Latest news with #MissSoftball
Indianapolis Star
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
IHSAA softball: Penn senior Ava Zachary wins Indiana Miss Softball
Penn senior Ava Zachary, an incoming freshman at Notre Dame, discusses winning Miss Softball, how she wants her high school legacy to be defined.
USA Today
21-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Notre Dame softball commit Ava Zachary named Miss Softball Indiana
Future Fighting Irish infielder hit over .500 en route to award A Notre Dame softball signee has been named Indiana's Miss Softball. Ava Zachary hit .543 with 60 RBI in 32 games for Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind. She's the first player from Penn to win the state's highest award for a softball player. Mishawaka, of course, is in the South Bend area, so Zachary will be staying close to home when she heads to Notre Dame's campus. The left-handed hitting Zachary plays third base and she helped lead Penn to a 2023 state championship. She's been a four-time First-Team All-Northern Indiana Conference selection. 'It means everything,' Zachary told her school paper, The Pennant. 'It's such a surreal moment. I'm super grateful for this opportunity and the opportunity that Penn softball has given me the past four years. It was an amazing moment to stand up there with all the other amazing talent in Indiana and to hear my name be read. This is so much more than an individual award. It's an award for all the girls at Penn who have ever played Softball, and all the girls who played next to me the last four years and worked so hard and gave such a great effort every day.' 'This award just means I have to get back to work, Zachary said. "I have to work 10 times harder now and work to get better day-in and day-out.' Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions. Follow Tim on X: @tehealey
Miami Herald
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Doral's Villazon voted state's Miss Softball. Plus Bobby Curtis tennis results
Senior pitcher Meagan Villazon of Miami Doral Academy is the Florida Dairy Farmers 2025 Miss Softball following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of high school softball coaches and media representatives. Villazon led her squad to the Class 6A state title with a 26-1 record. She posted an 0.63 ERA, while striking out 261 batters in 145 innings pitched. At the plate, she batted .475 with nine doubles, two home runs and 45 RBI. She has signed to play softball at NCAA Division I Florida International University in Miami. She is the third player from Miami-Dade County to win the award since 1993. Villazon, who was earlier named Class 6A Player of the Year to become eligible for Miss Softball honors, won the overall award with 12 of the 22 first-place votes and 159 points overall to finish ahead of Class 5A POY Leah Stevens of Palm Coast Matanzas, who had 105 points and Class 2A POY Morgen Talley of Clearwater Calvary Christian (83). Fourth in the voting was Class 3A POY Charley Butler of Crawfordville Wakulla (65), followed by Class 7A POY Tori Payne of West Palm Beach Wellington (43), Class 4A POY Alyx Hall of Fort Walton Beach (12), Rural Class POY Allison Allaire of Trenton (10) and Class 1A POY Keaunna Green of Fort Myers Evangelical Christian (7). ▪ PLAYER, SCHOOL, TOTAL POINTS (FIRST PLACE VOTES) 1. Meagan Villazon, Doral Academy 159 (12) 2. Leah Stevens, Matanzas 105 (4) 3. Morgen Talley, Clearwater Calvary Christian 83 (2) 4. Charley Butler, Wakulla 65 (4) 5. Tori Payne, Wellington 43 (0) 6. Alyx Hall, Fort Walton Beach 12 (0) 7. Addison Allaire, Trenton 10 (0) 8. Keaunna Green, Evangelical Christian 7 (0). ▪ FHSAA MISS SOFTBALL: 1993 – Jodi Hughes, Palmetto (Fast Pitch) Mary Babb, Barron Collier (Slow Pitch) 1994 – Jean Bonnici, Naples 1995 – Monica Triner, East Bay 1996 – Michelle Moschel, Naples 1997 – Kellie Wilkerson, Jacksonville Mandarin 1998 – Jennifer Gladding, Martin County 1999 – Jennifer Joiner, Bell 2000 – Claire Sua, St. Thomas Aquinas 2001 – Julie Henneke, Sickles 2002 – Erin Horn, Tallahassee Leon 2003 – Stacey Stevens, Gainesville Buchholz 2004 – Allison Kime, Valrico Bloomingdale 2005 – Dani Hofer, Palm Harbor University 2006 – Kelsi Dunne, Port Orange Spruce Creek 2007 – Kelsi Dunne, Port Orange Spruce Creek 2008 – Kelly Saco, Miami Palmetto 2009 – Erin Schuppert, Neptune Beach Fletcher 2010 – Kasey Fagan, Dunnellon 2011 – Emily Sanders, Bartow 2012 – Shelby Turnier, Palm Beach Gardens 2013 – Stephanie