Diamond honors: Frisco ISD softball teams celebrate rewards on all-district team

The answer was no, they would not, as the Coyotes not only captured the first district championship in program history, they did so by running the slate and posting a perfect 18-0 record.

Heritage was not finished, as it opened the playoffs with a 4-1 win over Lovejoy and followed that up with a 18-0 rout of W.T. White.

Though the road came to an end in the following round after dropping a close 4-2 decision to eventual state semifinalist Prosper Rock Hill, the Coyotes’ trip to the regional quarterfinals matched their deepest postseason run in program history.

Given those achievements, it is no surprise that Heritage also took center stage on the 9-5A all-district team, where it captured four superlative awards and had eight players selected to the list.

That included the district’s top honor as junior Jensin Hall was voted as the most valuable player.

One of the most dominant pitchers in the state, Hall posted a 27-2 record with a 0.75 earned run average. Hall recorded 17 shutouts and threw an eye-popping seven no hitters. In 158 innings of work, she struck out 336 batters compared with only 52 walks and allowed only 17 earned runs all season long.

As if that were not enough, Hall was also one of the best hitters in the area, where she posted a .416 batting average with three home runs, five doubles, two triples, 29 runs scored and 15 driven in.

Teammate Elyse LeClair was selected as the offensive player of the year. The senior hit a team-high .551 at the plate, with three homers, eight doubles, 35 runs and 37 RBIs.

Senior Nadya Quezada was tabbed the catcher of the year. In addition to her defensive work behind the plate, Nadya Quezada posted a .438 batting average with a team-high seven home runs, nine doubles and 35 runs batted in.

The fourth superlative award went to Tim O’Brien and his assistants, as they were named coaching staff of the year after leading Heritage to the district championship and a 27-2 overall record, the best in school history.

Sophomore third baseman Vyanna Quezada was chosen to the first team, as she hit .338 with three home runs, six doubles, 34 runs scored and a team-leading 15 stolen bases.

The second team featured sophomore left fielder Ahna VanMeter, who batted .376 with three home runs and 26 runs scored, junior first baseman Kailey Sweezey, who hit .311 with a pair of homers and eight doubles, and freshman Kaira Netzel, who made an instant impact with a .392 batting average with five home runs, nine doubles, two triples and 27 RBIs.

Memorial also put together another strong season as the Warriors look to continue to build that program.

A year after winning its first district title and making the playoffs for the first time, Memorial followed that up by returning to the postseason and advancing three rounds deep.

The Warriors were recognized for their success with eight players named to the team, highlighted by a pair of superlative award winners.

Senior Maddie Muller was voted as the 9-5A pitcher of the year. Muller posted a 20-8 record with a 1.09 earned run average. In 153 innings of work, she recorded 252 strikeouts against only 41 walks.

Muller was also one of the Warriors’ key bats, as she hit .318 with five doubles five triples and 23 runs batted in.

Junior Olivia Tefft contributed in a variety of different spots on the field, leading the coaches to select her as the district utility player of the year.

Tefft posted a .452 batting average with a pair of home runs, nine doubles, three triples and 25 runs scored.

That pair was joined by four more Memorial players on the first team.

Sophomore second baseman Natalie Gowen hit .410 with three homers, three triples, 11 doubles, 32 runs scored and 35 RBIs and she also led the team with 21 stolen bases.

Another sophomore, shortstop Avery Cannon, batted .355 with nine home runs, seven doubles, four triples, 36 runs scored and 29 driven in.

Sophomore Alexis Taylor hit .419 with a team-best 11 home runs, 28 runs scored and she also paced the team with 43 RBIs.

Senior Payton Newlin also made the first team, as the third baseman batted .341 with five home runs, 11 doubles, 28 runs and 34 runs batted in.

Junior outfielder Emily Bustillos posted a .360 average with 17 runs scored and 11 stolen bases to earn a spot on the second team.

Reedy returned to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and had its share of representation on the team.

