Area softball players among best in state

The high school softball season has come and gone, but local athletes are still racking up accolades from their 2021 campaigns.

The 2021 Miracle Sports all-state teams were released earlier this month honoring the top softball players in Florida — and area standouts were well-represented.

Over 40 softball players across nine schools from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area were recognized either as first-team, second-team, third-team or honorable mention.

All-State selections were made by longtime Florida sportswriter Corey Davis, with nominations considered from prep coaches of playoff and non-playoff teams statewide, representing classes 1A through 7A.

The Land O’ Lakes High Gators (5A) led all area programs with nine selections, including two first-teamers in juniors Nehanda Lewis and Emma Nixon.

The Gators went 24-8 and finished 5A state-runner up, falling to Fort Myers High 7-6 in the state championship game on May 21 in Claremont.

Lewis — the team’s primary shortstop and a University of Central Florida softball commit — also was named 5A player of the year.

She led the Gators in batting average (.477), hits (41), RBI (40), walks (14), doubles (11), triples (five) and home runs (three), among other categories.

Nixon — the team’s catcher and a University of West Georgia commit — hit .295 with eight doubles and 34 RBI. Defensively, she paced the Gators in putouts (141) and threw out three base stealers.

Meanwhile, Land O’ Lakes head coach Mitch Wilkins was honored as 5A coach of the year.

In his eighth season as coach, Wilkins has paced the Gators to a combined 169-49-1 mark, including six 20-plus win seasons and a state crown in 2017. Likewise impressive on this year’s run was that the Gators roster included just two seniors (Gracie Stanley and Kalynn Lindsey), so the program should again be top-notch in coming years.

Academy at the Lakes — with a 17-5 record and a trip to the 2A regional semifinals — garnered the next-most selections among area schools, celebrating seven players on the 2A all-state team.

Freshman outfielder Addy Aliano, was a second-team choice; and pitchers Sydney Klein (freshman) and Katie Ferguson (eighth grade), earned third-team nods.

Aliano led the Wildcats in runs scored (26) to go along with a .338 batting average, 22 RBI and 13 stolen bases.

Klein and Ferguson both tossed more than 50 innings with sub 4 ERAs and 50-plus strikeouts each.

The Steinbrenner High Warriors (7A) and Wiregrass Ranch Bulls (6A) also had very strong all-state representation with five all-state selections apiece in their respective classifications.

All five Warriors were third-team 7A picks — senior Ashley Schroll, juniors Madison Frey and Emily Chiarella, sophomore Hailey Bellamy and freshman Lily Holtje, respectively. Steinbrenner went 23-5 and reached the 7A regional quarterfinals.

Leading the way for the Bulls, meanwhile, was first-team 6A choice Brianna Baer, a junior outfielder.

Baer posted a .412 batting average with four homers (including a grand slam), five doubles, two triples, 29 RBIs, 21 runs scored and six steals.

The Gaither High Cowboys (6A) and Wesley Chapel Wildcats (4A) garnered four selections apiece.

Among the Cowboys top choices was 6A first-teamer Jocelyn Wilkes, a junior utility player and University of South Florida commit.

Wilkes put up eye-popping numbers in 18 games played — leading the Cowboys in batting average (.649), doubles (16), home runs (seven) and RBIs (40).

Wilkes also was the team’s ace in the circle, posting a 3.35 ERA and 98 strikeouts across 96 innings pitched.

All of Wesley Chapel’s selections earned third-team 4A designations — senior Ashley Garrison, juniors Madelyn Golka and Kadence Means, and freshman Ava Blakely, respectively.

The Cypress Creek Coyotes (3A) had three all-state selections — senior pitcher Hailey Vazquez (third-team) and junior infielders Mandy Schwartz (third-team) and Jillian Hudson (honorable mention).

The Wharton High Wildcats (7A) had two all-state picks — sophomore utility Lexi Cowles (first-team) and senior infielder Tieley Vaughn (honorable mention). Both Cowles and Vaughn hit over .400 with double-digit extra-base hits apiece.

The Sunlake High Seahawks (6A) had a lone all-state representative in junior outfielder Larken Maseda, a third-team choice.

Maseda — a Palm Beach Atlantic University softball commit — led the Seahawks in RBIs (20) to go along with a .362 batting clip and seven extra-base hits. She also paced the team in fielding percentage (.982) and putouts (96).

No local schools or athletes were recognized in Class 1A.

2021 Miracle Sports all-state teams
Class 7A

• Madison Frey, Steinbrenner, junior, catcher (third team)
• Lily Holtje, Steinbrenner, freshman, catcher (third team)
• Emily Chiarella, Steinbrenner, junior, outfielder (third team)
• Ashley Schroll, Steinbrenner, senior, utility (third team)
• Hailey Bellamy, Steinbrenner, sophomore, utility (third team)
• Lexi Cowles, Wharton, sophomore, utility (first team)
• Tieley Vaughn, Wharton, senior, infielder (honorable mention)

Class 6A

• Jocelyn Wilkes, Gaither, junior, utility (first team)
• Marley Quammie, Gaither, freshman, outfielder (third team)
• Alex Wilkes, Gaither, sophomore, utility (third team)
• Megan Loughren, Gaither, sophomore, infielder (honorable mention)
• Larken Maseda, Sunlake, junior, outfielder (third team)
• Brianna Baer, Wiregrass Ranch, junior, outfielder(first team)
• Kylee Johnson, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore, infielder (second team)
• Isabella Amendolaro, Wiregrass Ranch, junior, outfielder (third team)
• Elise Eason, Wiregrass Ranch, junior, infielder (honorable mention)
• Gracie Bethel, Wiregrass Ranch, sophomore, infielder (honorable mention)

Class 5A

• Coach of the Year: Mitch Wilkins, Land O’ Lakes
• Player of the Year: Nehanda Lewis, Land O’ Lakes, infielder (first team)
• Emma Nixon, Land O’ Lakes, junior, catcher (first team)
• Nehanda Lewis, Land O’ Lakes, junior, infielder (first team)
• Kiersten Stevens, Land O’ Lakes, freshman, outfielder (third team)
• Mia Fields, Land O’ Lakes, freshman, pitcher (honorable mention)
• Gracie Stanley, Land O’ Lakes, senior, utility (honorable mention)
• Reagan Alapa, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore, utility (honorable mention)
• Jadyn Spencer, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore, utility (honorable mention)
• Nicol Werking, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore, outfielder (honorable mention)
• Aliana Mercado, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore, utility (honorable mention)

Class 4A

• Kadence Means, Wesley Chapel, junior, catcher (third team)
• Ashley Garrison, Wesley Chapel, senior, infielder (third team)
• Ava Blakely, Wesley Chapel, freshman, outfielder (third team)
• Madelyn Golka, Wesley Chapel, junior, utility (third team)

Class 3A

• Hailey Vazquez, Cypress Creek, senior, pitcher (third team)
• Mandy Schwartz, Cypress Creek, junior, infielder (third team)
• Jillian Hudson, Cypress Creek, junior, infielder (honorable mention)

Class 2A

• Addy Aliano, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, outfielder (second team)
• Sydney Klein, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, pitcher (third team)
• Katie Ferguson, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, pitcher (third team)
• Vanessa Alexander, Academy at the Lakes, senior, infielder (honorable mention)
• Juliana Ries, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, infielder (honorable mention)
• Alina Ries, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, outfielder (honorable mention)
• Molly Blackwood, Academy at the Lakes, freshman, utility (honorable mention)

No local schools or athletes recognized in Class 1A.

Published July 28, 2021