Softball elite: West Greene well represented on all-state team
West Greene’s Jersey Wise slides home with the 11th run of the Lady Pioneers’ 17-2 victory over Union in the WPIAL Class A championship game on June 2. Wise was one of three Lady Pioneers named to the PaHSSBCA All-State Softball First Team and five overall. (Photo by Mark Marietta)
Carmichaels’ Sophia Zalar takes a ball with Frazier’s Jensyn Hartman catching during a game this past season. Zalar and Hartman were both named to the PaHSSBCA All-State team. (Photo by Rob Burchianti
West Greene pitcher Kiley Meek allowed pitches in the WPIAL Class 1A championship game this past season. Meek has been named to the PaHSSBCA All-State first team. (Photo by Mark Marietta)
West Greene and Mount Pleasant were the two top softball teams in the area this past season so it was no surprise to see both well represented when the Pennsylvania High School Softball Coaches Association (PaHSSBCA) revealed its all-state team.
The Lady Pioneers, who won their fifth consecutive WPIAL title and reached the PIAA final for the fourth time, put five players on the squad with three named to the Class 1A first team.
The Lady Vikings, who won their second WPIAL and PIAA championships, had three players chosen, all on the Class 3A first team.
Frazier and Southmoreland both put two players on the team while Albert Gallatin, Carmichaels, Elizabeth Forward and Yough each had one representative.
Sixteen local players were voted onto the team which was selected from approximately 400 nominations by high school coaches and media members statewide. A first team and second team was then voted on and chosen for each of the six classifications by the PaHSSBCA committee.
On the Class 1A first team for West Greene were pitcher Kiley Meek, catcher London Whipkey and outfielder Jersey Wise. Shortstop Katie Lampe and outfielder Olivia Kiger were both voted onto the second team for coach Bill Simms’ Lady Pioneers.
Wise is the lone senior of the group.
The Lady Mikes’ Sofia Zalar made the Class 2A second team as an outfielder.
Mount Pleasant’s three first-team members in Class 3A were pitcher Mary Smithnosky, third baseman Haylie Brunson and outfielder Katie Hutter.
All three are NCAA Division-1 recruits. Seniors Smithnosky and Brunson are headed to Western Michigan and Pitt, respectively, while junior Hutter has committed to Akron.
Frazier, which won a section title, had two players voted onto the Class 2A first team with Jensyn Hartman at catcher and Rylee Evans at first base.
Jensyn Hartman, who is Don Hartman’s daughter, made the team in her first year at the varsity level as the sophomore lost her freshman season to the COVID-10 pandemic.
Southmoreland slugger Amarah McCutcheon was a Class 3A first-team shortstop and Lady Scotties outfielder Jess Matheny garnered second-team honors.
Elizabeth Forward pitcher Kailey Larcinese was named to the Class 4A first team.
Albert Gallatin’s Rylea Hlatky was voted onto the Class 5A squad as a second-team shortstop.
Yough catcher Kaylyn Odelli earned a spot on the Class 4A second team.