Griffin Again Chosen State Softball Player of the Year

Sara Griffin, a senior right-hander from Simi Valley High, has been selected the state softball player of the year by Cal-Hi Sports magazine for the second consecutive season, leading a list of several area honorees.

In all, five area players were named all-state in baseball and two in softball.

Griffin, who will play next year at Michigan, was 21-2 with an earned-run average of 0.15. She threw two no-hitters, 16 shutouts and struck out 252 in 183 innings. She is joined on the all-state softball team by Esmeralda Macias, a junior outfielder from Alemany.

Three pitchers led the way in baseball--Randy Wolf of El Camino Real, Jim Parque of Crescenta Valley and Carlos Velazco of Sylmar. All are seniors. Senior infielders Ryan Hankins of Simi Valley and Bryan LaCour of Chatsworth also made the team.

Infielder Rick Collier and outfielder Jason Adamson of Moorpark, both seniors, were named to the all-state medium schools’ team, along with Calabasas senior pitcher Josh Morton. Matt Hernandez, a senior pitcher from L.A. Baptist, made all-state in the small schools’ division.

Five juniors made the all-underclass team--outfielder Jim Landress of Granada Hills, catcher Kevin Serr of Kennedy, pitcher Richard Soliz of Rio Mesa, infielder Kyle Goss of Quartz Hill and utility player Luis Sanchez of Hart.

Catcher Ashley Gayer and pitcher Jamie Johnston, both seniors from Paraclete, made the all-state medium schools’ softball team. Junior infielder Shane Anderson of La Reina and freshman infielder Tamra Freedman of Montclair Prep also made the team.

Outfielder Michelle Cordes of Buena and infielder Crystl Bustos of Canyon joined Macias as juniors on the all-underclass team. Sophomore pitcher Jamie Gillies of Saugus also made the team.

Jim Romero of L.A. Baptist, a football and track athlete who has accepted a football scholarship to Arizona, was named state small schools’ athlete of the year.