Texeira, Gulliver Preparatory School 2014 – Korina Rosario, West Florida 2015 – Morgan White, Ocala Forest 2016—Lauren Mathis, West Orange 2017 – Ally Muraskin, Coral Springs Charter 2018 – Lexi Kilfoyl, Academy at the Lakes 2019 – Lexi Kilfoyl, Academy at the Lakes 2020 – No Winner Named 2021 – Darian Ingram, Trenton 2022 – Jasmine Francik, Melbourne 2023 – Katelynn Oxley, Bartow 2024 – Jayden Heavener, Pace 2025 – Meagan Villazon, Doral Academy Local coaches in Top 8 Mark Boretti of Wellington High School is the Florida Dairy Farmers 2025 Softball Coach of the Year, following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of high school softball coaches and media representatives. In his 16th year as Wellington's head coach, Boretti led his squad to a 23-4 record and the Class 7A state title, the school's first state championship. Boretti's 2017 team was the Class 8A state runner-up. Boretti, who previously was selected the Class 7A Softball Coach of the Year to become eligible for the state's overall Softbll Coach of the Year kudos, won the overall award with six of the 20 first-place votes and 122 points, to finish ahead of Class 4A COY Taryn Gray of Fort Walton Beach who had four first-place votes and 84 points. Class 6A COY Willie Viruet of Doral Academy finished third in the voting with six first-place votes (like Boretti) and 74 points, followed in order by Class 5A COY Farrah Gordon of Winter Springs (62), Class 2A COY Amy Smith of Clearwater Calvary Christian (34), Rural Class COY Kevin Benson of Trenton (27), Class 3A COY Gator Rehban of Miami Somerset Academy Silver Palms (15) and Class 1A COY Johnny Manetta of Evangelical Christian (10). All eight finalists led their teams to state titles. ▪ COACH, SCHOOL, TOTAL POINTS (FIRST PLACE VOTES) 1. Mark Boretti, Wellington 122 (6) 2. Taryn Gray, Fort Walton Beach 84 (4) 3. Willie Viruet, Doral Academy 74 (6) 4. Farrah Gordon, Winter Springs 62 (0) 5. Amy Smith, Calvary Christian 34 (2) 6. Kirk Benson, Trenton 27 (2) 7. Gator Rehban, Miami Somerset Academy Silver Palms 15 (0) 8. Johnny Manetta, Evangelical Christian 10 (0). ▪ FHSAA SOFTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR: 1993 – Jean King, Niceville (Slow Pitch) Marilyn Bevetta, Ridgewood (Fast Pitch) 1994 – Robert Iamurri, Naples 1995 – Leslie Black, Cardinal Mooney 1996 – Robert Iamurri, Naples 1997 – Mike Clamon, Bloomingdale 1998 – Kathy Finnucan, Trinity Prep 1999 – Bryan Baucom, St. Thomas Aquinas 2000 – Kathy Finnucan, Trinity Prep 2001 – Mark Schusterman, Gulliver Preparatory 2002 – Glenn Rutenbar, Bartow 2003 – Becker Downie, Miami Palmetto 2004 – Glenn Rutenbar, Bartow 2005 – Chuck Poetter, Palm Harbor University 2006 – Glenn Rutenbar, Bartow 2007 – Kathy Finnucan, Trinity Prep 2008 – Coy Adkins, Wewahitchka 2009 – Kevin Fagan, Dunnellon 2010 – Kevin Fagan, Dunnellon 2011 – Danny Hensley, Niceville 2012 – Mark Schusterman, Gulliver Preparatory 2013 – Bryan Baucom, St. Thomas Aquinas 2014 – Amanda Schuerman, Bloomingdale 2015 – Melinda Wyatt, Tate 2016 – Todd LaNeave, West Orange 2017 – Christina Thompson, Oakleaf 2018 – Mark Montimurro, Coral Springs Charter 2019 – Mark Huaman, Winter Springs 2020 – No Winner Named 2021 – T.J. Goelz, Lakewood Ranch 2022 – Lindsay Ingram, Deltona 2023 – Erin Spivey Parrish Community 2024 – Lexi Alexander, Pace 2025 – Mark Boretti, Wellington The Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers' commitment to the state's youth. This is the 33rd year of these awards honoring the state's top athletes and coaches in FHSAA sanctioned and recognized sports. The program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan. USTA Florida tennis tournament Dhakshish Aryan of Parkland won the boys' 16s tennis title during the annual Bobby Curtis Junior State Championships for 16s and 18s at the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona/Orlando. Defending champ Shravani Chennamsetty of Weston was the runner-up in girls' 18s. Miami's Caleb Chow, who played high school boys' tennis for Class 1A state champ Miami True North Classical Academy, was third in boys' 18s, and Key Biscayne's Isabella Porto of girls' state champion True North placed fourth in girls' 16s. USTA Florida's most prestigious junior tournament drew hundreds of athletes. ▪ BOYS: 16s: Championship: Dhakshish Aryan (Parkland) d. Aiden Phoebus (Orlando) 6-2, 7-5. Third/Fourth Place: Chase Bowden (Palm Beach Gardens) d. Ivan Rybak (Palm Coast) 6-4, 2-6, 10-2. Fifth/Sixth Place: Juan Benite (Weston) d. Abner