It was a banner year in the South Central Conference for softball, as two teams from the league played in state championship games. Those two teams, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont in Class 2A and Albia in Class 3A, were well represented in the All-Conference Teams voted on by the coaches.
There were only four unanimous First Team selections. Albia freshman Jena Lawrence and EBF senior Haegen Boyer and junior Randie Richmond had outstanding seasons, and they were joined by Clarke senior and Indian Hills commit Vanessa Bakely on the unanimous list.
Also on the first team was the pair of Alex Beard and Hannah Isley for Albia. EBF senior catcher Claire Jager also made the squad.
Centerville’s Abby Sweet and Lexi Riggall joined Clarke’s Sydnee Redman to round out the First Team.
The Second Team included Albia sophomore Kennedy Schroeder and EBF’s outfield tandem of Taryn Swartz and Reina Taylor. They were joined by several young players, including Knoxville freshman Maddy Findley. Davis County’s Bailey Yahnke, Chariton’s Saydee Terrell, Centerville’s Alyssa McElvain, and the Clarke trio of Ashlynn Oehlert, Alexis Watson, and Sidney Marker rounded out the Second Team.
All of the conference teams except EBF had players on the Honorable Mention list. That list included Albia’s Erin Heaton, Makenna Ross, and Makenzie Curran. Knoxville added Emery Neer, Lucy Olson, and Ann Sanderson. The Centerville trio of Claire Mathews, Taylor Shinn, and Tayler Jewett was joined by the Davis County trio of Jordan Lough, Shelby Clark, and Katie Hunter. Two duos rounded out the Honorable Mention list: Chariton’s Abbie Peterson and Grace Bengston, and Clarke’s CeJay Blakely and Chynna Beydler.
Albia came on strong with their young team to win the South Central Conference in 2017 with a record of 10-2, winning the tiebreaker with Clarke. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont finished a strong third with a 9-3 record in conference play. Centerville finished fourth, followed by Knoxville, Davis County, and Chariton.