Williamson tops team

Five local players named to first-team

By Dan Stillwell

Andi Williamson was far more than an outstanding pitcher for Class AA state softball champion Chapmanville.

She was the 31-3 Tigers’ leader.

In fact, she didn’t play in two of their losses.

“When Andi wasn’t on the field, we lost a little bit of confidence in ourselves,” coach Ronnie Ooten said of the University of Tennessee-bound right-hander. “The kids looked up to her.”

Williamson repaid that trust by winning 18 of 19 decisions this season, including three games at the state tournament in Vienna.

She captains the Class AA all-state team as chosen by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

The senior ace recorded 311 strikeouts, upping her career total to over 1,000. She walked just 15 batters in 124 innings.

Williamson was likewise no slouch at the plate, batting .390 with four home runs.

“She’s a competitor,” Ooten said of the repeat first-teamer. “She puts her heart and soul into softball.”

Chapmanville catcher Poppy Ramey and utility player Allison Evans join Williamson on the first team.

Ramey, a senior, batted .304 with two home runs and a .380 slugging percentage.

She also called each of Williamson’s pitches.

“I’ve coached a lot of great catchers, but I’ll put Poppy right on top,” said Ooten, who also won state championships at Chapmanville in 1999, 2004 and 2007. “She calls a great game.”

Evans, a freshman, played shortstop and was the Tigers’ backup pitcher behind Williamson. She batted .409 with a .470 slugging percentage. On the mound she was 8-2 with 66 strikeouts.

“Allison has a cannon for an arm,” Ooten said.

Runner-up Independence received two first-team selections, sophomore pitcher Kelsey Whitt and senior outfielder Sheena McKinney.

Whitt, who gave up just one earned run in two losses to Chapmanville in Vienna, was 17-5 with an ERA of 1.30. She struck out 180 batters while walking 34 in 180 innings.

McKinney, a defensive standout in center field, batted .450 for the 24-6 Patriots. Her on-base percentage was .521. The other two state semifinalists, Point Pleasant and Lincoln, have two first-teamers.

Pitcher Tessa Wyant, another returning first-teamer, had a 20-7 record and struck out 222 batters in 191 innings for Point Pleasant (23-11). She batted .351 with four home runs and 24 stolen bases.

Big Blacks infielder Anna Sommer hit .485 with 21 runs batted in and 37 stolen bases. Her on-base percentage was .480.

Lincoln shortstop Chelsea Holcomb earns first-team honors for the third consecutive season. The senior batted .500 with six triples and scored 35 runs. Teammate Mishayla Zecco, a sophomore, compiled an 18-4 record with 81 strikeouts against 21 walks. She had nine shutouts for the 24-6 Cougars.

Wyoming East and Ritchie County also had two players selected for the first team.

East junior outfielder Selina Simmons batted .469 with six home runs, seven triples, 38 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. She repeats on the first-team.

Sophomore pitcher Brandi McGraw was 13-5 with 125 strikeouts and 24 walks in 128 innings for the Warriors. She batted .479 with a home run and 26 RBIs.

Ritchie senior pitcher Kelsey Clark was 9-0 with an 0.67 ERA. Another first-team returnee, she batted .322 on the campaign.

Rebels catcher Allison Delancey had a breakout freshman season, hitting .557 with eight home runs and 19 stolen bases.

Infielders Tia Via from Shady Spring and Cheyenne Hall from Roane County, Liberty Harrison outfielder Casey Jarvis and Tyler Consolidated utility player Kaitlyn Goudy complete the double-A first team.

Via, last season’s second-team captain, batted .440 with three home runs, 32 RBIs and 49 stolen bases. The senior had an on-base percentage of .500.

Hall concluded a strong 12th-grade campaign by batting .480 and slugging eight home runs.

Jarvis, a junior leadoff hitter, hit .429 with 28 runs and four doubles.

Tyler’s Goudy was 12-8 as a pitcher and had an ERA of 1.19. She struck out 181 batters and walked 25 in 141 innings. Goudy batted .290 with 12 RBIs.

The second team is captained by Shady Spring junior infielder Lydia Honaker.

Pitchers include Liberty Raleigh’s Summer Athey, Shady Spring’s Amber Woody, Ashley Knight from Ritchie County, Rachael Mack from Herbert Hoover and Meghan Anderson from Keyser.

Wyoming East’s Christian Mullins, Braxton County’s Tiffani Huffman, Lincoln’s Christie Hittel and Ritchie’s Brittnay Spencer join Honaker in the infield.

The outfielders are Morgan Cottrell from Roane County and Brittany Harrison from Poca.

Independence’s Jacinda Ward and Point Pleasant’s Devin Cottrill are the catchers, while Sissonville’s Dee Loftis, Berkeley Spring’s Katie Kesecker and Braxton’s Jenny Tonkin earn utility spots.



