HIT CLUB PLAYER #4: JOCELYN ALO
Position: C/1B
High School (City/ST):Campbell (Ewa Beach, Hawaii)
Club Team: OC Batbusters - Stith
University:Oklahoma
Key Stats & Honors: First-Team FloSoftball All-American, PGF All-American, Gatorade State Player of the Year (twice), USA Today First-Team All-American, MaxPreps All-American, led team to Hawaii Div. I title, ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the FloSoftball 2017 Hot 100; batted .571 with an .804 on-base percentage and a 1.450 slugging percentage and had 58 walks in 107 plate appearances including almost all her playoff bats as teams were fearful to pitch to her, as a junior batted .612 with eight home runs in 18 games.
Scouting Report: Jocelyn is the most feared power hitter in her class. Every at-bat is a thrill to watch as she rarely gets cheated and often hits tape-measure shots that clear the fence by a mile. Against elite pitching at the So Cal A's Invitational a month ago, the Hawaiian slugger had four home runs in her first four games with 12 RBIs including a grand slam. Her power is natural and comes from being a skilled wrestler--she won the Hawaii state wrestling championship as a junior--but she's so good at softball, she commutes regularly from the islands to work out with coach Mike Stith. The question in college will be where she lines up, be it behind the plate or perhaps at a corner or in the outfield or even as a DP. But there's no doubt her bat will get her in games early in her career, as she's shown she can mash against elite pitching.
Star recruit in Sooners 2017 class talks softball, wrestling and more
By John McKelvey CNHI Sports Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA CITY — Hawaiian native Jocelyn Alo signed with Oklahoma as part of the Sooners Class of 2017.
A two-sport athlete at James Campbell High School in Hauula, Hawaii, Alo was named the Gatorade High School Player of the Year after hitting .612 with eight homers and 30 RBI in her senior season. She also won a girls state wresting title at 184 pounds. For almost six years, she has competed in the prestigious OC Batbusters travel ball program in Anaheim, California. Alo will be one of many Sooners who have come through the Batbusters' ranks, including current players Fale Aviu, Mariah Lopez and Sydney Romero.
The Transcript caught up with Alo at the USA Softball Futures Cup in Oklahoma City this week, talking softball, other interests and playing for the two-time defending national champions next season.
(This interview has been edited for length and clarity)
Q: Is this your first time in Oklahoma?
Jocelyn Alo: This is actually my third time. I came the first time for my unofficial visit and then my official visit. But this is my first time playing here.
Q: What do you think about the state:
Alo: I like it. I like driving around here. Obviously, it's not Hawaii, but when I drive around with my family and stuff, it feels like home, like I'm meant to be here.
Q: So I saw you were a wrestling state champion, how'd you do that while still being so involved with softball?
Alo: The funny story is I did wrestling before I did softball or baseball. I told my dad [Levi] that I would win him a state championship. My freshman year I got third and sophomore year, I won.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies outside softball and wrestling?
Alo: I like to go hiking and then, obviously, I like to go to the beach a lot. I mean, I do live in Hawaii. But there are a lot of secret hikes in Hawaii and so I like to go on those.
Q: Back to the softball field, have you talked with coach Patty Gasso about where you will fit in next year?
Alo: Not really, but wherever the team needs me, I'll try my best there.
Q: Well, what do you think is your best position?
Alo: Hitting [laughs]. My primary position is catcher and first base, but I can play outfield. I usually play designated player for my travel ball team.
Q: What are your thoughts on playing in the OC Batbusters system, which has turned out so many successful collegiate athletes?
Alo: Coach Mike [Stith] is the best out there. He knows what to do, and he's hard on you. But it's obviously going to prepare you. It's great. It's been a long ride, and I'm kind of sad it's coming to an end.
Q: What kind of experience have you had with coach Gasso?
Alo: She's great. She's like a mom-figure but also a coach too. I'm excited to play for her, and from what I've heard, she's a great person to be around.
Q: What is it like knowing you have some former teammates waiting for you in Norman?
Alo: It's good having people you know at a new place. I think they're going to make my move to Oklahoma, with school and softball, a whole lot easier. It's just good knowing I know some people there, plus they're like my really good friends too.
Alo's OC Batbusters finished 6-0 in the Futures Cup, winning by a combined score of 39-8.
MaxPreps 2017 High School Softball All-American Teams
After battling cancer, Norco's Taylor Dockins goes 33-1 to earn National Player of the Year honor; Los Alamitos' Rob Weil named Coach of the Year.
MaxPreps 2017 National Player of the Year — Taylor Dockins, Norco (Calif.), Sr.
For nearly three months, senior pitcher Taylor Dockins and her Norco teammates were riding a dream season. They were ranked No. 1 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 50 National Softball Rankings, winners of three major tournaments and working on an unbeaten season.
That ended on the final day of the season with a 3-1 loss to Los Alamitos in the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division I championship game. The loss dropped Norco to 33-1 and a No. 2 rank in the final MaxPreps Xcellent 50 National Softball Rankings. The dream season was over.
But for Dockins, the season almost never began. Last summer, she was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer called fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma. Dockins underwent five surgeries. A tumor the size of a grapefruit was surgically removed.
Not to be taken away from the game she loved, she was working out again by mid-fall. By the start of the 2017 season, Dockins was as good as ever, if not better, and Norco won its first 33 games.
Dockins pitched every one of those games to finish at 33-1. During the season, the 5-foot-5 right-hander set CIF-Southern Section records for all-time wins (108) and consecutive wins (33), which is also the single-season record.
Though the sting of the season-ending loss is still there, Dockins is the MaxPreps 2017 National Softball Player of the Year.
"I am so extremely honored," said Dockins, who has signed with Cal State Fullerton. "Losing that last game was difficult. Our goal was to reach the finals and we did that. Being in the last game and being in finals for my last game was amazing. But we wanted to win. It was a bittersweet moment."
Relying on drop balls and a lethal change, Dockins didn't overpower opponents – like many of her All-American counterparts — recording 186 strikeouts in 203 innings. But she walked only 28 and pitched 15 shutouts against one of the most challenging schedules in the country. Dockins also hit .454, scored 30 times, had a .546 on-base percentage combined with a .649 slugging percentage.
During the prestigious Michelle Carew Classic, Dockins threw four shutouts in five games over three days, including back-to-back shutouts over national powers Los Alamitos and Orange Lutheran in the semifinals and finals.
Dockins and Norco were also unbeaten champions of the Dana Housley Tournament and the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions.
Dockins, who also was named National Player of the Year by Gatorade, was quick to share the credit.
"It wasn't all me," said Dockins. "We all had to hit. We all had to field. I am so proud of all of them. We did amazing this season. We never worried about the record and what people were saying. We worked together as a team. I will miss my teammates so much. It's been an amazing four years."
Norco coach Richard Robinson knew his team would be special this year as long as Dockins would be in the circle. While most feared the worst, Dockins worked hard to be ready for the season.
"I think the biggest thing for this year is when she was in the hospital just after surgery and she told me ‘I got this. I will be pitching this year,' " said Robinson. "She has always been driven. Her work ethic and drive to be great was why she could come back from the cancer and perform so well on the field."
Past MaxPreps National Softball Player of the Year winners
2016 — Caroline Hedgecock, Downers Grove South (Ill.)
2015 — Tannon Snow, Chino Hills (Calif.)
2014 — Johanna Grauer, Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.)
2013 — Casey Stangel, Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
2012 — Kenzie Conrad, Keystone (La Grange, Ohio)
2011 — Paige McDuffee, The Woodlands (Texas)
2010 — Kasey Fagan, Dunnellon (Fla.)