The Lions had one major award winner as freshman second baseman Megan Lau was tabbed newcomer of the year. Lau hit .365 and led the team with 39 runs scored and 21 stolen bases.

Lau was joined by a trio of Reedy players on the first team.

Junior pitcher Makayla Cox was yet another FISD standout who excelled on the mound and at the plate.

Cox went 18-4 with a 1.85 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 121 innings of work. She also led the team with a .500 batting average with four home runs, seven doubles, 22 runs scored and 35 RBIs.

Senior third baseman Ally Ryan hit .426 with a team-high five homers, eight doubles, 26 runs and 31 runs batted in. Sophomore Mycah McClendon also earned a spot on the first team, as she posted a .373 average with four home runs, four doubles and 20 RBIs.

The second team featured three more Lions who are expected to return next season. Junior Alyssa Thompson ranked among the team leaders with 26 runs scored, sophomore Audrey Messer hit .345 with four home runs and 24 RBIs and sophomore Campbell McKee batted .333 with 20 runs scored.

Lone Star edged out Wakeland for the fourth and final playoff berth, its first since 2019, and had seven players named to the first two teams.

That was highlighted by a superlative award winners as sophomore Kirstyn Jones was chosen as the 9-5A defensive player of the year. In addition to her work in center field, Jones hit .482 with a team-high eight home runs, seven doubles, 28 runs scored and 29 RBIs.

Junior Emma Zaboronek batted an even .500 with four homers, six doubles, a pair of triples and led the team with 29 runs scored to land a spot on the first team, where she was joined by sophomore Emilee Prochaska, who posted a .459 batting average with four homers, seven doubles, a team-high 12 stolen bases and 31 RBIs.

Lone Star’s second-team selections included junior Ashley Galbraith, who hit .340 at the plate and went 8-5 with 58 strikeouts and a 3.59 ERA on the mound, senior Autumn Benavides, who hit .319 with three home runs, six doubles and 25 runs batted in, sophomore Bri Stokes, who posted a .381 batting average with 21 runs scored, and junior Kaylee Smith, who went 4-3 as the team’s second pitcher.

Wakeland finished just out of the playoff picture and had four players named to the first two teams.

Junior pitcher Kate Piskor was voted to the first team. Piskor posted a 11-7 record with a 2.98 earned run average and 175 strikeouts in 108 innings, and also hit .348 with one home run, six doubles and 16 RBIs.

Also on the first team is her battery mate, junior catcher Riley Langford, who led the team in hitting with a .470 average to go along with six doubles, two triples and 21 runs batted in.

The Wolverines had a pair of freshmen make the second team, as Claire Schreiner hit .391 with three homers, five doubles, 19 runs scored and a team-leading 29 RBIs, while Kaylee Linney also hit .391 with three triples, 23 runs scored and 11 stolen bases.

Frisco had a quartet of first-team honorees. Sophomore pitcher Audrey Richardson went 6-6 with 141 strikeouts in 120 innings and hit .379 with three home runs, seven doubles and 16 runs batted in.

Sophomore Drea Thompson led the team in batting with a .456 average to go along with seven home runs, four doubles, three triples, 20 runs scored and 29 RBIs.

Junior Emilie Gilbert hit .431 with five doubles, four triples and 20 runs, while senior Madison Hubbard posted a .426 average with a pair of homes, six doubles and 19 runs scored.

Junior Arie Thompson, who hit .333 with 11 runs scored, and junior Emma Leraas, who hit .317 with two home runs, nine double and 16 RBIs, made the second team for the Raccoons.

Centennial had a pair of first-teamers in senior Sierra Corbin and junior Tristyn Madden, while senior Tatum Wright, junior Abbey Farmer and sophomore Emily Lawson made the second team.

Independence junior catcher Tristyn Madden earned a spot on the first team, as she hit .442 with two home runs, 18 runs batted in and posted a .913 fielding percentage.

The Knights were represented on the second team by sophomore Reagan Bedell, who batted .442 with 16 runs scored, five RBIs and she had a 1.000 fielding percentage.

