2017 MaxPreps Medium Schools Softball All-American Teams

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MaxPreps 2017 Medium Schools Player of the Year — Annie Willis, Westminster Christian (Huntsville, Ala.), Sr.

Willis, Alabama's Miss Softball, went 43-3-1 with a 0.40 ERA, and a nation-leading 543 strikeouts in 259 innings despite battling pain from a stress fracture in her pitching arm. She tossed 25 shutouts, five no-hitters and three perfect games for the 51-win Class 4A state runner-up. In her three losses, Willis pitched 19 innings, allowed 11 hits and struck out 28. In the lone tie, she threw a one-hitter with 17 strikeouts in six innings. Willis, who has signed with Troy State, also was a force at the plate, hitting .464 with 12 home runs, eight doubles and 64 RBIs. Willis finished with a 160-50 record, a 1.05 ERA and 1,975 strikeouts in 1,227 innings for her career. She had 84 shutouts and had three seasons in which she won 40 games or more. In 277 games, she drove in 254 runs.

Past MaxPreps National Medium Schools Player of the Year winners
2016 — Ashley Swindle, Curry (Jasper, Ala.)
2015 — Rachel Garcia, Highland (Palmdale, Calif.)
2014 — Allyson Frei, High Point (Sussex, N.J.)
2013 — Jess Cummings, Northern (Owings, Md.)
2012 — Kayla Bonstrom, Canyon Del Oro (Ariz.)
2011 — Karysta Donisthorpe, Piedra Vista (Farmington, N.M.)

Medium Schools Team of the Year — Shawnee Heights (Tecumseh, Kan.), 24-0
The Thunderbirds captured the state 5A title while averaging nearly a dozen runs per game and allowing only 20 all season. They scored in double digits 18 times and recorded 15 shutouts during the season. Their closest game was the 2-1 season-opening win over Topeka. The T-Birds walked through the state tournament, outscoring a trio of foes 30-2, including a 10-0 title win over Blue Valley Southwest (Overland Park). The Steve Gibbons-coached team also dominated the 5A All-State selections with eight — Sydney Wellshear, Jaycee Ginter, Paige Petefish, Kaleigh Bayless, Aniya Holt, Lydia Ostenson, Faith Rottinghaus and Abbey Fischer. Wellshear and Petefish are MaxPreps All-Americans.

Medium Schools National Coach of the Year — Bobby Mick, Henley (Klamath Falls, Ore.), 30-0
Mick guided the Hornets to an unbeaten season and 4A title with a roster featuring four seniors, five juniors, four sophomores and one freshman. The Hornets became the first Oregon team to go 30-0 and scored 377 times while allowing 57. They scored over 20 runs in five games and won four games by one run. The Hornets were led by Oregon 4A Player of the Year McKenna Armantrout, a senior catcher, and sophomore Pitcher of the Year Lilly Poe. Others receiving All-State recognition were Briea Baley, Tanner Higgins, Jess Pettigrew and Kaila Mick. Armantrout is a MaxPreps All-American.

Past MaxPreps National Medium Schools Coach of the Year winners
2016 — Arthur Behrend, LaGrange (Tex.)
2015 — Mark Montimurro, Coral Springs Charter (Fla.)
2014 — Joe Leict, Indian Hills (Oakland, N.J.)
2013 — Laura Harms, Bishop McNamara (Kankanee, Ill.)
2012 — Robert Earl Radford of Northern (Owings, Md.)
2011 — Justin Chaney of Newton County (Miss.)

P — Allison Muraskin, Coral Springs Charter (Coral Springs, Fla.), Sr.
The Florida high school 5A Player of the Year and University of Central Florida signee led her squad to its third-straight state title, compiling a 30-1 record with a 0.26 ERA. She had 269 strikeouts in 161 innings pitched and more than 1,000 career strikeouts.