Team of the Year — Los Alamitos (Calif.), MaxPreps National Champions, 28-3
The Griffins finished the season with 13 wins in a row, including a 3-1 win over previously unbeaten and top-ranked Norco to win the CIF Southern Section D-1 championship. The roster was full of future college players.
National Coach of the Year — Rob Weil, Los Alamitos (Calif.), 28-3, MaxPreps National Champions.
At first glance, coaching a team with 21 players who have signed or committed to play collegiately might seem like an easy coaching task. Weil even joked before the season began that he would "try to stay out of their way." A closer look reveals one of the toughest schedules in the country and only 31 games to share playing time.
And, yes, there were three hiccups along the way, but the Weil-coached Griffins won their final 13 games, including the CIF-Southern Section D1 championship. They finished No. 1 nationally in the MaxPreps Xcellent 50 National Softball Rankings.
The Griffins notched 20 wins in their final 21 games. In those 21 games, they allowed 20 runs and avenged early season setbacks to Orange County powers LaHabra and Mission Viejo.
Past MaxPreps National Softball Coach of the Year winners
2016 — Kristen Drust, Cheshire (Conn.)
2015 — Paul Schoenburn, East (Anchorage, Alaska)
2014 — Monte Sherrill, Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.)
2013 — Penny Reece, Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.)
2012 — Carrie Austgen, Deer Park (Texas)
2011 — Danny Hensley, Niceville (Fla.)
2010 — Kevin Fagan, Dunnellon (Fla.)
MaxPreps 2017 Softball All-American Teams
Graphic by Ryan Escobar
First Team
P — Kathryn Sandercock, Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), Jr.
Sandercock, a member of the U.S. Junior National Girls Team who has committed to James Madison, was 26-0 with a 0.09 ERA and 330 strikeouts in 151 innings for the Knights (27-0). She tossed eight no-hitters and five one-hitters, and allowed just 35 hits on the season. At the plate, Sandercock hit .471 with eight home runs, 25 extra-base hits, 57 RBIs and a 1.023 slugging percentage. Bishop O'Connell, which won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament as well as the Virginia Independent School Athletic Association DI title, finished No. 3 in the national rankings.
P — Ryan Denhart, Los Alamitos (Calif.), Sr.
The Maryland-bound ace finished the year with an Orange County-best 25 wins and a 0.94 ERA. Denhart struck out 11 in a four-hit shutout against Orange Lutheran in the D1 semifinals before tossing a three-hitter against Norco to win the CIF-SS D1 championship and lead the Griffins to the MaxPreps National Championship. Denhart was the Sunset League's Pitcher of the Year.
P — Alexis Holloway, Crown Point (Ind.), Sr.
Holloway, who named Indiana's softball Gatorade award winner, went 22-1 with a 0.26 ERA and 277 strikeouts in 164.1 innings. She also hit .423 with 24 RBIs and helped Crown Point win the program's first state title by pitching the Bulldogs to a 2-1 victory over Avon in the Class 4A championship game. She has signed with Notre Dame.
P — Chardonnay Harris, Oak Park-River Forest (Oak Park, Ill.), Sr.
Unbeaten in her senior season (19-0, in 118 innings, averaged two strikeouts per inning to go with a 0.20 ERA), Harris pitched a three-hit, 16-strikeout shutout in a 1-0 win in the state 4A title game. She also drove in 51 runs with a .540 batting average and has signed with Auburn.
P — Allison Muraskin, Coral Springs Charter (Coral Springs, Fla.), Sr.
The state class 5A Player of the Year and the University of Central Florida signee led her squad to its third straight Florida title by compiling a 30-1 record with an 0.26 ERA and had 269 strikeouts in 161 innings. For her career, she tallied more than 1,000 strikeouts.
P — Annie Willis, Westminster Christian (Huntsville, Ala.), Sr.
Willis, named Alabama's Miss Softball, went 43-3-1 in the circle with a 0.40 ERA, 543 strikeouts and 44 walks in 259 innings. Despite battling pain from a stress fracture in her throwing arm, she threw 23 shutouts, five no-hitters and three perfect games for the Class 4A state runner-up. Willis, who has signed with Troy State, was also a power at the plate, hitting .464 with 12 home runs, eight doubles and 64 RBIs.
P — Meghan Beaubien, St. Mary Catholic Central (Monroe, Mich.), Sr.
Beaubien was 20-1 in the circle with a 0.36 ERA and 317 strikeouts in 152 innings pitched in leading the Kestrels to their third-straight D3 state title. The two-time D3 first team All-State selection allowed 48 hits and issued 11 walks. She has signed with Michigan.
P — Montana Fouts, East Carter (Grayson, Ky.), Jr.
Fouts, who has committed to Alabama, 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 also was a force at the plate, hitting .567 with a 1.017 slugging percentage, a dozen home runs, 16 doubles and 66 RBIs.
P — Megan Faraimo, Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), Jr.
Faraimo finished the season 27-1, including a 3-0, 10-inning win over Ramona in the CIF San Diego Section Open Division title game. Faraimo, who has committed to play for UCLA, had 251 strikeouts and walked 12 in 175 innings with 14 shutouts, 22 complete games and a 0.60 ERA. She also hit .402 with 26 RBIs.
P — Kaitlin Beasley-Polko, Leonardtown (Md.), Sr.
Signed with Coastal Carolina, Beasley-Polko was dominant in the circle for the Raiders as she went 21-2 with a 0.36 ERA. She allowed 43 hits, pitching six no-hitters, 15 shutouts while striking out 331 in 157 innings. She threw 60 scoreless innings during a 10-game stretch (April 14 to May 4). She also batted .623 with 43 hits and was Maryland's Gatorade softball Player of the Year.
P — Courtney Vierstra, Lakewood (Hebron, Ohio), Sr.
Vierstra led Lakewood to its second-straight state 3A title, going 29-0 as a pitcher. She was 71-2 in her final three seasons for Lakewood. Vierstra, who also batted .385 and hit two home runs, will play at Miami Ohio.
C — Mary Iakopo, Los Alamitos (Calif.), Sr.
A member of the USA National Girls Juniors team, Iakopo signed with Oregon and was named the Sunset League's top player. She batted .373 with a team high 26 RBIs for the National Champion Griffins.
C — Jo Alo, Campbell (Ewa Beach, Hawaii), Sr. Oklahoma
No one wants to pitch to Alo. She walked 58 times in 107 plate appearances, including 13 times as the Sabers won four straight to win the Hawaii DI state gold medal. She finished the season with a .571 average, a .804 on-base percentage and a 1.449 slugging percentage. She has signed with Oklahoma.
C — Mia Davidson, Orange (Hillsborough, N.C.), Sr.
Davidson, who has signed with Mississippi State, is a two-time state North Carolina Gatorade softball Player of the Year winner. She led 26-3 Orange to the 3A title and hit .526 this year with 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.
IF — Camryn Ybarra, Mission Viejo (Calif.), Sr.
Ybarra, who has signed with Oregon State, lead the Diablos with a .500 average and had 17 multi-hit games. She struck out once in 90 at-bats and was 31-for-52 in her final 14 games. During one stretch, Ybarra went 9-for-9 with eight RBIs and five runs.
IF — Camryn Woodall, Keller (Texas), Sr.
The Utah signee hit .440 with 42 RBIs, 15 doubles and a team-high 59 hits. She was named 6A state title MVP as the Indians won the state championship.
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 did not strike out. She had a .693 on-base percentage with a 1.260 slugging percentage.
IF — Bella Loomis, Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), Sr.
Loomis batted .536 with 61 hits, scored 53 times and knocked in 25 runs in the lead-off position as Hamilton won the state 6A title. Loomis also has 13 doubles and five triples to go along with eight stolen bases. An All-Arizona pick, she has signed with Arizona State.
IF — Bri Perez, Alhambra (Martinez, Calif.), Sr.
