Sadie Armstrong, Portland senior, first base: Armstrong fought through injury to earn unanimous SMAA first-team status. She batted .468 with a .915 slugging percentage, homered three times and had 12 doubles. She’s committed to play Division I softball at Longwood University in Virginia.
Amber Bretton, Gorham junior, pitcher/utility: Bretton hit .500 during the regular season, slugged .952, scored 21 runs, drove in 22, and had three home runs among her 10 extra-base hits. She also went 6-4 with a 3.93 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 68 innings. Bretton was a unanimous SMAA first-team pick. She has committed to play at UConn.
Mia Coots, Nokomis junior, pitcher: Coots, a repeat All-State selection, was honored as the KVAC’s Class B Player of the Year for the second straight season. She went 19-1 while bringing the Warriors to the state final, and fanned 251 batters in 124 innings while posting a 0.56 ERA. She batted .344 with a .435 on-base percentage.
Charlotte Donovan, Biddeford senior, pitcher: The Tigers’ ace capped her career by being named a Miss Maine softball finalist and the SMAA Player of the Year. The 2022 Varsity Maine Player of the Year – and a three-time All-State pick – went 14-1 with a 1.96 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 93 regular-season innings, while batting .556 with a .657 on-base percentage, 13 extra-base hits and a whopping 40 runs.
Brooke Gerry, Windham junior, pitcher/first base: Now a three-time All-State pick, the Varsity Maine Player of the Year led the Eagles to the Class A title, going 12-0 with 177 strikeouts in 85 innings and a 0.17 ERA. In the playoffs, she struck out 46 in 28 innings while allowing nine hits and one run. The University of Rhode Island commit also batted .561 with a .620 on-base percentage.
Ella Hosford, Bucksport senior, pitcher/infield: A Varsity Maine All-State pick last season, Hosford repeated as the PVC Class C Player of the Year and was a Miss Maine Softball finalist while taking Bucksport to the Class C final. She finished the regular season with a 13-1 record and 0.72 ERA while striking out 117 batters in 87 innings. Hosford also had 24 hits on her way to a .471 average and .632 on-base percentage.
Stella Jarvais, Windham sophomore, catcher: A shortstop as a freshman, Jarvais went behind the plate this season and didn’t skip a beat. She batted .500 for the state champs with 29 RBI and 18 runs, striking out only twice all season. Jarvais was elite defensively with a .996 fielding percentage while throwing out seven of 11 attempted base stealers. She batted .692 in the playoffs.
McKayla Kortes, York junior, pitcher/third base: Kortes went 13-1 with a 0.82 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 85 innings – and threw four no-hitters. She also batted .530 with seven home runs and a 1.030 slugging percentage. The repeat Western Maine Conference Player of the Year and All-State selection led the Wildcats to their first Class B title since 1989. She has committed to play at Merrimack.
Ana Lang, Searsport senior, pitcher: Lang capped a career in which she recorded 995 strikeouts in three years by winning Miss Maine Softball honors and making the Varsity Maine All-State team for the second straight year. She led the Vikings to the Class D South final, going 11-5 with a 0.96 ERA and 300 strikeouts, while batting .620 with four home runs. She will play at Husson University next spring.
Kaydence Morse, Oxford Hills senior, catcher: Morse led the Vikings to the Class A championship game, earning distinction as the KVAC Class A Player of the Year and a Miss Maine Softball finalist. She batted .438 with a .500 on-base percentage. Morse homered for three of her nine extra-base hits, and scored 28 runs while driving in 23 and stealing seven bases.
Ella Nickerson, South Portland/Westbrook junior, outfield: Nickerson was a dangerous hitter and excellent defensive left fielder for the Red Riots. She batted .579 with a .613 on-base percentage, slugged .825 with two home runs, and didn’t make an error. Her 29 runs led the team, and she drove in 18 runs.
Laura Perreault, Biddeford senior, outfield: A unanimous SMAA first-team selection, Perreault played errorless defense in center field and hit .455 with a .529 on-base percentage. Perreault scored 23 runs and drove in 20. She’ll play next season at the University of Southern Maine.
Julia Pike, Kennebunk/Sanford sophomore, pitcher: A repeat Varsity Maine All-State selection, Pike went 12-3 with a 1.36 ERA and fanned 183 batters in 102 2/3 innings. She also was an excellent hitter with a .492 average, .538 on-base percentage and 23 RBI.
Zoe Soule, Hall-Dale junior, catcher: Since Soule took over behind the plate as a freshman, the Bulldogs haven’t lost a game. She was the ultimate table-setter for the Class C champs, batting .547 with a .620 on-base percentage, 34 RBI and 41 runs. She also stole 13 bases, and scored the winning run in the 2-1 state final victory over Bucksport.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Lee Johnson, Skowhegan: Despite playing this spring without Sierra Carey, one of the best pitchers in the KVAC last year, Skowhegan stayed on track under Johnson. He swapped in junior pitcher Lillian Noyes and guided the River Hawks to a 14-2 regular-season record and the Class A North final.
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