P — Montana Fouts, East Carter (Grayson, Ky.), Jr.
Fouts, an Alabama commit, led the Raiders to a 36-5 season and a 3-2 state showing. She totaled 448 strikeouts in 212 innings to go with a 0.43 ERA and 29 wins. Fouts repeated as Kentucky's Gatorade softball Player of the Year. She was a force in the batter's box, hitting .567 with a 1.017 slugging percentage, a dozen home runs, 16 doubles and 66 RBIs.

P — Courtney Vierstra, Lakewood (Hebron, Ohio), Sr.
Vierstra led Lakewood to a second-straight state Division II title, going 29-0 in the circle. She was 71-2 in her final three seasons for the Lancers. Vierstra, who also batted .385 and hit two home runs, was a three-time first team All-State performer. She will play at Miami of Ohio.

P — Tristan Bridges, Krum (Texas), Jr.
Bridges led her team to a state 4A title and 40-5 record. The Tarleton State commit won 35 games and posted a 0.47 ERA with 305 strikeouts in 225 innings. She also batted .419 with 15 doubles. She was first team All-State and the 4A tournament MVP.

P — Alyssa Graves, East Peoria (Ill.), Sr.
The lefty headed to Butler was 30-1 with more than 300 strikeouts in a state runner-up season. Graves, who pitched 18 shutouts, was named the 2017 Journal Star Softball Player of the Year.

P — Kristin Cocke, Safford (Ariz.), So.
Cocke received raves all season — including after the 3A championship game loss to Empire when she struck out 14 and all runs in a 4-1 loss were unearned. For the season, she struck out 390 in 188 innings and won 25-of-30 decisions. Cocke pitched a dozen shutouts, threw four no-hitters and batted .545 with 30 RBIs.

P — Whitney Sanford, Lee County (Sanford, N.C.), Sr.
Sanford tossed a dozen shutouts, five no-hitters and struck out 295 batters in 132 innings while posting a 0.27 ERA with a 20-1 record for 25-2 Lee County. Sanford, who has signed with East Carolina, was named the state's 3A East Pitcher of the Year.

P — Brooke Yanez, Buena (Ventura, Calif.), Sr.
Yanez was 19-0 with 214 strikeouts in 126 innings and a 0.58 ERA. The UC Davis signee allowed three hits in her final three games and struck out 36. She tossed a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts in the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section D4 title game win. She also batted .397 with 11 homers and 33 RBIs in Ventura's 27-0-1 season.

P — Jessica Seely, Foothill (Palo Cedro, Calif.), Sr.
Seely pitches (24-2 with a 0.36 ERA and 289 strikeouts in 174 innings) and hits (.545 batting average, 14 homers and 54 RBIs). The result: Foothill won the CIF Northern Section D3 title. Seely, the section MVP, has signed with Sacramento State.

P — Cambrie Hazel, Spanish Fork (Utah), Sr.
The Utah Gatorade winner led the Dons to a third straight Class 4A state championship. Named Utah's Miss Softball, Hazel finished the season with a 24-1 record with a 1.25 ERA. She fanned 290 and hit .439 with six home runs. She has signed with Dixie State.

P — Abby Swaney, Springville (Ala.), So.
Swaney pitched Springville to the state class 5A title with 324 strikeouts, a 33-9 record, 20 shutouts, three no-hitters and a 1.38 ERA. The Samford University commit was named to the state's All-Super Softball Team.

C — Mia Davidson, Orange (Hillsborough, N.C.), Sr.
Davidson, who has signed with Mississippi State, is a two-time state Gatorade softball Player of the Year winner. She led Orange (26-3) to the 3A title, hitting .526 this year and a dozen home runs despite being walked 46 times in 112 plate appearances. She ends her career with a state record 53 home runs and 152 RBIs, while hitting .627.

C — Becca Curtis, Swan Valley (Saginaw, Mich.), Sr.
Curtis scored 74 runs and had 53 RBIs this season. She added 20 doubles, nine triples and eight homers, walking 24 times and striking out three times. She also stole 18 bases. Curtis threw out 8-of-10 runners, picked off three at third base, three at second and two at first. Curtis, a first team All-State choice, was named the Saginaw News Player of the Year.