Perez, signed with UCLA, is a three-time MaxPreps All-American. The smooth-fielding shortstop hit .595 with six home runs, 42 runs scored, 24 steals and a 1.095 slugging percentage. She led 20-6 Alhambra to the CIF North Coast Section DI quarterfinals.
File photo by Greg Jungferman
Bri Perez, Alhambra
IF — MK Tedder, Spain Park (Hoover, Ala.), Sr.
A two-time region Player of the Year, Tedder led the Jaguars with nine home runs despite being walked 33 times this season. She added 61 runs, 63 hits, 57 RBIs with a .460 average and .561 on-base percentage. Tedder, who signed with Texas, struck out 34 times in 747 plate appearances in her high school career.
IF — Ashton Slone, Plainfield (Ind.), Sr.
Headed to Miami of Ohio, Slone was Named Indiana's Miss Softball after batting .623, homering 13 times and driving in 35 runs for her 15-12 team. Her on-base average was .703 and she slugged 1.233. Stretching from the 2016 to 2017 season, Slone had a 49-game hit streak. The streak ended when she was walked five intentional times.
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 — Jenna Ergle, Sumiton Christian (Ala.), Sr.
Ergle became the only softball player in Alabama High School Athletic Association history to break 100 RBIs for a season four times. She had 127 as a freshman in 2014, 103 as a sophomore, 106 as a junior and 124 this season. Her 460 total is a national record for a four-year career. Ergle is a five time All-State player and has 528 career RBIs. Signed by Boston College, Ergle homered 24 times as Sumiton won another state title.
IF — Jayda Coleman, The Colony (Texas), Fr. Oklahoma
Coleman — the only freshman named to the at-large All-American this year — led the Dallas-Fort Worth area in runs scored (74) and stolen bases (53), tied for first in hits (81) and ranked second in batting average (.653). The District 14-5A MVP also ranked among area leaders with 12 home runs. Coleman also had 17 doubles, six triples and 32 RBIs in 40 games.
OF — Janae Jefferson, Nimitz (Houston), Sr.
A Texas signee, Jefferson batted .763 with 14 doubles, 14 triples, six home runs and 21 steals, leading the 21-8 Cougars into the postseason. Jefferson also scored 48 runs, reached base almost 80 percent of the time and finished with a 1.513 slugging percentage.
OF — Kaylee Tow, Madisonville-North Hopkins (Madisonville, Ky.), Sr.
Tow batted .623 and had 47 extra base hits as the Maroons won the state championship. Tow broke the state record for home runs in a season with 25, and set a new state single-season record for runs for the third straight season, scoring 90 times. She also holds the records for single-season hits (95) and single-season walks (45), which she set as a junior. A member of Junior National team, Tow has signed with Alabama.
OF — Kendall Beth Sides, Sumiton Christian, Sr.
Sides, who signed with Alabama, led the Eagles (57-9) to the Class 1A state championship when she compiled a .606 batting average with 13 home runs, 85 RBIs, 109 runs scored and 99 stolen bases. She is the state record-holder for career runs and stolen bases, a four-time All-State selection, a three-time Super All-State honoree and was named the Class 2A Player of the Year as a junior. Sides is also a two-time MaxPreps All-American and the Alabama Gatorade softball Player of the Year.
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 — Alexa Schultz, Los Alamitos (Calif.), Sr. Oklahoma
Signed with Oklahoma, Schultz was the leading hitter for the National Champion Griffins. She hit .438, drove in 23 and scored 21 times.
UTIL — Katie Adams, Hurricane (W. Va.), Sr.
West Virginia's Gatorade softball Player of the Year, Adams led the Redskins (36-1) to the Class AAA state championship. Adams, who has signed with Marshall University, compiled a 12-0 record and a 1.91 ERA to go with a .571 batting average, 20 doubles, seven home runs and 62 RBIs. A first team All-State honoree, she also earned state Player of the Year honors from the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
UTIL — Marissa Schuld, Pinnacle (Phoenix), Jr.
Schuld, who has committed to Arizona, led the 34-2 Pioneers to a runner-up finish in the Arizona 6A state tournament. She was 22-1 with a 0.80 ERA, striking out 248 batters in 131 innings. Schuld also hit .505 with 15 home runs, 57 RBs and a 1.064 slugging percentage.
UTIL — Julia Jensen, Reed (Sparks, Nev.), Sr.
Jensen went 31-2 with a 0.94 ERA and struck out 386 in 209 innings as Reed finished second in the state large school tournament. She also batted .438 with 39 RBIs and 11 home runs. Jensen, who pitched 27 complete games and 13 shutouts, has signed with Nevada-Reno.
Second Team
File photo by Brian LaCross
Kelsey Sweatt, Oakleaf
P — Kelsey Sweatt, Oakleaf (Orange Park, Fla.), Sr.
Sweat, who has signed with the University of South Carolina Upstate, won 16 of 18 games and posted a 0.45 ERA. She had 136 strikeouts in 108 innings, allowing only seven earned runs. She threw 13 shutouts and only allowed one run in the state playoff series. Oakleaf outscored its opponents 56-1 in the playoffs.
P — Tristin Achenbach, Russell (Great Falls, Mont.), Sr.
Achenbach was a small school All-American the previous two years and won the state Gatorade Player of the Year honor this year after leading the Rustlers to a 24-1 record and the Class AA state championship. Achenbach posted a 17-1 mark in the circle with a 0.23 earned run average with 264 strikeouts in 122 innings. She allowed 27 hits, holding opponents to a .068 batting average. Achenbach also batted .408 with six doubles, 22 RBIs and a .605 slugging percentage. She concluded her prep softball career with 16 state records, including 55 career doubles, 56 consecutive pitching wins, 19 no-hitters and 1,169 strikeouts. She has signed with Montana.
P — Grace Baalman, Calhoun (Hardin, Ill.), Sr.
Baalman, who struck out 39 batters in a state playoff game as a junior, has signed with Kentucky. She led Calhoun to the state final game by batting .564 with nine homers, 53 runs and 31 RBIs. She was walked 38 times. Equally as impressive, she won 28 games and in 209 innings, posted a 0.40 ERA with 455 strikeouts for a per-game average of 15.24.
P — Maddy Dwyer, Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), Sr.
The Stanford-bound Dwyer led Orange Lutheran to a 28-5 record and a trip to the CIF-SS D1 semifinals. She led Orange County in innings pitched (171), strikeouts (203), shutouts (14) and was second with a 1.15 ERA.
P — Casey Dixon, Willis (Texas), Sr.
At the plate, the three-time district Most Valuable Player hit .372 with 12 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 37 RBIs. In the circle, Dixon was 35-8 with a 1.12 ERA with 13 shutouts, five no-hitters and one perfect game. In 250 innings, she struck out 435 batters. She has signed with Louisiana-Lafayette.
P — Ashley Rogers, Meigs County (Decatur, Tenn.), Sr.
Rogers, who has signed with Tennessee, led the Tigers (41-3) to the Class A state championship by compiling a 33-3 record and a 0.27 ERA along with a .406 batting average, seven home runs and 45 RBI. She struck out 441 batters and allowed 10 walks in 208 innings. An All-State honoree and state Gatorade softball Player of the Year, Rogers was the Class A Miss Softball winner as a sophomore and the Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Preps Player of the Year.
P — Madison Prough, Bentonville (Ark.), Sr.
Signed with Central Arkansas, Prough led the Tigers to a 29-1 record and a second-straight Class 7A state championship. She posted a 22-1 mark with a 1.06 ERA. She allowed 78 hits and struck out 233 batters in 139 innings. Prough fired four no-hitters, including two perfect games, and recorded 13 shutouts. She is a two-time Class 7A state tournament MVP and a three-time first team All-State selection.
