Eleni Spirakis is just a normal teenager who agrees she spends a "ridiculous amount of time on the computer" doing a variety of things.

But Spirakis is more. The Prep2Prep Central Coast Section Sophomore of the Year is also a star athlete, has a 4.2 grade point average and seems to shine at just about everything she tries.

First the softball.

"I thought she was one of the top players in our league (and) actually I voted for her as (defensive) player of the year, however she did not win the award," Homestead coach Steve Allemandi said. "In our first game Noa (Yakir) hit a shot that we all thought was gone but she reached up from the shortstop position and with her height and arm span snagged the ball both myself and the Saratoga coaching staff thought was gone.

"She was also an outstanding hitter. I can honestly say I am not looking foreward to seeing her over the next couple of years (because) she is just that good."

Spirakis -- playing mostly shortstop but also pitching -- hit .469 with three home runs, two triples and seven doubles while driving in 13 runs. In the circle she went 6-6 with a 2.58 earned run average, striking out 58 and walking 29. Opponents hit .223 against her.

"I like the atmosphere (of softball) and how everything you do can make a difference," Spirakis said. "I also like my position (shortstop and pitcher) because I'm not just standing around like some people think (of softball players). I'm always involved."

Spirakis' parents, Greg and Kerri, met playing volleyball at Intel in San Jose. Her dad also plays tennis. She began playing softball at age 6 and it was a natural fit. Now a 5-foot-11 rising 11th-grader, she's a force on the softball diamond.

In case you didn't guess by the name, Spirakis is Greek-American. Her grandparents came to the U.S. from Greece. She has a freshman sister, Yianna, who plays volleyball, basketball and softball for Saratoga.

Eleni said when she isn't playing softball or on the computer, she enjoys cooking -- doing a lot of prep work for instance when her mom prepares big meals.

She'll still have plenty of time for that the next few years as she completes her high school years, though the college scouts will be circling if they're not already. Given Spirakis' size and ability, she seems like a lock for a college softball scholarship.

"That's the plan," Spirakis said. "I'd like to stay in California. Maybe I'll play down south (near LA) -- somewhere not too far away. I don't care what division I play, just as long as I play a good amount. I don't want to sit on the bench and I want to be on a competitive team."

Also considered: Mattea Carveiro, 3B, Prospect; Laura Jaquez, SS/P, Andrew Hill; Makenzie Drake, SS, Pioneer; Lizzy Beutter, P/IF, Los Altos.

NOTE: We would like to thank our readers for all of the nominations you sent in for the season-ending CCS softball awards. It is a daunting task to narrow down our selections to just the top few as we recognize there are lots of great players who make contributions on the diamond that are not necessarily well-documented but mean a great deal to the success of their teams. We salute all of the players that have made this a wonderful season of CCS softball.