Liberty senior third baseman Maegan Shannon made the first team, as she posted a .500 batting average with three home runs, seven doubles, 18 run scored and 21 RBIs, while Lebanon Trail senior third baseman Riley Williams was selected to the second team.

9-5A Softball All-District Team

Most Valuable Player

Jensin Hall  Jr.      P       Heritage

Offensive Player of the Year

Elyse LeClair        Sr.     SS     Heritage

Defensive Player of the Year

Kirstyn Jones       So.    CF     Lone Star

Pitcher of the Year

Maddie Muller      Sr.     P       Memorial

Catcher of the Year

Nadya Quezada    Sr.     C       Heritage

Utility Player of the Year

Olivia Tefft Jr.      OF/DP/3B   Memorial

Newcomer of the Year

Megan Lau  Fr.     2B     Reedy

Coaching Staff of the Year

Heritage

First Team

Vyanna Quezada  So.    3B     Heritage

Alexis Taylor       So.    1B/P  Memorial

Avery Cannon     So.    SS     Memorial

Natalie Gowen     So.    2B     Memorial

Payton Newlin     Sr.     3B     Memorial

Ally Ryan   Sr.     3B     Reedy

Makayla Cox       Jr.      P       Reedy

Mycah McClendon        So.    1B     Reedy

Emilee Prochaska So.    SS     Lone Star

Emma Zaboronek Jr.      2B     Lone Star

Kate Piskor Jr.      P       Wakeland

Riley Langford     Jr.      C       Wakeland

Audrey Richardson        So.    P       Frisco

Drea Thompson   So.    3B     Frisco

Emilie Gilbert       Jr.      CF     Frisco

Madison Hubbard          Sr.     SS     Frisco

Sierra Corbin       Sr.     C       Centennial

Tristyn Madden   Jr.      C       Independence

Maegan Shannon Sr.     3B     Liberty

Second Team

Ahna VanMeter   So.    LF     Heritage

Kailey Sweezey    Jr.      1B     Heritage

Kaira Netzel         Fr.     DP/3B         Heritage

Emily Bustillos    Jr.      RF     Memorial

Alyssa Thompson         Jr.      SS     Reedy

Audrey Messer     So.    OF     Reedy

Campbell McKee  So.    C       Reedy

Ashley Galbraith  Jr.      P       Lone Star

Autumn Benavides        Sr.     1B     Lone Star

Bri Stokes   So.    LF     Lone Star

Kaylee Smith        Jr.      P       Lone Star

Claire Schreiner    Fr.     3B     Wakeland

Kaylee Kinney      Fr.     OF     Wakeland

Arie Thompson    Jr.      1B     Frisco

Emma Leraas       Jr.      C       Frisco

Abbey Farmer      Jr.      OF     Centennial

Emily Lawson      So.    P       Centennial

Tatum Wright      Sr.     3B     Centennial

Reagan Bedell      So.    C/1B/P        Independence

Riley Williams      Sr.     3B     Lebanon Trail

Honorable Mention

Allie Crow  So.    OF     Heritage

Hannah Huggins  So.    CF     Memorial

Caitlyn Warren    Jr.      OF     Reedy

Taylor Kinch        Sr.     OF/DP        Reedy

Kennedy Henrich So.    OF     Reedy

Serenity Smith     Fr.     C       Lone Star

Lexi Edgett Sr.     3B     Lone Star

Kaylee Gressman Sr.     1B     Wakeland

Kaitlyn Bower      So.    CF     Wakeland

Tori Franklin        Fr.     2B     Frisco

Emma Gaserpich  Sr.     1B/P  Centennial

Stormy Daniel      Fr.     SS     Independence

Sydney Sabin       Jr.      3B     Independence

Madison Terry     Fr.     CF     Liberty

Delila Bond Fr.     SS/P  Liberty

Ava Klosowski    So.    CF     Lebanon Trail

Snigdha Paul        So.    SS     Lebanon Trail

Valentina Quinones       Fr.     CF/C Lebanon Trail