led her nationally ranked team to a state title and set a state record with 64 RBIs. She hit .639.

IF - Sydney Romero, Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, Calif.), Junior
Committed to Oklahoma, Romero was named the HSGameTime All-Inland Position Player of the Year after hitting .612 with 30 RBIs, 11 home runs and scoring 41 runs.

IF - Angelina Mcguire, Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), Senior
McGuire batted .485 with 63 RBIs and scored 41 as the Blue Devils finished 31-2. She will attend Fairfield University.

OF - Jessica Adell, Ballard (Louisville, Ky.), Senior
Named Kentucky's Miss Softball, Ballard also earned her state's Gatorade POY honor after batting .591, stealing 40 bases and scoring 53 times. Her on base percentage was .614.



OF - Emily Griggs, Maize (Kan.), Senior
Griggs, who has signed with LSU, led Maize to the Class 6A tournament and an 18-5 record. She hit .597, struck out once, had seven doubles, 38 runs and 19 RBIs. She also had 18 stolen bases and was caught stealing twice.

OF - Jacqueline Roof, McCracken County (Paducah, Ky.), Senior
Roof was named Kentucky's 3A Player of the Year after batting .572 with 72 hits in 37 games. She had 35 extra base hits and a slugging mark of .976.

U - Allison Stewart, Olathe East (Kan.), Senior
A 5-foot-11 pitcher/first baseman, Stewart went 17-1 in the circle, posting a 0.82 ERA as East finished the season with a 24-1 record and a runner-up finish in the Class 6A state tournament. Stewart compiled 156 strikeouts while walking just 10 batters all season. At the plate, she batted .310 with four home runs, 38 RBIs and a .536 slugging percentage. She concluded her prep softball career with a state-record 168 RBIs. A two-time returning Gatorade State Player of the Year, she will attend Arkansas.

U - Kayla Andrews, Richland (Wash.), Senior
Andrews posted a 20-2 record in the circle along with a 1.21 ERA this past season, leading the Bombers (25-3) to a third-place finish in the Class 4A state tournament. She struck out 181 batters and walked just 17 in 121 innings. At the plate, Andrews batted .604 with seven home runs, 48 RBIs and a .941 slugging percentage. She will attend Mercer University.

U - Caitlin Plocheck, Deer Park (Texas), Senior
Her number of hits and batting average were down from her junior year, but her RBIs increased from 43 to 63 and many of those additional RBIs were clutch as Deer Park won the 5A state title. She hit .372 with nine doubles, three triples, nine homers and 63 RBIs. Plocheck was also 8-0 with a 1.12 ERA. She has signed with Lipscomb.

U - Andrea Kindrick, Russellville (Ark.), Junior
Kindrick batted .604 with seven home runs and 34 RBIs, plus was 21-3 with an 0.30 ERA and 296 strikeouts pitching. She was named the Gatorade Softball Player of the Year from Arkansas and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Softball Player of the Year. Kindrick is committed to Alabama.

U - Tamara "T" Statman, Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Junior
The Arizona commit was imposing in the circle (recording 289 strikeouts and winning 20 games with a 1.22 ERA ) and the batter's box (batting .515 with 52 hits, 25 RBIs, a .595 on-base percentage and a 1.437 OPS). She has committed to Arizona.