Smyrna pitcher Jessica Anderson. Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh
Smyrna High got the team title everyone wanted this season.
And now at the end of the year individual recognition has followed.
The softball state champions had two players on the All-State First Team.
Senior pitcher Jessica Anderson was named Player of the Year. Senior centerfielder Kaelyn Press also garnered first team honors.
In total, nine players from the Henlopen Conference were named to the first team. The Coach of the Year award also went to a downstater with Dover High’s Gerald Jester taking home the honors.
Anderson had an 18-0 overall record pitching the Eagles to their first state title since 1993.
Smyrna coach Nicki Shirey said Anderson’s attitude on the mound sets her apart.
“Jess Anderson has a presence on the mound that made her teammates play with confidence when backing her defensively,” Shirey said. “The Henlopen Conference is full of heavy hitting-teams and Jess and catcher Maddison Drummond worked hard on keeping batters off balance at the plate “.
Anderson recorded a 1.09 ERA in 102 innings pitched. She struck out 113 on the year and finished with a .824 WHIP.
In the rare occasions she did find herself in a jam, Shirey said she would usually be able to find a way out of it.
“Jess has the ability to push thru and not get rattled in high pressure situations,” Shirey said. “Her mental toughness is definitely what makes her Player of the Year.”
Press had another banner-year at the plate, batting .452.
She scored 25 runs with 25 RBI, a .494 on-base-percentage, a .726 slugging percentage, three home runs and four doubles.
Other Henlopen Conference players selected to the first team were Lake Forest third baseman Brooke Glanden, Indian River outfielder Julia Bomhardt, Sussex Tech outfielder Jakayla Sample, Delmar third baseman Autumn Boothe, Dover utility player Katie Dunlap and Sussex Central third baseman Taylor Evick.
Six more Henlopen Conference players made the second team — Sussex Central pitcher Kaisey Reed, Polytech pitcher Katie Burawski, Sussex Tech pitcher Taylor Wroten, Milford second baseman Darby Brennan, Smyrna second baseman Kayla Wilson and Sussex Central first baseman Morgan Burton.
And eight more downstate players were given honorable mentions.
Two were from Delmarva Christian in freshmen Kandice Schlabach (outfielder) and Gracie Fetterman (shortstop).
The rest from the Henlopen Conference with pitcher Katie Stahre (Lake Forest), catcher Madison Drummond (Smyrna), catcher Courtney Kohel (Milford), shortstop Alexis Moore (Smyrna), outfielder Morgan Petty (Milford) and outfielder Paige Lynch (Delmar).
All-State Softball
First team
P–Jessica Anderson, Sr. Smyrna
C-Mallory Weir, Jr. Appoquinimink
1B-Brooke Miller, Sr. Appoquinimink
2B-Natalie Paoli, Jr. Caravel
3B-Brooke Glanden, Sr. Lake Forest
SS-Tayler Vitola, So. Appoquinimink
OF-Julia Bomhardt, Sr. Indian River
OF-Kaelyn Press, Sr. Smyrna
OF-Jakalya Sample, Sr. Sussex Tech
AL-P-Delani Sheehan, So. DMA
AL-OF-Bella Hagen, Jr. Newark Charter
AL–1B-Zoey Jones, So. Padua
AL-C–Nicole Marcon, Jr. Caravel
AL-3B– Autumn Boothe, Fr. Delmar
AL-SS-Annie Penrod, So. Archmere
AL-UT–Katie Dunlap, Sr. Dover
AL-P–Caitlin Pontak, Sr. Newark Charter
AL-3B-Taylor Evick, Sr. Sussex Central
AL-OF–Katie Twardarski, Jr. Padua
AL-3B–Clare Henry, So. DMA
AL-P–Gracelyn Frost, Fr. Conrad
Player of the Year: Jessica Anderson, Smyrna
Coach of the Year: Gerald Jester, Dover
Second team
P-Olivia Farris, So. DMA
C-Courtney Paolantonio, So. Red Lion
P-Kaisey Reed, Sr. Sussex Central
2B-Darby Brennan, Sr. Milford
P-Teagan Bradley, Fr. Mt. Pleasant
SS-Ashley Steiner, So. Wilm. Charter
P-Katie Burawski, Jr. Polytech
SS-Brooklynne Johnson, Sr. Hodgson
P-Savannah Sheets, Jr. Caravel
2B-Kayla Wilson, So. Smyrna
P-Kourtney McNatt, So. Appoquinimink
P-Taylor Wroten, Jr. Sussex Tech
SS-Caitlin Baxter, Jr. Padua
1B-Morgan Burton, Sr. Sussex Central
Honorable mention
OF-Morgan Petty, Jr. Milford
C-Courtney Kohel, Jr. Milford
P-Katie Starhe, Sr. Lake Forest
OF-Taylor Gillis, Jr. Wilm. Charter
UT-Indira Purnell, Sr. William Penn
3B-Alex Musial, Jr. Padua
C-Madison Drummond, Sr. Smyrna
1B-Alexis Novotny, Sr. DMA
OF-Alicia Bruce, So. Appoquinimink
3B-Ali Clemons, Sr. Middletown
SS-Alexis Moore, so. Smyrna
3B-Andrea Johnson, Sr. Appoquinimink
2B-Nikki Elliott, So. DMA
OF-Kandice Schlabach, Fr. Delm. Christian
OF-Paige Lynch, Jr. Delmar
SS-Gracie Fetterman, Fr. Delm. Christian
OF-Val Clark, Sr. McKean
OF-Gabby Frabrizzio, Sr. Padua
Reach staff writer Tim Mastro at tmastro@newszap.com