Yu (Bradenton) 6-4, 6-3. Consolation Final: Ivan Urbanovich (Winter Garden) d. Adrian Baerga-Torres (Hollywood) 6-1, 0-6, 10-6. ▪ BOYS: 18s: Championship: Alex Feies (Orlando) d. Matthew Shapiro (Boca Raton) 6-3, 6-2. Third/Fourth Place: Caleb Chow (Miami) d. Alessandro de Bernardo (Seminole) 2-6, 6-3, 11-9. Fifth/Sixth Place: Brayden Campion (Boca Raton) d. Joaquin Blanco (Delray Beach) Wo. Consolation Final: Diego Paternostro (Parkland) d. Noah Bayon (Gainesville) Wo. ▪ GIRLS: 16s: Championship: Nikol Davletshina (Boca Raton) d. Gabriella Harper (Boca Raton) 6-0, 6-0. Third/Fourth Place: Chernor Abie Barrie (Bradenton) d. Isabella Porto (Key Biscayne) 6-3, 6-0. Fifth/Sixth Place: Payton Seidle-Lubowitz (Weston) d. Sanjana Sashidhar 6-2, 6-2. Consolation Final: Ashley Narath (Orlando) d. Mehar Kaur (Boca Raton) 6-4, 6-4. ▪ GIRLS: 18s: Championship: Lyla Messler (Largo) d. Shravani Chennamsetty (Weston) 7-6, 7-5. Third/Fourth Place: Maria Navarro (Palm Beach Garden) d. Kira Farrakhova (Boca Raton) 6-4, 6-4. Fifth/Sixth Place: Emily Morgan (Boca Raton) d. Saanchi Dalal (Zephyrhills) 6-2, 4-6, 10-4. Consolation Final: Anastasiya Muravia (Boynton Beach) d. Tatiana Martinez (Miami) 7-6, 6-3. Send sports results For high school and middle school athletes in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, if you have summer sports results and top performers (with stats), email hssports@ They will run in the newspaper and online. Photos accepted, too. No deadline. You will be alerted when it will appear in the newspaper and online. New athletic directors, coaches For high schools in Broward and Miami-Dade, if you have new sports administration and/or coaching hires to announce, email hssports@ --- Compiled by Jim Varsallone jvarsallone@
Indianapolis Star
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Homers, gems and steals: Vote for 2025 IndyStar high school softball player of the year
IndyStar has been recognizing the top softball players in Indiana with our Players of the Week poll. With the season now complete, we've decided to run a Player of the Year poll. Obviously, it's impossible to get every deserving player on here, but we did our best, compiling a list of 27 players from around the state (like I said, it's a really difficult list to narrow down). Thanks to everyone who's nominated players and participated in these weekly polls. The participation was crazy this spring. Stay tuned for our Central Indiana all-underclassmen and ALL-USA Super Team teams, which will be out later this month. Congratulations to Floyd Central's Addy Ware on being voted Player of the Week for Sectionals! The Florida State commit had herself a game in the sectional semifinal vs. Bedford North Lawrence, going 3-for-4 with four runs and three RBIs. She tripled twice and stole a base in the 16-2 win. Voting is open until 2 p.m. EST, Friday. Meet this season's top performers: The Indiana commit batted .477 and posted a .550 OBP for the sectional champion Knights. Bruggenschmidt totaled 41 hits (12 doubles, four homers), 34 runs and 25 RBIs, and swiped three bases. She was charged with a career-low six errors in the field, boasting a .929 fielding percentage with three double plays. The Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year led the Panthers to the state semifinals, batting .659 with 56 hits, 53 RBIs and 59 runs scored. Her hits included 21 homers, eight triples and 15 doubles. Erb, a Kentucky commit, also stole 18 bases and posted a .937 fielding percentage on 79 chances with two double plays. The Duke commit was excellent in her first season back with the Millers, batting .544 with 43 hits, 23 RBIs, 35 runs and only three strikeouts. She logged 11 doubles, tripled once and homered thrice for the sectional champions, stole 15 bases and turned three double plays in the field. More: 'If you were coached by him, you knew what love was.' Noblesville softball honors assistant's memory A Miss Softball finalist, Geyer surpassed Keagan Rothrock as the state's all-time strikeouts leader with 1,096 punchouts in her four varsity seasons. 228 of those Ks came this season for the Western Michigan commit, who finished 17-3 with a 1.17 ERA (18 earned runs allowed) and a measly .110 average against. Geyer also batted .444, accumulating 40 hits (12 doubles, one triple, five homers), 37 RBIs and 16 runs scored. More: Meet the five finalists for 2025 Indiana Miss Softball The Cadets' leading hitter, Gruca batted .516 with 49 hits, 21 RBIs and 30 runs scored. She boasted a .539 OBP, stole 10 bases and recorded 35 assists plus a double play in the field. Gruca is a career .461 hitter with 159 hits, 138 runs and 76 RBIs. Helton spun a 1.36 ERA with 155 strikeouts over 113 innings for the sectional runner-up Eagles. She also batted .411 with 30 hits, 29 RBIs, and 13 runs scored. She doubled seven times and homered seven times. 