After Kacey Zobac arrived on the Valley Christian high school campus, the decision was made to place nets up above the right-field fence to prevent cars from being hit in the parent pick-up loop right behind the softball field. The problem was, however, that the nets were ineffective against Zobac’s power from the left side of the plate.

“They put those nets up to prevent Kacey from hitting cars, but she was hitting the ball above and beyond the nets at that point,” recalled longtime Valley Christian baseball coach John Diatte. “That’s when they realized that we needed a special rule for her.”

As it became clear that Zobac’s batting practice swings were a risk to the cars arriving on campus, it became an unofficial policy that the Cal-bound standout would no longer take batting practice while parents were picking up kids from the school, instead waiting until later in the afternoon until she could take her hacks. By that point, the school administration merely knew what the rest of the West Catholic Athletic League and the Central Coast Section knew from the time that Zobac entered high school, which was that she will go down as one of the top high school softball players ever to play in the section.

Zobac was not only a four-year varsity starter, but an impact player from the very beginning, and in fact was recognized as the Player of the Year by the WCAL in all four of her high school seasons. Her lowest single-season batting average and power numbers came in her freshman season, when she hit .512 with five home runs. While those numbers would be career-highs for most standout players, she was only getting started. This year, Zobac capped a phenomenal career by hitting .607 with 11 home runs, four triples, 12 doubles and 35 RBIs, despite also being walked 25 times. Add in her free passes, and she posted a .721 on-base percentage to go with a whopping 2.180 OPS.

“Statistics and her athleticism speak for themselves, and they provide value to the fact that she is relentless in her work ethic, which is driven by her desire to continually improve,” said Warriors softball coach Rigo Gutierrez. “But above all those things, she is an even better person and Christian.”

As the sun set on Zobac’s phenomenal career, she went down swinging with her Valley Christian team in the CCS Division II playoffs. She had six extra-base hits in the Warriors’ first two playoff games, wins over Pacific Christian and Burlingame. That included a home run in each game and eight RBIs in the two wins to kick off the post-season. Valley Christian’s season ended with a loss to Pioneer in the semifinals, but Zobac did her part, walking twice and adding an RBI double in the fifth inning.

While her presence at the plate was enough to be a main factor in the 71 Warrior victories during her four years, Zobac was also able to control games from behind the plate. Of the 15 runners who attempted to steal a base against her, she threw out 10 of them, a whopping two-thirds of would-be base-stealers. And that number was actually in her junior season, when she threw out of 14 of 16 girls who attempted to run.

Just like this season, when Zobac had a few of her finest performances late in the year, she will likely be remembered for standout post-season performances from throughout her career. That includes her two-homer day to beat St. Ignatius for the WCAL tournament title in 2018, which happened one day after she preserved a shutout win over Mitty in the semifinals by throwing out both runners who attempted to steal against her. It certainly also includes a 4-for-4 day she had as a sophomore against Sacred Heart Cathedral, when she drove in seven runs while smacking two doubles, a triple and a home run, though even that day fell one short of the mark she set for herself as a freshman against Gonzales, when she homered twice and drove in eight runs.

“Kacey is, and was during her entire time here, a leader on and off the field,” Gutierrez added. “She is dedicated both to her passion for the sport and her academics.”

In all, Zobac’s career lines are jaw-dropping at the least. She finished her four years with a .560 career batting average, to go with 28 home runs, 15 triples, 43 doubles and 124 RBIs. Zobac also finished with 146 career hits, though that number would certainly have been higher were it not for the 58 walks issued to her, to avoid the extra-base hit that she could inevitably deliver.

For her efforts throughout this season, we are pleased to recognize Kacey Zobac as the Prep2Prep Central Coast Section Player of the Year, for the second consecutive season.

Other players considered include Santa Teresa’s Cayla Williams, Mitty’s Savanah Whatley and Watsonville’s Juliana Wilson.

The season had about as many twists and turns and ups and downs as a roller coaster ride, and after going 18-7 and only 2-3 in the West Catholic Athletic League they could have folded down the stretch, but in the end the Monarchs and Coach Joe Gron got the ultimate prized possession.

Now, after Archbishop Mitty completed the season by winning the CCS Open Division championship with a 6-0 victory over WCAL arch rival St. Francis-Mountain View, Gron snags the top coaching honor in the section after being named the 2019 Prep2Prep Central Coast Section Coach of the Year.

“It’s truly an honor and I appreciate it very much,” was the response of Gron when told he was chosen for the award.

