GC Softball: Farmer, MIldred dominate 23-2A all-district team

They released the District 23-2A all-district softball team this week, and they could have held the announcement at Mildred High School, where the Lady Eagles dominated the team.

    Not only did Olivia Farmer walk away with the player of the year honors, but Mildred’s Joanna Tapley was the district’s offensive player of the year, Maddie Moore was the league’s newcomer of the year and Hannah Jones won the Fighting Heart award.

    That was just the beginning for Mildred.

    The Lady Eagles also had six players named to the all-district first-team, and all six are underclassmen. Farmer and Jones are the only seniors from Mildred, which looks to be a powerhouse next year as well.

    Farmer ended her softball career at Mildred with a season to remember. She hit .621 with six homers and 25 of her 54 hits went for extra bases. Farmer drove in 52 runs on those 54 hits, and she stole 35 bases and scored 40 runs. She also went 6-4 on the mound and struck out 63 batters in 60 1/3 innings.

      Tapley, a junior, batted .418 with six homers and she drove in 26 runs and scored 26 runs. Moore, a freshman, hit .469, stole 19 bases and scored 37 runs.

    Mildred’s first-team selections were led by pitcher Aubyn Turner, a junior who went 13-5 with a 2.22 ERA. She struck out 87 in 107 innings and also batted .354 and stole 43 bases. Mildred’s Brianna Weaver, a junior who hit .356 with 19 RBIs, and Savannah Pritchett, a sophomore who hit .355 and scored 29 runs while driving in 19, were both named as first-team infielders.

  Abbie Burnham, a freshman who hit .328 and scored 23 runs, and Shelby Adamson, a junior, were both named to the first-team outfield. Callie Bland, a junior who hit. 390 with three homers and 25 RBIs and 20 stolen bases, was named the designated player on the first-team.

    Blooming Grove also had a big impact on the team. Falcon Thompson, a junior who went 13-10 with three shutouts and a 1.66 ERA, was named the co-pitcher of the year. Thompson struck out 140 batters in 126 innings and she also was a threat at the plate, hitting .306 and driving in 21 runs. Blooming Grove’s Sydney Horner, a sophomore who hit .535 and stole 38 bases and scored 33 runs, was the utility player of the year.

    Blooming Grove had four players named to the first team. Catcher Steely Southard, a junior who batted .404 and stole 14 bases, led the way. Haven Cofer, a senior who hit .392, and Hannah Chaffin, a senior who hit .475, were both named to the first-team infield. Rachel East, a junior, was named to the first-team outfield.

    Rice’s Samantha Harris. a junior who hit .683, stole 36 bases and had a .937 fielding average at shortstop, was named to the first-team infield.       

District 23-2A All-District Softball Team

Player of the Year — Olivia Farmer , Sr., Mildred

Offensive POY — Joanna Tapley, Jr. Mildred

Defensive POY — Morgan Evans, Sr., Riesel

Co-Pitcher POY —  Falcon Thompson, Jr., Blooming Grove; Tiffany Scruggs, Fr., Teague

Newcomer of the Year — Maddie Moore, Fr., Mildred

Utility — Sydney Horner, So., Blooming Grove

Fighting Heart — Hannah Jones, Sr., Mildred

First-team

Pitcher

Aubyn Turner, Jr., Mildred

Catcher

Steely Southard, Jr., Blooming Grove

Infield

Haven Cofer, Sr., Blooming Grove

Hannah Chaffin, Sr., Blooming Grove

Brianna Weaver, Jr., Mildred

Savannah Pritchett, So., Mildred

Samantha Harris, Jr., Rice

Savannah Martinez, Fr., Riesel

Outfield

Abbie Burham, Fr., Mildred

Shelby Adamson, Jr., Mildred

Rachel East, Jr., Blooming Grove

Skylar Hildago, Jr., Riesel

Jayme Smith, So., Teague

Designated Player

Callie Bland, Jr., Mildred

Utility

Taylor Rutledge, Jr., Buffalo

Second-team

Pitcher

Ashley Hickerson, Sr., Riesel

Catcher

Morgan McCreary, So., Mildred

Infield

Lauren Miller, Sr., Blooming Grove

Hunter Keilers, Sr., Rice

Ashton Metcalf, So., Rice

Paige Marshall, Sr., Riesel

Kelsie Lummas, Jr., Teague

Ellie Perales, Jr. Teague

Outfield

Yasmine Hinojosa, Fr., Rice

Lindsey Shuart, Sr., Blooming Grove

Shelby Beamon, Sr. Blooming Grove

Hope Scales, Fr., Teague

McKenzie Lowery, Sr., Riesel

Kate Glick, Jr., Buffalo

Designated Player

Kristen Massingill, Jr., Riesel

Utility

Hannah Owens, Jr., Rice

Ashton Dunlap, Jr., Riesel