'I love this team': Emma Vargo wouldn't allow dislocated shoulder to keep her from postseason. Hirschy capped her high school career with a breakout season for the regional champion Dragons, setting career-highs across the board with a .533 average, 51 runs, 56 hits, 45 RBIs, 11 doubles, two triples and 12 homers. She struck out just 11 times, drew 12 walks and posted a .587 OBP, a vast improvement over last season (.452). The Kentucky commit also stole four bases. The Virginia Tech-bound Layton capped her decorated career with a similarly impressive senior season. She was 16-4 in the circle, posting a 1.48 ERA and totaling 265 strikeouts (two off her career-high) over 132.1 innings pitched. She graduated with 811 career Ks and a 1.06 ERA, plus a .469 batting average, 120 hits, 142 RBIs and 20 home runs. She had 50-plus RBIs and seven homers in both her final two seasons. Liezert was brilliant in her first season as the 4A state champion Bulldogs' primary ace, finishing 19-2 with a 0.85 ERA and 293 strikeouts over 139.2 innings pitched. She allowed just 17 earned runs and maximized her opportunities at the plate, going 7-for-15 (.467) with two doubles, a homer and 10 RBIs. The state's all-time hits leader and single-season record holder for Tecumseh, Marx batted .561 for the season with 64 hits, 47 runs, 15 RBIs and 26 steals on 26 attempts. The Miss Softball finalist and Southern Indiana signee led Tecumseh softball to three state titles plus last year's runner-up finish in her four varsity seasons. Class A final: She's in a wheelchair — and now a state champ: 'We're so thankful she's part of this program' Moore was critical to the Irish's 3A title run, batting .450 with 45 hits, 46 runs and 38 RBIs. She slugged a career-high seven homers, tripled twice and doubled eight times, and stole a career-best 16 bases on 16 attempts. Moore was nearly perfect in the field, committing just two errors and turning nine double plays. The Purdue commit finished her career with a .518 average, 108 RBIs and 15 homers. 'I know he's with me': Moore remembers late father after leading Cathedral softball to state Munson, an IU Indy commit, enjoyed an explosive senior campaign for the state runner-up Trojans, totaling 54 hits (.486 average, three triples, three doubles), 40 runs and 17 RBIs. A career .449 hitter (123 hits, 96 runs), she also stole a school-record 35 bases (76 career), and registered two assists and 49 putouts on 52 chances in the field. From Regionals: Mae Munson's nerves were 'shot.' But after game-altering defensive play, 'she was golden' The future Ohio State Buckeye and Miss Softball finalist batted .588 (50 hits) with 33 runs, a couple doubles and eight RBIs. Neal, also state medalist in track, is a career .480 hitter with 153 hits, 114 runs scored, 35 RBIs and a paltry 22 strikeouts in 345 plate appearances. More: How a conversation her sophomore year helped Izzy Neal bat nearly .600 as a senior The move-in shined in her first and only season as a Raider, posting a 2.58 ERA with 117 strikeouts over 81.1 innings against one of the state's most difficult schedules. The East Central recruit allowed just four home runs and shutout a potent Noblesville lineup in the regional. Have to lead the East Carolina commit's write-up with what she did during this year's Class A state tournament. She pitched every inning of every postseason game, striking out 108 batters and allowing just 11 hits. She and the Spartans closed the year with nine consecutive shutouts, including a two-hitter in the finale vs. Clay City. Wow. For the season: 22-1, 0.35 ERA (eight earned runs allowed, 10 total), 373 strikeouts, 23 walks, .083 OBA, .129 OBP For her career: 58-8, 0.48 ERA, 1,068 strikeouts, 69 walks, .109 OBA, .154 OBP Rainford was also a career .414 hitter with 125 hits, 68 RBIs, 111 runs and eight homers. The record-setting Auburn commit completed her high school career with a fittingly explosive senior campaign, batting .495 with 47 hits, 12 home runs, 15 doubles, a triple, 25 runs, 38 RBIs and a .588 OBP. She blew by Bremen grad Erin Coffel's all-time home run record (69), finished second in state history with 179 career RBIs and set a school record with 195 hits. She did all this while maintaining a .515 batting average. The Northwestern commit followed a stellar junior (and sophomore) campaign with a brilliant senior season. She batted .510 with 49 hits (seven doubles, three triples, one homer) and totaled 42 runs, 17 RBIs and a .565 OBP, with only five strikeouts. Renschen also stole 36 bases, leaving her with 96 for her career, and was perfect in the field (nine putouts, 36 assists). She finished her career with a .515 average, 158 hits and 141 runs. The state's latest rising star in the circle, Seiler capped an explosive postseason run with a one-hit, 13-K shutout of Andrean in the 2A state final. For the tournament, she pitched 40 innings and allowed zero runs on eight hits with 72 strikeouts. For the season, Seiler went 18-2 with a 0.76 ERA (14 earned runs allowed), 240 strikeouts and a .129 batting average against over 129 innings. She allowed just 57 hits and issued only 10 walks. Sinders led the Eels back to state, compiling a 14-5 record with a 1.74 ERA and 197 strikeouts over 137 innings pitched. She held hitters to a career-best .169 batting average against, and finished her career with 49 wins, a 1.60 ERA and 612 Ks. The Taylor commit also batted .469 (45 hits), scored 23 runs, drove in 15 and smacked her second career homer. Sinders was a career .447 hitter. 'It all means so much': Lizzy Sinders caps Clay City career at state with dad as coach, sister as AD. Stieneker, a Miss Softball finalist, set career-highs in average (.582), runs (52), hits (57), RBIs (49), doubles (20), triples (3), home runs (14) and stolen bases (8). She did her damage across 120 plate appearances (98 at-bats), and did so while striking out just nine times. The Marshall commit finished her career with a .459 average, 174 hits, 121 runs, 154 RBIs , 49 doubles and 29 homers. The two-sport standout sparked Hanover Central's run to the 3A final, setting career-highs in average (.522), hits (47), runs (21), RBIs (54), doubles (11), triples (1) and home runs (17). She maintained a .613 OBP and posted a career-best .984 fielding percentage, committing just four errors on 248 chances (19 assists, two double plays). One of the state's top arms, Grace Swedarsky continued to do Grace Swedarsky things this spring. The Virginia Tech commit compiled a 12-5 record with a 1.37 ERA and 197 strikeouts in 107.1 innings. She matched her career-low with 21 earned runs allowed and limited opposing hitters to a .156 batting average against. Swedarsky enters her senior year with 42 wins and 709 strikeouts for her career. Valentine, an Evansville commit, batted .552 for the 3A state champions, collecting a career-high 53 hits, 44 runs and 54 RBIs. She upped her power numbers this spring, cranking seven doubles, nine triples and nine homers, leaving her with a 1.094 slugging percentage. Valentine, who also stole a career-high 22 bases (60 career), finished her career with a .466 average, 164 hits, 164 RBIs and 23 homers. The Saint Mary's commit closed out her four-year high school career in style, batting .494 with 38 hits (nine doubles), 31 runs and 26 RBIs — all career-highs. She also stole 10 bases and logged outs on 47-of-50 chances in the field with one double play. For her career, Voliva hit .380 with 102 runs, 32 doubles and 124 hits. The third-year speedster swiped 28 bases this spring, leaving her with 105 entering her senior season. She registered 43 putouts and 28 assists (three double plays) in the field and remained a formidable presence at the plate, batting .471 with 49 hits, 45 runs, 18 RBIs, nine doubles, six triples and two homers. 'Her leg is literally snapped in half.' Bump in the road to becoming one of state's top softball players A Notre Dame commit and Miss Softball finalist, Zachary had a career year at the plate, batting .543 with 50 hits, 62 RBIs and 46 runs. Her collection of hits included 10 doubles, four triples and eight homers, and she finished her four seasons with a .482 average (196 hits, 169 runs, 174 RBIs, 20 homers). Zachary also stole 22 bases (79 career) and was charged with just one error on 54 chances in the field. Humphries enjoyed whatever the opposite of a sophomore slump is in 2025. She was 18-1 with a 0.94 ERA and 160 strikeouts in the circle (111.1 innings pitched) and batted .560 with 42 hits (four doubles, two triples, two homers), 28 RBIs and 11 runs at the plate for the regional champions.
