LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Freshman pitcher
Maria Noto (
Cooperstown (Cooperstown, N.Y.) H.S.), sophomore
Sam Berghoff (
Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.) H.S.), senior
Morgan Burbage (
Prattville Christian Academy (Prattville, Ala.)), junior infielder
Crystal Kegley (
Foreman (Foreman, Ark.) H.S.) and junior infielder
Jaymee Lawton (
Desert Edge (Goodyear, Ariz.) H.S.) have been selected as the MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Players of the Week for games played over April 21-27.
East RegionNoto secured all five of the Hawkeyes' wins from the circle last week by going 5-0 with a 0.23 ERA and 46 strikeouts over 30 innings of work. Her finest performance came during a 7-0 triumph over Frankfort-Schuyler (N.Y.) as the freshman struck out 17 and allowed just two hits in a complete-game shutout. For the year Noto is 7-1 overall with a 0.94 ERA and 90 K's in 52 frames.
North RegionBerghoff powered the Dolphins to eight straight wins by hitting 16-for-28 at the plate (.571) with 15 runs scored, five doubles, two HR's and a remarkable 19 RBIs. The sophomore registered at least one hit and an RBI in each of the eight Whitney Young H.S. contests with her finest effort coming in a 10-0 rout of Northside College Prep (Ill.) as she went 4-for-4 at the dish with three runs, a double, a HR and five RBIs. Thus far in 2014, Berghoff is batting .578 with 20 extra-base hits and 37 RBIs.
South RegionBurbage hit at a .714 clip (15-for-21) for the Panthers last week with 15 runs scored, a double and three RBIs, while also going 2-0 in the circle with seven strikeouts over nine innings. The senior registered at least two hits during each of Prattville Christian Academy's six match-ups with a trio of three-hit efforts. Overall, Burbage is batting .618 with five two-baggers, a triple and 17 RBIs, while in possession of a 7-1 pitching mark and 50 K's over 76 frames.
South Central RegionKegley led the Gators by batting .727 at the plate with six tallies, two doubles, a triple, two HR's and 10 RBIs, while also registering a 3-0 pitching mark with a 0.78 ERA and 10 strikeouts over just nine innings. Perhaps her finest effort came during a 22-0 romp over Blevins (Ark.) as the junior went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, two doubles, a HR and four RBIs while picking up a pitching triumph via two innings of one-hit work. For the year Kegley is hitting .649 with 27 extra-base hits and 57 RBIs and is also 18-3 from the circle with a 1.42 ERA and 126 strikeouts over 118.2 innings.
West RegionOver three victories for the Scorpions, Lawton was a perfect 10-for-10 at the dish (1.000) with three doubles, two triples, eight runs scored, three stolen bases and nine RBIs. During a 15-0 rout of Agua Fria (Ariz.), she posted a 3-for-3 effort with two tallies, a double, a triple and five RBIs. For the season the junior is hitting .644 overall with 28 extra-base hits, 49 runs scored and 47 RBIs.
MaxPreps.com, the official high school statistical provider of the NFCA, provides all statistics for the NFCA High School Player of the Week award. To nominate a player for the award, the coach must enter his or her athlete's game stats into MaxPreps.com by Sunday evening to be eligible for that week's award.
The MaxPreps/NFCA High School Players of the Week will be announced on NFCA.org every Monday during the spring season, with one representative chosen from each of five separate high school regions (if there are enough nominations to consider). During the fall campaign, just a single player will be selected representing all participating regions.
MaxPreps is a free stat tool that is available to high school coaches across the country and is one of the most recognized and respected high school athletics web sites on the internet. Coaches who enter their team's stats on Max Preps will not only be nominating their players for this award, but they will be getting their team's information out to thousands of high school sports fans, as well as college coaches across the country.
To obtain a coach's login, please contact: kwagner@maxpreps.com or call (800) 329-7324 x5153.