P — Mary Haff, Lake Region (Eagle Lake, Fla.), Sr.
Haff finished 14-2 with 0.58 ERA and 225 strikeouts and was her best during the regional tournament with 50 strikeouts in 20 innings and a no-hitter. In the regional semifinal victory over Tampa Chamberlain, Haff recorded 22-of-24 outs by strikeouts. She has signed with Arkansas.
P — Hanah Bowen, Ramona (Calif.), Sr.
The Arizona-bound Bowen had an impressive senior season, hitting .489 with 15 doubles and 33 RBIs. In the circle, she finished 24-1 with a 0.94 ERA. She had 20 complete games in 25 starts. Bowen pitched 151 innings, walked 23 and finished with 184 strikeouts.
P — Hannah Mayo, Carroll (Corpus Christi, Texas), Sr.
Mayo was 31-5 with a 0.96 ERA as Carroll went 33-5 on the season. She struck out 377 batters in 218 innings. The All-Southwest Texas MVP has signed with Texas A&M.
P — Danielle Watson, Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.), Sr.
Watson led Penn deep into the postseason by winning 20-of-22 decisions and posting a 0.79 ERA. She averaged two strikeouts per inning in 133 innings and allowed 47 hits. She also batted .440 with 35 RBIs and 21 extra base hits. She has signed with Louisville.
C — Missy Nunes, Livermore (Calif.), Sr.
The Oregon State-bound Nunes batted .514 and drove in 31 runs with six doubles, four triples and eight home runs. Her on-base percentage was .598 and her slugging average was 1.027. She did not commit an error.
C — Rylee Stout, St. Charles East (Ill.), Sr.
Stout, The Courier-News 2017 Softball Player of the Year, led the Saints to a 30-8 record as she had 20 home runs to go with 72 RBIs. She has signed with Winona State.
C — Shaye Bowden, Sunnyslope (Phoenix), Sr.
An All-Arizona honoree, Bowden led Sunnyslope with 70 hits, 84 RBIs, 53 runs, 17 home runs and struck out once. She has signed with Oregon.
IF — Mallory Peyton, Madisonville-North Hopkins, Sr.
Peyton set a single-season state RBI state record with 90, as she also hit 21 homers and 25 doubles. She hit .542 and scored 68 times. Peyton also holds the state record for consecutive games with a home run (six), a mark she set as a freshman. She has signed with Kentucky.
IF — Marybeth Olson, Chanhassen (Minn.), Sr.
The Star Tribune's Metro Player of the Year, Olson hit .547 with six home runs (two in the finals), 23 RBIs and a team-leading 41 base hits. She also posted a 12-0 record with a 0.58 ERA and averaged two strikeouts per inning. She has signed with Connecticut.
IF — Taylon Snow, Chino Hills (Calif.), Sr.
Signed by Auburn, Snow is a three-time MaxPreps All-American. As a senior she batted .479, scored 47 times and drove in 27. She had 22 extra base hits in 32 games and is a member of the Junior National Team.
IF — Veronica Pezzoni, Howell (Mich.), Sr.
The Highlanders wouldn't have won 38 of 41 games without Pezzoni, who batted .585, scored 67 times and had 15 triples. Her on-base percentage was .633 and she stole 25 bases. She has signed with the University of Tennessee-Martin.
IF — Fiona Girardot, Oak Park-River Forest, So.
Dating back to her freshman season, Girardot had a base hit in 50 straight games and finished with a .603 average (70 hits), 22 doubles and 59 RBIs. She also scored 56 times in playing a key role in leading the Huskies to a 37-1 season the class 4A title. She has committed to Wisconsin.
IF — Delaney Thomas, Baker (Mobile, Ala.), Sr.
Thomas set an AHSAA record with 45 doubles, with region bests 115 hits (third in the state) and 86 RBIs (second in state) to lead Baker to 54 wins on the season. She batted .553 with a .588 on-base percentage and scored 72 runs with one strikeout in 208 at-bats.
IF — Jordan Matthews, El Dorado (Placentia, Calif.), Sr.
Matthews capped a strong career, batting .591 to go along with a team-best .655 on-base percentage and a gaudy 1.776 OPS. Of Matthews' 39 hits, 21 went for extra-bases. She has signed with Florida.
IF — Haley Cashwell, Cape Fear (Fayetteville, N.C.), Sr.
Haley Cashwell earned Mid-South Player of the Year for the second straight year as she hit .591 with 68 hits and 61 runs scored. She also stole 28 bases as the Colts went 28-3 and reached the state 4A title game. She added two state records in the process, setting the mark for career hits (245) and career runs (222). She has signed with Wingate.
IF — Maddy Young, Northwest (Olathe, Kan.), Sr.
Young led the Ravens to a 24-1 record and the Class 6A state championship when she collected 49 hits and amassed a .636 batting average with 13 doubles, seven home runs and six triples. She also stole 27 bases, walked 12 times and carried a .685 on-base percentage and a 1.234 slugging percentage. A two-time Sunflower League MVP, she concluded her prep softball career with a state-record 23 triples. She has signed with Northern Colorado.
IF — Stacia Seeton, Westwood (Mesa, Ariz.), Sr.
Signed with Bradley, Seeton homered 22 times and drove in 67 runs while batting .616. She also hit 18 doubles to finish with a 1.525 slugging percentage.
OF — Andrea Howard, La Cueva (Albuquerque), Sr.
The New Mexico Gatorade softball Player of the Year led the unbeaten Bears (28-0) to the Class 6A state championship as when Howard compiled a .598 batting average with 10 home runs, 48 RBIs and 47 runs scored. A two-time first team All-State selection, she was also named the Albuquerque Journal Metro Player of the Year in each of the past two seasons. She signed with New Mexico.
OF — Lexie Blair, West Orange (Winter Garden, Fla.), Jr.
Blair had 17 multi-hit games for back-to-back Class 9A state champions. In the final three games of the postseason, she was 7-for-11 with six RBIs, three doubles, one triple and an inside-the-park home run. She led the Warriors in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.515), hits (53), runs scored (43), RBIs (39) and doubles (15). She has committed to Michigan.
OF — Abigale Carney, Coronado (El Paso, Texas), Sr.
Carney had 24 homers as a senior and drove in 63 runs while hitting .469. She was named the El Paso Times All-City Player of the Year. She has signed with St. Mary's in San Antonio.
OF — Naomi Hernandez, Norco, Sr.
Hernandez batted .509 with 58 base hits for the No. 2 team in the country. She scored 43 runs and drove in 27. She has signed with Long Beach State.
UTIL — Julie Rodriguez, Old Tappan (N.J.), Sr.
Rodriguez boasted a .644 batting average with 47 hits, 22 RBIs, seven home runs and 27 runs scored while striking out once. She was 21-6 with 185 strikeouts in 177 innings pitched while garnering a 1.15 ERA in leading Old Tappan to a sectional title for the first time since 1981. She has signed with UCLA.
UTIL — Taylor Rhinehart, Woodinville (Wash.), Sr.
Rhinehart led the Falcons to a 26-0 record and the Class 4A state championship as she posted a 14-0 mark in the circle to go with a 0.40 ERA. She struck out 157 batters in 87 innings, allowing 35 hits and 13 walks. The King Co. MVP also batted .417 with eight doubles, 26 RBIs and a .643 slugging percentage. She will play for Villanova.
UTIL — Morgan Ryan, Hempfield Area (Greensburg, Pa.), Sr.
The future Notre Dame player capped her senior season leading Hempfield to an unbeaten season and a second straight 4A title. Ryan went 22-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 199 strikeouts and set program records for career pitching wins (73). She had eight shutouts. She allowed 25 runs (20 earned) in 140 innings. She was the state Gatorade Player of the Year.
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.
