Undefeated Amador Valley High Softball Team Begins Playoff Quest

An undefeated championship season.

It's a goal any team at any level aspires to achieve.

Amador Valley High's softball team has that opportunity as it begins its North Coast Section Division I playoff run this afternoon on their home field.

The Dons are 24-0 this season. Of those victories, 19 have been shutouts. They've risen to the number one ranking in California in prep sports polls. One poll has them number one in the country.

In fact, Amador Valley has won 31 in a row, dating back to last year's East Bay Athletic League and NCS titles.

"This is a team that works hard, that has a lot of composure and has a confidence about them," said Amador Valley High softball coach Julie Marshall.

Marshall knows something about championships. The 1995 graduate of Liberty High School in Brentwood played softball at UCLA. She was on the 1999 team that won the national title.

Four years ago, she took over an Amador Valley High softball program that was not excelling.

Marshall said she set high standards for anybody who wanted to join the team. Her squad works hard, is disciplined and has accountability.

"We wanted to recruit quality players to compete at a high level," said Marshall.

They've certainly reached that status this season.

The team is led by its right-handed pitcher Johanna Grauer. The sophomore has tossed about 95 percent of the team's innings this season. She's faced 395 batters and struck out 189 of them. She's also allowed only 41 hits.

"She has a mental state that nobody can beat her," said Marshall.

The only other pitcher on the team is left-handed junior Krista Williams. She plays the outfield when she's not on the mound.

Marshall said her team has a "phenomenal defense" that plays well behind those pitchers.

They also have a well-balanced offense led by sophomore catcher Victoria Molina, who's hitting .463 this season.

"The line-up, one through nine, is one that can produce for me," said Marshall.

The Dons are, not surprisingly, seeded number one in the NCS tournament. They play at 4 p.m. today at home against Livermore High. They've defeated the 14-11 Cowboys three times this season by a combined score of 28-0.

Their coach has cautioned her team about being overconfident.

"I've told them there's been a target on our backs all year and the target gets bigger this time of year," said Marshall.

If Amador Valley wins today, they'll play the winner of the Monte Vista vs. Freedom game on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Down the line is a potential match-up with either second seeded James Logan High, which sports a 21-1 mark, or third seeded Heritage High at 22-2. Amador Valley has defeated both those teams this season, both by scores of 2-0.

However, this season ends, Amador Valley appears to have a bright future. Of the 12 players on the team, seven are sophomores and one is a junior.