Postseason success on prep softball diamonds throughout the county has translated into eight all-state selections, as chosen by the Missouri Fastpitch Coaches Association.
Jefferson rode the hot arm of senior Sarah Handrahan to third place in Class 2. Handrahan was a first team all-state choice at pitcher. Her teammate, freshman shortstop Abi Chipps, scored the game-winning run for the Blue Jays in the quarterfinals against Willow Springs and in the third-place game against Lamar. Chipps was the only freshman voted onto the first or second teams in Class 2.
Seckman won 22 games and advanced to the Class 4 quarterfinals with junior Zoe Martin in the circle. Martin was voted onto the second team as a pitcher.
Northwest, led by seniors Abby McAteer and Molly Darner, lost to Washington in a Class 4 district final. McAteer made first team all-state in the outfield while Darner landed on the second team in the infield.
After winning 20 games and the JCAA championship, Hillsboro was derailed in the district semifinals by Farmington. Hawk senior Lexi Close (pitcher) and junior Carlie Sanders (shortstop) were both Class 3 second team all-state selections.
Windsor was playing its best softball of the season when it cruised into the district final against Festus. The Owls lost 7-6 when the Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Catcher Shaina Kmetz scored two runs in that game and was selected as the first team all-state catcher in Class 3.
Jefferson came within the slimmest of margins – a 1-0 loss to Blair Oaks in the semifinals – of competing for a championship. They responded to that loss by beating Lamar, the defending state champions, in the third-place game. Handrahan scattered three hits and struck out 13 batters in her final prep outing.
“It’s especially rewarding because of the level of pitching talent there was in Class 2,” Jefferson head coach Melanie Rouggly said. “I was confident she would be first team, but when I looked at the pitchers she was against, I was nervous. I think some of the coaches saw her performance in the last two games and that sealed the deal. Just having good numbers wasn’t going to be enough.”
Handrahan’s numbers were beyond good. She went into the semifinal on the heels of five straight shutouts. In the circle, she finished 19-5 with a 0.59 earned run average and struck out 327 batters in 155 innings. At the plate, Handrahan smacked the ball with authority, hitting .474 with 24 extra base hits and 41 runs batted in.
Chipps, who practically lives to play softball, emerged as one of the top offensive sparkplugs in the state. She hit .505, scored 40 runs and stole 40 bases.
“She was in a tough spot because it’s hard to play solid defense when the ball isn’t put into play consistently,” Rouggly said of Chipps. “She would shine at any position. Her arm is strong enough to hold her own in the outfield. She truly has a love for the game and nothing effects her. She can’t go a whole week without touching a softball.”
Like Handrahan, Martin could do as much damage at the plate as she could limit from the circle. She pounded eight home runs and drove in a team-high 32 runs as part of a hard-hitting Jaguar lineup.
In the circle, as Seckman head coach Steve Bonastia noted, Martin cut way down on walks this year and finished with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of exactly 4-1 (88 Ks and 22 free passes). Martin figured in most of the Jaguars’ wins with 14 victories and three saves.
“She had a fantastic season,” Bonastia said. “She threw a lot more strikes this year. She pitched to contact. She came up big all year long for us. She had great hitting numbers, too. Sometimes when it comes down to how to decide (pitchers), (all-state voters) look at offensive numbers, too.”
Darner, McAteer and pitcher Sabrina Otzenberger all were four-year starters for Northwest. Although Otzenberger wasn’t an all-state pick, Northwest head coach Dan Davison said he’s happy for the success all three players had in their careers.
“It was special to see what they were able to do the last couple of years,” Davison said.
McAteer could do it all as a hitter. She led the Lions with 19 stolen bases, had 10 doubles, 11 triples and four home runs, and was second to Darner with 30 RBIs. McAteer has committed to play softball at Jefferson College next year.
“As impressive as her offensive numbers were, she’s better at defense,” Davison said. “She was incredible. I’ve really enjoyed watching her the last four years.”
Darner, a second team all-state selection last year, plans to play next year at St. Louis Community College. She ended her Lion career with the most home runs (15) and RBIs (100-plus) in school history. This season she hit .434 with 13 doubles, five home runs and 38 runs batted in.
“The last two years she started hitting for power,” Davison said. “She was an excellent fielder. She scooped a lot of balls out of the dirt.”
Close capped her stellar career by just nipping Sanders in batting average (.548-.543). Close’s 10 home runs this fall could be a school record, Hillsboro head coach Kevin Lucas said. In the circle, Close finished 10-2 with a 0.86 ERA. She struck out 101 batters in 65 and one-third innings.
“She was pretty impressive with everything she did,” Lucas said of Close. “She played first base and was very good defensively. I thought with the numbers she put up she could have been a first-teamer.”
Lucas said the team’s fortunes changed this year when he moved Sanders to shortstop, which helped strengthen the team defensively. At the plate, she posted a .543 batting average and .989 slugging percentage. She hammered seven home runs and ran out five triples.
“She’s very good at any position we put her at,” Lucas said. “She’s fast and when she hits the ball in the gap, she’ll get two or three bases.”
Kmetz’s .608 batting average was the second-best in Windsor history; she also set a school record for hits with 55. Along with the other Owl seniors, she was a part of two conference championships (2014-15) and two 20-win seasons.
Head coach Wayne Montgomery said he will sorely miss all Kmetz has done for Windsor softball.
“Shaina was a solid player offensively and defensively for us all year,” Montgomery said. “She moved from catcher to shortstop later in the year to help the team out. She hit all the good pitchers this year, even hitting two home runs in district play.”