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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

It was a spectacular season on the softball field for local teams and postseason honors have started to roll in with Shelby County teams making up 14 different spots on this year’s All-State team.

A season that saw two state tournament teams in the 7A classification and several other playoff teams in other classifications, talent was on full display throughout, and a total of nine teams from the county were represented on this year’s All-State team.

Of the 14 to make the All-State team this year, which ranks the best players from all seven classifications, there was one player of the year, five first team players, five second team players and four honorable mention players.

Spain Park’s Annabelle Widra was one of the biggest highlights of the list, as the senior for the Jags not only earned a first team nod in Class 7A, but was named the classification’s Player of the Year.

Widra was both dominant in the circle and at the plate, posting an ERA of 1.20 with 236 strikeouts and a batting average of .490 with 47 RBIs and 49 hits. She also went 20-5 in the circle and had 15 home runs at the plate, which tied for a county high.

She was one of two Spain Park players to not only make the All-State team, but earn a spot on the first team as Lydia Coleman joined her.

Coleman was actually the top hitter for the Jags this season from an average standpoint thanks to batting .523. She finished second on the team with 46 hits and totaled 34 RBIs with 43 runs scored. Her hits included nine home runs, four doubles and four triples. She also finished second in the county with 33 stolen bases.

Thompson was the most represented team on the list from Shelby County with four players making the list, including two on the Class 7A second team and two as honorable mentions.

Jenna Williams and Ella Pate were the two named to the second team after remarkable seasons at the plate for the Warriors, which was critical in them making the state tournament.

Williams put together a batting average of .536 thanks to a county-high 75 hits. She also finished second in the county with 55 RBIs and in a tie for fourth with 14 doubles. She added three triples and four home runs to her stat line.

Pate was one of the county’s most dangerous hitters this season. She not only batted .482 at the plate, but totaled a county-high 58 RBIs and notched 67 hits. She also led the county with 18 doubles and added three triples and eight home runs.

Eleanor DeBlock and Laney Williams were also honored after earning spots as honorable mentions in Class 7A.

DeBlock also had 25 wins this season and finished with a record of 25-4 with six saves. She posted an ERA of 1.85 and had 172 strikeouts. At the plate, she batted .435 with 40 hits, including nine doubles, and had 20 RBIs.

Williams held a batting average of .483 this season and totaled 45 RBIs with 58 hits. She totaled eight doubles and six home runs this season.

Oak Mountain earned one player on the Class 7A All-State team as well thanks to Dawn Autry making the second team. She batted .444 at the plate thanks to 56 hits, including 14 doubles, eight home runs and three triples, while also totaling 27 RBIs.

In the 6A classification, Helena, Chelsea and Pelham all had one player make the list.

For Helena, who was the only other team to make the state tournament this year alongside Thompson, Camryn Bailey made the first team.

The junior for the Huskies held a 1.59 ERA and tied for the most wins in the county with 25 thanks to a 25-5 record. She also totaled 259 strikeouts, which finished second in the county.

Pelham also had one make the first team thanks to a remarkable season both in the circle and at the plate from Brianna Copeland. She held an ERA of 2.08 as the top pitcher for the Panthers and totaled 156 strikeouts but was also one of the top hitters in the county with an average of .562 thanks to 45 hits and 44 RBIs. She also finished tied for the county lead with 15 home runs.

Chelsea’s Tyler Erwin earned a spot on the Class 6A second team after also putting together a strong season in the circle and at the plate. She put together an 11-7 record in the circle with an ERA of 2.40 and 156 total strikeouts. She also had four shutouts, one no-hitter and one perfect game. At the plate, she batted .433 with 45 hits, including11 doubles and eight home runs. She also added 46 RBIs to her stat line.

The only other team aside from Thompson and Spain Park with multiple players named to the All-State team was Shelby County.

The Wildcats saw sophomore Paci Clark make the Class 5A first team after totaling 13 home runs and 32 RBIs this season behind a batting average of .496.

Teammate Kensley Wesley was also honored for Shelby County, earning a spot as an honorable mention player thanks to her batting average of .475 and her 54 RBIs, which tied for third in Shelby County.

The Montevallo Bulldogs and Vincent Yellow Jackets were also represented by one player each on the team.

Allie Tryon earned a spot on the Class 4A second team for the Bulldogs after batting .573 at the plate and tying with Wesley for third with 54 RBIs.

Vincent was led by do-it-all Maddy Walker, who was largely responsible for the Jackets’ success both at the plate and in the circle.

She had the second lowest ERA in the county this season at 1.26 and posted a record of 22-13 with a county-high 276 strikeouts. She had 11 shutouts and one no-hitter.

At the plate, she led the team with a .432 average thanks to 48 hits, while she totaled 32 RBIs, 11 doubles and six home runs.