By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
Led by the likes of star pitcher Charity Watson, slugger Elizabeth Ange and a bevy of talent at every position, the area is well-represented on the 2009 WDN All-Area Softball Team.
Watson, who went 16-7 with a 0.33 ERA with 359 strikeouts, was tabbed the Pitcher of the Year. The Washington Lady Pam Pack star, who also led the team with a .383 batting average, will play at Pitt Community College next year.
Elizabeth Ange, a three-sport star with the Jamesville Bullets, was named the Player of the Year. The slick-fielding shortstop ripped three homers, drove in 20 runs and hit .365 in leading the Bullets to the state championships.
Riche Ange, who guided Jamesville to the state tournament for the first time since 2006, was named the Coach of the Year.
FIRST TEAM
There was an abundance of quality pitchers in the area this year, and five were named to the First Team.
Senior pitcher Emily Smith leads four Southside players on the First Team. Smith went 16-8 with a 1.87 ERA. She saved one of her best games for one her last, firing a perfect game against Jones County in the state playoffs.
Bear Grass pitcher Lauren Webb was solid on the mound and at the plate. The Bears’ senior star hit a robust .520 on the season.
Northside’s Amanda Beirne, an all-state performer, split duty between the mound and second base because of an injury. The senior was effective, hitting .400 with a home run and 10 RBIs. The future Meredith College softball player fanned 118 of the 229 batters she faced and had a sparkling 0.41 ERA.
Caroline Tetterton was called upon after Jamesville struggled out of the gates, and the freshman pitcher certainly didn’t disappoint. Tetterton went 14-4 and recorded 92 strikeouts. Two of her losses came in the state championships.
Pungo senior Brinkley Johnson’s won-loss record wasn’t sensational, as she went 8-10 with a 3.42 ERA and 133 strikeouts, but her leadership and character make her an easy choice. An all-state pitcher for the third straight year, Johnson hit a team-best .333 and she had a .525 on-base percentage.
Washington junior catcher Hayley Stowe is the catcher on the First Team. She hit .290 in a tough Coastal Conference, and was behind the plate for the Lady Pam Pack, making a solid battery with Watson.
The First Team infield includes a pair of Southside players, senior DeeDee Stanley and junior Kristen Ayers. Stanley blasted three homers, hit .392 and had a .536 on-base percentage. Ayers hit a sizzling .434, had a .544 on-base percentage and stole 21 bases on the year.
Rounding out the infield are Washington sophomore Kristi Wood and Williamston junior Cassie Harrell. Wood, Washington’s leadoff batter, set the table well by hitting .308, really coming on strong at the end of the year. Harrell hit a solid .438 while clubbing one homer, driving in 20 and scoring 21 runs. She ripped 32 hits on the season.
The outfield consists of Southside sophomore Bailey Hobbs, Williamston senior Jessica Clemmons and Jamesville junior Paige Lilley. Hobbs hit .375 and had 12 steals, Clemmons homered, scored 21 runs and hit .262 and Lilley hit .280 while driving in 11 and playing some exceptional defense.
Rounding out the First Team is Northside junior Amanda Daw, named the Designated Player. Daw, an all-state player, hit .353 while driving in 23 and scoring 20 runs.
SECOND TEAM
A pair of Terra Ceia eighth graders and a Williamston standout are the Second Team pitchers. Terra Ceia’s Paige Roberson and Morgan Boyd shared the MVP award for the Lady Knights. Roberson was 6-4 with a 2.05 ERA while hitting .397 and scoring 24 runs. Boyd went 6-4 with a 2.84 ERA while hitting .403, scoring 23 times and driving in 14 runs.
Harris Shepherd, a junior, went 9-8 with a 1.09 ERA for the Williamston Tigers. She fanned 131 batters. Shepherd was also solid at the plate, hitting .353 while driving in 15 runs.
Southside sophomore Shakeria Loma, who hit.380 and had 12 steals, is the Second Team catcher.
Making up the infield are Williamston junior Heather Jackson (.316, 26 runs, 11 RBIs), Southside senior Mandi Harding (.300), Williamston junior Haley Bowen (.288) and Washington senior Brittany Bryant (.235). Each player came up big in crucial situations offensively, and each flashed some solid leather defensively.
The outfield consists of Washington freshman Morgan Bryant, Brittany’s sister, Pungo’s Kim Clayton and Southside’s Caitlin Bogart.
Taylor Hollis of Bear Grass was tabbed the designated player.
ALL-AREA TEAM
SOFTBALL
Pitcher of the Year: Charity Watson, Washington
Player of the Year: Elizabeth Ange, Jamesville
Coach of the Year: Richie Ange, Jamesville
FIRST TEAM
Pitcher – Emily Smith, Southside
Pitcher – Lauren Webb, Bear Grass
Pitcher – Amanda Beirne, Northside
Pitcher – Caroline Tetterton, Jamesville
Pitcher – Brinkley Johnson, Pungo
Catcher – Hayley Stowe, Washington
Infield – Cassie Harrell, Williamston
Infield – Kristi Wood, Washington
Infield – DeeDee Stanley, Southside
Infield – Kristen Ayers, Southside
Outfield – Bailey Hobbs, Southside
Outfield – Jessica Clemmons, Williamston
Outfield – Paige Lilley, Jamesville
Designated Player – Amanda Daw, Northside
SECOND TEAM
Pitcher – Harris Shepherd, Williamston
Pitcher – Paige Roberson, Terra Ceia
Pitcher – Morgan Boyd, Terra Ceia
Catcher – Shakeria Lomax, Southside
Infield – Heather Jackson, Williamston
Infield – Mandi Harding, Southside
Infield – Haley Bowen, Jamesville
Infield – Brittany Bryant, Washington
Outfield – Morgan Bryant, Washington
Outfield – Kim Clayton, Pungo
Outfield – Caitlin Bogart, Southside
Designated Player – Taylor Hollis, Bear Grass
HONORABLE MENTION
WASHINGTON
Kayla Spain
Lilyann Arnold
Brittany Moss
Stacey Mayer
Sarah Mayo
SOUTHSIDE
Kellie Hardison
Becky Poole
NORTHSIDE
Cameron Waters
Whitney Lewis
Kassie Sasnett
WILLIAMSTON
Bailee Cowan
Kellen Edwards
Court Wynn
JAMESVILLE
Corey Ange
Victoria Rogers
Peri Ange
Ashley Mobley
TERRA CEIA
Katie Jackson
Hollie McDonald
Chandler Furlough
PUNGO
Allison Armstrong
Tess Smithwick
TEACH
Meredith Haddock
Caroline Gardner