P – Kazandra Holliday, junior, Klahowya: Few pitchers fired as many pitches as Holliday has this past spring. The Eagles’ top arm went 101 2/3 innings, recording a whopping 146 strike outs. Walking only 47, she posted an ERA of 2.34. She was as impressive at the plate, hitting .404 with three doubles, a homer, 16 RBI and 13 runs. She’ll be back to help lead the Eagles next season.
P – Carolyn Cross, junior, Central Kitsap: An ace on the field and in the classroom (she posts a 4.0 grade point average), Cross led a CK team back to state that wasn’t expected to make it after graduating several key seniors. Cross pitched 108 innings, finishing 14-4 with 90 strikeouts to 19 walks. She was also aggressive at the plate, hitting .386 with 15 RBI while scoring a team-best 24 runs. She hit two doubles, two triples and two homers and will be back to lead CK again.
P – Lindsay Willmann, junior, Bainbridge: This 5-11 junior loomed large in the ring for the Spartans this season, posting an 11-4 record with 96 strikeouts versus 22 walks in 84 1/3 innings and a ERA of 1.16 and a WHIP of just 0.90 with 13 complete games and four shutouts. She also posted a .435 batting average, a .510 on-base percentage and a .671 slugging percentage with four homers, eight doubles, 15 walks and 37 RBI.
P – Kendal Peiguss, senior, Kingston: Peiguss is the cornerstone of the Buccaneers. She carried the team this season from the mound, pitching 99 innings for a 1.21 ERA. She’s also got what it takes from the plate with a .383 batting average and a .556 slugging percentage.
P – Rachel Haas, senior, Olympic: Softball success is in Haas’ genes. Her sister Lauren was named MVP of the Missouri Valley Conference this season for Southern Illinois. The younger Haas anchored a Trojan staff and helped get the Trojans back to districts. And while she won’t take her game to the collegiate level, the all-around athlete (she was also a standout soccer player) will take her academic game to the University of Washington.
C – Brittany Wisner, junior, Bainbridge: This junior co-captain has no problems expressing herself – she even got on the Bainbridge fans at the state tournament. But she backs up her words with a relentless work ethic that led to a .434/.484/.747 line with four homeruns, 33 RBI, eight doubles and three triples. She committed just six errors in 29 games and threw out seven runners in 21 tries.
1B – Aubin Duncan, senior, Kingston: Duncan is a lady with the speed for the small-ball game who’s not afraid to take one for the team, as she’s a natural leader. She knocked four over the fence this season, has a .383 batting average and a .723 slugging percentage.
2B – Cara Thompson, junior, Bainbridge: This junior continued her steady presence at the plate with a .536/.552/.680 line with one homerun and 31 RBI and nine doubles, striking out just once in 97 at-bats while scoring 52 runs and stealing eight bases. She was also solid in the field, showing off her range and leading the team in assists with 44.
SS – Jordan Jewett, senior, North Kitsap: Jewett is a fierce competitor and an even more fierce slugger. She consistently hit the triple in times of need and her vocal strength helped carry the team. She posted five doubles, six triples, seven RBI and has a batting average of .577. Jewett’s diamond career has just begun, as she’s earned a full ride to North Carolina-Greensboro.
3B – Meika Bumbalough, junior, Klahowya: While primarily a shortstop, Bumablough’s credentials — and versatility — made her an easy pick to fill the AKC third-base gap. Another talented junior, Bumbalough’s big bat carried the Eagles to several wins, as she finished with a .455 average, smashed five doubles and three homers, drove in 18 and scored 14 times herself. She also had a remarkable .607 on-base percentage and and an even more impressive .773 slugging mark.
OF – Kelsey, Anchors, senior, Olympic: A three-year varsity starter, Anchors currently holds the school season and career records for hits, runs, doubles, triples, stolen bases and slugging percentage. That made her an easy pick for both the AKC team as well as an Oklahoma State University recruit, where she’ll continue her career next spring. She was hitting .564 into mid-May this season.
OF – Chelsea Kakela, junior, Bainbridge: This junior made last year’s numbers look like she was in a season-long slump: a .484/.541/.916 line with eight homeruns and a school record 52 RBI. Kakela also added seven doubles, five triples, 50 runs, nine stolen bases and 87 total bases en route to the league’s MVP award. She moved to centerfield (after playing second last season) and played the position with ease, committing just one error in 30 games and turning three double-plays thanks to her strong arm.
OF – Naomi Stocks, sophomore, Central Kitsap: Stocks was an instant hit for CK, literally and figuratively. At the plate, she led the Cougars with a .483 average to go with 21 runs and 16 RBI. She also led the Cougs’ with four triples. Just a sophomore, she’ll only get better.
