close
close

chw-dumpling

Lakeland, All-Polk County Softball Team, Players of the Year

Lakeland, All-Polk County Softball Team, Players of the Year

•

Vaseline

Polk County did not have a team that won a state title, but otherwise it was another successful year for the county in fastpitch softball.

Bartow finished second in the state and George Jenkins, Lake Region, Lake Wales, Auburndale and Fort Meade all reached the second round of the playoffs. Many of the best players in the province can be found on these all-county teams, starting with Bartow with five first-team selections, but there was still plenty of talent spread around.

And although the pitcher and hitter of the year are seniors, there is a strong underclassmen: seventeen players from the first or second team return next season.

Best preparations: Meet the Player of the Year and the All-Polk County team for boys tennis

Best preparations: Meet the Player of the Year and the entire Polk County girls tennis team

PITCHER OF THE YEAR

Katelynn “Red” Oxley

Bartow, Sr

Oxley finished her senior season with another great season. She finished 20-2 with a 0.52 ERA with 302 strikeouts in 133 innings. She was also once again one of the team’s best hitters, leading with 32 RBIs. She finished with a .324 batting average and eight extra base hits.

More: How Red Oxley’s growth outside the circle turned Bartow softball into a never-say-die juggernaut

HITTER OF THE YEAR

Kyndal Cornelius

Bartow, Sr

Cornelius showed off her clutch hitting skills with her two-run homer in the state semifinals. She finished the season hitting .433 with eight doubles, five triples, one home run and 28 RBIs. She had an on-base percentage of .556 and played strong defense at third base. She struck out just six times all season.

More: Polk County’s top softball hitter lived up to high expectations following his senior year transfer

COACH OF THE YEAR

Chris Shell

George Jenkins

After three straight seasons under .500, Shell led the Eagles to a 22-7 record. Their 22 wins were Jenkins’ most since going 23-6 in 2018.

FIRST TEAM

Layla Hinojosa

George Jenkins, Junior

Pitcher

9-3, 2.06 ERA, 71 K, 88.1 IP

McKenzie Gibson

Bartow, Sr

Catcher

.409 BA, 41 R, 10 XBH, 17 RBI, .582 OBP

Julia Heter

Bartow, Sr

First base

.397 BA, 22 R, 12 XBH, 26 RBI, .489 OBP

Hailey Bradley

Auburndale, Sr

Second base/outfield

.407 BA, 19 R, 9 XBH, 12 RBI, .480 OBP

Makenna Meadows

Lake District, Junior

Short stop/pitcher

.451 BA, 4 2B, 19 RBI, .520 OBP

9-5, 1.17 ERA, 129 K, 111.1 IP

Text Pittman

Davenport, Sr

Third base

.638 BA, 23 R, 13 XBH, 29 RBI, .717 OBP

Shay Narcisse

Bartow, Sr

Outfield

.461 BA, 15 R, 8 XBH, 22 RBI, .541 OBP

Keira Davis

Lake Wales, sophomore

Outfield

.440 BA, 29 R, 16 XBH, 16 RBI, 23 SB,

Margaret ‘Chic’ Jenkins

Lake District, Junior

Outfield

.382 BA, 30 R, 10 XBH, 11 RBI, .436 OBP, 26 SB

Payton Spears

George Jenkins, Sr

Utility

.337 BA, 30 R, 15 XBH, 30 RBI, .398 OBP, 10 SB

Kirsten Aldridge

Lake District, Junior

Designated player

.346 BA, 27 R, 14 XBH, 23 RBI, .429 OBP

Trinity Hatcher

Winterhaven, senior

Outfield

.433 BA, 26 R, 7 XBH, 14 RBI, .585 OBP

SECOND TEAM

Anna Conroy

Lake Wales, Junior

Pitcher

Kailyn Reeder

Lake District, freshman

Pitcher

Ryleigh Knowlton

Bartow, sophomore

Pitcher

Keira Morris

Lake Wales, Sr

Catcher

Gracie Donalson

Mulberry, junior

First base

Jazzlyn Duque

George Jenkins, sophomore

Second base

Jamie Sepsick

Lake Wales, Junior

Short stop

Brayden Seymour

Lake Gibson, Junior

Short stop/catcher

Marleigh Caroll

Fort Meade, eighth grade

Short stop

Lot Driskell

Bartow, Sr

Outfield

Camryn fails

Lake District, Junior

Outfield

Ariana Rosado

Ridge Community, Sophomore

Outfield

Jordan Brantley

Frost resistant

Outfield

McKenna Gravitt

Lakeland Christian, senior

Utility

HONORABLE MENTION

Chestnut brown: P Jordan Honeycutt, 3B Alyssa Wright, OF Abby Meadows, Kendra Strickland, Ailenid Lozada, Rylee Bass.

Bartow: SS Kynley Quartermaine, 2B Niamah Johnson.

Davenport: SS Madison Bergeron.

Discovery: UT Keyvaryah Henry, C Riley Grier, IF Shalexis Elise.

Fort Meade: Cailynn Johnson, Ariel Ramirez, Nakaia Pinkston, Kiersten Christiansen, Ryleigh Grace, Jykia Faulk, Mia Cabrera.

Frost resistant: P Belle Mancillas, SS/C Menzie Neal, 1B/P/C Trinity Tary, C OF Callie Hayes.

George Jenkins: 3B Kamrynj Wallis, C/OF Oliva Newman, 2B Chelsea Odro, 1B Elis Correa, SS Mackenzie Mathers,P Olivia Friel.

Gibson Lake: P/SS Andrea Lewis, P/C Nadine Lewis, 3B/1B Amoriah Ramos.

Lake area: 3B/SS Bailee Ellis, 2B Savy Ford, 3B/OF Elisa Charles, 1B Sophia Rivera.

More from Wales: 3B Zamirya McBurrows, 2B Johalis Rivera-Colon, 1B Leslie Franco Zapien, OF Kirsten McRae, OF Karsyn Maddox.

Lakeland: 3B Giana Fuentes, C/SS Indiana Meyers, OF/3B Alex Chanier, SS/OF Brooke Martinez, 2B/OF Zoey Sabat Martinez, OF/C Yaneliz Olivo, P Kennedy Davenport.

Lakeland Christian: OF/SS Paityn Donalson, OF/SS Cali Thornton, 1B/P Emerson Tyler, P/3B Kinley Lawson, 3B Rylan Rollyson.

McKeel: 3B Amarri Durant, OF Izzy Morrell FR, OF Emma Skipper, 2B Malayla Miller, SS/OF Olivia Pilla, 2B Makayla Jackson, C Skyelar Smith.

Mulberry: OF/SS Lorianys Castanon-Cruz, P/1B Marissa Malkowski, C/SS Abbey Davis, 2B/3B A’lejah Washington, OF Gracie Danforth.

Santa Fe Catholic: C Maisy Miller.

Winter paradise: SS Reagan Barrett, OF Kendall Hobbs, P/1B Courtney Campbell, C Cameron Shelby.

•

Recent Posts

Social Media

Advertisement