With all of the Pioneer District teams eliminated from postseason play in softball and baseball two weeks ago, the league’s coaches revealed its All-Pioneer District teams, and Parry McCluer High School was wellrepresented on both honor squads.
The Blues landed 11 players on the all-district softball team, including four first-team selections, while the PM baseball team boasted seven representatives.
Junior Kendall Painter led the way for the PM softball team, which finished 9-12 overall and 5-5 in the district, earning all-district honors at first base. Through 20 games, not including the loss in the Region 1C quarterfinals (see separate story), Painter led the Blues in six different statistical categories, including hits (28), doubles (11), triples (three), home runs (two), slugging percentage (.823) and RBIs (27). Painter finished the year with a .452 batting average and 23 runs scored.
Also tapped to the first team was outfielder Sophia Bouchelle. The sophomore batted .473 on the season, banging out 26 hits. She posted three doubles, two triples while scoring 19 runs and driving in 21.
Sophomore Harleigh Fulwider was named to the first team as the designated player despite missing four games during the regular season. She led the Blues with a .481 batting average and drove in 13 runs.
Rounding out PM’s first-team selections was freshman Caroline Watts, who was placed on the team at pitcher. Through the district tournament, Watts hurled her way to a 9-9 record on the mound, pitching 103.1 innings and striking out 65 batters. At the plate, the freshman batted .421 with 14 RBIs and led the Blues with 26 runs scored and 22 stolen bases.
Junior Lexi Armstrong was named to the second team in the outfield after batting .268 with 17 runs and 10 stolen bases.
Six players received honorable mention consideration from the Pioneer District’s coaches. Those players were sophomores Patience Hill, Zoey Tolley, Sarah Dudley, Sophie Chittum and Jordyn Hostetter and freshman Sophie Porterfield.
The Blues are guided by 12th-year head coach Troy Clark. The PM baseball team, which finished 3-16 overall and 0-6 in the district, did not have any first-team selections, but four players did earn second- team recognition.
Among that group was junior Curtis King, who led the Blues with three triples and 15 RBIs. Junior Kyler Ramsey was also named to the second team after battling .302 this season, leading the squad with 16 hits, and recording 10 runs and 10 RBIs.
Sophomore Colby Camden was also a second-team selection after batting .294 with 12 RBIs and a team-leading 16 runs scored. Lane Luckton, another sophomore, landed on the second team after posting 14 RBIs and leading the team with a .333 batting average.
The Blues, under the direction of ninth-year head coach Bryan Loy, received three honorable mention selections: senior Sam Griffin, junior Kyle Smals and sophomore Adison Haynes.
