Her fourth year playing softball for a high school varsity team was arguably the best for Coconino High School senior Kendra Whelan.
Whelan led a senior-heavy team to the second round of the AIA Division II softball playoffs with the right attitude, work ethic and experience.
Whelan is the Daily Sun's 2013 Softball Athlete of the Year.
"It's an extreme honor and I definitely owe it to the people who have gotten me here; especially my parents and coach and my teammates," Whelan said. "My teammates are the ones who made me look good while I was out there on the field."
As the starting shortstop and sometimes third baseman for the Panthers in the last three years -- Whelan played varsity as a freshman for now Panthers coach Kimberly Dennis at Sinagua -- Whelan was a formidable source of defense for Coconino.
Dennis said in 2013 the Panthers would have been happy if every ball their opponents hit went straight to Whelan.
"She made diving plays and double plays and she was just great," Dennis said. "Wherever most of our balls got hit is where we put Kendra because she's just a good, solid player. It's nice for a pitcher to have a player like Kendra behind her."
Whelan said her ability to be both a vocal leader and someone who could spark her teammates on the field helped her and the Panthers have such a great year. Coconino was 21-9 overall and made the top eight teams in Division II for a first-round bye in the postseason. Verrado beat the Panthers in the second round.
"It was a season to remember and the best out of my four years," Whelan said. "It was because our team was inseparable on and off the field and that made playing more enjoyable because we were like a family. To make it to state with them meant a lot and knowing each other so well is an advantage."
As a leader Whelan said for her it was all about doing whatever she could to get her teammates into the right mindset.
"I was a vocal leader and I'd show them energy on the field and be an example and be the kind of leader I'd want to be when I leave," She said.
Dennis said her ability to lead through any situation was one of Whelan's biggest assets.
"She's been a captain for two years and she has the natural ability to be a leader and a role model and people look up to her," Dennis said.
Whelan also led the Panthers with her hitting from the plate. While Whelan said she had a different mindset going into each at bat, Dennis said her shortstop was dangerous with every attempt from the plate.
"She did great offensively and only struck out a handful of times this year," Dennis said. "It was huge for the team because she put the ball in play and gave us a lot of opportunities."
Dennis added that once Whelan caught fire with the bat the rest of the team tended to follow.
"Her hitting was catchy. She started our rallies quite a bit," Dennis said. "I knew that when Kendra is on the field or at the plate we knew something was going to happen."
Whelan is one of four infielders who are on the Daily Sun All-City Softball team. Joining her are Leanne Hernandez from Flagstaff. While Whelan had a .949 fielding percentage and just five fielding errors, Hernandez hit .459 from the plate. Flagstaff's Jessica Anderson at second base had just three errors and hit .400 for the Eagles. Riley Hanneman joins the team as another solid defender. The All-City pitcher and catcher are Kaylee Romo and Alena Ohumukini of Coconino. Romo was 12-7 with a 3.54 ERA as a four-year varsity player. She also hit .284. Ohumukini hit .389 with 10 doubles and a pair of homeruns. She caught 11 runners stealing.
Anchoring the outfield is Keileen Padilla with a .651 batting average.
Coconino's Meggan Horn (.473 batting average, five home runs and 31 RBIS) and Kaitlynn Knott (.412 batting average, five home runs and 24 RBIs) are also on the team in the outfield.
Honorable Mention nods go to Anely Marcilla, a pitcher for Flagstaff, Annie Netherton, a pitcher for Northland Prep, and Coconino's Morgan Horn in the outfield.
Bill Harris can be reached at bharris@azdailysun.com or 556-2251.
