2021 ALL-5STAR PREPS SOFTBALL TEAM
Presented by Elite Softball Recruiting
PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Avery Flatford, Farragut
The junior left no doubt as to whom the best pitcher in the state was in leading the Lady Admirals to the Class AAA championship. The unflappable Flatford finished 22-0 with a 1.34 ERA. A Tennessee Tech commit, Flatford averaged two strikeouts per inning (279 Ks, 141 IP) with 17 complete games and 10 shutouts.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Cameron Young, Farragut
The East Tennessee State signee helped the Lady Admirals to their first state title in 39 years. Young, the District 4-AAA Player of the Year, was outstanding in the field at third base and at the plate. She batted .573 with a slugging percentage of .940. Young recorded 24 doubles, five triples, three home runs and 53 RBIs.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Nick Green, Farragut
Led the Lady Admirals to their first state championship since 1982 as Farragut finished 37-2. The Lady Admirals went 11-0 in the postseason, outscoring the opposition 86-6 on their way to the state Class AAA title. Green, who served as an assistant to David Moore for 12 seasons before being named Farragut head coach in 2018, has a 99-20 overall record and 46-2 District 4-AAA record as coach of the Lady Admirals.
FIRST TEAM
Catelyn Riley, Jefferson County: The Ole Miss signee finished up her much-decorated high school career by going 18-3 on the mound and compiling a .567 batting average. Riley gave up just seven earned runs in 131 innings and fanned 235 hitters. At the plate, she clubbed 11 home runs and had a lofty slugging percentage of 1.254.
Delayna Bryant, Powell: Bryant compiled a miniscule 0.97 ERA, going 17-3 on the mound and striking out 174 hitters in 122.1 innings for the Lady Panthers. The senior will pitch for Belmont next season.
Cayden Baker, Powell: Baker capped a remarkable high school career by batting .500 with nine home runs and 32 RBIS. The senior shortstop also scored 72 runs and stole 41 bases. She has signed with Texas A&M.
Shelby Blake, Gibbs: Senior shortstop was team leader for the Lady Eagles, who made their 34th state tournament appearance. An LMU signee and the District 3-AA MVP, Blake batted .437 and led Gibbs in runs scored (50), stolen bases (29) and fielding average (.952).
Ace Strickland, Farragut: The consummate lead-off hitter, Strickland established a new single-season batting average at Farragut as she hit .637. The junior catalyst scored 50 runs and was successful on 36 of 37 stolen base attempts.
Hayden Dye, Powell: A senior second baseman and Carson-Newman signee, Dye drove in 62 runs and clubbed eight home runs for the Lady Panthers. She batted .475, with 14 doubles and 46 runs scored.
Hannah Cooper, Grace Christian: Senior lefty won 26 games (2.73 ERA) as she led the Division II-A Lady Rams to a top-five state finish. Cooper also batted .321. Will play in college for Johnson University.
Gracie Gray, Hardin Valley: A hard-hitting sophomore center fielder, Gray stroked 10 home runs and drove in 50 runs for the Lady Hawks. She batted .515 with an on-base-percentage of .633.
Brooke Taylor, Hardin Valley: Taylor, a junior outfielder, was a table setter from the lead-off slot in the HVA lineup. She batted .536 with 59 hits, scored 46 runs and stole 15 bases.
Lauren Brakovec, Farragut: The junior first baseman established a new Lady Admirals single-season record with 11 bombs. She drove in 51 runs and compiled an outstanding .928 slugging percentage.
Randi Drinnon, Morristown East: Western Kentucky signee. Drinnon was a four-year starter for the Lady Hurricanes and the District 2-AAA Offensive Player of the Year in 2021. She batted a team-best .521 with seven home runs.
Olivia Underwood, Sequoyah: Superb catcher who has signed with Tennessee. Only seven base runners attempted to steal on Underwood this season, and she threw out five of them. Had a fielding percentage of .984 and was charged with just one passed ball all season. Ripped 11 homers and batted .481.
Bre Bumgardner, Gibbs: The senior third basemen led the Lady Eagles in six offensive and one defensive categories. Bumgardner, who is a Bryan College signee, batted .484 with 11 dingers and 44 RBIs.