C — Abbey Latham, Demopolis (Ala.), Sr.
Named the state's 5A Player of the Year, Latham batted .605 with 19 home runs and 74 RBIs. She had 78 base hits (39 went for extra bases) and scored 61 times as Demopolis won 36 times. She committed one error in 285 chances. Latham has signed with Mississippi.

IF — Alynah Torres, Cactus (Glendale, Ariz.), So.
Torres has amassed 140 hits, a .603 average, scored 113 times and drove in 134 as a two-time All-State selection. This season, she hit .617 with 71 hits, 71 RBIs, 56 runs and had a base hit in all but one game. Committed to Arizona State, Torres was the MaxPreps 2016 National Freshman of the Year.

IF — Maggie Buckholz, Silverton (Ore.), Jr.
Buckholz's numbers keep rising — .734 batting average, 64 RBIs, 31 extra base hits (including 10 homers), 29 stolen bases and a 1.430 slugging percentage. She accounted for more than 40 percent (103) of the Foxes 225 runs. A three-time MaxPreps All-American, she has committed to Oregon.

IF — Ashley Prange, New Palestine (Ind.), Jr.
The Dragons' All-State junior hit a state-leading 21 home runs and batted .552 in leading New Palestine to the 3A state title. She also led the state in RBIs (67) and runs (59) while collecting 71 hits, 36 for extra-bases.

IF — Maddie Morgan, Lynnwood (Bothell, Wash.), Sr.
Signed with Alabama, Morgan improved her batting average every year hitting .589 as a freshman, .657 as a sophomore, .708 as a junior and .712 as a senior. She also had a .783 on-base percentage and 1.384 slugging percentage. Morgan had 23 extra-base hits in 52 at-bats and was named The Herald's 2017 Softball Player of the Year.

IF — Kiana Cisneros, Tesoro (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), Sr.
Though her team was 12-15, Cisneros hit .538, drove in 22, scored 26 and sparkled on defense. She was chosen to the Orange County Register's All-Area team. She has signed with Boston College.

IF — Aariyana Egan, Independence (Bakersfield, Calif.), Jr.
Egan had 40 steals, batted .479 with 42 runs and 35 RBIs as Independence won the CIF Central Section D3 title.

IF — Brenna Brownfield, Lakewood, Sr.
Bound for Kent State, Brownfield batted .602, with a school-record 10 home runs. A first-team All-Ohioan, Brownfield also was the Advocate Softball Player of the Year for the second straight season.

IF — Sydney Wellshear, Shawnee Heights, So.
Wellshear led the state-champion and unbeaten T-Birds in batting average (.712), doubles (15), home runs (13) and RBIs (41). Add to that an on-base percentage of .712 and a slugging percentage of 1.507 and it is easy to understand an unbeaten season.

IF — Lauren Mills, Seaman (Topeka, Kan.), Jr.
The All-State Mills was the only player in Kansas to match — or best — Shawnee's Wellshear as she hit .771 with 16 home runs and 39 RBIs. Mills was walked 36 times and had an on-base percentage of .860 and a 2.041 slugging percentage. Despite the walks, she had 16 multi-hit games. She was 8-2 as a pitcher with a 3.88 ERA.

IF — Lou Allan, Oak Hills (Hesperia, Calif.), Sr.
Signed with Michigan, Allan is a member of Team USA Juniors. She batted .644 with 47 hits, 35 RBIs and 35 runs. She homered 11 times and didn't strike out. Her on-base percentage was .693 with a 1.260 slugging percentage.

OF — Grace Dutoi, Swan Valley, Sr.
Few put up numbers like Dutoi did this season as Swan Valley went 40-2. She drove in 80 runs and scored 61 in 39 games. She batted .559 with 13 home runs. The first team All-State pick has signed with Northwood.

OF — Livy Schiele, Bishop's (La Jolla, Calif.), Sr.
Signed by Auburn, the returning MaxPreps All-American hit in 38 straight games and had 15 multi-hit games. Schiele hit .533 with 34 RBIs and 29 of her 48 base hits went for extra bases. She scored 45 times, struck out once and added 18 stolen bases.

