Fairfield leads area on All-SEC list

The Southeast Conference released its 2022 All-Conference softball list last week, and the Fairfield Trojans were among the most represented schools on the list.

The Trojans had seven players named to the squad. That trailed only conference champion Fort Madison’s eight.

Fairfield senior Hannah Simpson was named SEC Player of the Year. Simpson went off this season, hitting .523 with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs.

The junior battery of Coty Engle and Peyton McCabe also found its way on the All-SEC first team.

Engle had a great season at the plate and in the pitcher’s circle. She hit .356 with two home runs, three triples and 29 RBIs. She was one of the most dominant pitchers in the conference, ending the year 20-4 with a 2.17 ERA and 183 strikeouts.

Engle’s catcher flirted with a .400 batting average all year. McCabe finished the year with a .398 average, hitting one home run and ending with 15 RBIs.

Fairfield had two players on the second team. Delaney and Danielle Breen represented the squad on the second list.

Washington youngsters Leighton and Bella Salazar both made the first team. Eighth-grader Leighton Salazar hit .460 with five doubles and 17 RBIs. Freshman Bella Salazar hit .333 with 10 doubles and 23 RBIs, and also had a good year in the circle, going 8-13 with a 4.56 ERA.

Senior Rylee Fishback and freshman Ella Greiner made the second team for the Demons.

Mt. Pleasant had one first team honoree. Senior Savana Walls represented the Panthers.

Walls hit .286 for the Panthers this season. She hit a team-leading seven doubles and knocked in seven runs.

Mt. Pleasant sophomore Emma Starr was also honored. She represented the Panthers on the second team.

Each team was given two honorable mentions. Fairfield seniors Brynley Allison and Jenna Norris made the honorable mention list, as did Mt. Pleasant juniors Jersey Beachy and Ella McNamee, Washington freshman Halle Cuddeback and Demon senior Ava Turner.

FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC

Morgan Schroeder, Burlington

Saydee Plummer, Burlington

Hannah Simpson, Fairfield (POY)

Coty Engle, Fairfield

Peyton McCabe, Fairfield

Logan Johnson, Fort Madison

Neely Rehm, Fort Madison

Erika Kruse, Fort Madison

Lexi Whaley, Fort Madison

Ada Wood, Keokuk

Savana Walls, Mt. Pleasant

Leighton Salazar, Washington

Bella Salazar, Washington

SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC

Keirah Wiseman, Burlington

Maddy Taeger, Burlington

Aubrey Hesler, Burlington

Danielle Breen, Fairfield

Delaney Breen, Fairfield

Lauryn Helmick, Fort Madison

Emily Steffensmeier, Fort Madison

Rachel Moore, Keokuk

Emma Starr, Mt. Pleasant

Ella Greiner, Washington

Rylee Fishback, Washington

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Burlington: Hannah Huevelman and Emily Mosely

Fairfield: Brynley Allison and Jenna Norris

Fort Madison: Elizabeth Tanner and Gabrielle Ruble

Keokuk: Grace Thompson and Izzy Evans

Mt. Pleasant: Jersey Beachy and Ella McNamee

Washington: Ava Turner and Hallie Cuddeback

ACADEMIC ALL-SEC

Burlington: Marissa Huff, Jessica Ricketts and Morgan Schroeder

Fairfield: Brynley Allison, Morgan Amendt, Danielle Breen, Delaney Breen, Coty Engle, Emersyn Manley, Peyton McCabe, Jenna Norris and Hannah Simpson

Fort Madison: Logan Johnson, Emily Steffensmeier, Mylah Blanchard and McKenna Cashman

Keokuk: Natasha Cale, Haylee Davis and Rachel Moore

Mt. Pleasant: Jersey Beachy, Julie Campbell, Mica Carter, Jordan Crooks, Jayden Housh, Ella McNamee, Eva Rounceville and Savana Walls

Washington: Ava Turner, Hayden Janecek and Haley Mitchell

FINAL SEC STANDINGS

TEAM CONFERENCE OVERALL

1. Fort Madison 18-2, 23-13

2. Fairfield 15-4, 29-10

3. Burlington 12-7, 20-15

4. Washington 9-11, 13-25

5. Keokuk 4-16, 7-25

6. Mt. Pleasant 3-28, 1-19