Tennessean’s All-Midstate Softball Team
Middle Tennessee's top high school athletes were honored during The Tennessean Sports Awards on June 6 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.
Players of the year and some special awards were presented, and Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota was the featured guest speaker.
Here is The Tennessean's All-Midstate softball team.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ALYSSA ARDEN, White House Heritage, Jr.
Position: Pitcher
Why chosen: Arden went 24-5 with 15 shutouts including eight no-hitters and three perfect games. She struck out 343 batters and walked 14 and had a .578 ERA. She hit .438 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs.
FIRST TEAM
HANNAH KOENIG, Brentwood, Jr.
Position: Pitcher
Why chosen: The Louisiana Tech commitment and District 11-AAA MVP went 28-9-2 with 214 strikeouts and 38 walks. She had a 1.37 ERA. She hit .403 with 11 doubles, five home runs and 36 RBIs.
CAROLINE HUDSON, Henry County, So.
Position: Catcher
Why chosen: Hudson hit .514 with 16 doubles, six home runs, 54 RBIs and scored 34 runs for the Lady Patriots, who reached the Class AAA state tournament.
MADELYN DYCUS, Goodpasture, Sr.
Position: Infield
Why chosen: The UT Martin signee hit .582 with nine doubles, seven triples, 10 home runs and 55 RBIs for the Lady Cougars, who reached the Class A state tournament.
ALEXYS HASKINS, Oakland, Jr.
Position: Infield
Why chosen: The Kennesaw State commitment hit .382 with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 15 RBIs. Haskins, the District 7-AAA MVP, was a finalist for The Tennessean’s Softball Player of the Year.
GRACIE OSBRON, Henry County, Jr.
Position: Infield
Why chosen: The Tennessee commitment hit .501 with 17 doubles, 12 home runs and 39 RBIs. She was a finalist for The Tennessean’s Softball Player of the Year.
CLAIRE SMITH, Wilson Central, Sr.
Position: Infield
Why chosen: The MTSU signee hit .455 with seven doubles, 10 triples, two home runs and 24 RBIs for the Lady Wildcats. She was a finalist for The Tennessean’s Softball Player of the Year.
PAIGE CLARK, Macon County, Sr.
Position: Outfield
Why chosen: The UT Martin signee hit .582 with four home runs and scored 45 runs for the Lady Tigers. She had 82 hits for the season.
JENNA JOHNSON, Page, So.
Position: Outfield
Why chosen: The Alabama commitment hit .570 with six doubles, two triples, 11 home runs and 41 RBIs. She was a finalist for The Tennessean’s Softball Player of the Year.
KATIE RUTLEDGE, Coffee County, So.
Position: Outfield
Why chosen: Rutledge hit .506 with eight doubles, three triples, a home run and 18 RBIs to help lead the Lady Raiders to the Class AAA state tournament.
SAMANTHA KING, Forrest, Sr.
Position: Utility
Why chosen: King went 32-2 for the Lady Rockets, striking out 139 with a .441 ERA. At the plate, she hit .454 with nine home runs in helping Forrest finish runner-up in Class A.
SECOND TEAM
Pitcher
ALLEY BROWN, Waverly, Sr.
KAYLEY CAPLINGER, DeKalb County, Sr.
Catcher
ANSLEY CASILLAS, Brentwood, So.
Infield
TYFFANY CARGILE, Mt. Juliet, Jr.
MACY LYLE, Ravenwood, Sr.
LORYN SHERWOOD, Stewarts Creek, Jr.
CAITLIN TURNER, Greenbrier, Sr.
Outfield
JESSIE BROWN, Brentwood Academy, Jr.
BAILEY GRIFFITH, Creek Wood, Jr.
LEXIE HARPER, Smyrna, Jr.
Utility
SHYANNE SHEFFIELD, Tullahoma, Jr.
COACH OF THE YEAR
BECKY CHEATHAM, Forrest
Why chosen: Forrest finished the season Class A state runner-up, falling to Meigs County twice in the state tournament. The District 9-A and Region 5-A champions finished the season 41-6. The runner-up finish came despite starting at times three eighth-graders, two freshmen and two sophomores.