OF — Sammy Fabian, Glendale (Calif.), Sr.
Big numbers once again by this multi-year MaxPreps honoree: .573 average, 47 hits, 36 runs, 21 steals in 25 games. In 90 career games, Fabian collected 184 hits, batted .624 and had base hits in all but five games. She will play collegiately at UC Santa Barbara.

OF — Yannira Acuna, Salpointe Catholic (Tucson, Ariz.), Jr.
The All SportsTucson.com's Player of the Year, Acuna had a .636 average, 31 RBIs, 46 runs, 32 stolen bases and 58 bases as Salpointe reached the state semifinals. She's a three-time All-State choice.

UTIL — McKenna Gregory, Benicia (Calif.), Sr.
Gregory batted .463 with nine homers, nine doubles and 41 RBIs as Benicia went 29-2 and won the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D3 title. She also was stellar in the circle at 19-2, with a 1.14 ERA and 204 strikeouts in 134 innings. She has signed with Michigan State.

UTIL — Paige Adair, Aztec (N.M.), Sr.
Adair led Aztec to the 5A state title with her bat and arm. She struck out 192 in 114 innings and had a 0.91 ERA. She also hit .520 with 26 extra base hits, scored 50 runs and had 49 RBIs. She will play at Pima Community College.

UTIL — Karly Heath, North Augusta (S.C.), Sr.
Headed to South Carolina, Heath struck out 145 in 81 innings and posted a 0.35 ERA. She also hit .506 with 10 doubles, 11 homers and stole 17 bases as North Augusta went 25-3-1. She was All-State and South Carolina Coaches Association of Women's Sports AAAA Player of the Year. She is a three-time Augusta Chronicle Player of the Year.

Second team
P — Gaby Hay, Little River Academy (Texas), Sr.
Hay, who will play for Mary Hardin-Baylor, was named the state MVP as the Lady Bees won the state 3A title. Gay won 34 games on the season and batted .440.

P — Saidi Castillo, Santa Gertrudis Academy (Kingsville, Texas), Jr.
Castillo finished the season 34-2, striking out 332 with a 0.79 ERA. She also batted.389 with 32 RBIs. She was an All-State selection by the Texas Girls Coaches Association and earned All-Tournament honors at the state tourney.

P — Camryn Dolby, Woodgrove (Purcellville, Va.), Jr.
Dolby, the state 4A Player of the Year, led Woodgrove to a 23-0 season and a state title. Dolby, who has committed to Boston College, allowed one earned run in her first 120 innings before entering the postseason, where she went 8-0. She finished with 287 strikeouts in 134 innings.

P — Mariah Mazon, Mission Oak (Tulare, Calif.), Sr.
Mazon, who has signed with Oregon State, won 18 games (six no-hitters) and struck out 289 in 183 innings while posting a 0.38 ERA. As a result, the Hawks reached the finals of the CIF Central Section D4 finals. She also batted .418 and drove in 26 runs.

P — Autumn Pease, Murrieta Mesa (Murrieta, Calif.), Jr.
Pease was the CIF Southern Section D3 Player of the Year, and won 22 games in leading the Rams to the D3 championship over Hart (Newhall). She totaled 257 strikeouts with a 1.26 ERA.

P — Kama Woodall, Springstead (Spring Hill, Fla.), Sr.
Named the state 6A Player of the Year, Woodall was 20-3 with 14 shutouts and a 0.76 ERA. She fanned 209 in 147 innings. She also hit .458 with eight homers and 33 RBIs as Woodall's season ended with a 2-0 loss to state champion Land O' Lakes. She signed with North Carolina State.

P — Kiara Oliver, North Kingstown (R.I.), Sr.
Led by Oliver, the two-time state Gatorade winner, North Kingstown won its third state title in four years. Oliver, who will play at the University of Massachusetts, won 20 games and averaged better than two strikeouts per inning. Through her first 18 games, she allowed 27 hits and walked 19 en route to four no-hitters, including two perfect games. The three-time, first team All-State selection, she batted .509.

