Small Town News

Grap honored as 1A East Player of the Year

---

Fresh off a 6-2 loss to Gila Bend in the semi-finals of the 1A State Baseball Playoffs, the mood on the bus was a somber one at best. In an effort to revive his players and add a spark to a disappointing day, Coach Duarte boarded the bus and addressed his team. Surprising players with much anticipated information, he announced the All Conference players.

An unassuming sophomore, third baseman Chris Grap, sat quietly in his seat not knowing Coach Duarte has an award to bestow on him as well: he was just selected as the 1A East Player of the Year. Allowing only a slight smile to spread across his lips, he sat back and soaked in the information.

"I didn't want to jump up or be dramatic. I just wanted to keep it to myself and sharejt with my family and friends later," he said.

Little did he know that they already knew, and it didn't take long before they were calling him on his cell phone to congratulate him.

During the beginning of his freshman year, Chris would have never imagined this would have been a possibility or that he would have put up the numbers that he did. Fracturing his hip while sliding into second base, two games into the season, he was forced to sit out all but the last three games waiting for his hip to heal. Stronger and faster than before, Chris started this season prepared to play. Posting impressive offensive numbers, Coach Duarte knew he would be a shoe-in for Player of the Year, finishing his season with a .436 batting average, 51 hits, 26 RBIs, seven doubles, eight triples, and an on-base percentage of .484.

Taking big lead-offs and frustrating his opponent, stealing bases is his favorite thing to do on the field. Having perfected it to an art form, he was only involved in two pickles all season, and those didn't come until the first game of the playoffs. Chris successfully avoided getting caught, as his numbers again can attest to with 14 of 15 stolen bases.

Athletics isn't the only area where Chris is successful, he is an honor roll student as well and plans to attend ASU and earn a degree in Sports Medicine.

While he believes in putting his all into academics and every sport he plays, achieving individual success, he realizes the importance of being a team player as well. Never swinging for the fence, he does what needs to be done to get on base.

"I have to do whatl have to do to help my team," he said.

It definitely showed, as Superior finished 8-0 in league and 23-10 for the year with a .697 win percentage.



Copyright 2010 The Superior Sun, Superior, Arizona. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 The Superior Sun Superior, Nebraska. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

More from The Superior Sun