Pioneer star powerful again
Azevedo selected Mercury News player of year
Holly Azevedo keeps getting better — a scary situation for opposing hitters considering how good she has been from the time she first set foot on a high school softball field.
“I’m getting older and learning the mental aspect of the game,” said the Pioneer junior right-handed pitcher who has committed to UCLA. “My freshman and sophomore years I was more nervous, just wanting to do well. Now I’m more confident.’’
Confidence and experience translated to a truly dominant season. Azevedo went 25-3 with a 0.18 ERA, 334 strikeouts in 191 innings and 17 shutouts.
That’s 81 more strikeouts than the previous year. She also batted .482 with 10 extra-base hits after a .381 season as a sophomore.
Not much doubt who was the best individual performer in local softball this season. So for the second consecutive year, Azevedo is the Mercury News player of the year.
But one accomplishment has eluded her — a Central Coast Section championship. Three straight years, Pioneer has lost to Archbishop Mitty in the Division II title game. But it’s not something she obsesses over. “I’m really proud of my team,’’ Azevedo said. “They really stepped it up this year and made the championship game. Next year we will be strong again. We do want to win CCS, no doubt about that. But it’s not like we’re going to focus on it from the start of the year on.”
SECOND TEAM
MacKenzie Drake, SS, Pioneer, junior Maddie Gallagher, P/OF, Live Oak, junior Grace Garcia, P, Half Moon Bay, sophomore Julia Lucas, C, Archbishop Mitty, junior Sofia Magnani, P, Notre Dame-Belmont, senior Eryn McCoy, P, Hillsdale, senior Kris McIntyre, P/1B, The King’s Academy, senior Mailey McLemore, P/OF, Carlmont, sophomore Brittany Prock, P, Homestead, junior Eleni Spirakis, P/IF, Saratoga, senior
HONORABLE MENTION
Allison Amaya, Sequoia; Celina Arranaga, Cupertino; Madison Augusto, St. Ignatius; Taylor Beldi, Valley Christian; Bryce Boyle, Mountain View; Kathryn Caravalho, Santa Clara; Madeline Colombo, Los Gatos; Claudia Costello, St. Francis; Kayla Dominguez, Valley Christian; Taylor Doi, San Mateo; Mackenzie Driscoll, Hillsdale; Shaye Felix, Piedmont Hills; Lauryn Garcia, Pioneer; Olivia Geronimo, Notre Dame-Belmont; Selena Gomez, Oak Grove; Megan Graeser, Mt. Pleasant; Kaitlyn Grech, Woodside; Madison Greco, Santa Teresa; Claire Gunther, St. Ignatius; Victoria Guzman, Lincoln; Lauren Hendrickson, Valley Christian; Audrey Jones, Los Altos; Taylor Klauser, Leigh; Rani Lauwers, Mountain View; Natalie Leonard, Crystal Springs Uplands; Jessell Lewis, Mt. Pleasant; Nancy Liu, Homestead; Lauren Lopez, Archbishop Mitty; Kaylie Lowery, Live Oak; Maddy Lucey, Los Gatos; Elle Lowe, Los Altos; Bianca Magnani, Notre Dame-Belmont; Selena Maldonado, Yerba Buena; Macie Manion, Los Gatos; Emily McAdams, Sequoia; Janelle McAfee, Los Altos; Monica McCarthy, Monta Vista; Kiana McCaul, Presentation; Hannah Mandy, Leigh; Kiana Meriales, Sacred Heart Cathedral; Bridget Nasir, Hillsdale; Brooke Niewoehner, Pioneer; Aly Olkein, Monta Vista; Michelle Pengressi, Wilcox; Malia Pula, Evergreen Valley; Grace Ramey, Leland; Lilliana Resendez, Mt. Pleasant; Kayla Rooney, Sobrato; Gwyneth Savella-Dye, Milpitas; Carolyn Skotz, Presentation; Sydney Solis, Pioneer; Kaylin Stewart, Archbishop Mitty; Allie Stines, Capuchino; Tara Thakurta, Castilleja; Karina Tran, Evergreen Valley; Ashley Trierweiler, Carlmont; Isabella Zalba, Hillsdale; Gabriella Zucchiatti, Mills Coach of the year: Joe Gron, Archbishop Mitty