Position: C/1B
High School (City/ST):Campbell (Ewa Beach, Hawaii)
Club Team: OC Batbusters - Stith
University:Oklahoma
Key Stats & Honors: First-Team FloSoftball All-American, PGF All-American, Gatorade State Player of the Year (twice), USA Today First-Team All-American, MaxPreps All-American, led team to Hawaii Div. I title, ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the FloSoftball 2017 Hot 100; batted .571 with an .804 on-base percentage and a 1.450 slugging percentage and had 58 walks in 107 plate appearances including almost all her playoff bats as teams were fearful to pitch to her, as a junior batted .612 with eight home runs in 18 games.
Scouting Report: Jocelyn is the most feared power hitter in her class. Every at-bat is a thrill to watch as she rarely gets cheated and often hits tape-measure shots that clear the fence by a mile. Against elite pitching at the So Cal A's Invitational a month ago, the Hawaiian slugger had four home runs in her first four games with 12 RBIs including a grand slam. Her power is natural and comes from being a skilled wrestler--she won the Hawaii state wrestling championship as a junior--but she's so good at softball, she commutes regularly from the islands to work out with coach Mike Stith. The question in college will be where she lines up, be it behind the plate or perhaps at a corner or in the outfield or even as a DP. But there's no doubt her bat will get her in games early in her career, as she's shown she can mash against elite pitching.
Star recruit in Sooners 2017 class talks softball, wrestling and more
By John McKelvey CNHI Sports Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA CITY — Hawaiian native Jocelyn Alo signed with Oklahoma as part of the Sooners Class of 2017.
A two-sport athlete at James Campbell High School in Hauula, Hawaii, Alo was named the Gatorade High School Player of the Year after hitting .612 with eight homers and 30 RBI in her senior season. She also won a girls state wresting title at 184 pounds. For almost six years, she has competed in the prestigious OC Batbusters travel ball program in Anaheim, California. Alo will be one of many Sooners who have come through the Batbusters' ranks, including current players Fale Aviu, Mariah Lopez and Sydney Romero.
The Transcript caught up with Alo at the USA Softball Futures Cup in Oklahoma City this week, talking softball, other interests and playing for the two-time defending national champions next season.
(This interview has been edited for length and clarity)
Q: Is this your first time in Oklahoma?
Jocelyn Alo: This is actually my third time. I came the first time for my unofficial visit and then my official visit. But this is my first time playing here.
Q: What do you think about the state:
Alo: I like it. I like driving around here. Obviously, it's not Hawaii, but when I drive around with my family and stuff, it feels like home, like I'm meant to be here.
Q: So I saw you were a wrestling state champion, how'd you do that while still being so involved with softball?
Alo: The funny story is I did wrestling before I did softball or baseball. I told my dad [Levi] that I would win him a state championship. My freshman year I got third and sophomore year, I won.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies outside softball and wrestling?
Alo: I like to go hiking and then, obviously, I like to go to the beach a lot. I mean, I do live in Hawaii. But there are a lot of secret hikes in Hawaii and so I like to go on those.
Q: Back to the softball field, have you talked with coach Patty Gasso about where you will fit in next year?
Alo: Not really, but wherever the team needs me, I'll try my best there.
Q: Well, what do you think is your best position?
Alo: Hitting [laughs]. My primary position is catcher and first base, but I can play outfield. I usually play designated player for my travel ball team.
Q: What are your thoughts on playing in the OC Batbusters system, which has turned out so many successful collegiate athletes?
Alo: Coach Mike [Stith] is the best out there. He knows what to do, and he's hard on you. But it's obviously going to prepare you. It's great. It's been a long ride, and I'm kind of sad it's coming to an end.
Q: What kind of experience have you had with coach Gasso?
Alo: She's great. She's like a mom-figure but also a coach too. I'm excited to play for her, and from what I've heard, she's a great person to be around.
Q: What is it like knowing you have some former teammates waiting for you in Norman?
Alo: It's good having people you know at a new place. I think they're going to make my move to Oklahoma, with school and softball, a whole lot easier. It's just good knowing I know some people there, plus they're like my really good friends too.
Alo's OC Batbusters finished 6-0 in the Futures Cup, winning by a combined score of 39-8.
MaxPreps 2017 High School Softball All-American Teams
After battling cancer, Norco's Taylor Dockins goes 33-1 to earn National Player of the Year honor; Los Alamitos' Rob Weil named Coach of the Year.
- Monday, July 3, 2017
- By: tom mauldin | MaxPreps.com
MaxPreps 2017 National Player of the Year — Taylor Dockins, Norco (Calif.), Sr.
For nearly three months, senior pitcher Taylor Dockins and her Norco teammates were riding a dream season. They were ranked No. 1 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 50 National Softball Rankings, winners of three major tournaments and working on an unbeaten season.
That ended on the final day of the season with a 3-1 loss to Los Alamitos in the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division I championship game. The loss dropped Norco to 33-1 and a No. 2 rank in the final MaxPreps Xcellent 50 National Softball Rankings. The dream season was over.
But for Dockins, the season almost never began. Last summer, she was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer called fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma. Dockins underwent five surgeries. A tumor the size of a grapefruit was surgically removed.
Not to be taken away from the game she loved, she was working out again by mid-fall. By the start of the 2017 season, Dockins was as good as ever, if not better, and Norco won its first 33 games.
Dockins pitched every one of those games to finish at 33-1. During the season, the 5-foot-5 right-hander set CIF-Southern Section records for all-time wins (108) and consecutive wins (33), which is also the single-season record.
Though the sting of the season-ending loss is still there, Dockins is the MaxPreps 2017 National Softball Player of the Year.
"I am so extremely honored," said Dockins, who has signed with Cal State Fullerton. "Losing that last game was difficult. Our goal was to reach the finals and we did that. Being in the last game and being in finals for my last game was amazing. But we wanted to win. It was a bittersweet moment."
Relying on drop balls and a lethal change, Dockins didn't overpower opponents – like many of her All-American counterparts — recording 186 strikeouts in 203 innings. But she walked only 28 and pitched 15 shutouts against one of the most challenging schedules in the country. Dockins also hit .454, scored 30 times, had a .546 on-base percentage combined with a .649 slugging percentage.
During the prestigious Michelle Carew Classic, Dockins threw four shutouts in five games over three days, including back-to-back shutouts over national powers Los Alamitos and Orange Lutheran in the semifinals and finals.
Dockins and Norco were also unbeaten champions of the Dana Housley Tournament and the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions.
Dockins, who also was named National Player of the Year by Gatorade, was quick to share the credit.
"It wasn't all me," said Dockins. "We all had to hit. We all had to field. I am so proud of all of them. We did amazing this season. We never worried about the record and what people were saying. We worked together as a team. I will miss my teammates so much. It's been an amazing four years."
Norco coach Richard Robinson knew his team would be special this year as long as Dockins would be in the circle. While most feared the worst, Dockins worked hard to be ready for the season.
"I think the biggest thing for this year is when she was in the hospital just after surgery and she told me ‘I got this. I will be pitching this year,' " said Robinson. "She has always been driven. Her work ethic and drive to be great was why she could come back from the cancer and perform so well on the field."
Past MaxPreps National Softball Player of the Year winners
2016 — Caroline Hedgecock, Downers Grove South (Ill.)
2015 — Tannon Snow, Chino Hills (Calif.)
2014 — Johanna Grauer, Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.)
2013 — Casey Stangel, Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
2012 — Kenzie Conrad, Keystone (La Grange, Ohio)
2011 — Paige McDuffee, The Woodlands (Texas)
2010 — Kasey Fagan, Dunnellon (Fla.)