PARKERSBURG — The Class AA all-state softball team released by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association:

First Team

P: Tessa Wyant, Point Pleasant, sr.

P: Kelsey Clark, Ritchie County, sr.

P: Andi Williamson, Chapmanville, sr. (capt.)

P: Mishayla Zecco, Lincoln, soph.

P: Kelsey Whitt, Independence, soph.

IF: Chelsea Holcomb, Lincoln, sr.

IF: Tia Via, Shady Spring, sr.

IF: Cheyenne Hall, Roane County, sr.

IF: Anna Sommer, Point Pleasant, sr.

OF: Selina Simmons, Wyoming East, jr.

OF: Sheena McKinney, Independence, sr.

OF: Casey Jarvis, Liberty Harrison, jr.

UT: Brandi McGraw, Wyoming East, soph.

UT: Allison Evans, Chapmanville, fr.

UT: Kaitlyn Goudy, Tyler Consolidated, sr.

C: Allison Delancey, Ritchie County, fr.

C: Poppy Ramey, Chapmanville, sr.



Second Team

P: Ashley Knight, Ritchie County, soph.

P: Summer Athey, Liberty Raleigh, soph.

P: Meghan Anderson, Keyser, fr.

P: Rachael Mack, Herbert Hoover, jr.

P: Amber Woody, Shady Spring, soph.

IF: Tiffani Huffman, Braxton County, sr.

IF: Brittnay Spencer, Ritchie County, jr.

IF: Lydia Honaker, Shady Spring, jr. (capt.)

IF: Christie Hittel, Lincoln, sr.

IF: Christian Mullins, Wyoming East, jr.

OF: Morgan Cottrell, Roane County, sr.

OF: Brittany Harrison, Poca, sr.

UT: Dee Dee Loftis, Sissonville, fr

UT: Katie Kesecker, Berkeley Springs, sr.

UT: Jenny Tonkin, Braxton County, sr.

C: Devin Cottrill, Point Pleasant, sr.

C: Jacinda Ward, Independence, sr.



Special Honorable Mention

Jenna Evans, Chapmanville; Abby Smith, Clay County; Kayla Saunders, Independence; Scarlet Lawson, Independence; Karsyn Boothe, James Monroe; Megan Powell, James Monroe; Ashley Barnes, Liberty Harrison; Amanda Davis, Liberty Harrison; Emily Bower, Liberty Raleigh; Alyssa Elder, Lincoln; Corrine Murdock, Magnolia; Brittany Batton, Magnolia; Sarah Baber, Oak Hill; Courtney Chancey, Poca; Miranda Linville, Poca; Emily Jones, Point Pleasant; Katie Belcher, Ravenswood; Kayla Matics, Ravenswood; Allie Peery, Ravenswood; Ashli Knotts, Roane County; Ashley Stalnaker, Shady Spring; Kayla Plumley, Shady Spring; Madison Bowman, Sherman; Mandy Workman, Sherman; Chelsea Hanshaw, Sissonville; Madison Edens, Sissonville; Kara Wood, Summers County; Leanna Lycans, Tolsia; Alissa Lycans, Wayne; Cheyanne Graybeal, Wyoming East.



Honorable Mention

Alyssa Spielman, Berkeley Spring; Amanda Buckhanan, Bluefield; Beth Baldwin, Chapmanville; Kelli Cole, Clay County; Kayla Epling, Independence; Summer Adkins, Independence; Vanessa Fox, James Monroe; Jade McDaniel, James Monroe; Ann Jackson, James Monroe; Taylor Haggerty, Keyser; Brooke Mangold, Keyser; Hannah Tomes, Liberty Harrison; LeAnn Bowen, Liberty Harrison; Katelyn Prince, Liberty Raleigh; Katie Mouvich, Liberty Raleigh; Casey Moore, Lincoln; Lyndsay Miller, Magnolia; Erin Wilson, Oak Hill; Desiree Hughes, Oak Hill; Whitney Lough, Petersburg; Jackie Layhew, Philip Barbour; Jennifer Wickline, Point Pleasant; Kaitlyn Casto, Ravenswood; Jess Stemple, Ritchie County; Samantha Slone, Roane County; Kate Williams, Roane County; Jayna Sayre, Shady Spring; Rachel Smith, Shady Spring; Brittany May, Sherman; Haylie Ballard, Sissonville; Megan Hightower, Summers County; Kara Pollinger, Tolsia; Sami Jones, Tyler Consolidated; Kala Adams, Wayne; Tiffani Swiger, Weir; Kayla Brooks, Wyoming East; Chelsea Whitten, Wyoming East

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