Pioneer's Holly Azevedo didn't spend much time mourning following her team's 1-0 loss to Mitty in the CCS Division II title game. The next day she was playing for her Sorcerers club team in a tournament in Stockton.

"It was tough, but we did a great job all season," said Azevedo, the Prep2Prep Central Coast Section Player of the Year. "One unlucky loss doesn't mean we didn't have a great season. We'll be ready to put up a fight next time."

The loss to the Monarchs in the title game was the second in as many seasons. The nice thing for Azevedo is she was a sophomore and has two more years at Pioneer to secure a title.

Asked if it was difficult to switch gears from a section championship game to a regular-season club tourney, Azevedo said: "It was just another day. I like to do what I like to do."

What Azevedo likes to do is hurl a softball. She won 28 games in the circle this season for the Mustangs, losing only one. Her earned run average was 0.05. She also hit .381 with 10 extra base hits and 18 RBIs.

As to what she enjoys about softball, the Pioneer star said "seeing myself progress as time goes on." Regarding goals she said she "wants to win CCS" and "get better."

The latter seems like a lock for Azevedo, who has been practicing in her backyard with her father Ron for as long as she can remember.

The week of the title game against Mitty, Ron recalled to Prep2Prep what it was like in the Azevedo backyard when his daughter was trying out a new pitch: "Our neighbors have lattice on their fence and every so often we have to get them new lattice. When Holly is learning a new pitch she can be a little wild and then it's like she's shooting a bazooka through that lattice."

Tossing a heater in the 65-66 miles per hour range, Azevedo is like a big league pitcher throwing in the mid-90s. She also throws a curve, screw, change, rise peel, drop and off-speed drop. She struck out 253 batters and walked just 23 while allowing opponents to hit just .112 against her.

"She's grown from the time she was a freshman," Pioneer coach Ernie Garcia said before the title game. "She has total command of what she does on the mound and she works hard. She's a complete player who not only pitches well for us, but hits well too. She's also become a leader in our dugout."

It's all not too shabby for a 16-year-old, who only a decade ago was trying her hand at gymnastics, cheerleading and soccer before her father coaxed her into playing softball. She was a quick study, going 19-3 in the circle with a 0.83 ERA for Pioneer last season, excelling in club ball and committing early for softball to UCLA.

Besides her dad, private coach Lisa Mize -- a former U.S. Olympian -- has helped Azevedo.

"She's taught me everything I know about pitching," Azevedo said. "She talks to me about hitting my spots and talks to me about spin."

The Mustang rising junior with the 3.7 grade point average has two more years of soaking up the information and two more years to secure that elusive section title. If she doesn't do it, it won't be for lack of trying.

When San Benito defeated Wilcox 8-5 in the CCS Division I title game, it not only secured the 2015 section championship, but the school's ninth title in 10 years.

San Benito had lost 8-1 to Carlmont in last season's title game.

For coach Scott Smith's work with San Benito in leading it to a 24-5 overall record, an MBL-Gabilan co-title and another section championship, he is the Prep2Prep CCS Coach of the Year.

The Haybalers, under Smith, have also been in the section title game in 12 of his 13 seasons as coach.

"It's humbling to lose (in the title game) and then come back with a similar team and win it," Smith said. "We had some issues midway through the season and we came together and were able to play hard for each other."

Among the "issues" for San Benito was Smith's health. It was a struggle for him to make some mid-season practices, but he credits the Haybaler team captains for helping to hold the team together.

Several key players also had medical issues during the season.

Smith is from the blue-collar city of Salinas and was a three-sport athlete at North Salinas High despite moving out of his parents' house at age 15 1/2. He lived in the North Salinas baseball dugout for four months and showered in the high school locker room while living off handouts for a while. Not surprisingly, as a coach he's stressed effort and grit.

"Our motto is nobody outworks us," Smith said. "We practiced six days a week. At a lot of schools, the parents wouldn't even allow that. Another theme for us is it doesn't matter who's on the other side of that field, we're just out there to do our best and improve. That's been a secret to our success."

Danielle Bowers

Alexis Lindsey

Brittany Prock

Vanessa Gonzalez

Holly Azevedo

Suzy Brookshire

Noa Yakir

Haley Wymbs

Alexis Lindsey

Morgan Ratliff

Danielle Bowers

Desiree Severance

Marisa Given

Stephanie Kristo

Alex Luna

Maddie Kim

Brittany Prock