P — Katie Turner, McNairy Central (Selmer, Tenn.), Jr.
The All-State Turner struck out 404 batters in 231 innings and posted a 0.73 ERA in winning 27 games. She tossed 19 shutouts and allowed one home run in 882 batters faced. She also batted .394.

P — EmmaCallie DelaField, North DeSoto (Stonewall, La.), Sr.
The Northwestern State signee, hit .519 with 49 RBIs and seven homers. She was 23-3 on the mound with 225 strikeouts in 150 innings and a 0.65 ERA. Named the Shreveport Times Pitcher of the Year, DelaField led North DeSoto to three-straight state 4A titles.

P — Lauren Nichols, Solvay (N.Y.), Sr.
Nichols pitched four no-hitters (two perfect games) in leading Solvay to the state B championship. Nichols, who will play at LeMoyne College, was named the City of New York Pitcher of the Year. Nichols tossed 47 scoreless innings in the playoffs to lead the Bearcats to their first state title in 31 years.

C — McKenna Armantrout, Henley (Ore.), Sr.
Armantrout, a four-year 4A All-State honoree, led the Hornets to Oregon's first ever 30-0 season and the state 4A title. She was named Oregon's 4A Player of the Year and a finalist for the Oregon Sports Awards softball Player of the Year (won by Marist's Lauren Burke). Armantrout, who batted .539 with 55 hits,15 doubles and 43 RBIs, has signed with Oregon Institute of Technology.

C — Shelby Stauffenberg, Bishop McNamara (Kankakee, Ill.), Sr.
The Irish's big hitter and All-State honoree batted .509 with 14 home runs and 51 RBIs. She will attend the University of Illinois.

C — Dani Fey, Bangor (Pa.), Sr.
Fey led the Slaters to a 26-2 record, a deep playoff run, and was named All-State and the Morning Call's Player of the Year. She batted .619, drove in 46 and collected 23 extra base hits.

IF — Isabel Rocco, Jurupa Hills (Fontana, Calif.), So.
The sophomore standout corner had almost identical stats as her freshman year: .588 average, 41 runs, 57 hits, 50 RBIs, 28 extra base hits and a 1.082 slugging percent. The All-Southern Section infielder committed one error in 72 chances.

IF — Lauren Burke, Marist (Eugene, Ore.), Sr.
Burke, who has signed with Oregon, was a MaxPreps 2016 Medium Schools All-American pick. In 2017, she led 27-3 Marist to the state 5A title when she batted .630 with 68 hits, scored 66 times and drove in 42 runs. Burke, the state Gatorade softball winner, also stole 30 bases and homered 10 times.

IF — Kylie Baumert, Twin Falls (Idaho), Jr.
Baumert batted .650 with five home runs, 14 doubles, 11 triples and 31 RBIs as Twin Falls finished fourth at 4A state. She scored 60 runs, stole 29 bases and collected 67 hits. Add a 4-2 mark with a 1.91 ERA and she was selected southern Idaho's Player of the Year. She had a base hit in every game (with 23 multi-hit games). She was a MaxPreps 2014 Volleyball All-American as a freshman.

IF — Regan Weekly, King's Academy (Seymour, Tenn.), So.
Weekly hit .656 with seven home runs and 71 RBIs as King's Academy won the state D2 title. Weekly, who hit .600 with two home runs and eight RBIs in the state tournament, was .731 with runners in scoring position for the season. She is a two-time All-State selection and has committed to Dartmouth.

IF — Bailey Betenbaugh, Union County (Union, S.C.), So.
Betenbaugh, the state Gatorade Player of the Year, led the Yellow Jackets (26-6) to the Class 4A state championship. She compiled a 16-4 record and a 1.38 ERA to go with a .504 batting average, nine home runs and 52 RBIs. She has committed to South Carolina.

