April 25, 2024

I-35 pitcher, catcher unanimously named All-POI

Area players McElfish, Brown, Larsen on first unit

By STAFF REPORT
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Nodaway Valley senior Paige McElfish hurls a a pitch in a district playoff game against West Central Valley. McElfish had her best pitching season of her career and earned first-team all-POI honors. She also put up a .475 batting average in her senior campaign. (CNA file)

The senior battery combination from Interstate 35’s Class 2A fourth-place team earned unanimous selection to the Pride of Iowa Conference all-conference softball selections announced Monday.

The first-team unanimous selections included I-35 pitcher Carlyn Stanley, I-35 catcher Shai Major, Roadrunner shortstop Slye Richardson and Martensdale-St. Marys sophomore outfielder Kailey Walker.

Area players named to the All-POI first team are Nodaway Valley senior pitcher Paige McElfish, Lenox senior catcher Shantelle Brown and Mount Ayr senior outfielder Macy Larsen.

McElfish easily had her best season pitching, striking out 224 batters in 181 innings of work. She posted an ERA of 2.59 and opponents hit just .198 against her.

After a slow start to the season at the plate, McElfish finished on a roll and hit .475 for the year with 22 RBIs and 14 extra base hits.

Larsen patrolled the outfield for the Raiderettes and got the offense going from the top of the lineup. She hit .349 and got on base at a .415 rate.

TJ Stoaks, represents Lenox as a pitcher on the second team. Teammates Jacy Stoaks and Makinna Fitzgerald, both seniors, join her on the second unit.

TJ was one of just two eighth-graders to earn all-conference honors, alongside Pleasantville’s Josie Sowers, a first-team selection.

Brown’s presence behind the plate helped young TJ Stoaks in the circle.

Brown hit .392 with 14 doubles, three home runs and a team-leading 25 RBIs.

She had a fielding percentage of .970 for the season.

Stoaks’ 237 strikeouts were second in the conference to first-teamer Carlyn Stanley. Stoaks mounted a record of 19-12, allowed opponents to hit just .165 against her. Her 2.00 ERA was fourth-best in the conference.

Stoaks was confident with a bat in her hands as well, as she sported a batting average of .322 for the season.

Tigers Makinna Fitzgerald and future SWCC Spartans Jacy Stoaks were also on the second-team.

Fitzgerald hit .414 from the top of the lineup with 13 extra base hits, 24 RBIs and 34 runs scored.

Jacy Stoaks batted at a .400 clip with 24 RBIs, 33 runs and a team-leading 10 sacrifices. She committed just two errors in the field and rang up a fielding percentage of .990.

Mount Ayr sophomore pitcher and power hitter Caroline McAlexander is a utility selection on the second team along with teammate Alyssa Johnson, named as a catcher.

McAlexander led the POI with 10 home runs, drove in 40 runs and hit .457 on the year. She also owned a 3.53 ERA in 101 innings pitched.

Nodaway Valley senior Josie Clarke is a second-team infielder and Southwest Valley senior Danica Sunderman is a utility selection on the second team.

Clarke batted .338 and drove in a team-leading 23 runs.

Southwest Valley’s Danica Sunderman was a second-team pick.

Sunderman hit .338 with three home runs and registered 19 RBIs.

Johnson hit .288, scored 27 runs and played some second base but was the primary catcher for the Raiderettes.

I-35 led the league with 9 total selections.

Bedford’s Makinna Russell was also on the second team.

FIRST TEAM

* — Unanimous selection

Pitcher

*Carlyn Stanley I-35 Sr.

Kylie Sherwood MSTM Jr.

Paige McElfish Nodaway Valley Sr.

Haylee Fortune Wayne Jr.

Catcher

*Shai Major I-35 Sr.

Shantelle Brown Lenox Sr.

Brinley White MSTM Jr.

Infield

Demi Austin Wayne Sr.

Andie Sowers Pleasantville Jr.

Kate Stanley I-35 So.

Josie Wickett I-35 Sr.

Daryn Nowlin Central Decatur Sr.

Kaci Sherwood MSTM Sr.

Outfield

Macy Larsen Mt. Ayr Sr.

Josie Sowers Pleasantville 8th

Lily Miller I-35 So.

Emma Atwood Central Decatur So.

*Kailey Walker MSTM So.

Utility

Sly Richardson I-35 Sr.

Hannah Sweet MSTM So.

Kaitlyn Schad MSTM Jr.

SECOND TEAM

Pitcher

TJ Stoaks Lenox 8th

Kennedy Johns SE Warren Jr.

Lily Simon Central Decatur Sr.

Catcher

Alyssa Johnson Mt. Ayr Jr.

Maizee Lindsey Central Decatur Fr.

Tyler Kunzie Wayne Jr.

Infield

Raeshel Andrews Wayne Jr.

Mackenzie McGriff, Pleasantville Fr.

AJ Dorsey SE Warren Fr.

Riley Morris I-35 Sr.

Jacy Stoaks Lenox Sr.

Josie Clarke Nodaway Valley Sr.

Outfield

Raegan Tilley Wayne So.

Maddy Maedel Central Decatur Fr.

Alayna Olson MSTM Jr.

Makinna Fitzgerald Lenox Sr.

Olivia Carlson I-35 So.

Utility

Cheyenne Hiatt I-35 So.

Caroline McAlexander Mt. Ayr So.

Makinna Russell Bedford So.

Danica Sunderman SW Valley Sr.

Lauren Hartman SE Warren Jr.