Indianapolis Star
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
She's confined to wheelchair — and now a state champ: 'We're so thankful she's part of this program'
WEST LAFAYETTE – Gordon Wood only manages to get a few words out before stepping aside to take a few deep breaths. They're meaningful pauses from the Tecumseh softball coach, who's fighting a losing battle with his emotions as he answers a question about team manager Jackie Biehler in the aftermath of the Braves' 2-0 win over Andrean in the Class 2A state championship game. Wood coached Biehler in Cub ball as a middle schooler, something he does in the fall so the youngsters 'know what to expect from an old grouchy coach and vice versa.' Biehler broke her neck doing a gymnastics stunt in summer 2021, he explains. It was a severe injury, one which required her to be life-flighted to Norton's Children Hospital in Louisville and left her on a ventilator and feeding tube. IHSAA softball state finals: Scores, highlights and photos 'It all means so much': Lizzy Sinders caps Clay City career at state with dad as coach, sister as AD. 'She's a very, very talented kid. They didn't think she was going to live. She couldn't hardly breathe,' Wood says, stepping aside once more to collect himself. 'It took a toll on the entire family. It still does.' Biehler remains on the road to recovery. She's breathing and eating on her own, able to talk and has limited use of her arms and legs, getting around via a motorized wheelchair. What she has endured these past few years would dampen the light in most people. Not Jackie Biehler. 'She's had a really great attitude... You won't find a tougher kid,' Wood said, explaining how she first approached him about being an equipment manager before last season and has been a staple in the Tecumseh dugout ever since (she handles the team's walk-up music). 'We love Jackie,' senior Katelyn Marx beamed. 'She shows up with a smile every day. We know she can't do the stuff that we do, but she is a hell of a lot of fun to be around.' Biehler was there Saturday, of course, proudly seated inside the Tecumseh dugout watching as freshman Audrey Seiler weaved in and out of danger in the circle and Marx, a Miss Softball finalist and the 2A Mental Attitude Award recipient, provided one last signature performance, going 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI double. "I'm just glad they let me be part of the team," Biehler says as her teammates begin clearing out of the third-base dugout. She played her last season of Cub ball with them in seventh grade and was in the dugout for last year's runner-up finish to Rossville, too. "It's really exciting to be able to win one. (And) I'm just really excited I get to do it with them." There never were any questions surrounding Biehler's involvement with the program and her teammates — unsurprisingly — have embraced her, chatting with her during pregame warmups and celebrating with her in the dugout following big plays. Marx described Biever as a light in the dugout, constantly talking up her teammates and giving them high-fives. "Like I said, she's fun to be around," Marx said. "We're so thankful that she's part of this program." Biehler was recognized during the postgame awards ceremony, same as she was last year, with teammate Bianca Lochmueller helping adjust her medal after it was draped around her neck. When it came time for photos, a couple players checked to make sure Biehler had made it over. She did, taking her place alongside the seniors in the front row. "I enjoy it," Biehler smiled. "I enjoy hanging out with all my friends and doing things I used to love to do, like going to the gym and hanging out at the softball field." Added Wood: "You can't help but love her."