The four-year Mitty head coach won’t be returning for a fifth season, but in his four years at the Monarchs helm the only thing Gron didn’t do is win four CCS championships, but he did win three, an Open Division title in 2017 when they beat St. Francis, a Division II title in 2016 before the CCS started the Open Division, and in the one season they didn’t claim a championship, his 2018 team came close after his girls lost to St. Francis in the Open Division title game.

This year’s Monarchs had some familiar faces, some new ones, and one new addition.

Two seniors shared the pitching duties, and each had reasonably good seasons as batters and graduate with the same three CIFCCS championships and one runner-up finish as Coach Gron, Santa Clara-bound Hannah Edwards and Savanna Smith.

Gron handed Smith the ball in the CCS Open Division title game and she responded by pitching a three-hitter with a walk, and although she only had four strikeouts the defense took care of business and the Monarchs bats responded.

Freshman Elon Butler, the brightest of the new faces, had the biggest stick with a home run, a triple, two RBI and two runs scored.

The big addition to this year’s team, Berean Christian-Walnut Creek transfer and Prep2Prep CCS Junior of the Year Savanah Whatley, scored twice, and Cal-bound junior Diamond Holland and Edwards each scored a run.

When Mitty only received the No. 8 seed for the Open Division playoffs the doubters were licking their chops, especially after a 14-4 loss to St. Francis in the WCAL playoff semifinals.

Receiving the No. 8 seed didn’t seem to matter. In fact it wasn’t the first time Mitty won one of its three titles and runner-up finishes under Gron without getting the top seed which they never received . In 2017, the first year the CCS went to an Open Division the Monarchs came from the No. 4 seed to win the title. Gron and his girls were the No. 2 seed in 2016 when they won the D2 championship, and last year they bowed out to St. Francis in the title game after coming from the No. 8 seed.

Mitty started right out in the playoffs this past season with Smith and Edwards combining to whitewash WCAL rival and top-seeded Presentation 5-0, and followed that up with a 12-3 hammering of a Carlmont team whose number Gron has had in his four-year Mitty run.

“We knew who we were, and were being doubted especially after that 14-4 debacle,” Gron said. “But I told them there’s only one thing left to do.”

And do it they did.

“This year’s team did have its ups and downs,” Gron reflected. “I think they just put everything aside and came out with the will and heart of a champion.”

On the season the Utah-committed Whatley hit .544 with a home run, two triples, a team leading eight doubles, tied with Edwards for a team-high 26 RBI, and was second in runs to 26 Holland who hit .493 with 35 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. Butler led the team in home runs with four and had a .329 average.

Besides the 26 RBIs, Edward had three home runs and hit .323, and Smith also had three homers and had a .314 average. From the circle Edwards was 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA, and Smith was 8-5 with 2.08 ERA.

Other contributors were freshman Jamie Hicks, senior Kaitlyn Matherly, and freshman Taryn Kern.

Asked to choose his favorite team in the four years Gron chose his first one, the 2016 team that beat favored Pioneer for the Division II title.

“Our coaching staff came in after Mitty graduated 11 seniors, all the pitching and seven starters,” Gron said. “I think they just put everything aside and came out with the will and heart of a champion.”

Gron is no stranger to San Jose area softball. He has been a very successful travel ball coach with the San Jose Sting where he is currently the Director of Operations and the head coach of the nationally-ranked 18 Gold team.

As for high school, before coming to Mitty he spent 12 years as the head coach at Leland and won 214 games.

Now, with 80 wins at Mitty he is six wins short of the 300 high school coaching victory mark.

Gron wouldn’t let the cat out of the bag but he did say this. “I’ll pretty sure I’ll be coaching somewhere but probably won’t make a decision until August,” was Gron’s answer when asked if he still wants to coach at the high school level this coming school year.

In the meantime it’s a busy summer of travel ball for the 2019 Prep2Prep Central Coast Section Coach of the Year for softball.

Other coaches considered for this award include Aragon’s Roger Miller, Pioneer’s Ed Barclay, Presentation’s Ernie Garcia and Notre Dame-Salinas’ Tom Cardinale.

Holly Fletcher

Lauren Baker

Jessica Rodriguez

Kacey Zobac

Savanah Whatley

Hannah Damore

Aubrie Thomas

Megan Grant

Ashley Trierweiler

Diamond Holland

Victoria Cervantes

Cayla Williams

Juliana Wilson

Jocelyn Pino

Clarisa Ramirez

Samantha Rocha

Kaia McCaul

Angelita Fuentes

Ashley Donaldson

Ashleigh Dean

Adele Braun

Hailey Prahm

Korie Thomas

Alaana Panu

Tayler Wise

Alohi Apalla

Ilona Sullivan

Kalea Kaui

Samantha Baer