The high school softball season has come and gone, but local athletes are still picking up accolades from their 2019 campaigns.
The 2019 Miracle Sports All-State teams were released last month honoring the top players in Florida — and area players were well-represented.
Sixteen athletes from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were recognized, either as first-team, second-team or honorable mention.
Predictably, the back-to-back Class 2A state champion Academy at the Lakes Wildcats garnered the most representatives from the area among all classifications, with a total of seven selections in Class 2A.
That included Wildcats senior pitcher/first baseman Lexi Kilfoyl, who was named Class 2A Player of the Year/first-team All-State.
In the circle, Kilfoyl went 23-1, posting a 0.32 earned run average and 249 strikeouts in 154 innings pitched, with opposing batters hitting a mere .097 against her. At the plate, Kilfoyl led the Wildcats in batting average (.482) and RBIs (35), along with five home runs, nine doubles and 41 hits.
Other Wildcats on the first-team included junior Jessica Mott, sophomores Devyne Davis, Vanessa Alexander, Caitlin Blankenship, and freshman Hannah Church; seventh-grader Mia Fields was a second-team choice. Additionally, Wildcats coach Diane Stephenson was named Class 2A Coach of the Year, for the second straight year.
The Wildcats finished the season with a 19-7 record, defeating Mount Dora Christian Academy 11-0 in the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) Class 2A state finals on May 22 in Vero Beach.
Academy at the Lakes wasn’t the only Land O’ Lakes-based school well-represented on the All-State team.
In Class 7A, the Sunlake High Seahawks, who finished the season with a 24-3 mark and won its first-ever district crown, garnered six All-State picks.
Most notably was sophomore shortstop/catcher Jenna Lord, who was named Class 7A Offensive Player of the Year/first team All-State. Lord posted a .542 batting average, 13 home runs and 46 RBIs in 83 at-bats.
Seahawks sophomore Kendra Falby and senior Alexis Duff joined Lord on the first-team, while junior Daisy McQuain and senior Paige Maseda were second-teamers, and senior Shea Forgas an honorable mention.
In Class 6A, the Land O’ Lakes High Gators had two first-team All-State selections, in senior pitcher Callie Turner and senior outfielder Shelby Westbrook. Turner was also named Class 6A Defensive Player of the Year.
The Gators went 22-6 and reached the regional quarterfinals.
Elsewhere, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High senior pitcher/utility Savannah Lee was named Class 3A second team All-State.
There were no All-State representatives in our coverage area from Classes 9A, 8A, 5A, 4A or 1A.
2019 Miracle Sports All-State teams
Class 7A
Offensive Player of the Year: Jenna Lord, Sunlake, sophomore (first team)
Kendra Falby, Sunlake, sophomore (first team)
Alexis Duff, Sunlake, sophomore (first team)
Daisy McQuain, Sunlake, junior (second team)
Paige Maseda, Sunlake, senior (second team)
Shea Forgas, Sunlake, senior (honorable mention)
Class 6A
Defensive Player of the Year: Callie Turner, Land O’ Lakes, senior (first team)
Shelby Westbrook, Land O’ Lakes, senior (first team)
Class 3A
Savannah Lee, Bishop McLaughlin, senior (second team)
Class 2A
Coach of the Year: Diane Stephenson, Academy at the Lakes
Player of the Year: Lexi Kilfoyl, Academy at the Lakes, senior (first team)
Hannah Church, Academy at the Lakes, freshman (first team)
Jessica Mott, Academy at the Lakes, junior (first team)
Devyne Davis, Academy at the Lakes, sophomore (first team)
Vanessa Alexander, Academy at the Lakes, sophomore (first team)
Caitlin Blankenship, Academy at the Lakes, sophomore (first team)
Mia Fields, Academy at the Lakes, seventh grade (second team)
2019 Miracle Sports final team rankings
Class 7A
Fifth — Sunlake (24-3)
Class 6A
Honorable mention — Land O’ Lakes (22-6), Wesley Chapel (15-7)
Class 2A
First — Academy at the Lakes (19-7, state champion)
Published July 10, 2019
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