SHAC names All-Conference Softball Team

By Mark Carpenter

People’s Defender

The coaches of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference, in an annual tradition, have nominated and chosen the newest members of the SHAC’s All-Conference Softball Team. Twenty-one young ladies from the SHAC softball squads received All-Conference honors and were recognized in a May ceremony held at Eastern Brown High School.

The awards ceremony had a definite tint of blue and gold as four players and the head coach of the Manchester Lady Greyhounds were recognized for their outstanding 2023 seasons. Overall, the Lady Hounds posted an impressive 24-2 record, winning the HSAC small school division, the Division IV sectional championship, and the Division IV district championship before falling in the regional tournament to eventual Division IV state champion Strasburg-Franklin.

In the SHAC, the Lady Hounds accomplished something that had never been done is school history, an undefeated 13-0 conference mark that earned then the school’s first-ever Gold Glove trophy.

For their efforts, a quartet of Lady Hounds earned All-Conference honors. Junior shortstop Jenna Campbell, the team’s left-handed swinging shortstop was the lineup’s table-setter. Senior Emilee Applegate split time at third base and in the center circle and was one of the big bats for the Hounds from the #3 hole. Senior first baseman Kameyl Carter bashed six home runs with her deadly left-handed swing and now holds the school record for career homers. Lastly, junior Rylie Young put together a super season as a pitcher.third baseman, good enough that the coached voted her as the SHAC Player of the Year.

To top off the Manchester night, head coach Matthias Applegate, in his second year at the helm, was deservedly voted as the SHAC Coach of the Year.

Another trio of Adams County girls also earned All-Conference honors, led by the power-hitting catcher from the Peebles Lady Indian, junior Caydence Carroll. The West Union Lady Dragons were a much more competitive team in 2023, part of that being the over .400 hitting of catcher Olivia Lewis that earned her All-Conference honors. Finally, North Adams freshman pitcher Carlee Garrison helped lead the Lady Devils to huge improvement between the lines.

The remainder of the 2023 SHAC All-Conference Softball Team consists if: Noel Barnhill and Caitlyn Collins (Lynchburg); Allie Grooms, Alyssa Perkins and Tabby Schumacher (Eastern Brown); Jobey Hattan, Faith Miller and Sydney Sanders (Fairfield); Bri Hill and Jaylie Parr (Whiteoak); Brooklyn Manning (Ripley); Kenley Polston, Victoria Thompaon and Izabella Waddle (Fayetteville).

Look for the SHAC Baseball All-Conference Team in next week’s Defender and both the softball and baseball All-District teams in future editions.

2023 SHAC Softball Final Standings

Division I (Big School)

Fairfield 9-4

Eastern Brown 9-4

Lynchburg 9-4

North Adams 3-10

West Union 2-11

Division II (Small School)

Manchester 13-0

Fayetteville 8-5

Whiteoak 6-6

Peebles 4-8

Ripley 1-12