CCS Junior of the Year
SAVANAH WHATLEY, ARCHBISHOP MITTY
It was a bit up and down for Archbishop Mitty this past softball season as the Monarchs took their lumps and finished 18-7 and only 2-3 in the West Catholic Athletic League. However, in the end Mitty won when it counted in the Central Coast Section Open Division title game, and the girl that ended up with the team’s top batting average, shortstop Savanah Whatley, now snags the team’s top individual honor after winning the Prep2Prep CCS Junior of the Year Award.
“Thank you. That means the world to me. It’s such an honor,” was the response of Whatley when told she was the winner.
On the season the Utah-committed Whatley hit .544 with a home run, two triples, a team leading eight doubles, tied with Santa Clara-bound Mitty grad Hannah Edwards for team-high with 26 RBIs, and was second in runs with 26 to Cal-committed Diamond Holland, who was also strongly considered for this award.
Whatley now adds an honor for the entire Central Coast Section to her West Catholic Athletic League co-MVP award, and All Bay Area News Group First Team and San Francisco Chronicle All Metro Second Team honors.
The fact Whatley was able to step right in after transferring from Berean Christian-Walnut Creek after two years there, and what she went through last year in her sophomore season, makes what she did even more exceptional. Plus, she did it batting second behind Holland in the order, and players hitting in the two hole don’t usually have big offensive numbers.
After a freshman season at Berean Christian where Savanah hit .478, scored 34 runs and even did some pitching, her single mother, Patricia Whatley, got a job at Stanford so they moved from the East Bay close to Stanford. However, because her big sister, Berean Christian catcher Sadie Whatley, was only a junior, a choice was made to commute the girls to Walnut Creek.
In her sophomore season, and while making the trek from the lower Peninsula to Walnut Creek in the East Bay, the team struggled mightily, but Whatley still ripped the cover off the ball in the batter’s box with an over .600 average.
When Sadie graduated from Berean Christian, Patricia made a decision to transfer Savanah to Mitty.
“Coming into AMHS as a junior transfer started off a little rocky,” Whatley admitted. “I came from a small Christian school of 400 to a new school with over triple the students. For the first few months I mostly kept to myself, but as soon as softball started and I finally met the team, I began to feel more at home.”
“Although we had our ups and downs during the season our common goal of winning a CCS title, playing for each other, and representing our school well is what really brought us together,” continued Whatley during her lunch break working at the Stanford Camp Cardinal recreational summer camp for kids.
Getting adjusted to Mitty in the fall might have been a little rocky, but come spring Whatley was ready to go on the softball field.
In her first game as a Monarch, Whatley only had one hit against Prep2Prep NCS No. 3 Amador Valley in a Mitty win, but she showed her prowess immediately thereafter in her next four games with five hits, seven RBIs and three runs scored in wins over Gilroy, San Benito, San Mateo and Silver Creek, and all four finished high in the final P2P CCS rankings and were either in the Open or Division I playoffs.
“Savanah’s addition helped the day she stepped on the Mitty softball field,” said Joe Gron, who is not retuning for a fifth season at the Monarchs helm after leading the team to two CCS Open Division titles and a runner up finish the past three years, and a Division II title his first year.
“Having her in the middle was for all of us baseball buffs like having Ozzie Smith out there,” continued Gron. “You knew when the ball was hit on the ground anywhere near her it was an out. She took control of the infield from day one.”
Playing the hot spot against some of the toughest hitters in top tournaments like the Livermore Stampede, and in the ultra-tough WCAL, Savannah only had two errors in 56 total chances.
Did we tell you? Whatley is a pretty good base runner as well. She was second on the team to Holland in stolen bases after 13 thefts in 13 attempts. Holland had 26 but the whole rest of the Monarchs team only had six steals combined.
“Her numbers were huge for a two-hole batter,” Gron remarked. “She not only used her slapping skills when needed to get on base, but she was able to give us some of the most clutch hits of the season.”
“It’s all about hard work, passion, and just pure love of the game,” Gron continued. “She’s a born leader, works hard and long on her craft and studies the game, and has a passion that separates her from everyone else. I can’t tell you how many times she came to me about this and that strategy wise by thinking or watching the other team warm up. That’s what makes her one of the best.”
As for committing to Utah, the Monarchs newest star seemed to know exactly what she was doing.
“My whole life I’ve dreamed of playing in the Pac-12 and being an Olympian,” responded Whatley about becoming a Ute after next year. “After exploring all my options I felt that Utah had valued me as a player and a person, and Coach Amy Hogue and I connected real well and she showed a lot of support throughout the process by attending a bunch of games.”
“They were also able to offer me a scholarship that met all my financial needs, which is important coming from a single parent home,” continued the 3.4 GPA student-athlete, who tells P2P her favorite subjects are chemistry and math and she hopes to use them to pursue a career as a pediatric nurse. “The campus and the facilities are breathtaking, and they have one of the best medical programs. I am so blessed to be in this position and I can’t wait to be a Ute.”
The final question obviously is what about next season, taking on a leadership role as a senior, and some goals for the team and herself?
“I’m super excited to be an upperclass and lead the younger girls,” Whatley said. “Going into next season our ultimate goal is to defend our CCS title and win the WCAL title with a better regular season record. Consistency will be our key to a successful season.”
“Personally, I have already begun to train for next season,” Whatley continued. “I’m hoping to put up better numbers by continuing to push myself in my last year at Mitty while I also prepare for college softball and the USA tryout.”
Sounds like some mighty lofty goals if they include even bigger numbers, but don’t think for a moment she can’t do it because Savanah probably can.
For now it’s working at the Stanford Camp Cardinal recreational summer camp for kids and for her efforts throughout this season, we are pleased to recognize Savanah Whatley as the Prep2Prep Central Coast Section Junior of the Year
Other players considered for this award include Mitty’s Diamond Holland, Notre Dame-Belmont’s Ashleigh Dean, Branham’s Ashley Donaldson and Saint Francis’ Hailey Prahm.
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