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Pella's Grant Judkins celebrates after scoring a run during the fifth inning in a Class 3A Semifinals game at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, July 31, 2015. (Photo by Dylan Heuer/Iowa Cubs)
Pella’s Grant Judkins celebrates after scoring a run during the fifth inning in a Class 3A Semifinals game at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, July 31, 2015. (Photo by Dylan Heuer/Iowa Cubs)

Following in fellow senior Noah Clayberg’s footsteps, Pella High 12th grader, Grant Judkins, was announced on Tuesday as Pella High’s first Gatorade Iowa Baseball Player of the Year. The award honors athletes for their athletic abilities, exemplary character, and academic excellence. Judkins has maintained a 3.95 GPA, and has volunteered his time locally with the Salvation Army, assisting elderly, and with his church youth group. Also a member of the Class 3A 3rd place boys’ basketball team, Judkins went 11-1 on the mound in 2015 with a scary 0.56 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 74-plus innings pitched. He also hit .520 at the plate with 13 home runs, 53 RBI, and 57 runs scored. Winning the state award qualifies Judkins for the National Baseball Player of the Year honor. He joins other major league players to have won in their respective states, including Derek Jeter, Roy Halladay, David Price, Chipper Jones, and Jon Lester.

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