IF — Sara Hieneman, Russell (Ky.), Sr.
Hieneman drove in 69 runs and scored 57 while hitting .524. She amassed a .992 slugging percentage for her 27-win team. Hieneman shared the Daily Independent's area Player of the Year honors with Montana Fouts.

IF — Bayli Simon, North DeSoto, Sr.
A Louisiana Tech signee, Simon batted .471 with 41 RBIs, seven homers and 15 doubles. She didn't commit and error and was named the Shreveport Times Player of the Year.

IF — Keilonna Whitehair, Page (Ariz.), Sr.
You want numbers, the All-State Whitehair has them: 67 RBIs, 59 hits, 48 runs, 24 doubles and 12 home runs — in 22 games.

IF — Sammie Stefan, Keystone (La Grange, Ohio), Sr.
Headed to Maryland, Stefan had a team-high .549 average with 50 hits, including nine home runs, 53 RBIs and 47 runs. She led the Wildcats to the state D2 semifinal. Stefan was named Lorain County Miss Softball and Lorain County Coaches' Player of the Year and to the D2 All-Ohio first team.

IF — Nikki Cuchran, Montini Catholic (Lombard, Ill.), Jr.
Cuchran hit 11 home runs and drove in 65 runs while hitting .619 with 20 doubles, 47 runs and 60 hits. She had a .714 on-base percentage and led Montini to a deep playoff season. Cuchran, who was the Daily Herald DuPage County All-Area softball captain, has committed to DePaul University.

IF — Danielle Lee, Arnold (Panama City Beach, Fla.), Jr.
Lee hit an impressive .612 with 49 hits, 41 RBIs, 25 runs and 11 stolen bases. Lee, who had an .887 slugging percentage and has committed to Valdosta State, was named Miracle Sports 6A offensive Player of the Year.

OF — Ellessa Bonstrom, Canyon del Oro (Tucson, Ariz.), Jr.
The future Utah University softball player batted .495 with 11 homers and combined for 78 runs in leading the Dorados to a 30-4 season and state 4A title. Bonstrom was named All-State.

OF — Becca Johnson, Seymour (Conn.), Jr.
Johnson had a season most people only dream about with a .620 batting average, 50 stolen bases, 62 base hits and 54 runs scored. She also was flawless defensively. Led by Johnson, the Wildcats won the state M championship.

OF — Ally Choate, Yelm (Wash.), Sr.
Choate, who will play at Seattle, was named the News Tribune's Player of the Year after she batted .585, scored 48 runs in 94 at-bats and stole 24 bases.

UTIL — Khenedi Johnson, King/Drew (Los Angeles), Jr.
Johnson put up huge numbers in leading the Golden Eagles to the CIF Los Angeles Section D2 title. She hit .684 with 58 runs, 58 hits, 44 RBI and 27 extra base hits. She also stole 26 bases. Johnson struck out 194 in 135 innings and won 15 games.

UTIL — Sara Serena, Kankakee (Ill.), Jr.
Serena, who struck out 29 straight batters during the course of three games, won 20 games and finished with 268 strikeouts. She also hit .653 with nine home runs and 68 RBIs — 11 coming in one game.

UTIL — Poamai Tuli, 'Aiea (Hawaii), Sr.
Named the state's D2 Player of the Year, Tuli led Aiea to its first state title and a 20-0 season. She totaled 131 strikeouts with an ERA of 0.67 in 73 innings pitched and was 14-0 with one save. In addition, she batted .592 and led the team in hits (29), doubles (nine) and home runs (five).

UTIL — Mariah Dionne, Marengo (Ill.), Sr.
Named the 2017 Northwest Herald Softball Player of the Year, Dionne finished her career with 40 homers, including 17 this season. Dionne hit .461, slugged .997 and had 58 RBIs with 33 runs scored as a senior. In the circle, Dionne was 20-5 with a 2.39 ERA and 214 strikeouts in 158 innings. In the postseason, she went 7-0 and didn't allow a run in Class 3A state semifinal and final wins.