Team of the Year — Los Alamitos (Calif.), MaxPreps National Champions, 28-3
The Griffins finished the season with 13 wins in a row, including a 3-1 win over previously unbeaten and top-ranked Norco to win the CIF Southern Section D-1 championship. The roster was full of future college players.
National Coach of the Year — Rob Weil, Los Alamitos (Calif.), 28-3, MaxPreps National Champions.
At first glance, coaching a team with 21 players who have signed or committed to play collegiately might seem like an easy coaching task. Weil even joked before the season began that he would "try to stay out of their way." A closer look reveals one of the toughest schedules in the country and only 31 games to share playing time.
And, yes, there were three hiccups along the way, but the Weil-coached Griffins won their final 13 games, including the CIF-Southern Section D1 championship. They finished No. 1 nationally in the MaxPreps Xcellent 50 National Softball Rankings.
The Griffins notched 20 wins in their final 21 games. In those 21 games, they allowed 20 runs and avenged early season setbacks to Orange County powers LaHabra and Mission Viejo.
Past MaxPreps National Softball Coach of the Year winners
2016 — Kristen Drust, Cheshire (Conn.)
2015 — Paul Schoenburn, East (Anchorage, Alaska)
2014 — Monte Sherrill, Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.)
2013 — Penny Reece, Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.)
2012 — Carrie Austgen, Deer Park (Texas)
2011 — Danny Hensley, Niceville (Fla.)
2010 — Kevin Fagan, Dunnellon (Fla.)
MaxPreps 2017 Softball All-American Teams
Graphic by Ryan Escobar
First Team
P — Kathryn Sandercock, Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), Jr.
Sandercock, a member of the U.S. Junior National Girls Team who has committed to James Madison, was 26-0 with a 0.09 ERA and 330 strikeouts in 151 innings for the Knights (27-0). She tossed eight no-hitters and five one-hitters, and allowed just 35 hits on the season. At the plate, Sandercock hit .471 with eight home runs, 25 extra-base hits, 57 RBIs and a 1.023 slugging percentage. Bishop O'Connell, which won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament as well as the Virginia Independent School Athletic Association DI title, finished No. 3 in the national rankings.
P — Ryan Denhart, Los Alamitos (Calif.), Sr.
The Maryland-bound ace finished the year with an Orange County-best 25 wins and a 0.94 ERA. Denhart struck out 11 in a four-hit shutout against Orange Lutheran in the D1 semifinals before tossing a three-hitter against Norco to win the CIF-SS D1 championship and lead the Griffins to the MaxPreps National Championship. Denhart was the Sunset League's Pitcher of the Year.
P — Alexis Holloway, Crown Point (Ind.), Sr.
Holloway, who named Indiana's softball Gatorade award winner, went 22-1 with a 0.26 ERA and 277 strikeouts in 164.1 innings. She also hit .423 with 24 RBIs and helped Crown Point win the program's first state title by pitching the Bulldogs to a 2-1 victory over Avon in the Class 4A championship game. She has signed with Notre Dame.
P — Chardonnay Harris, Oak Park-River Forest (Oak Park, Ill.), Sr.
Unbeaten in her senior season (19-0, in 118 innings, averaged two strikeouts per inning to go with a 0.20 ERA), Harris pitched a three-hit, 16-strikeout shutout in a 1-0 win in the state 4A title game. She also drove in 51 runs with a .540 batting average and has signed with Auburn.
P — Allison Muraskin, Coral Springs Charter (Coral Springs, Fla.), Sr.
The state class 5A Player of the Year and the University of Central Florida signee led her squad to its third straight Florida title by compiling a 30-1 record with an 0.26 ERA and had 269 strikeouts in 161 innings. For her career, she tallied more than 1,000 strikeouts.
P — Annie Willis, Westminster Christian (Huntsville, Ala.), Sr.
Willis, named Alabama's Miss Softball, went 43-3-1 in the circle with a 0.40 ERA, 543 strikeouts and 44 walks in 259 innings. Despite battling pain from a stress fracture in her throwing arm, she threw 23 shutouts, five no-hitters and three perfect games for the Class 4A state runner-up. Willis, who has signed with Troy State, was also a power at the plate, hitting .464 with 12 home runs, eight doubles and 64 RBIs.
P — Meghan Beaubien, St. Mary Catholic Central (Monroe, Mich.), Sr.
Beaubien was 20-1 in the circle with a 0.36 ERA and 317 strikeouts in 152 innings pitched in leading the Kestrels to their third-straight D3 state title. The two-time D3 first team All-State selection allowed 48 hits and issued 11 walks. She has signed with Michigan.
P — Montana Fouts, East Carter (Grayson, Ky.), Jr.
Fouts, who has committed to Alabama, 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 also was a force at the plate, hitting .567 with a 1.017 slugging percentage, a dozen home runs, 16 doubles and 66 RBIs.
P — Megan Faraimo, Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), Jr.
Faraimo finished the season 27-1, including a 3-0, 10-inning win over Ramona in the CIF San Diego Section Open Division title game. Faraimo, who has committed to play for UCLA, had 251 strikeouts and walked 12 in 175 innings with 14 shutouts, 22 complete games and a 0.60 ERA. She also hit .402 with 26 RBIs.
P — Kaitlin Beasley-Polko, Leonardtown (Md.), Sr.
Signed with Coastal Carolina, Beasley-Polko was dominant in the circle for the Raiders as she went 21-2 with a 0.36 ERA. She allowed 43 hits, pitching six no-hitters, 15 shutouts while striking out 331 in 157 innings. She threw 60 scoreless innings during a 10-game stretch (April 14 to May 4). She also batted .623 with 43 hits and was Maryland's Gatorade softball Player of the Year.
P — Courtney Vierstra, Lakewood (Hebron, Ohio), Sr.
Vierstra led Lakewood to its second-straight state 3A title, going 29-0 as a pitcher. She was 71-2 in her final three seasons for Lakewood. Vierstra, who also batted .385 and hit two home runs, will play at Miami Ohio.
C — Mary Iakopo, Los Alamitos (Calif.), Sr.
A member of the USA National Girls Juniors team, Iakopo signed with Oregon and was named the Sunset League's top player. She batted .373 with a team high 26 RBIs for the National Champion Griffins.
C — Jo Alo, Campbell (Ewa Beach, Hawaii), Sr. Oklahoma
No one wants to pitch to Alo. She walked 58 times in 107 plate appearances, including 13 times as the Sabers won four straight to win the Hawaii DI state gold medal. She finished the season with a .571 average, a .804 on-base percentage and a 1.449 slugging percentage. She has signed with Oklahoma.
C — Mia Davidson, Orange (Hillsborough, N.C.), Sr.
Davidson, who has signed with Mississippi State, is a two-time state North Carolina Gatorade softball Player of the Year winner. She led 26-3 Orange to the 3A title and hit .526 this year with 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.
IF — Camryn Ybarra, Mission Viejo (Calif.), Sr.
Ybarra, who has signed with Oregon State, lead the Diablos with a .500 average and had 17 multi-hit games. She struck out once in 90 at-bats and was 31-for-52 in her final 14 games. During one stretch, Ybarra went 9-for-9 with eight RBIs and five runs.
IF — Camryn Woodall, Keller (Texas), Sr.
The Utah signee hit .440 with 42 RBIs, 15 doubles and a team-high 59 hits. She was named 6A state title MVP as the Indians won the state championship.
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 did not strike out. She had a .693 on-base percentage with a 1.260 slugging percentage.
IF — Bella Loomis, Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), Sr.
Loomis batted .536 with 61 hits, scored 53 times and knocked in 25 runs in the lead-off position as Hamilton won the state 6A title. Loomis also has 13 doubles and five triples to go along with eight stolen bases. An All-Arizona pick, she has signed with Arizona State.
IF — Bri Perez, Alhambra (Martinez, Calif.), Sr.
