Randolph's Carter Raymond, a Gophers commit, surpassed 250 strikeouts this season to become the seventh pitcher in state history to go over 1,000 career strikeouts. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Dennis Trom knew better, but he couldn’t shake a nagging concern when it came to his star pitcher.

The affable Randolph softball coach has been senior Carter Raymond’s high school coach for five years, and Raymond was coming off a junior season of a lifetime — a 27-1 record, a 0.51 ERA and 310 strikeouts while pitching the Rockets to the Class 2A state championship.

Trom wondered how Raymond would handle accompanying expectations. He figured out right away he needn’t worry.

“Every year, I come up with a team slogan before the season,” Trom said. “This year, Carter came up with it. ‘Pressure is a privilege.’ She nailed it.”

Entering the Class 2A, Section 1 championship game, Raymond was 22-0 on the mound with a 0.45 ERA and 286 strikeouts. She is the seventh pitcher in state history to go over 1,000 career strikeouts.

Raymond admitted to a little apprehension starting this season with so much expected of her. In 2024, she was named Gatorade Minnesota Player of the Year and the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year. Before her senior year began, she committed to the University of Minnesota.

For more about this year's player of the year, click here to read the a story on startribune.com.