UTL – Trish Tremper, sophomore, South Kitsap: Tremper, who also plays first base, moved to catcher early in the season when Breann Booher suffered an injury and stayed there throughout the spring. She finished with a .440 batting average, two doubles, one home run and six RBI.
UTL – Haylee Baker, sophomore, Bainbridge: Wherever she was at, this sophomore excelled. At the plate she posted a .505/.549/.854 line with six homeruns, 33 RBI, 10 doubles, four triples, 49 runs scored and 88 total bases. In the circle, she was 6-1 with 54 strikeouts and seven walks in 45.67 innings. She had an ERA of 1.53 with a 1.02 WHIP and three shutouts. In the field she filled in wherever she was needed and did a great job.
Coach of the Year – Liz McCloskey, Bainbridge: McCloskey has helped her team improve every season and this year was no different. The beloved coach led the way to a Metro League Mountain Division title, a second-place finish at the league tournament, a third-place finish at districts and a .500 record at state, ending with a 26-5 record, the best in school history.
Honorable mentions
Clara Dunn, freshman, Bainbridge, second base/outfield: Dunn filled in admirably in the nine-hole this year to finish with a .364/.493/.418 line with 13 RBI, 32 runs scored and 14 walks.
Ashley Tobin, senior, North Kitsap, catcher: Tobin is an athlete deserving of a place in the line up. In addition to being a vocal leader for her team she led the Vikes in sacrifice bunts, is one of the fastest girls in the league, has a batting average of .318, easily plays nearly every position and is a stand out academic star.
She’s attending Charleston Southern University to pursue her academic career.
Katie Hanten, junior, Central Kitsap, catcher: Hanten did just fine at the plate for CK, batting .311 with 11 runs and 14 RBI. Her real strength however was behind the plate, as Hanten called nearly every pitch this season for the Cougars. With a a strong arm, Hanten too will only get stronger.
Athena Rosario, senior, Olympic, catcher: Rosario may look small, but this Trojan catcher is one tough cookie. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Rosario was a vocal field general for Oly.
Jocylynn Meadows, senior, Klahowya, catcher: A fire ball with no fear of oncoming base runners, Meadows got the job done both at the plate and behind it this season. She hit .320 and tied Bumbalough for the team doubles lead with five. She also drove in nine runners. But defense and character were her top attributes, as Bumbalough never met a collision at the plate she didn’t like.
Deshante Heggie, senior, Bremerton, pitcher: Heggie defined “durable arm” all season, starting nearly every game for the Lady Knights. While she struggled at times, Heggie anchored the mound and emerged as the team’s ace. Her reliability allowed Bremerton coaches to pencil her into the lineup every day, never having to question who would take the mound.
Ally Johnson, junior, South Kitsap, shortstop: She finished with a .410 batting average, two doubles, two triples and a team-high 11 RBI.
Lauren Reichert, sophomore, Bainbridge: For someone who had never played at third before, she did a fine job, committing just four errors in 29 games this season. She also performed well at the plate, finishing with a .348/.456/.379 line with 16 RBI and 13 walks, and in the circle, with a 4-0 record, striking out 27 in 18 innings with a 0.39 ERA and a 0.55 WHIP.
Jenneke Oostman, senior, North Kitsap, pitcher: Oostman is a pitcher who never looses her cool, and keeps her composure in check when the heat is needed. She has a .192 ERA and can also hold her own at the plate with a .357 batting average.
Julie Fergus, junior, Central Kitsap, outfield: Fergus kept improving this year, anchoring down one of CK’s outfield spots as well as a spot in the order with her .340 average. She scored eight times and drove in 11 for the Cougs.
Lexi Orteza, junior, Olympic, infield: Orteza stepped up this season, giving the Trojans a spark at the plate and hope for the future as one of the key returners to next season’s squad.
Kelsey Kobloth and Kim Houde, seniors, Klahowya, infield/outfield: It’s hard to distinguish between these two senior leaders on Klahowya’s squad.
While they may look very different, their contributions to the program as vocal leaders and assets are a big reason Klahowya’s team is now a yearly competitor. Houde will play for Grays Harbor Community College next season.
Britnay Mason, senior, Bremerton, shortstop: Coach Spann called her a “role model” and the “glue” that kept the team together. A true gamer, Mason played up the middle with a steady glove. She also had hot streaks with the bat, giving the Lady Knights much needed pop at the plate. Mason ends her career having done her best on — and off — the field.
Cortney Echternach, junior, South Kitsap, outfield: Echternach was one of the Wolves’ top power hitters. She finished with a .360 batting average, eight RBI and had team-highs in home runs (four) and doubles (five).