Mari Robbins, Sweetwater: A Carson-Newman signee, Robbins batted .453 for the Lady Wildcats from her lead-off slot. She swatted eight home runs, had 34 RBIs and scored 48 runs.
Makenzie Henderson, Anderson County: Defense, offense, there’s nothing AC’s standout junior catcher doesn’t excel at. Henderson established a school single-season standard for RBIs by knocking in 60 runs. She batted .455 with nine home runs.
Kendal Pitts, Maryville: A senior first baseman, the East Tennessee State signee drilled 10 homers, drove in 51 runs and compiled a lofty .410 batting average for the Lady Rebels.
Savannah Classon, William Blount: The Lady Govs’ most consistent hitter, the junior third baseman clubbed 15 homers, drove in 52 runs and batted .441.
Caitlin Dixon, Grace Christian: Senior had great range at shortstop, recording 45 putouts on the season. She batted .415 with 53 RBIs.
Ava Guzowski, Farragut: The hard-hitting sophomore shortstop had seven bombs and 40 RBIs to go with a .417 batting average for the state champs.
Hanna Bogoski, Karns: Junior C/OF drove in 57 runs and batted .456 as Karns made the region tourney for the first time since 2012.
Alaina Watson, Powell: ETSU signee compiled a 14-5 record on the mound with a 1.99 ERA for the Lady Panthers.
Sarah Livingston, Farragut: The junior OF compiled the third-highest batting average (.461) for the Lady Admirals behind Ace Strickland and Cameron Young.
SECOND TEAM
Gracie Palmer, Gibbs: Junior center fielder batted .413 and came on strong late in the season for the Lady Eagles.
Hannah Pfeifer, Farragut: The junior second baseman hit .430 for the state champions.
Savanna Beard, Hardin Valley: Standout third baseman and Motlow State signee batted .444 for the Lady Hawks.
Makayla Cooper, Union County: Standout junior pitcher led the Lady Patriots to the state Class AA tourney.
Blayne King, Morristown East: The University of Maryland Baltimore County signee batted .477.
Denver Hogrefe, Hardin Valley: Went 15-7 (2.20 ERA) on the mound and batted .330. Will play at Bryan College.
Shelby Armstrong, Karns: Smooth-fielding sophomore shortstop batted .373 with seven triples.
Hailey Brooks, Grace Christian: A freshman left fielder, Brooks batted .553 and scored 51 runs.
Ella Brooks, Grace Christian: The junior center fielder scored 64 runs and batted .468.
Lindy Webber, Fulton: Junior pitcher/first baseman went 14-6 and batted .414 for the Lady Falcons.
Kara VonAchen, Coalfield: Was named the Tennessee Softball Coaches Association Class A East Miss Softball.
Eden Frazier, Heritage: The Cleveland State signee batted .433 with seven home runs.
Megan Armstrong, Oliver Springs: Sophomore first baseman batted .678 with 13 homers and 64 RBIs.
Lexie Sykes, Grainger: The senior second baseman hit .585 for the Lady Grizz.
Madisyn Thacker, Kings Academy: Swatted 10 home runs and batted .466 for the Lady Lions.
Emma Keck, Gibbs: The sophomore batted .402 and held down the fort at second for the Lady Eagles.
Dakota Large, Gibbs: A speedy freshman center fielder, Large stole 21 bases and batted .397.
Aspen Calloway, Halls: The junior was one of the top combo players on the mound and at the plate in the area.
Italia Kyle, Alcoa: Batted .343 with seven homers. The junior shortstop is a Tusculum commit.
Cassa Arnold, Alcoa: The junior left her mark on the mound (9-1) and at the plate (.316 BA).
Elizabeth Breeden, Karns: Part of the Lady Beavers’ outstanding junior class, Breeden hit .496 and scored 44 runs.
Abby Spradlin, Seymour: The junior batted .609 for the Lady Eagles.
Anna Kate Reichter, Karns: Banged out 67 hits while compiling a .563 batting average for the Lady Beavers.
Brecca Williams, Heritage: The Maryville College signee batted .361.
Madison Hood, Greenback: The junior shortstop batted .528 for the Lady Cherokees and was the District 2-A Player of the Year.