Perez, signed with UCLA, is a three-time MaxPreps All-American. The smooth-fielding shortstop hit .595 with six home runs, 42 runs scored, 24 steals and a 1.095 slugging percentage. She led 20-6 Alhambra to the CIF North Coast Section DI quarterfinals.
File photo by Greg Jungferman
Bri Perez, Alhambra
IF — MK Tedder, Spain Park (Hoover, Ala.), Sr.
A two-time region Player of the Year, Tedder led the Jaguars with nine home runs despite being walked 33 times this season. She added 61 runs, 63 hits, 57 RBIs with a .460 average and .561 on-base percentage. Tedder, who signed with Texas, struck out 34 times in 747 plate appearances in her high school career.
IF — Ashton Slone, Plainfield (Ind.), Sr.
Headed to Miami of Ohio, Slone was Named Indiana's Miss Softball after batting .623, homering 13 times and driving in 35 runs for her 15-12 team. Her on-base average was .703 and she slugged 1.233. Stretching from the 2016 to 2017 season, Slone had a 49-game hit streak. The streak ended when she was walked five intentional times.
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 — Jenna Ergle, Sumiton Christian (Ala.), Sr.
Ergle became the only softball player in Alabama High School Athletic Association history to break 100 RBIs for a season four times. She had 127 as a freshman in 2014, 103 as a sophomore, 106 as a junior and 124 this season. Her 460 total is a national record for a four-year career. Ergle is a five time All-State player and has 528 career RBIs. Signed by Boston College, Ergle homered 24 times as Sumiton won another state title.
IF — Jayda Coleman, The Colony (Texas), Fr. Oklahoma
Coleman — the only freshman named to the at-large All-American this year — led the Dallas-Fort Worth area in runs scored (74) and stolen bases (53), tied for first in hits (81) and ranked second in batting average (.653). The District 14-5A MVP also ranked among area leaders with 12 home runs. Coleman also had 17 doubles, six triples and 32 RBIs in 40 games.
OF — Janae Jefferson, Nimitz (Houston), Sr.
A Texas signee, Jefferson batted .763 with 14 doubles, 14 triples, six home runs and 21 steals, leading the 21-8 Cougars into the postseason. Jefferson also scored 48 runs, reached base almost 80 percent of the time and finished with a 1.513 slugging percentage.
OF — Kaylee Tow, Madisonville-North Hopkins (Madisonville, Ky.), Sr.
Tow batted .623 and had 47 extra base hits as the Maroons won the state championship. Tow broke the state record for home runs in a season with 25, and set a new state single-season record for runs for the third straight season, scoring 90 times. She also holds the records for single-season hits (95) and single-season walks (45), which she set as a junior. A member of Junior National team, Tow has signed with Alabama.
OF — Kendall Beth Sides, Sumiton Christian, Sr.
Sides, who signed with Alabama, led the Eagles (57-9) to the Class 1A state championship when she compiled a .606 batting average with 13 home runs, 85 RBIs, 109 runs scored and 99 stolen bases. She is the state record-holder for career runs and stolen bases, a four-time All-State selection, a three-time Super All-State honoree and was named the Class 2A Player of the Year as a junior. Sides is also a two-time MaxPreps All-American and the Alabama Gatorade softball Player of the Year.
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 — Alexa Schultz, Los Alamitos (Calif.), Sr. Oklahoma
Signed with Oklahoma, Schultz was the leading hitter for the National Champion Griffins. She hit .438, drove in 23 and scored 21 times.
UTIL — Katie Adams, Hurricane (W. Va.), Sr.
West Virginia's Gatorade softball Player of the Year, Adams led the Redskins (36-1) to the Class AAA state championship. Adams, who has signed with Marshall University, compiled a 12-0 record and a 1.91 ERA to go with a .571 batting average, 20 doubles, seven home runs and 62 RBIs. A first team All-State honoree, she also earned state Player of the Year honors from the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
UTIL — Marissa Schuld, Pinnacle (Phoenix), Jr.
Schuld, who has committed to Arizona, led the 34-2 Pioneers to a runner-up finish in the Arizona 6A state tournament. She was 22-1 with a 0.80 ERA, striking out 248 batters in 131 innings. Schuld also hit .505 with 15 home runs, 57 RBs and a 1.064 slugging percentage.
UTIL — Julia Jensen, Reed (Sparks, Nev.), Sr.
Jensen went 31-2 with a 0.94 ERA and struck out 386 in 209 innings as Reed finished second in the state large school tournament. She also batted .438 with 39 RBIs and 11 home runs. Jensen, who pitched 27 complete games and 13 shutouts, has signed with Nevada-Reno.
Second Team
File photo by Brian LaCross
Kelsey Sweatt, Oakleaf
P — Kelsey Sweatt, Oakleaf (Orange Park, Fla.), Sr.
Sweat, who has signed with the University of South Carolina Upstate, won 16 of 18 games and posted a 0.45 ERA. She had 136 strikeouts in 108 innings, allowing only seven earned runs. She threw 13 shutouts and only allowed one run in the state playoff series. Oakleaf outscored its opponents 56-1 in the playoffs.
P — Tristin Achenbach, Russell (Great Falls, Mont.), Sr.
Achenbach was a small school All-American the previous two years and won the state Gatorade Player of the Year honor this year after leading the Rustlers to a 24-1 record and the Class AA state championship. Achenbach posted a 17-1 mark in the circle with a 0.23 earned run average with 264 strikeouts in 122 innings. She allowed 27 hits, holding opponents to a .068 batting average. Achenbach also batted .408 with six doubles, 22 RBIs and a .605 slugging percentage. She concluded her prep softball career with 16 state records, including 55 career doubles, 56 consecutive pitching wins, 19 no-hitters and 1,169 strikeouts. She has signed with Montana.
P — Grace Baalman, Calhoun (Hardin, Ill.), Sr.
Baalman, who struck out 39 batters in a state playoff game as a junior, has signed with Kentucky. She led Calhoun to the state final game by batting .564 with nine homers, 53 runs and 31 RBIs. She was walked 38 times. Equally as impressive, she won 28 games and in 209 innings, posted a 0.40 ERA with 455 strikeouts for a per-game average of 15.24.
P — Maddy Dwyer, Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), Sr.
The Stanford-bound Dwyer led Orange Lutheran to a 28-5 record and a trip to the CIF-SS D1 semifinals. She led Orange County in innings pitched (171), strikeouts (203), shutouts (14) and was second with a 1.15 ERA.
P — Casey Dixon, Willis (Texas), Sr.
At the plate, the three-time district Most Valuable Player hit .372 with 12 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 37 RBIs. In the circle, Dixon was 35-8 with a 1.12 ERA with 13 shutouts, five no-hitters and one perfect game. In 250 innings, she struck out 435 batters. She has signed with Louisiana-Lafayette.
P — Ashley Rogers, Meigs County (Decatur, Tenn.), Sr.
Rogers, who has signed with Tennessee, led the Tigers (41-3) to the Class A state championship by compiling a 33-3 record and a 0.27 ERA along with a .406 batting average, seven home runs and 45 RBI. She struck out 441 batters and allowed 10 walks in 208 innings. An All-State honoree and state Gatorade softball Player of the Year, Rogers was the Class A Miss Softball winner as a sophomore and the Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Preps Player of the Year.
P — Madison Prough, Bentonville (Ark.), Sr.
Signed with Central Arkansas, Prough led the Tigers to a 29-1 record and a second-straight Class 7A state championship. She posted a 22-1 mark with a 1.06 ERA. She allowed 78 hits and struck out 233 batters in 139 innings. Prough fired four no-hitters, including two perfect games, and recorded 13 shutouts. She is a two-time Class 7A state tournament MVP and a three-time first team All-State selection.
