Captains usually avoid severe weather, but Drea Watts pitches up a storm.
Watts, the ace pitcher on Cabell MidlandƵs state championship squad, is the captain of the West Virginia Sports Writers Ƶsociation Class AAAA all-state high school softball team.
The junior right-hander went 22-1 with a 0.86 earned run average and five no-hitters. In 138 2/3 innings, she held foes to 58 hits, struck out 278 and walked 41. She beat St. Albans, University and Jefferson in the state tournament, hurling a shutout with 13 strikeouts against the Cougars in the championship game.
ƵSheƵs done that all year,Ƶ Knights coach Herman Beckett said of Watts. ƵWhen you beat three teams like those, youƵre pretty doggone good. Drea shut everybody down. You canƵt ask for any more than what sheƵs given. If sheƵs not the player of the year, somethingƵs wrong somewhere.Ƶ
Watts was joined on the all-state team by Cabell Midland teammates Nicole Harris and Becca Conrad.
Harris, a senior third baseman, hit five home runs, drove in 16 runs and batted .570 from her leadoff spot. She did so coming off surgery for pectus excavatum, a procedure to repair a chest abnormality.
Conrad, a junior shortstop, hit .607 with six homers and 43 RBIs.
ƵNicole and Becca fit right in there in player of the year conversation, too,Ƶ Beckett said. ƵTheyƵre tough.Ƶ
Pitchers joining Watts on the first team are Kate Justice of Hurricane and Becca Munslow of Jefferson.
Justice, a hard-throwing right-hander committed to play at Army, was one of just three pitchers to beat Cabell Midland and the only one from in-state. She went 15-6 with a 3.55 ERA and fanned 155 with 41 walks in 119 innings.
Munslow posted a 1.72 ERA with 140 strikeouts and 30 walks in 73 1/3 innings. She also led the Cougars in hitting.
Anniston Shelton, a freshman from Parkersburg South, made the team as a pitcher/utility player. She batted .388 with five home runs and went 11-7 with a 0.74 ERA. In 114 innings, she whiffed 246 and walked 23.
If any catcher could handle that high-octane staff of hurlers, itƵs Olivia Masoner of University, who had three home runs and 28 RBIs to lead the Hawks to the state tournament. Just four baserunners tried to steal on Masoner and she threw out three.
Rounding out the infield are shortstops Jaden Jones of Hurricane and Aubrey Smallwood of Woodrow Wilson.
Jones smashed seven home runs, knocked in 29 runs and batted .465 while showing superb range. She showed off her speed by legging out six triples and four doubles. Smallwood batted .358 with one homer, 24 RBIs and 11 doubles.
Heading the outfielders is Spring ValleyƵs Kate Spry, who signed with Marshall University. Spry smacked six home runs, drove in 35 runs and batted .533 with 11 stolen bases.
Liz Alsop of Morgantown, Gabby Bibb of Washington and Chloe Cowan of Jefferson join Spry in the first-team outfield.
Alsop swatted seven home runs, drove in 25 runs and batted .367. She swiped 11 bases. Bibb hit .484 with 20 RBIs and seven steals. Cowan homered eight times, knocked in 24 runs, stole 17 bases and batted .383.
Maddie Wisman of Morgantown and Ava Bentley of St. Albans are the utility players. Wisman played first base, third base and pitched. She hit .380 with two homers and 17 RBIs. She was 14-6 with a 1.59 ERA in the circle. Bentley hit .400 with one home run and knocked home 16 runs. In the circle, she was 13-8 with a 1.38 ERA.
The second team is captained by Hurricane catcher Hadley Lawson, who is joined by Redskins teammates in outfielder Alex Anderson and infielder Punkie Harper.
If any second-teamer has a strong argument for making the first unit, itƵs Spring Valley shortstop Sydney Turner, who signed with Marshall after leading the Timberwolves with a .580 batting average, .611 on-base percentage and 18 stolen bases.
Turner and Harper are accompanied on the second-team infield by Riley Smith of Riverside and Lexi Brown of Hedgesville.
Catchers included Sophie Frye from South Charleston and Mason Inclan of John Marshall. Pitchers are Taryn Close from Spring Mills and Jersey Rummel from Jefferson.
The outfield includes Madison Knabenshue of Buckhannon Upshur, Natalie Tomblin of George Washington and Lyza Elza of University. The utility players feature Cabell Midland catcher Baylee Smith, who signed to play at West Virginia State, Chloe Constantino of Washington and Sophia Lehosit of University.
Cabell MidlandƵs Ellie McCormill and Spring ValleyƵs Layla Marshall earned honorable mention.