P — Mary Haff, Lake Region (Eagle Lake, Fla.), Sr.
Haff finished 14-2 with 0.58 ERA and 225 strikeouts and was her best during the regional tournament with 50 strikeouts in 20 innings and a no-hitter. In the regional semifinal victory over Tampa Chamberlain, Haff recorded 22-of-24 outs by strikeouts. She has signed with Arkansas.
P — Hanah Bowen, Ramona (Calif.), Sr.
The Arizona-bound Bowen had an impressive senior season, hitting .489 with 15 doubles and 33 RBIs. In the circle, she finished 24-1 with a 0.94 ERA. She had 20 complete games in 25 starts. Bowen pitched 151 innings, walked 23 and finished with 184 strikeouts.
P — Hannah Mayo, Carroll (Corpus Christi, Texas), Sr.
Mayo was 31-5 with a 0.96 ERA as Carroll went 33-5 on the season. She struck out 377 batters in 218 innings. The All-Southwest Texas MVP has signed with Texas A&M.
P — Danielle Watson, Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.), Sr.
Watson led Penn deep into the postseason by winning 20-of-22 decisions and posting a 0.79 ERA. She averaged two strikeouts per inning in 133 innings and allowed 47 hits. She also batted .440 with 35 RBIs and 21 extra base hits. She has signed with Louisville.
C — Missy Nunes, Livermore (Calif.), Sr.
The Oregon State-bound Nunes batted .514 and drove in 31 runs with six doubles, four triples and eight home runs. Her on-base percentage was .598 and her slugging average was 1.027. She did not commit an error.
C — Rylee Stout, St. Charles East (Ill.), Sr.
Stout, The Courier-News 2017 Softball Player of the Year, led the Saints to a 30-8 record as she had 20 home runs to go with 72 RBIs. She has signed with Winona State.
C — Shaye Bowden, Sunnyslope (Phoenix), Sr.
An All-Arizona honoree, Bowden led Sunnyslope with 70 hits, 84 RBIs, 53 runs, 17 home runs and struck out once. She has signed with Oregon.
IF — Mallory Peyton, Madisonville-North Hopkins, Sr.
Peyton set a single-season state RBI state record with 90, as she also hit 21 homers and 25 doubles. She hit .542 and scored 68 times. Peyton also holds the state record for consecutive games with a home run (six), a mark she set as a freshman. She has signed with Kentucky.
IF — Marybeth Olson, Chanhassen (Minn.), Sr.
The Star Tribune's Metro Player of the Year, Olson hit .547 with six home runs (two in the finals), 23 RBIs and a team-leading 41 base hits. She also posted a 12-0 record with a 0.58 ERA and averaged two strikeouts per inning. She has signed with Connecticut.
IF — Taylon Snow, Chino Hills (Calif.), Sr.
Signed by Auburn, Snow is a three-time MaxPreps All-American. As a senior she batted .479, scored 47 times and drove in 27. She had 22 extra base hits in 32 games and is a member of the Junior National Team.
IF — Veronica Pezzoni, Howell (Mich.), Sr.
The Highlanders wouldn't have won 38 of 41 games without Pezzoni, who batted .585, scored 67 times and had 15 triples. Her on-base percentage was .633 and she stole 25 bases. She has signed with the University of Tennessee-Martin.
IF — Fiona Girardot, Oak Park-River Forest, So.
Dating back to her freshman season, Girardot had a base hit in 50 straight games and finished with a .603 average (70 hits), 22 doubles and 59 RBIs. She also scored 56 times in playing a key role in leading the Huskies to a 37-1 season the class 4A title. She has committed to Wisconsin.
IF — Delaney Thomas, Baker (Mobile, Ala.), Sr.
Thomas set an AHSAA record with 45 doubles, with region bests 115 hits (third in the state) and 86 RBIs (second in state) to lead Baker to 54 wins on the season. She batted .553 with a .588 on-base percentage and scored 72 runs with one strikeout in 208 at-bats.
IF — Jordan Matthews, El Dorado (Placentia, Calif.), Sr.
Matthews capped a strong career, batting .591 to go along with a team-best .655 on-base percentage and a gaudy 1.776 OPS. Of Matthews' 39 hits, 21 went for extra-bases. She has signed with Florida.
IF — Haley Cashwell, Cape Fear (Fayetteville, N.C.), Sr.
Haley Cashwell earned Mid-South Player of the Year for the second straight year as she hit .591 with 68 hits and 61 runs scored. She also stole 28 bases as the Colts went 28-3 and reached the state 4A title game. She added two state records in the process, setting the mark for career hits (245) and career runs (222). She has signed with Wingate.
IF — Maddy Young, Northwest (Olathe, Kan.), Sr.
Young led the Ravens to a 24-1 record and the Class 6A state championship when she collected 49 hits and amassed a .636 batting average with 13 doubles, seven home runs and six triples. She also stole 27 bases, walked 12 times and carried a .685 on-base percentage and a 1.234 slugging percentage. A two-time Sunflower League MVP, she concluded her prep softball career with a state-record 23 triples. She has signed with Northern Colorado.
IF — Stacia Seeton, Westwood (Mesa, Ariz.), Sr.
Signed with Bradley, Seeton homered 22 times and drove in 67 runs while batting .616. She also hit 18 doubles to finish with a 1.525 slugging percentage.
OF — Andrea Howard, La Cueva (Albuquerque), Sr.
The New Mexico Gatorade softball Player of the Year led the unbeaten Bears (28-0) to the Class 6A state championship as when Howard compiled a .598 batting average with 10 home runs, 48 RBIs and 47 runs scored. A two-time first team All-State selection, she was also named the Albuquerque Journal Metro Player of the Year in each of the past two seasons. She signed with New Mexico.
OF — Lexie Blair, West Orange (Winter Garden, Fla.), Jr.
Blair had 17 multi-hit games for back-to-back Class 9A state champions. In the final three games of the postseason, she was 7-for-11 with six RBIs, three doubles, one triple and an inside-the-park home run. She led the Warriors in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.515), hits (53), runs scored (43), RBIs (39) and doubles (15). She has committed to Michigan.
OF — Abigale Carney, Coronado (El Paso, Texas), Sr.
Carney had 24 homers as a senior and drove in 63 runs while hitting .469. She was named the El Paso Times All-City Player of the Year. She has signed with St. Mary's in San Antonio.
OF — Naomi Hernandez, Norco, Sr.
Hernandez batted .509 with 58 base hits for the No. 2 team in the country. She scored 43 runs and drove in 27. She has signed with Long Beach State.
UTIL — Julie Rodriguez, Old Tappan (N.J.), Sr.
Rodriguez boasted a .644 batting average with 47 hits, 22 RBIs, seven home runs and 27 runs scored while striking out once. She was 21-6 with 185 strikeouts in 177 innings pitched while garnering a 1.15 ERA in leading Old Tappan to a sectional title for the first time since 1981. She has signed with UCLA.
UTIL — Taylor Rhinehart, Woodinville (Wash.), Sr.
Rhinehart led the Falcons to a 26-0 record and the Class 4A state championship as she posted a 14-0 mark in the circle to go with a 0.40 ERA. She struck out 157 batters in 87 innings, allowing 35 hits and 13 walks. The King Co. MVP also batted .417 with eight doubles, 26 RBIs and a .643 slugging percentage. She will play for Villanova.
UTIL — Morgan Ryan, Hempfield Area (Greensburg, Pa.), Sr.
The future Notre Dame player capped her senior season leading Hempfield to an unbeaten season and a second straight 4A title. Ryan went 22-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 199 strikeouts and set program records for career pitching wins (73). She had eight shutouts. She allowed 25 runs (20 earned) in 140 innings. She was the state Gatorade Player of the Year.
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.
